Date :
Monday, November 27, 2023
The "Breakthrough" Memorial Complex is a monument to the heroes of the partisan movement, located in the Ushachi district of the Vitebsk region.
It was established in honor of the selfless breakthrough of the German blockade that took place in May 1944 by the forces of the Polotsk-Lepel partisan unit. As part of the fascist punitive operation, more than 60,000 German soldiers were deployed to the Ushachi district. The defenders of the Belarusian land overcame the enemy in a fierce battle and led more than 15,000 residents of the surrounding villages out of the fascist encirclement. Despite heavy losses, the partisans under the command of V.E. Lobanok, after the breakthrough, continued to fight heroically until they joined forces with the Red Army soldiers, which happened in June of the same year.
In 1974, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from the fascists, the "Breakthrough" Memorial Complex was opened at the site of the memorable battle. The creators of the complex, sculptor A. Anikeichik and co-authors of the "Khatyn" memorial complex Y. Gradov and L. Levin, worked on its creation. To realize the concept, the creators used materials that symbolize strength, power, and fortitude – concrete, bronze, granite.
What does the "Breakthrough" Memorial Complex look like?
The entrance to the complex starts with a paved road. It is part of the actual path used by Soviet defenders during that memorable May night. The road leads to a large-scale monument. The composition features an 11-meter-high concrete wall, split in half, symbolizing the breaking of the encirclement. In the center of the split is a 9-meter-high bronze statue of a partisan with a machine gun in hand, depicted in motion. To the right of the figure are 33 memorial plates. They bear the names of people whose lives tragically ended during the punitive operation and the breakout from the encirclement. Nearby is a mass grave where partisans whose names could not be identified are buried. Another element of the complex is a composition of three bronze rifles arranged in a pyramid, symbolizing the military duty fulfilled to the motherland.
Near the memorial, in memory of the 16 partisan brigades that participated in the breakout, 16 oak trees were planted.
From 2015-2017, the memorial complex was restored. Next to the complex, an improvised partisan village appeared, including:
- residential and command dugouts;
- a partisan printing press;
- a forest school – a place where children of partisans and local residents were educated during the war.
A display of military equipment is located near the entrance to the complex.
Visiting the "Breakthrough" Memorial Complex is an excellent opportunity to introduce children, youth, and foreign guests to the history of the Belarusian partisan movement and to honor the memory of the heroic defenders of Belarus. To make the visit more interesting and informative, a guided tour can be pre-arranged at the Ushachi Museum of Folk Glory named after V.E. Lobanok, of which the memorial is a branch.
The complex is located seven kilometers from the urban settlement of Ushachi. Regular buses to the memorial complex depart from the Ushachi bus station. To reach the monument, you should travel to the "Novoe Selo" stop.