{"id":105665,"date":"2024-09-19T14:08:34","date_gmt":"2024-09-19T11:08:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/105665\/"},"modified":"2024-09-19T14:08:36","modified_gmt":"2024-09-19T11:08:36","slug":"september-17-belarus-celebrates-nazi-soviet-alliance","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/105665\/","title":{"rendered":"September 17: Belarus celebrates Nazi-Soviet alliance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On September 17, the Belarusian government held a patriotic event to celebrate the 85th<\/sup> anniversary of the reunification of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic and Western Belarus under the Molotov\u2013Ribbentrop Pact. Authorities seized the opportunity to stage a pompous rally in support of Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka. However, the celebration might have infuriated Poles.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n \"\"\n
\n \n
\n (sb.by)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Controversial reunification<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Belarusian propaganda presents a simplistic interpretation of the reunification of the BSSR and Western Belarus, overlooking the implications of the Molotov\u2013Ribbentrop Pact and the 1939 partition of Poland, historian Alexander Friedman told Pozirk<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Soviet Union had recognized Western Belarus and Western Ukraine as part of Poland, and therefore it invaded its neighbor to capture the territories, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the annexation of Western Belarus, the Soviet government sentenced thousands to death and labor camps and deported approximately 130,000 people, mostly ethnic Poles, to Siberia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka obsessed with national unity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka said that September 17 was one of the most important holidays for the Belarusian nation, along with May 9 (Victory Day) and July 3 (Independence Day).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Friedman said it is incorrect to equate this day with other holidays. After all, September 17 is associated with the USSR\u2019s alliance with the Nazis, as opposed to Victory Day and July 3, the date Minsk was liberated from the Nazis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The historian recalled that after Germany attacked Poland, Britain and France declared war on the Germany, but Poland fought alone. When it became clear that the allies would not fight, Josef Stalin took his time as Germany crushed the Polish army and then captured the territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 17 symbolizes the alliance of the Nazis and the USSR, he said. The celebration of this date is also tantamount to the glorification of the Stalin\u2019s era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka had 30 years to attach importance to this date, but it was not until the 2020 postelection protests did he begin to use it, Friedman noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n \"\"\n
\n
\n\n Alexander Friedman\n <\/div>\n \n
\n (Pozirk)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Anti-Polish sentiment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The mass protests scared the regime. Arrests and trials of protesters and dissidents continue to this day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Propaganda claims that \u0141uka\u0161enka has \u201csaved\u201d the country by clinging to power, otherwise, it would no longer exist within its current borders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, the Belarusian ruler has repeatedly accused Poland of seeking to recapture Western Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He told officials in August 2020 that \u201cif Belarus breaks up, the Hrodna region will end up in Poland.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Polish foreign ministry summoned the Belarusian ambassador on the same day to discuss repeated unfounded accusations made by Belarusian officials against Poland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka also accused his exiled political opponents of \u201cselling territories.\u201d On February 16, he told a general meeting of Bie\u0142kaapsajuz<\/em> members in Minsk that the West and Belarusian opposition cannot wait to see Russia lose the war with Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In that case, Belarus would be given parts of the Smolensk, Bryansk and Pskov provinces and would give Western Belarus to Poland, he claimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friedman said \u0141uka\u0161enka deliberately fuels anti-Polish sentiment because Warsaw supports the Belarusian opposition. The historian dismissed the Belarusian ruler\u2019s claim as \u201cfantasies of official propaganda\u201d that have no connection with either past or present-day Poland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Poland, as in any democracy, people have different opinions, but politicians advocating irredentism have little public support, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He noted that Poland has no territorial claims against Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Background<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Non-Aggression Pact between Germany and the Soviet Union (the Molotov\u2013Ribbentrop Pact), signed on August 23, 1939, included a secret protocol on the division of Eastern Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, and the Red Army entered the country on September 17. The crossing of half a million Soviet soldiers into Poland elicited both fear and hope. Poles wanted to believe that the Soviets had come to fight the Germans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Reed Army disarmed Polish units and engaged them wherever necessary. Soviet soldiers met German soldiers, demarcated the border and staged a joint victory March in Brest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The partition was finalized on September 28, 1939. Stalin spoke of an alliance with Germany \u201ccemented in blood.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1940, the USSR also annexed Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Bessarabia, Northern Bukovina and part of Finland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n
\n \"\"