«There is such a profession – to defend the Motherland» – for the Day of Defenders of the Fatherland and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus

The Belarusian State Archive of Film, Photo, and Sound Documents presents a virtual photo exhibition «There is such a profession – to defend the Motherland» – for the Day of Defenders of the Fatherland and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, based on photo documents from the funds of the BAKFFD.

On January 28, 1918, the Council of People’s Commissars of Soviet Russia issued a decree on the creation of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army. At the front, volunteer soldiers began to enroll in the new army, from which Red Army companies were formed, which were gradually consolidated into regiments.

On February 23, 1918, near Pskov, the 2nd Red Army Regiment, together with a detachment of Pskov Red Guards under the command of the former staff captain of the tsarist army A.I.Cherepanov, entered into battle with the German corps at the Mnoga River and forced the enemy to retreat. Since 1922, this date has been traditionally celebrated annually in the USSR as «Red Army Day», since 1946 – «Soviet Army Day», from 1949 to 1992 – «Soviet Army and Navy Day». After the collapse of the USSR, this holiday date was preserved in the Republic of Belarus, and the holiday began to be called – Defenders of the Fatherland and Armed Forces Day of the Republic of Belarus.

On the YouTube channel of BGAKFFD, a promotional video for the exhibition «There is such a profession – to defend the Motherland» was posted for the Defenders of the Fatherland and Armed Forces Day of the Republic of Belarus.

Currently, the funds of the Belarusian State Archive of Film, Photo, and Sound Documents contain more than 5,000 units of photographic documents from 1918 to 2022, more than 100 units of film documents from 1934 to 2019, about 30 units of sound documents from 1941 to 2001, related to the history of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army and the modern Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus.

The photographic documents captured soldiers of one of the first units of the Red Army, military maneuvers of the Red Army in 1936, and combat operations of the Red Army in 1941-1945. The photo library also contains numerous post-war photographs and photos of our time, capturing tactical exercises, military exercises, military parades, and much more. The archive’s film library is represented by newsreel stories from the war and post-war years, dedicated to the Red Army and later the Soviet Army, as well as stories from the television programs «Contours» and «Week» about the modern Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus. In addition, the film library stores documentaries related to the history and development of the Armed Forces. Among them are «Blow for blow» (1936), «Liberation of Soviet Belarus» (1944), «On guard of the Motherland» (1948), «Soldier’s everyday life» (1965), «For the sake of life on earth» (1968), «Countdown» (1970), «Belarusian Red Banner» (1978), «Call in May» (1982) and others.

The music library is represented by Sofinformburo reports during the Great Patriotic War, as well as the memories of veterans, participants in military operations, as well as radio broadcasts dedicated to the heroes of the civil war.

At all times, various adjustments were made to this holiday, but the most important thing remained: its spirit. Whatever it is called, it is on this day that the warmest wishes are expressed to men and gifts are given, symbolizing strength, courage.

1. Archive №0-097266 One of the first units of the Red Army leaves for the Western Front against the German occupiers, March 1918

2. Archive №1-000613 Graduate of the Mogilev Soviet Infantry Courses Zubov presents the banner on behalf of the Red officers, the first graduates of the courses, to the Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee M.I. Kalinin, June 14, 1919, Mogilev

3. Archive №0-018568 During maneuvers of the troops of the Belarusian Military District, 1936

4. Archive №0-132423 At the headquarters of the Brest garrison during exercises, 1940, Brest

5. Archive №0-135275 Mortar crew of Corporal V.G. Makarov of the 355th Rifle Regiment of the 100th Rifle Division of the Western Front before the battle in the area of ​​Logoisk Highway near Minsk, June 1941, Minsk Region.

6. Archive №0-073178 A group of Red Army soldiers who were the first to enter the city of Bobruisk, June 1944, Mogilev Region.

7. Archive №0-018366 Meeting of Red Army soldiers with the population of Polotsk, liberated from the Nazi invaders, July 1944, Vitebsk Region.

8. Archive №0-019557 During infantry exercises in cooperation with tanks in the N-unit of the Belarusian Military District, February 17, 1958, BSSR

9. Archive №0-041952 Senior Lieutenant of the N-unit of the BVO V.I.Peremykin conducts a conversation with soldiers, January 21, 1959, BSSR

10. Archive №0-054658 Private of the N-unit of the BVO A.Vodopalas during tactical exercises, February 13, 1964

11. Archive №0-072284 Passage of soldiers of the Belarusian Military District along Partizansky Avenue in Minsk after returning from the «Dnepr» exercises, 1967, Minsk

12. Archive №0-086014 The moment the 2K6 Luna tactical missile system reaches the launch position during the Dnepr-67 exercises, September 1967, BSSR

13. Archive №0-086042 Tankers of one of the units of the Red Banner Belorussian Military District on the march during the Dvina exercises, March 1970

14. Archive №0-087208 Former commissar of the A. Nevsky partisan detachment M.S. Martinovich during a conversation with soldiers – participants in the Dvina exercisesMarch 9, 1970, BSSR

15. Archive №0-134622 During summer exercises of the tank regiment of the Red Banner Belorussian Military District, August 1985, BSSR

16. Archive №P004863 Private of the communications battalion of the 5th separate special forces brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus O. Garanovich takes the military oath, January 1997, Minsk region.

17. Archive №0-156041 Anti-aircraft installation during military exercises of the mobile forces of the 38th Guards separate mobile brigade at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground near the city of Baranovichi, May 1997, Brest region.

18. Archive №0-142159 Head of the 248th Central Control Laboratory of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus Lieutenant Colonel I. Biryuk during classes with cadets-trainees in the settlement of Gatovo, Minsk region, December 27, 1996, Minsk region.

19. Archive №E002181 Servicemen during the integrated operational exercise «Clear Sky-2003», October 2003, Belarus

20. Arch. №E003527 During training sessions for soldiers of the 320th School for Training Specialists of Engineering Troops Units at the 72nd Guards Joint Training Center, May 2005, Minsk Region

21. Arch. №E006727 During airborne training sessions for servicemen of the 120th Guards Separate Mobile Brigade, stationed in the Uruchye microdistrict of Minsk, March 2006, Minsk Region

22. Arch. №E027062 Senior Warrant Officer of the 336th Rocket Artillery Brigade A. Lipskiy, his deputy V. Shevchenko, senior driver-mechanic private D. Leonchikov during exercises at the Osipovichi training ground, November 12, 2010, Mogilev region.

23. Arch. №E065647 Parade dedicated to the celebration of Victory Day in Vitebsk, May 9, 2016, Vitebsk

24. Arch. №E057633 T-72-B tanks in a mechanized column of military equipment during the celebration of Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus in Minsk, July 3, 2017, Minsk

25. Arch. №E093241 During the first stage of the joint strategic exercise of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation «West-2021», which took place at the combined arms training ground «Obuz-Lesnovsky» near Baranovichi, September 12, 2021, Brest region.