Slutsk defence action
Encyclopedia
The Slutsk defence action or the Slutsk uprising was an unsuccessful armed attempt to defend the independence of Belarus
in the region of the town of Slutsk
.
The preliminary peace accord (later finalized in Peace of Riga
), signed on October 12, 1920, set new borders between Poland
and the Soviet republics that divided modern Belarus
and the Ukraine
in two parts. A Belarusian delegation was not invited to the Riga congress — neither from the Belarusian Democratic Republic, nor from the puppet Soviet Socialist Republic of Belarus.
Due to the treaty, the demarcation line Kiyevichy-Lan lay in a way that the region of Slutsk
, Belarus, stayed in a neutral zone for some time before being taken by the Red Army
.
and supporting the independence of Belarus declared on March 25, 1918. Leaders of the defence were local intellectuals and szlachta
.
Slutsk was an important centre of Belarusian national life. Local intellectuals kept tense contacts with groups supporting the Belarusian Democratic Republic in other regions.
In 1918 a Belarusian National Committee led by Paval Zhauryd
was created in the town.
of 1919–1920 the region of Slutsk was occupied several times by Polish
and Soviet troops. Finally, on October 11, 1920 the Polish took control over the town.
The news about the division of Belarus between Poland and the Bolsheviks provoked indignation in Belarusian society. Immediately after Polish reoccupation of the town the Belarusian National Committee recommenced its activity and started forming Belarusian self-defence units. First, a 500-man Belarusian militia corps was created.
The Polish military were preparing to withdraw to Polish territory and did not prevent the creation of Belarusian military units. Many Polish military consisted of Belarusians and sympathised with the self-defence activities.
Still, there was no unity among Belarusian activists as to how to further strategy. There was a fraction that advocated cooperation with Poland. On the other side, there were even proposals for cooperation with the Soviets. Because of these contradictions much time needed for military preparation was lost. Lack of solidarity had its negative effect during the whole military defence action.
Only in November 1920 the withdrawing Polish military authorities transferred the civil power to the Belarusian National Committee. In all local communities and villages democratic elections took place; new elected Committees replaced the previous Polish-appointed local administration.
Local representatives of Belarusian socialist revolutionaries, who were the main advocates of the idea of Belarusian independence, decided to call up a Congress to confirm the authority of the Belarusian Republic in the region. Delegates from all local communities (five from each) and Belarusian organisations (one from each) were invited.
The government of the Belarusian National Republic appointed Paval Zhauryd
its commissioner to Sluchchyna.
The Congress passed a resolution declaring the authority of the government of the Belarusian National Republic
and protesting against the Soviet invasion to Belarus. A decision was made to organise armed resistance against the bolshevik occupation:
. Its function was to organise civil governance of Sluchchyna before regular elections could be held as well as to organise a military defence.
Military command was given to a troika led by Paval Zhauryd
. The Rada declared a general mobilisation and continued creation of military units.
The mobilisation was very successful among inhabitants of Sluchchyna, in the villages of Cimkovichy, Kapyl
, Syemiezhava, Hrozava and surroundings. Soon there were ca. 10,000 men mobilised into the newly created forces.
Two regiments were formed by the Rada: 1st Slutsk regiment under lieutenant colonel Akhrem Haurylovich and the 2nd Hrozaŭ regiment under captain Siemianiuk. These two regiments formed the Slutsk brigade under Anton Sokal-Kutylouski. The military headquarters was transferred from Slutsk to Syemyezhava because of approaching bolshevik armies.
The military defence action was actively supported by Belarusian nationalists from different regions of Belarus
at that time occupied by Polish troops.
From Hrodna
a banner with the Pahonia
and the motto To those who went to die for the life of their Fatherland was sent to Slutsk. The military commission of the Government of the Belarusian Republic that was acting as Belarus' defence ministry, sent several military specialists to help to organise the defence. Soon a well-organised military hospital and military court were created by the Slutsk brigade.
The Slutsk Rada had tight contacts with the army of Stanislau Bulak-Balakhovich and planned to coordinate with it.
