GRODNO REGION AS PART OF POLAND IN 1921-1939.
From the history of Grodno as part of Poland (1919-1939)
June 3, 1919-arrival in Grodno Yu. Pilsudsky to settle the conflict between the Belarusian and Polish military. The parade of the Polish army, people's militia, police, schoolchildren, firefighters and representatives of public organizations takes place on Batory square (now Soviet).
July 12, 1920-peace Treaty between Soviet Russia and bourgeois Lithuania. Grodno is formally part of Lithuania (in fact, it "remained on paper").
March 18, 1921-Grodno, according to the Riga peace Treaty, remains in the RP as the center of the povet of the Bialystok Voivodeship.
1922 - opening of Grodno glass factory.
September 7, 1924-a regatta takes place on the Neman.
1925-hunger strike of political prisoners in Grodno prison.
1927-the Foundation on the initiative of John kohanovsky zoo at the expense of the city society of nature lovers.
1928-creation of a Commission to strengthen the Castle hill.
1930 - the decision of the Grodno Council to recognize Marshal (Yu. Pilsudsky) honorary citizen of Grodno.
May-October 1933-S. O. Prytytsky sits in Grodno prison.
October 1935-construction of the sewer network began.
1938-closing of all Belarusian schools in Grodno.
1938 - opening of a dairy plant.
September 28, 1938-opening of the historical and archaeological exhibition in the Old castle.
September 17, 1939-creation of combat underground groups in Grodno to assist the red Army in connection with its crossing of the Soviet-Polish border.
September 19, 1939-regular units of the Polish army completely leave Grodno.
September 21, 1939-overcoming the resistance of the Grodno self-defense militia, the Red Army enters the city
Events of the Polish-Soviet war in Grodno region (1919-1920)
April 1919-the territory of Grodno region was finally declared by the German army.
April 27, 1919-advanced Polish units entered the fortress of Grodno under the command of Colonel Frey.
Summer 1920-the beginning of the Soviet offensive.
July 18, 1920 - commander of the Western front N. N. Tukhachevsky ordered the 3rd cavalry corps to take Grodno on July 19. The 3rd cavalry corps, commanded by Roscha, was approaching Grodno from the North. The corps command distributed the directions of attack of the former fortress from two sides: the 15th cavalry division advanced from the North along the Grandich highway, and the 10th cavalry division from the East, along the Ozersk highway.
Defense Grodno in this time represented a "strongly fortified FORTS "grandichi", "Lapenko, "Putrishki" and " devyatovka." By these names were meant the FORTS of the Grodno fortress Nos. XIII, XII and XI. however, their construction was only just begun. The construction of concrete breastworks was not started at FORTS XII and XI. Concrete storage facilities, long-term firing points and observation points were built here. Each position was fortified with trenches and wooden-earth dugouts.
The 15th cavalry division took N. Gozha, the 10th cavalry division-lakes and V. Rybnitsa. Small forces of the 1st brigade of the 15th CD moved along the left Bank of the Neman river.
In the evening, Soviet cavalrymen conducted a reconnaissance in The direction of V. grandichi. Soviet cavalrymen invaded the city through The River. Positions in the area of FORTS Nos. XIII and XII were captured. Attacks 10 th Soviet CD from cleanup D. Putrishki success not had, camping on E. battalion Kovenskogo streletskogo regiment successfully defended in district fart # XI (district D. Putrishki-chapel), however, being surrounded by parts of the 15th CD, had to depart to the Neman River in the village of Ponemun.
On July 19, guy's 3rd cavalry corps occupied the entire right Bank Chaska of Grodno.
On 20 July, the cavalry of guy's 3rd corps crossed the Neman and occupied the left Bank of the city. Polish troops retreated in the Direction of N. Kuznitsa.
On June 23, Soviet cavalry and infantry forces crossed the Neman river and began to push the poles in a southwestern direction (Forge).
Destroyed railway bridge in Grodno, 1920
September 1920, after losing the battle of Warsaw, the Soviet army left Poland. The Soviet troops expected to use the fortifications of the fortress of Grodno to defend and hold the front line along the Neman river.
On 23 September, the poles began a determined attack with the aim of taking Grodno.
September 24 is the decisive day of the battle for Grodno.
September 25 - a group of heavy artillery of Lieutenant General Ledukhovsky, from positions North of Kuznitsa, opened fire on the FORTS of Grodno. The battle of Grodno was lost by the Soviet side. The 3rd Soviet army was ordered to retreat.
September 26-Grodno was completely cleared of Soviet troops
Jozef Pilsudski in the Grodno fortress
Burning Headlight Vytautas, 1920
Battles for Grodno in September 1920 the Capture of the city by Polish troops and the retreat of the Soviet army
Correlation of forces
Polish army
Soviet army
1-I and 2nd companies of 1st battalion tank regiment (1) (40 reno FT tanks (2) armed with Gotchkis machine gun 37 mm cannon)
Garrison fortified positions (Kam.General Makrzecki) (5200 bayonets, 500 sabres, 30 machine guns, 14 guns armored train "Mściciel" (3)).
2-I Lithuanian-Belarusian division (1st battalion of the Kovno Streletsky regiment and division of the Vilna lancers, 1st battalion of the Slutsk-Streletsky regiment).
