National Unity Day at Stalin Line

On 17 September, the Stalin Line Historical and Cultural Complex hosted celebrations marking National Unity Day, with the active participation of the Minsk Regional Executive Committee and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus. The event commemorated the unification of the western and eastern Belarusian lands in September 1939 within a single republic — the BSSR (Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic).

 
The celebrations opened with a concert.
 
 
There were exhibitions dedicated to the Year of Historical Memory, photo zones and entertainment provided by performers.
 
 
At 14:00, a reenactment began depicting the events of September 1939, when the Red Army fulfilled the dream of the Belarusian people by uniting their lands within a single republic. 
The reenactment began with a scene from life in a Belarusian small town under Polish rule. It is 1 September 1939: the first day of school, duties at the border post, farm work and an inspection. Life continues as usual, but the clouds of war are already gathering over Poland.
 
 
Polish radio announces the attack by Nazi Germany and the outbreak of war. The children leave school, and mobilisation into the Polish Army begins as it prepares to repel the aggression. Belarusians from Soviet Belarus arrive in the village to visit relatives. Life under the Polish flag continues.
 
 
On 16 September, the Polish government left the country. German troops approached the lands of Western Belarus. The war also drew near to our Belarusian small town. Polish units are ready for battle. The Red Army stands at the border.
 
 
On 17 September 1939, the Red Army crosses the Polish–Soviet border. The Polish Army receives orders not to fire on Soviet troops. After a brief skirmish, the Polish soldiers begin to surrender. Polish border posts, signs and flags are removed. The school reopens under the flag of Soviet Belarus, and a wedding is celebrated.
 
 
Suddenly, gunfire is heard from the west, and Polish units appear behind the refugees, firing back at the advancing Germans. The Wehrmacht's armoured vehicles bear large, bright yellow crosses outlined in white. The Polish soldiers surrender to the Red Army, after which German and Soviet officers agree on the demarcation of the new border and the withdrawal of military vehicles.