This village is called Rositsa. And I drove to this place in the North of Belarus with anxiety in my heart.
The history of this village on a hill above a picturesque lake, quiet and nice, buried in verdure and flowers, is known starting 1599. Before, it was a town with a school, two churches and a synagogue. Noisy and cheerful annual local fairs drew people from miles around.
In the very center of Rositsa, by the road, St. Trinity Roman-Catholic church stands. This red brick Neo-Roman temple is the very thing that calls travelers and pilgrims here. They come to meet this silent witness to turbulent history, happiness and tragedies of people, infernal cruelty and unimaginable courage. This is why I was uneasy in the run-up to this voyage.
The church was built in the early 20th century at the expense of parishioners and local gentry. The old people told that it was a true public project. When it was impossible to transport building materials by bumpy roads, the local people formed a 12 kilometers long human chain and thus passed red bricks to each other and then to the construction site.
The Rositsa church came out majestic. There were five altars and an organ inside. The outlook of the building differed from the today’s one: originally, it had two high pointed bell-towers. The church was the highest building in the surrounding, its towers could be seen even ten kilometers away. This fact did a disservice to the temple in the Soviet time. In 1930ies, the state border was near, the relations between the Soviet Union and neighboring Poland were strained, and the authorities decided that the church could become an easy target for artillery in case of war. Thus, in 1934, the bell-towers were destroyed. Soon, the decapitated church turned into a local youth club. However, in 1942, prayers and services resumed. It was then that two Roman-Catholic priests, Antony Liaszczewicz and Yury Kashyra, arrived here.
World War II was at its height. Terrible news about punitive expedition of the Nazis sounded nearer and nearer. In February, 1943, the operation cynically named as “Winter Magic” started. Its aim was to form a 40-kilometer zone without settlements and people. For this purpose, more than 300 villages in North Belarus were destroyed by fire and their inhabitants executed. Rositsa was doomed to share the same fate.
On February, 16, 1943, the Nazis came to Rositsa. They crammed all the villagers, about 5 thousand people all in all, in the church. Afterwards, nobody but priests was let outside. People spent nearly 5 days in the church waiting for the decision about their future. Antony Liaszczewicz and Yury Kashyra stayed there, brought bread and water to the captives, made fire right on the church floor that mothers could warm up their children. Soon, it became clear that the fate of everyone would be tragic: the invaders selected young and strong people for medical experiments and forced labor. The rest – kids, old people, pregnant, weak and disabled – would be killed. The priests tried to calm everyone down, prayed, confessed the people and even married those who wished.
Meanwhile, the Nazis finished “sortation”. They drove all the children to the school for execution. Priest Antony Liaszczewicz begged them for children’s lives, but he was not heard. He was offered to go away and stay alive but he refused and stayed with children. They poured gasoline on the walls of the school and threw several grenades there…
The execution lasted for three days. Those sentenced to death were burnt alive in the biggest houses and a horse stable. On the last day, 600 local people and priest Yury Kashyra among them were still alive in the church. The Nazis offered the priest to leave the temple and go away. But he stayed there. He prayed, put white clothes on, took a cross and stood ahead of the column of people who were driven to the place of their execution. Later, they found that cross and a charred hand holding a prayer rope among ashes.
Thus, Rositsa died by fire. 1528 people perished there. Witnesses to those events told that huge fires melted snow all over the neighborhood, and ash covered the land many kilometers around.
After the war, Rositsa revived, unlike 196 other villages burnt by the Nazis in the North Belarus. In 1988, the damaged church was given back to the believers. In 1999, priests Antony Liaszczewicz and Yury Kashyra were beatified by the Roman-Catholic church as holy martyrs. The icon depicting them on the background of a burning barn occupies the central place in the altar of Rositsa church. Twice a year, in February and August, pilgrims from different countries come here to recall the terrible events of winter, 1943. They follow from the church to the local memorial in honor of the perished residents of the village with burning candles in their hands.
I felt down going to meet this place and its painful story. And what did I find there? Peace and beauty, fragrant grasses and flowers and sunlit August silence. It is incredible: it seems that nobody is around. But this calmness is neither tragic, nor dead. It is peaceful, healing and consoling. And the church, solemn and full of light, is open for everyone day and night. From time to time, birds fly inside and sing high above.
