WWII: Remembering the Soviet Union’s United Victory Effort
Bragin, Belarus – A new publication commemorating the 85th anniversary of the start of the Great Patriotic War – as World War II is known in Belarus and much of the former Soviet Union – has been released, focusing on the collective contribution of the peoples of the former USSR in the fight against Nazism. The project, spearheaded by the Bragin publishing house, aims to highlight the often-overlooked contributions of various ethnic groups within the Soviet war effort.
According to Ales Karlukevich, director of the publishing house, the initiative seeks not only to remember well-known heroes but also to restore the memory of those whose stories have long remained in the shadows. This work builds upon previous publications focusing on soldiers from Bashkortostan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and other regions of the former Soviet Union.
The creation of the publication involved collaboration with archivists, museums, and embassies, allowing for the compilation of disparate documents and personal accounts. A key principle guiding the project, Karlukevich emphasized, is to present the national identities of the soldiers as they existed during the war, within the context of a unified nation defending a common country, rather than through the lens of modern political boundaries.
The book, titled “Razam! Vyalikaya Peramoga!” (Together! Great Victory!), is intended as a reminder that the memory of the war is not solely about archives and dates, but about the lives and shared struggles that shaped the future of the region. The project’s creators believe that preserving these human stories is essential to understanding the scale and cost of victory.
The significance of this publication lies within the broader context of historical memory in Belarus, and Russia. As highlighted in recent analysis, the Second World War – consistently referred to as the Great Patriotic War – holds immense importance in contemporary Russian political culture and serves as a tool for policymaking. This narrative is often selective, but powerfully shapes national identity and international relations.
The Eastern Front of World War II was, by any measure, the largest and most brutal theater of the conflict. Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union launched on , involved approximately 3.8 million Axis troops and stretched across a 2,900-kilometer front. The initial goal was to capture territory extending to a line between Arkhangelsk and Astrakhan, a vast undertaking that ultimately failed to achieve its objectives.
The scale of the invasion force was unprecedented, with Germany allocating nearly 150 divisions, totaling around 3 million men, to the campaign. This was the largest and most powerful invasion force in human history. Alongside German forces, troops from Romania, Finland, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia, and Croatia participated in the invasion, with Spain also providing support.
The war on the Eastern Front was characterized by extreme brutality, extending beyond conventional combat to include the deliberate targeting of civilian populations. This “War of Annihilation,” as it was termed by the Nazis, was driven by a virulent ideology of racial supremacy and aimed at the destruction of “Judeo-Bolshevism.”
The renewed focus on the collective Soviet effort, as evidenced by this publication, comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tension. Recent commentary has noted how Russian President Vladimir Putin has invoked the rhetoric of the Great Patriotic War in justifying the invasion of Ukraine, framing it as a continuation of the struggle against Nazism. This framing, however, has been widely disputed internationally.
The emphasis on shared sacrifice and collective victory within the former Soviet republics also resonates with current efforts to understand the complex historical narratives that shape regional identities. By highlighting the contributions of diverse ethnic groups, the publication seeks to foster a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of the war’s legacy.
The release of “Razam! Vyalikaya Peramoga!” underscores the enduring power of historical memory in shaping contemporary political discourse and national identity. It serves as a reminder that the Second World War, and its legacy, continue to be deeply felt across the region and beyond, influencing present-day conflicts and international relations.