The Belarusian State Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War is one of the largest in the world. It is entirely devoted to those tragic pages of history that many would prefer to forget. Numerous galleries feature elements of history that reflect how Soviet troops fought against the fascist army several decades ago.
Collecting valuable items for display
In the summer of 1942, the Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus organized a commission that was entrusted with a responsible task, namely the collection of documents and other both direct and indirect evidence of the exploits and heroism of the people of Belarus during the struggle against the Nazi invaders. It is safe to say that these people did their best, because it was they who managed to put together an amazing collection of various trophies. These include coldweapons, uniforms, an invaluable collection of photographs and personal belongings that were in use by Soviet soldiers. Findings made by craftsmen with their own hands were special for everyone.
Among them were beautiful small paintings and drawings of veterans. In general, the collection has crept up and really marvelous. Many elements help to reproduce all the tragic events and fully experience the atmosphere of the war. This is necessary in order to reflect and rethink your life from time to time.
Starting from 1942, the exposition, which was temporarily located in Moscow, returned to Minsk again. This museum could rightly be considered the very first and largest in the history of the USSR. Today, it never ceases to amaze with its scale. According to the latest data, more than a thousand valuable exhibits enter the museum every year.
The first post-war museum
It is noteworthy that this is the only museum that began to function during the war years. In Minsk, since 1966, it began to be located on the most central avenue of the city. There is a small area around the museum, where there are some samples of military equipment that were used during the Great Patriotic War. The exposition itself is located in 27 halls. About 7 thousand military exhibits tell about the horrors of war, the cruelty of the Nazis and the heroic deeds of people. Since the building is located on the territory of Belarus, the halls that are dedicated to the history are of particular interest to this people.partisan Belarusian movement.
The painstaking work of an architect
It is generally accepted that the story of the war, which is built in chronological order, is not accurate. Rather, it is built as fragments of a story or one picture, with the help of which the author tries to convey the atmosphere or general mood. The concept of the halls is as confusing as the origin story of the museum. Be that as it may, today it is located in a new building, the construction of which began in 2010. The architect of this project was the previously known Victor Kramarenko, who is currently a professor and author of the beautiful buildings of the national library.
When the construction work was completed, it was safe to say that the new look of the museum looks impressive. Reliefs flaunt on the walls, on which the names of soldiers who were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union are written. The architects' idea was to fill the architectural beams with laser light in the evening. This impressive sight can be observed at night. Soon, a fountain is planned to be installed on the square near the museum, which will revive the already beautiful architectural ensemble.
One of the largest in the world
This project really turned out to be successful, because the Belarusian National Museum of the Great Patriotic War is one of the most significant, as it has priceless collections, equal toare located only in Moscow, New Orleans and Kyiv. Museums in these cities also tell about the events of World War II. They contain wax figures, mock-ups and real military equipment used at the time.
Halls dedicated to concentration camps
Museums, of course, are needed in order not to forget that war is the worst of all invented by man. During these terrible years, thousands of people died, and some countries, including Belarus, lost almost every third inhabitant. If we take into account the events that unfolded on the territory of Belarus, then one can be horrified, because about 250 death camps operated on the territory of the country. One of the collections of the first museum was dedicated specifically to the concentration camps. They were presented by the Belarusian State Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War. The expositions are dedicated to the victims of these events. Beginning in 1942, the established commission, which was located in Moscow, continuously received exhibits directly from the front line. Among such historical treasures were various handwritten and printed publications, hand-picked weapons, and chronicles of partisan movements. This valuable data was sent to Moscow and kept there until the opening of the museum.
Belarusian State Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War. History in detail
Some time later, the state allocated for the expositiona dark, unattractive building in the center of the city, but I had to be content with this, as it was one of the few buildings that remained relatively intact after the war. In 1944, its doors in Minsk were already wide open to visitors. A few years later, the collection was again replenished with new exhibits. This became possible thanks to the excavations that were carried out on the territory of the Trostyanets concentration camp. Specialists, using various technical methods, were able to accurately determine its location and conduct a series of search operations there. Their efforts were crowned with success, and the museum acquired several hundred new exhibits.
Fortunately, soon the President of Belarus took the initiative to build a new museum complex. An interesting fact is that the expositions use modern technologies that help to see in detail the scale of hostilities. Video and soundtrack contribute to this.
Grand move into new building
Designing the Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War is a difficult and responsible task that was entrusted to outstanding figures of the country. Among them was a well-known international professor of architecture - Viktor Kramarenko. The total area of the designed building was fifteen thousand square meters. The museum adorned the center of the capital with its presence. It still impresses tourists with its scale and grandeur. His by rightcan be called one of the greatest buildings on the territory of the Belarusian state. The outer metal case shines and shimmers in the rays of the sun, and the glass gives the composition a complete look. These materials were not randomly chosen to be part of the building. Metal symbolized war, while glass symbolized victory and enduring values.
Decent appearance
The design is concise, although you can't call it discreet. The Belarusian Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War (description in the article) is well designed. Harmonious monumentality combined with minimalism and modern technologies give the building a monumental chic. The whole structure is complemented by large plasma screens, which are placed on the walls. If we return to the exposition, we can say with confidence that the collection of almost three dozen documents deserves special attention. Among them you can find various combat reports, reports and journals of military events. Of particular interest are the front-line characteristics of the soldiers, they can be seen in one of the internal galleries. Even letters from commanders and commanders-in-chief have been preserved since World War II.
News at the museum
You can not only read them, but also look through them. Special information kiosks, which are located in the halls, are designed specifically for this purpose. Plasma screens almost all the time show unique footage from military newsreels. The museum has a collection of over 40,000 photographs that you cansee by visiting the aforementioned expositions. But there is something in the building that is much more interesting for many than a photo. These are real size reconstructions. Among them are "Tank Ramming" and "Air Combat".
Fascinating excursions
Being in the center of Minsk, you should pay attention to this cultural center. Visitors leave the most flattering reviews of the "Belarusian State Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War". Tours run from Tuesday to Sunday with one day off - Wednesday (Monday, when it comes to public holidays). If someone is interested in deeper excursions in the Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War, you need to submit preliminary applications or conduct them. They are carried out with a group, which consists of no more than 25 people. Individual in-depth excursions are also possible. The museum administration kindly allowed the use of audio guides in several languages. The cost of various excursions, according to preliminary data, ranges from 75,000 to 150,000 Belarusian rubles. The Belarusian State Museum of History (WWII) opens its doors to everyone who wants to look into history.