Lida strelet regiment
3rd cavalry corps
(kam. T. D. guy) (4)
10th cavalry division
(3147 sabres, 27 machine guns, 12 guns)
15th cavalry division
(995 sabres, 19 machine guns, 8 guns)
164th Sagittarius brigade
((700 bayonets, 32 machine guns 8 guns)
1
2
3
4
Events and facts from the history of Grodno region
during the accession to Poland
1921-1923 " during this period 2997 people left Grodno abroad. The population of the city is 34916 people (1921)" ("Kronon", p. 83).
December 9, 1922. The Grodno historical and art Museum (the original name "Muzeum panstwowy"-the state Museum; now historical and archaeological) is opened.
1924, July. Grodno magistrate decides to establish a Museum of nature in the city.
1926 reference: population of Grodno 40 561 people
November 21, 1926. The Museum of nature is inaugurated in Grodno.
1927 in Grodno on the initiative of Jan kohanovsky at the expense of the city society of nature lovers founded a zoo.
1928 the Commission for strengthening of the Castle mountain is Created.
1929 Grand opening of the monument to E. Ozheshko in Grodno (sculptor Romuald Zerich).
The construction of the protective Boulevard over the Neman river under the Castle hill is being completed, which soon becomes a favorite place for walks of citizens.
1935, October. The beginning of construction of the sewer network.
1936, September 1. There are 7,288 students (791 do not study) and 189 teachers in Grodno schools.
1937, may. On the Castle hill in Grodno zdzisław Donchevski finds a stone wall of time.
1938, may 24. The Ministry of internal Affairs approves the coat of arms of Grodno: in a red field of a Board the deer with a cross between horns jumps over a fence near which three bushes grow from a grass. Deer, cross, fence-gold, stone and bushes-green. Above the shield is a Golden Royal crown.
1938, September 28. In Grodno in the Old castle opens historical and archaeological exhibition.
History of the Foundation of the Grodno historical
and archaeological Museum
Creation of the Museum
On October 31, 1918, the Polish government adopted a decree on the guardianship of monuments. It on the ground created a Commission for the guardianship of monuments.
At a meeting of the heads of districts and chiefs of the section of civil leadership of the Eastern lands on January 22, 1920, a resolution was adopted on the organization of supervision over historical monuments.
On June 13, 1922, a meeting of the Commission of guardianship over the monuments of art and culture was held in the building of the Starostvo. It was decided to form on the basis of the meetings of the Commission of the State Museum at the Grodno Starostvo. Head of the Museum was appointed Yu Jadkowski.
The Grand opening of the Museum took place on December 9, 1922 with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of religion and public education, the Grodno mayor and members of the Commission. The exposition of the Museum is located in the same rooms that were previously occupied by the Commission. The Museum's collections became available to visitors in January 1923. The Museum premises were very small and could not accommodate more than 25 visitors. The Museum was open for inspection only on Saturday and Sunday from 11 to 15 hours. Nevertheless, 161 working days in 1923, the Museum was visited by 2651 people, and in 1924 – 2038 people.
Józef józefowicz Jadkowski was born on 8(20) Dec 1890 in Grodno. In 1912 Yadkovsky graduated with honors from the Archaeological Institute in Moscow, majoring in "scientist archaeologist". Moscow archaeological society, J. Adascog, curator of ancient monuments in Grodno, Minsk and Vilna province. After the decision to establish the Grodno historical Museum, Jadkowski is appointed its Director. On December 9, 1922, the Grodno Museum opened its first exposition in the premises of the Starotstvo (Ozheshko street). In 1924, Yadkovsky managed to persuade the city authorities to transfer part of the Old Castle to house the State Museum.At Yadkovsky's initiative, a Commission was established in 1928 to strengthen the Castle mountain, which in 1928-29 built a stone-clad embankment and created a new beautiful Boulevard at the foot of the Castle Mountain. In late 1931 under the supervision Adascog started excavations on the site of the Old Castle. In the spring of 1932, stone ruins belonging to ancient Grodno were discovered. Significant restoration works are being carried out in the Old Castle, an "underground Museum" is being created on the site.
Campaign of the red Army in Western Belarus in 1939
The beginning of the war
At 3: 15 a.m. on Sunday, September 17, the Polish Ambassador in Moscow, V. Grzybowski, was read a note by the Soviet government on the beginning of military action against Poland. The note noted that in connection with the actual liquidation of the state, the Soviet troops cross the Polish border and take " under their protection the life and property of the population." The Ambassador refused to accept the document. On the same day, the Military Council of Bova issued order No. 005, where the troops of the Belarusian front were ordered to go on the offensive and "liberate" the people of Western Belarus.
The t-28 crosses the Usha river near Mir.
September 1939.
Peasants listen to the Soviet radio mounted on an armored vehicle
Grodno in September 1939
The Defence Of Grodno
The defense of the city was officially led by General V. Pshezdetsky, in fact-Deputy commandant R. Savitsky and major B. Serafin. On the part of the Soviet troops in the battles for the city took part units of the cavalry-mechanized group under the command of I. Boldin, which included infantry units, the 5th tank corps and the 6th cavalry corps.
On September 20, more than 60 Soviet tanks approached the city. One of the first to break into the city rifle company under The command of G. Gornov (died in battle), she captured the bridge over the Neman river and held it, repelling counterattacks, to the approach of the main forces. The red army was assisted by combat underground groups consisting mainly of members of the CPZB.
The defenders managed to cope with the first onslaught, several Soviet tanks were shot down. However, by the evening of September 21, the city was completely taken under the control of Soviet troops. On September 22, the last defenders left the city, control of which passed to the Soviet troops.