On November 21, 1920 the Rada of Sluchchyna made a new declaration:
The Rada gave the order to all military units and volunteers to group near Siemiežava on November 24. A demonstration took place on the central square of Słuck.
The Słuck brigade made some successful attacks near Kapyl, Cimkavichy and Vyzna. Against the Belarusian forces fought the Omsk division of the Red Army. Despite some support from the local population, the Belarusian units lacked ammunition and arms.
There were fights near villages Bystrytsy, Vasilchytsy, Vierabejchycy, Dashkava, Vasilishki
, Lutavichy, Mackievichy, Sadovichy, Morach. The Slutsk brigade managed to occupy several villages.
This started an anti-bolshevik partisan
movement. As people joined them, the Slutsk Rada made an appeal to the soldiers of the Red Army to stop resistance as well. Many of them did, as there were numerous Russian peasants opposing the Soviet agrarian policy among them. Therefore the Bolsheviks had to bring in units consisting of Latvians
and Chinese
to combat the Belarusian units.
Still, the powers were unequal and on December 31 the Slutsk brigade had to retreat to Polish territory where it was disarmed by Polish border guards.
Some of the defendants of Slutsk later returned to Belarus
but were captured by the bolsheviks and dealt with accordingly. Some of the Belarusian military stayed in the region as a partisan Green Army and continued armed resistance against Soviet rule till the 1930s.
, numerous political groups dedicated themselves to publicise the history of a movement that was virtually erased from history during the Soviet time. November 27 became a holiday that groups like the Belarusian Popular Front and some intellectuals celebrate as Heroes Day. However, Belarusian officials under president Alexander Lukashenka do not recognise the Slutsk military defense as significant, mostly due to the pro-Soviet official state ideology dominating in Belarus
.
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
in the region of the town of Slutsk
Slutsk
Slutsk is a town in Belarus, located on the Sluch River south of Minsk. As of 2010 its population is of 61,400).-Geography:The town is situated in the south-west of its Voblast, not too far from from the city of Soligorsk.-History:...
.
Peace of Riga
Peace of Riga
The Peace of Riga, also known as the Treaty of Riga; was signed in Riga on 18 March 1921, between Poland, Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine. The treaty ended the Polish-Soviet War....
), signed on October 12, 1920, set new borders between Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and the Soviet republics that divided modern Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
and the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
in two parts. A Belarusian delegation was not invited to the Riga congress — neither from the Belarusian Democratic Republic, nor from the puppet Soviet Socialist Republic of Belarus.
Due to the treaty, the demarcation line Kiyevichy-Lan lay in a way that the region of Slutsk
Slutsk
Slutsk is a town in Belarus, located on the Sluch River south of Minsk. As of 2010 its population is of 61,400).-Geography:The town is situated in the south-west of its Voblast, not too far from from the city of Soligorsk.-History:...
, Belarus, stayed in a neutral zone for some time before being taken by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
.
National movement in Slutsk
The main moving power of the Slutsk defence was the local peasantry fighting against the Bolshevist agrarian policy of War CommunismWar communism
War communism or military communism was the economic and political system that existed in Soviet Russia during the Russian Civil War, from 1918 to 1921...
and supporting the independence of Belarus declared on March 25, 1918. Leaders of the defence were local intellectuals and szlachta
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
.
Slutsk was an important centre of Belarusian national life. Local intellectuals kept tense contacts with groups supporting the Belarusian Democratic Republic in other regions.
In 1918 a Belarusian National Committee led by Paval Zhauryd
Paval Zhauryd
Paval Zhauryd was a Belarusian military commander.Zhauryd was born in the village Cieciarouka near Slutsk and graduated from the Slutsk Gymnasium in 1909. As a student of the Gymnasium, Zhauryd created a Belarusian independentionalist club with his classmates...
was created in the town.
Soviet–Polish War and Slutsk
During the Polish-Soviet WarPolish-Soviet War
The Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...
of 1919–1920 the region of Slutsk was occupied several times by Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Soviet troops. Finally, on October 11, 1920 the Polish took control over the town.
