Vitsyebsk gate
Encyclopedia
"Vitsyebsk gate" or "Surazh gate" ( or ) was the conventional name in the Soviet, later also in Belarusian, historiography, given to the corridor connecting the Soviet and German-occupied territories, which was a 40 km breach (between the towns of Velizh
and Usvyaty) in the place of contact of the German army groups "North"
and "Center"
. The breach was created by the Soviet offensive in winter 1942, and existed from February 10, 1942 until September 28, 1942. The corridor opened into the hardly-accessible territory where several partisan units were based.
Initially, it seems, Soviet political and military command didn't realise the possibilities the Gate created, as the contact with the local partisan units wasn't established until March 1942. But after realising those, and aiming for the overall inclusion of the partisan movement in the overall strategy, and for the disruption of the German rear in course of the anticipated German 1942 offensive, a resolution had been made, supposedly in the course of March 1942, to create a steady logistical and personnel support for the partisan movement and to maintain centralised coordination of its activities. Initially, the North-Western Operational Group was created by the Belarusian Communist Party (1942-03-20), liaisoning with HQ's of the Kalinin Front
and 3rd and 4th Soviet strike armies. Later, the Headquarters of the Partisan Movement under Ponomarenko
was created (1942-05-30), with territorial Headquarters (Belarusian under Pyotr Kalinin) subsequently created in September 1942.
Generally, in the 1942 the partisan numbers grew fast, much helped by the significant influx of the cadre personnel (commanding, political, organisational, specialist) and war material through the Vitsyebsk Gate. Several thousand trained cadre was sent to Belarus, with most of them being native Belarusians, intentionally. Anticipating the closure of the Gate, specialists in building of the airstrips were sent to Belarus, and almost 50 covert airstrips and many airdrop sites were built in the course of the war, facilitating the subsequent logistical support of the partisan movement from the "Mainland" . Tens thousand of firearms, thousands of MGs, tens millions of cartridges, hundreds of tons of explosives, millions of copies of Soviet newspapers and other propaganda material were provided through the Gate. About 150 radiostations were moved into Belarus through the Gate in April-September 1942. Material and personnel entering through the Gate into the Vitsyebsk land were subsequently re-routed to the other regions of Belarus according to the instructions issued from the HQ.
Velizh
Velizh is a town and the administrative center of Velizhsky District of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, situated on the bank of the Western Dvina, from Smolensk. Population:...
and Usvyaty) in the place of contact of the German army groups "North"
Army Group North
Army Group North was a German strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War II. The army group coordinated the operations of attached separate army corps, reserve formations, rear services and logistics.- Formation :The Army Group North...
and "Center"
Army Group Centre
Army Group Centre was the name of two distinct German strategic army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The first Army Group Centre was created on 22 June 1941, as one of three German Army formations assigned to the invasion of the Soviet Union...
. The breach was created by the Soviet offensive in winter 1942, and existed from February 10, 1942 until September 28, 1942. The corridor opened into the hardly-accessible territory where several partisan units were based.
Initially, it seems, Soviet political and military command didn't realise the possibilities the Gate created, as the contact with the local partisan units wasn't established until March 1942. But after realising those, and aiming for the overall inclusion of the partisan movement in the overall strategy, and for the disruption of the German rear in course of the anticipated German 1942 offensive, a resolution had been made, supposedly in the course of March 1942, to create a steady logistical and personnel support for the partisan movement and to maintain centralised coordination of its activities. Initially, the North-Western Operational Group was created by the Belarusian Communist Party (1942-03-20), liaisoning with HQ's of the Kalinin Front
Kalinin Front
The Kalinin Front was a Front of the Soviet Army during the Second World War. This sense of the term is not identical with the more general usage of military front which indicates a geographic area in wartime, although a Soviet Front may operate within designated boundaries.The Kalinin Front was...
and 3rd and 4th Soviet strike armies. Later, the Headquarters of the Partisan Movement under Ponomarenko
Ponomarenko
Ponomarenko may refer to more than one person:* Sergei Ponomarenko* Panteleimon Ponomarenko* Vitaliy Ponomarenko...
was created (1942-05-30), with territorial Headquarters (Belarusian under Pyotr Kalinin) subsequently created in September 1942.
Generally, in the 1942 the partisan numbers grew fast, much helped by the significant influx of the cadre personnel (commanding, political, organisational, specialist) and war material through the Vitsyebsk Gate. Several thousand trained cadre was sent to Belarus, with most of them being native Belarusians, intentionally. Anticipating the closure of the Gate, specialists in building of the airstrips were sent to Belarus, and almost 50 covert airstrips and many airdrop sites were built in the course of the war, facilitating the subsequent logistical support of the partisan movement from the "Mainland" . Tens thousand of firearms, thousands of MGs, tens millions of cartridges, hundreds of tons of explosives, millions of copies of Soviet newspapers and other propaganda material were provided through the Gate. About 150 radiostations were moved into Belarus through the Gate in April-September 1942. Material and personnel entering through the Gate into the Vitsyebsk land were subsequently re-routed to the other regions of Belarus according to the instructions issued from the HQ.
Sources
- Jerzy TuronekJerzy TuronekDr. Jerzy Turonek is a Polish-Belarusian historian and notable member of the Belarusian minority in Poland.He was born in Dukshty into the family of a notable West Belarusian political activist Branislau Turonak....
. Białoruś pod okupacją niemiecką. Warszawa—Wrocław: WERS, 1989. 186 p., ill.