Berezi︠a︡nka
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All Belarusians know the meaning of the phrase "Khatyn's sister". This is the name given to villages that were burned by punitive forces along with their inhabitants during the Great Patriotic War, and after liberation, life never returned there. There is such a village in our region. Its name is Berezyanka.
Archival documents contain few figures: before the war there were 19 houses, before the war there were 80 people, houses destroyed - 19, people killed - 43. Eyewitnesses' recollections contain facts that allow us to reconstruct the last day of Berezyanka's life.
This was a forest village. Partisans often visited it, either on their way to a mission or returning to their detachment. Residents helped the people's avengers, although they understood how dangerous it was. Early in the morning of September 6, 1943, punitive forces came to the village and began to drive people into the stable. Some of the villagers managed to hide in the swamp, some ran across the river to neighboring Bolochanka.
When the punitive forces were sure that no one was left in the houses, they propped up the stable doors and then set them on fire. Flames burst through the wooden walls, and the straw on the roof burst into flames. At the back of the stable there was a small window, through which they managed to push out several children, who managed to escape into the forest under the cover of smoke. The people inside broke down the door. But those who rushed into the opening were overtaken by machine gun fire.