The news about the division of Belarus between Poland and the Bolsheviks provoked indignation in Belarusian society. Immediately after Polish reoccupation of the town the Belarusian National Committee recommenced its activity and started forming Belarusian self-defence units. First, a 500-man Belarusian militia corps was created.
The Polish military were preparing to withdraw to Polish territory and did not prevent the creation of Belarusian military units. Many Polish military consisted of Belarusians and sympathised with the self-defence activities.
Still, there was no unity among Belarusian activists as to how to further strategy. There was a fraction that advocated cooperation with Poland. On the other side, there were even proposals for cooperation with the Soviets. Because of these contradictions much time needed for military preparation was lost. Lack of solidarity had its negative effect during the whole military defence action.
Only in November 1920 the withdrawing Polish military authorities transferred the civil power to the Belarusian National Committee. In all local communities and villages democratic elections took place; new elected Committees replaced the previous Polish-appointed local administration.
Local representatives of Belarusian socialist revolutionaries, who were the main advocates of the idea of Belarusian independence, decided to call up a Congress to confirm the authority of the Belarusian Republic in the region. Delegates from all local communities (five from each) and Belarusian organisations (one from each) were invited.
Congress of Sluchchyna
On November 14, 1920 the Congress of Sluchchyna (Slutsk region) started its work. There were 107 delegates from Slutsk and its surroundings as well as several representatives of the Belarusian army of general Bulak-Balachovich.The government of the Belarusian National Republic appointed Paval Zhauryd
Paval Zhauryd
Paval Zhauryd was a Belarusian military commander.Zhauryd was born in the village Cieciarouka near Slutsk and graduated from the Slutsk Gymnasium in 1909. As a student of the Gymnasium, Zhauryd created a Belarusian independentionalist club with his classmates...
its commissioner to Sluchchyna.
The Congress passed a resolution declaring the authority of the government of the Belarusian National Republic
Belarusian National Republic
The Belarusian People's Republic was a self-declared independent Belarusian state, which declared independence in 1918. It is also called the Belarusian Democratic Republic or the Belarusian National Republic, in order to distinguish it from Communist People's Republics...
and protesting against the Soviet invasion to Belarus. A decision was made to organise armed resistance against the bolshevik occupation:
The First Belarusian Congress of Sluchchyna, formed of 107 persons, salutes the Upper Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic and declares that it will give all its powers for the revival of our Fatherland and categorically protests against the occupation of our Fatherland by foreign and impostor Soviet powers. Long live the independent National Belarusian Republic in its ethnographic borders!
Military preparations
A Rada of Sluchchyna consisting of 17 people was elected with the chairman Uladzimyer PrakulevichUladzimyer Prakulevich
Uladzimyer Prakulevich was a Belarusian politician, writer and lawyer.-Education:He graduated from the University of Moscow in 1912. During his studies Prakulevich was member of the local Marxist movement and wrote for several Moscow Marxist journals.-Career:Since 1912 he worked at the...
. Its function was to organise civil governance of Sluchchyna before regular elections could be held as well as to organise a military defence.
Military command was given to a troika led by Paval Zhauryd
Paval Zhauryd
Paval Zhauryd was a Belarusian military commander.Zhauryd was born in the village Cieciarouka near Slutsk and graduated from the Slutsk Gymnasium in 1909. As a student of the Gymnasium, Zhauryd created a Belarusian independentionalist club with his classmates...
. The Rada declared a general mobilisation and continued creation of military units.
The mobilisation was very successful among inhabitants of Sluchchyna, in the villages of Cimkovichy, Kapyl
Kapyl
Kapyl is an urban settlement and the capital of Kapyl Raion in Belarus. It is located west-northwest of Slutsk and south-southwest of Minsk...
, Syemiezhava, Hrozava and surroundings. Soon there were ca. 10,000 men mobilised into the newly created forces.
