On Friday, March 13, 2026, the BNTU Student Trade Union organized a trip for BRSM activists and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Trade Union to the Khatyn Memorial Complex. The trip was timed to coincide with Remembrance Day for the Victims of the Khatyn Tragedy—one of the most horrific chapters in the history of Belarus during the Great Patriotic War.
The tour began with a visit to the memorial complex's museum. In the museum's exhibition, activists viewed archival documents, photographs, personal belongings of village residents, and materials recounting the fates of those who suffered during the war. Thanks to multimedia installations and historical evidence, the tour participants were able to gain a deeper understanding of the events that took place in Belarus during the occupation, as well as the tragedy of the village of Khatyn.
The museum places particular emphasis on the history of the destroyed Belarusian villages. The exhibition illustrates the scale of the tragedy: hundreds of villages were burned, along with their inhabitants. The guide's account helped them better understand the events of March 22, 1943, when the village was destroyed by a punitive detachment.
After visiting the museum, the participants went to the memorial complex. The memorial's central symbol is the sculpture "Unconquered Man," dedicated to the village's only adult survivor, Iosif Kaminsky, who holds his dead son in his arms.
Walking through the memorial grounds, the activists saw the symbolic outlines of the village: concrete crowns with bells installed at the site of each house. These bells ring regularly, reminding them of the tragedy suffered by the civilians. Participants also visited the "Village Cemetery"—a memorial commemorating the villages destroyed during the war and never rebuilt afterward—and the "Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary"—an exact replica of the historic church that burned down in 1943. It is intended to commemorate the village's fallen residents and serve as a place of prayer and solace for visitors.
At the end of the tour, the activists observed a moment of silence and laid flowers at the memorial complex's Eternal Flame. This symbol of remembrance reminds them of the millions of victims of the war and the need to preserve historical truth and respect for the heroism and destinies of those who survived those tragic events.
—Visiting the Khatyn Memorial Complex left a profound impression on me. When you walk through the grounds and see the symbolic chimneys where houses once stood, you begin to truly grasp the scale of the tragedy that occurred here. I especially remember the ringing of the bells—they sound quietly, yet so poignantly, as if they were a reminder of each destroyed village and the people who lived there. At moments like these, you realize how important it is to remember history and pass on that memory," shared activist Alina Pashel.
"The tour of the Khatyn Memorial Complex left a profound impression on me. This place cannot be viewed simply as a historical site—it exudes a special atmosphere of remembrance and respect for those who perished during the tragedy. When you learn the history of the village of Khatyn and see the memorial symbols at the site of the burned houses, you begin to see the events of the war and the price paid by civilians in a different light," shared activist Semyon Dmitriev.
The visit to the Khatyn Memorial Complex became an important part of the students' patriotic education and a reminder of the importance of preserving historical memory and respecting the heroism and fate of those who survived the war.
