Almost every Russian city has its own unique heroic story, but today we will stop at Smolensk - one of the oldest Russian cities, located about 400 km from Moscow in a south-westerly direction. Before approaching the theme “Day of the liberation of Smolensk from Nazi invaders”, we briefly recall the history of the main and central city of Smolensk, which is very rich in various events.
Walled city
The first mentions of Smolensk are found in the Ustyug chronicles dated 862-865. Since 882, the city was part of the Kiev state, Prince Oleg captured and transferred it to the reign of Prince Igor. He appeared on an ancient historical trade route. Smolensk was a major place of trade and handicraft, which became a center and a military fortress for the Slavic Krivichi tribe.
On the question of what date is the day the Smolensk region is liberated from the Nazis, in order to better understand this picture, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with a few more main events for the city. Gradually, developing economically, in the XII century it grew to the administrative and cultural center of the Smolensk principality. The population of the city conducted brisk trade, regulated by an agreement of 1229, with the Baltic peoples and Riga. In the period from 1404 to 1514, the city was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
Battle of the city
In 1410, Smolensk regiments, along with Polish and Lithuanian military units, participated in the Battle of Grunwald.
In the years 1596-1602. Smolensk was surrounded by a stone wall-fortress, the construction of which was carried out by the architect from Smolensk, Fedor Kon. This fortress was later called the stone necklace of Russian land.
During the years of the Smolensk defense, which dates from 1609-1611, the city was captured by the Poles, in 1654 the Russians again conquered it.
The day of the liberation of Smolensk from the French
In the history of Smolensk, it is very important to mention the year 1812 - the time of World War II, when the battle of the combined Russian armies of Bagration and Barclay de Tolly with the Napoleonic army took place near the city. The liberation of Smolensk from the French conquerors occurred on November 4, 1812. The city of Smolensk at that time was badly damaged.
In the XIX century, it became the hub city of five railway lines, and therefore the city economically rose very quickly. At the beginning of the XIX century, there were about 20 industrial and economic enterprises. In 1929, Smolensk - the center of the western region.
September 25 - Day of liberation of Smolensk from German invaders
When the Nazi invaders attacked the USSR, then after a couple of weeks, or rather, on July 10, they were at the walls of Smolensk.
From the first and terrible weeks of the war, the most fierce battle was fought on the territory of the Smolensk region, which later had a historical name - the Smolensk defensive battle. It was it that for two months delayed the German invaders' attack on Moscow, this helped the capital to prepare and meet the enemy fully armed. This fact caused the collapse of the monstrous Hitler plan.
In the battle of Smolensk, Soviet troops destroyed 250, 000 officers and soldiers of the Wehrmacht. Soviet troops of the 16th, 19th and 20th armies in the hardest and fiercest battles of the Smolensk region in the districts of the Solovyov crossing, Dukhovshchina, near Yelnya and Yartsev courageously with all their strength restrained the onslaught of the most powerful German army group "Center".
The day of the liberation of Smolensk was still very far away. July 16, 1941 Smolensk was occupied by the Nazis, July 29 - the Dnieper part of Smolensk fell.
Occupation and Partisanism
The Soviet troops could not restrain the superior forces of the rival and were forced to surrender the Smolensk region. Cities and villages were occupied by the Germans. However, in local villages, 120 partisan formations and detachments acted against the enemy.
Later, about 10 thousand soldiers and officers, partisans and underground workers of the Smolensk Territory were presented for awards, honorary orders and medals, 56 people received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, among which the commander of the partisan detachment Grishin S.V. and partisans Pyotr Galetsky and Vladimir Kurylenko.
Victory
It is believed that September 25, 1943 is the day of the liberation of the Smolensk region (all those terrible colors of the terrible destruction and sorrows that have befallen our land transmit photos of those times). If you follow the historical facts in detail, the operation to free the Smolensk region took place from August to October 1943 and was code-named “Suvorov”.
Despite the fact that the Soviet troops did not have powerful technical equipment and sufficient manpower, the Smolensk region was nevertheless completely freed from the enemy.
Before the war, the Smolensk region was a flourishing region, after the war the cities of Roslavl, Gzhatsk, Vyazma, Yartsevo turned into continuous ruins.
In Smolensk, out of 8, 000 residential buildings, 7, 300 were burned. The Nazis brutally tortured and shot 350 thousand civilians, of which 135 thousand died in Smolensk alone.
The units of the troops of the Western Front and 70 formations were given the honorary names Smolensk, Yartsev, and Roslavl. On the day of the liberation of the Smolensk region in Moscow, a salute of 244 guns was given by 20 artillery shells.