Two regiments were formed by the Rada: 1st Slutsk regiment under lieutenant colonel Akhrem Haurylovich and the 2nd Hrozaŭ regiment under captain Siemianiuk. These two regiments formed the Slutsk brigade under Anton Sokal-Kutylouski. The military headquarters was transferred from Slutsk to Syemyezhava because of approaching bolshevik armies.
The military defence action was actively supported by Belarusian nationalists from different regions of Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
at that time occupied by Polish troops.
From Hrodna
Hrodna
Grodno or Hrodna , is a city in Belarus. It is located on the Neman River , close to the borders of Poland and Lithuania . It has 327,540 inhabitants...
a banner with the Pahonia
Pahonia
The Pahonia , transliteration: Pahonya, , Lithuanian: Vytis, Pagaunė, is a historical symbol of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, of which the eastern part later became known as Belarus...
and the motto To those who went to die for the life of their Fatherland was sent to Slutsk. The military commission of the Government of the Belarusian Republic that was acting as Belarus' defence ministry, sent several military specialists to help to organise the defence. Soon a well-organised military hospital and military court were created by the Slutsk brigade.
The Slutsk Rada had tight contacts with the army of Stanislau Bulak-Balakhovich and planned to coordinate with it.
On November 21, 1920 the Rada of Sluchchyna made a new declaration:
In the moment of self-determination of all nations and their struggle for freedom the Belarusian Rada of Sluchchyna carries out the will of the peasantry that delegated the protection of the independence of our Fatherland Belarus to it. The Rada declares to the whole world the will of Belarusian peasantry that Belarus must be an independent republic in its ethnographc borders
Stating that and being the speaker of the will of the people, the Rada of Sluchchyna declares that it will stand for the independence of Belarus and protect the interests of peasantry against violation by foreign invadors. If needed, we will do it by military means despite a numeral advantage of the enemy, because what we do is honest and honesty will always win.
The Rada gave the order to all military units and volunteers to group near Siemiežava on November 24. A demonstration took place on the central square of Słuck.
The battles
On November 27 the first encounters between Belarusian and Soviet forces began.The Słuck brigade made some successful attacks near Kapyl, Cimkavichy and Vyzna. Against the Belarusian forces fought the Omsk division of the Red Army. Despite some support from the local population, the Belarusian units lacked ammunition and arms.
There were fights near villages Bystrytsy, Vasilchytsy, Vierabejchycy, Dashkava, Vasilishki
Vasilishki
-History:In 1919-1939, Wasiliszki were part of Grodno powiat, Białystok Voivodeship, Poland....
, Lutavichy, Mackievichy, Sadovichy, Morach. The Slutsk brigade managed to occupy several villages.
This started an anti-bolshevik partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
movement. As people joined them, the Slutsk Rada made an appeal to the soldiers of the Red Army to stop resistance as well. Many of them did, as there were numerous Russian peasants opposing the Soviet agrarian policy among them. Therefore the Bolsheviks had to bring in units consisting of Latvians
Latvians
Latvians or Letts are the indigenous Baltic people of Latvia.-History:Latvians occasionally refer to themselves by the ancient name of Latvji, which may have originated from the word Latve which is a name of the river that presumably flowed through what is now eastern Latvia...
and Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
to combat the Belarusian units.
Still, the powers were unequal and on December 31 the Slutsk brigade had to retreat to Polish territory where it was disarmed by Polish border guards.
Some of the defendants of Slutsk later returned to Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
but were captured by the bolsheviks and dealt with accordingly. Some of the Belarusian military stayed in the region as a partisan Green Army and continued armed resistance against Soviet rule till the 1930s.
Modern reflections of the Slutsk military defence
During PerestroikaPerestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
, numerous political groups dedicated themselves to publicise the history of a movement that was virtually erased from history during the Soviet time. November 27 became a holiday that groups like the Belarusian Popular Front and some intellectuals celebrate as Heroes Day. However, Belarusian officials under president Alexander Lukashenka do not recognise the Slutsk military defense as significant, mostly due to the pro-Soviet official state ideology dominating in Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
.
External links
- Slutsk on Belarusguide.com
- Zianon Paźniak: The Slutsk defence action is a glorious example for us
- Article