In the Gomel district reburied the remains of civilians and opened a memorial to the victims of genocide

The fate of civilians who became victims of Nazi punishers was discussed today in the village of Zalipye, Gomel district. The remains of civilians executed by the German fascist invaders during the Great Patriotic War were reburied here, and the memory of all victims of the genocide of the Belarusian people was immortalized by opening a memorial sign on the initiative of local residents.

At the rally-requiem in Zalipye gathered local residents, representatives of government, public organizations and youth. More than 80 years have passed, but our land still keeps a lot of evidence of the terrible crimes of the Nazis and the unbearable pain of Belarusians.

One of the local residents of Zalipia told about the burial near her own house - she was interviewed as part of the investigation of the criminal case on the genocide of the Belarusian people. Gomel district prosecutor Alexander Shinkarev shared the details:

- At this place in the autumn of 1943, the German fascist invaders and their accomplices brutally dealt with the peaceful population. Approximately 30-40 people were driven to the owner’s barn, where they were held for several days, and later they were shot. Here, in a trench dug by people to shelter from bombing, they were buried.

Some of them were reburied in the postwar years, but the rest were not raised from the ground until 2025. The remains of 16 people were found, some of them children. Civilians were shot, most often killed by two shots in the back of the head. The identity of four people was established.

For many who came to the rally, the tragedy of those distant days became personal. Someone came to see their relatives finally rest. One cannot forget the horror stories of Nazi victims. Valentina Gaeva from the village of Zalipye heard about this burial since childhood:

My mother remembered that for a while the earth was breathing and moaning. Someone was probably still alive there

In the center of the village of Zalipye, a memorial sign was opened to those who became victims of the genocide of the Belarusian people. So here they decided to honor the memory of all residents of the Uritsky village council, executed by the German fascist invaders. Moreover, the opening of the memorial sign was the implementation of one of the projects of civil initiatives “Echo of War”. Let us preserve the memory together.” This important patriotic project of the residents of the Uritsk Village Council became the winner of an open competition and received financial support from the Gomel Regional Association of Local Councils of Deputies. The project united the efforts of local authorities, deputy corps, labor collectives and caring citizens. Member of the Council of the Republic, Chairman of the Gomel District Executive Committee Alexander Novikov stressed:

- Preserving the memory of those who died is the sacred duty of present generations and the key to building a future based on respect for the history of our people. In the Chashnik district with honors reburied the remains of an unnamed Red Army soldier

Photo by BelTA and Gomel District Executive Committee.