The documentary exhibition «Victory Rings Through the Years» opened at the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus

On May 8, 2026, the documentary exhibition «Victory Rings Through the Years» opened at the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus. Developed by the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus (hereinafter referred to as NARB) and the Belarusian State Archive of Film, Photo, and Sound Documents, it was timed to coincide with Victory Day.

There is a holiday in the history of our people that can, without exaggeration, be called sacred. This holiday is Victory Day, celebrated every year on May 9. The memory of the terrible war and the Great Victory cannot fade: it is forever inscribed in the history of our country and every Belarusian family. Belarusians, among the first to bear the brunt of Nazi Germany’s attack on the USSR, experienced the full brunt of the war like no one else. Tortured but unconquered, Belarus, thanks to the courage and dedication of its entire population, entered world history as a partisan republic.

Since 1965, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, May 9th has been a non-working day, but Victory Day has always been and remains a beloved holiday—even if it brings tears to our eyes! The first minute of silence in the USSR was declared on May 9th, 1965. State television broadcast the Eternal Flame for the first time, with the Kremlin Wall as a backdrop, accompanied by a metronome. The minute of silence was preceded by an announcer’s call to the blessed memory of the defenders of the Motherland who died in the name of Victory and concluded with the song «My Homeland Is Wide».

In Minsk, Victory Day was celebrated with particular pomp and ceremony that year, with a military parade and a veterans’ march. The epicenter was Victory Square, where a 38-meter monumental obelisk was erected in 1954 in honor of the Red Army soldiers and partisans who died fighting for the liberation of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. The square was decorated with ribbons and banners, and from Gorky Park, an alley of stands with portraits of Heroes of the Soviet Union of Belarusian descent ran. The laying of wreaths and flowers at the Eternal Flame, a ceremonial gathering, and concerts for war veterans—these items were also included in the celebratory program for the 20th anniversary of Victory Day.

Decades pass, generations change, but the Great Victory remains a symbol of national pride, military glory, and valor. Veterans are always the most important figures on Victory Day. On this day, all residents of the country express their sincere gratitude to them.

The exhibition features unique documents that reflect the history and traditions of celebrating Victory Day, a holiday sacred to every Belarusian. The exhibit includes organizational and administrative documents from the highest government bodies of the BSSR and the Republic of Belarus on honoring and perpetuating the memory of war heroes, programs for celebratory events and concerts, photographs from anniversary parades, marches, and memorial events, and more.

Leading researcher at the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus, PhD in History V.G.Mazets, introduced employees of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus to the documentary exhibition.

1. Exhibition poster

2. Documentary exhibition «Victory Rings Through the Years»

3. Leading researcher at the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus, PhD in History V.G.Mazets, introduces employees of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus to the exhibition

4. Employees of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus viewing the archival documents exhibition

5. Archival documents on display

6. Archival documents on display