On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Bratislava from the Nazi occupiers, the Russian Ministry of Defense has created on its official website a multimedia section “Fraternal Glory and Courage”, in which declassified historical documents from the funds of the Central Archive of the Ministry are published. In particular, we are talking about combat reports from the fronts, ciphergrams, political reports, award sheets and photo documents.

Popular uprising

On August 29, 1944, a popular uprising broke out in Slovakia, to which part of the army also joined. In this case, the Soviet command assisted the Slovak patriots.

So, the report of the 208th night near-bomber division of the 2nd Air Army is presented, in which the actions of military aircraft to ensure partisan movement in the territory of Slovakia, the transfer of paratroopers and the discharge of cargoes are recorded.

In addition, the cipher telegram was declassified to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the USSR Armed Forces Joseph Stalin, which reported on the readiness of the Slovak corps to move towards the Red Army when they launch an offensive against the German invaders in the Krosnensky direction. Another ciphering contains the plan for the operation of entering the Slovak border and joining the Slovak units and partisans, which was presented by Marshal of the Soviet Union Ivan Konev.

In addition, in the political report of the 1st Ukrainian Front, it is noted that the rebel army of Slovakia during the battles with Nazi Germany was significantly strengthened organizationally.

“The political mood of the rebels and partisans is good, the morale is high, the soldiers and officers strongly hate the Germans and are eager to quickly clear their country of the German invaders with the help of the Red Army,” the document says.

  • © Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

Liberation of Bratislava

The troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front began the liberation of Bratislava from the Nazi in early April 1945. According to the military journal of the 25th Guards Rifle Corps of the 7th Guards Army, the battles were fierce, including in airspace. In the section of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, flight schemes and unique photographs taken by Soviet pilots over the capital of Slovakia are presented.

“By assault and bombing strikes of groups of 6-8-14 aircraft, they destroyed enemy troops and equipment at strong points, resistance nodes and directly on the battlefield, and also destroyed retreating troops and enemy equipment in front of the front of our advancing troops,” the combat operations review said. 5th Air Army.

At the same time, the completely Slovak capital was cleared of enemy forces by 18:00 on April 4. On the same day in Moscow, a salute was organized by 20 artillery salvoes of 224 guns in honor of the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front. At the same time, the most distinguished in battle units and units were presented for the appropriation of the name "Bratislava" and the awarding of orders.

It should be noted that the award documents presented in the section indicate that the servicemen of the Red Army showed unprecedented courage and heroism. In particular, it tells about the military accomplishments of the commander of the rifle platoon of the 315th rifle regiment of the guard, junior lieutenant Petr Pluzhnikova, the commander of the 1st machine gun company of the 1310th rifle regiment, Lieutenant Trofim Rezaev and the commander of the 4th rifle company of the 1310th rifle regiment Innocent Terentyev.

“The population sees in the Red Army the liberator of the country from Nazi and Hungarian enslavement. Many Slovaks express their feelings of gratitude to our military personnel, the kinship of the Slovak and Russian languages ​​allows military personnel and local residents to communicate with each other. During the years of the Hungarian occupation, the Slovak population was subjected to violent Magyarization, the Hungarians infringed not only the national, but also the material interests of the Slovak population, ”reads another archival document.

It is noted that Bratislava was quickly restored with the assistance of the Red Army. The telegraphic political report of April 10, 1945 indicates that the central streets and squares of the city have been cleared of debris and debris, a sewer system has been launched, and residents are returning to the city from the surrounding villages. In July, the military command of the USSR allocated the necessary amount of food products to the city government, after which trading in cards was opened.

“The victories won by Russia in this war, the exploits of the Red Army, its victims, exceed all that the other countries of the anti-Hitler coalition have taken together,” said the main delegate of the Slovak government in the liberated territory, Frantisek Nemets.

  • © Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

It is also indicated that life in the city after the liberation by the Red Army was eventful: from film screenings to rallies and concerts.

Nazi crimes

In addition, the section contains declassified archival documents attesting to the atrocities perpetrated by the Nazi invaders in Bratislava, as well as in the Czechoslovak Republic, Zvolensky district and the city of Banska Bistrica. It is noted that the secret police and the SS daily tortured, tortured, and then shot thousands of people, among whom were Slovaks, Jews, Gypsies, French, Russians and Americans. At the same time, the Gestapo did not forget to remove all valuables, pick up documents and good clothes.

“There are 128 corpses in six pits in the Jewish cemetery, of which 26 are women, 5 are children. The medical examination found that the corpses had traces of beatings with whips, iron rods, bullet wounds in the back of the head and asphyxiation ... In the forest near the village of Kovachevo, 105 people were shot, including 18 women and one 3-year-old boy. A significant part of the corpses was without outer clothing, ”the act says of the atrocities of the Nazi invaders in the Zvolen district of the Czechoslovak Republic.

The Russian Ministry of Defense indicates that the publication of declassified documents on the release of Bratislava from the funds of the Central Archive of the Department is part of the activity aimed at protecting and protecting historical truth, countering falsifications of history, attempts to revise the results of the Great Patriotic and World War II.