Cooperation between the institution «Belarusian State Archive of Film and Photo Documents» and the Vitebsk Regional Council of Veterans of the Belarusian Public Association of Veterans
Popularization of audiovisual documents and disclosure of funds to users has become one of the priority tasks in the activities of the institution «Belarusian State Archive of Film and Photo Documents» (hereinafter – BGAKFFD). The reliability and impartiality of film, photo and sound documents make them witnesses of each historical stage in the history of our country. Numerous projects and studies carried out using the unique audiovisual heritage of the country, stored in the funds of the BGAKFFD, are proof of this.
BGAKFFD established cooperation with the Vitebsk Regional Council of Veterans of the Belarusian Public Association of Veterans. The provided archival materials are actively used in the work aimed at preserving the historical memory of the Belarusian people. At meetings with schoolchildren, the public of the region, activists of the Vitebsk Regional Council of Veterans talk about the reliable facts of the crimes of the Nazi invaders during the war years on the territory of the Vitebsk region, captured in newsreels. So, for the students of the secondary school of the village of Orekhovsk, Orsha district, footage of the military tribunal in Bobruisk over the German Lieutenant General G.Traut was shown. For residents of the settlement, a similar film was shown and a rally was organized at the monument to their fellow countryman, Hero of the Soviet Union Yu.V.Smirnov.
Reference:
On the night of June 24, 1944, Yuri Smirnov participated in a night tank assault that broke through the enemy defenses in the Orsha direction. In the battle for the village of Shalashino (Orsha district of the Vitebsk region) he was seriously wounded and captured by the enemy. After severe torture, Yuri Smirnov died. The interrogation was personally attended by Lieutenant General Hans Traut, later captured and sentenced by a military tribunal to 25 years in prison.
Similar events were held for residents of the villages of Kalinovka and Lyady in the Dubrovno region, as well as the city of Dubrovno, whose population experienced the full horror of the occupation regime during the Great Patriotic War. Deputy Chairman of the Regional Council of the Belarusian Public Association of Veterans Mikhail Aleksandrovich Leshchinsky used materials from the BGAKFFD funds in preparing a report on the genocide and crimes of invaders in the territory of the Vitebsk region during the Great Patriotic War within the framework of a scientific and practical conference in Vitebsk.
Such work allows not only to acquaint citizens of the country with unique archival documents, but also contributes to the spiritual and moral education of the younger generation, the formation of civic and patriotic qualities of young people. Enlightenment, the formation of a reliable picture of the historical past of Belarus is the main goal of the joint work of the BGAKFFD and the Vitebsk Regional Council of Veterans.
As part of the agreements reached, further joint work is planned to promote archival documents in educational activities in the Vitebsk region and other regions of the country.