I was afraid of meeting the story of this point on the map face to face. But Rositsa showed me the fresh grass of life growing through ashes and pain. And still, I can’t stop asking myself: how come such woe is possible on Earth? How did our land bear it? Who was the first to come back and build life anew on this dead awful bloody site of fire? How did they feel then and how do they feel now living here? Will I ever find answers to these questions?..
Sincerely yours,
Volha Blazhevich.
Answer:
Dear Shivendu Paul and Metali Listeners' Club,
dthank you for your comment! We'll send you some of our souvenirs ASAP.
Stay tuned and 73,
RBI
Hallo Radio Belarus,
ja der Dieter Leupold ist jetzt auch hier im Gästebuch vertreten... Super, bald sind wir alle zusammen hier im "Belarus Hörerclub", Dieter könnte 1.Vorsitzender werden und Jana und Elena Ehrernmitglieder, Helmut Matt Schriftführer, Alfred Albrecht Beisitzer und ich mache Hausmeister:-) Lutz Winkler wie fit bist Du bereits wieder, für Dich finden wir auch eine nette Aufgabe:-) Beste Grüße und ein schönes Wochenende.
Dietmar
Answer:
Lieber Dietmar,
das stimmt, für alle finden wir im Hörerklub eine Aufgabe!:)
Liebe Grüße und einen guten Start in die Woche!
I recently learned my surname is not Polish, but Belarusian. I heard you on shortwave in the past and am so happy to listen online in English. We hear nothing about Belarus here in the US so I am so glad to learn about your country. Keep on broadcasting in English. I also joined the Hoererklub on Facebook as I can understand German. If you have information or a station pennant, I will very much appreciate it.
Sheryl Paszkiewicz, 1015 Green St, Manitowoc WI 54220 USA
Answer:
Dear Sheryl, thank you very much for listening to us! We'll send you some of our souvenirs as soon as we can. By the way, if you're interested, you can participate in our "The Old Country's Loving Call" project and send a greeting to Belarus. You can find more detailed information at http://www.radiobelarus.by/en/content/hukaje_eng
Also, in case you like sports, here's the link to an international competition of ours "My Greetings to 2nd European Games" http://www.radiobelarus.by/en/content/games_eng
73 from the entire staff of RBI! Прывiтанне з Малой Радiзмы :)
Hello from Birmingham United Kingdom!
My name is Michael.
I really enjoyed listening to your program on the Hotbird satellite 13e. I very much love listening to your news and current affairs.
Ask you to send me a small gifts. I hope you guys are all good.
Lots of love from UK
Especially enjoying learning about Belarus. History and culture
Michael Rogers
Flat 2 463 City road Birmingham
B17 8LG
United Kingdom
Answer:
Michael,
thank you very much for listening to us! We're glad that you enjoy our programs. We'll send you some of our souvenirs as soon as we can. Best regards and stay tuned!
Hello. I am a new listener to your English service. I listen on the Radio 1 News app. I enjoyed listening to the news. Do you have any information on shortwave broadcasts you can send me?
Thank you,
Joe Cosimo
23 Ivy Ln, Dupont, PA 18641 U.S.A.
Answer:
Dear Joe, thank you for listening to Radio Belarus International! We're glad that you enjoyed our news. RBI broadcasts on shortwave only in German on 6005 and 3985 kHz. News and programs in English are available via our website and satellites. We'll also send you a postcard and a small souvenir as soon as we can. 73!
Hello,
My name is Younes Lazazi, I am from Algeria.
I am very happy that radio Belarus has started broadcasting in Arabic.
I would like to receive stickers and printed matter of the station and the Arabic and french services if possible.
My address:
Monsieur Younes Lazazi 14 rue Maza Boualem El-Harrach 16009 Alger Algérie
Thank you.
Answer:
Dear Younes Lazazi,
we're happy that you like our boradcasts. We'll send you some of our printed materials via mail in the nearest future. 73!
Dear English Service Radio Belarus,
Greetings to all staff and listeners of English Service of Radio Belarus. We listen your webcast program. Your program quality is very nice. Your website is colorful & documented. We liked your programs, News, and Current Affairs Program. We are interested about Culture, life style of Belarusian people, historical places, Tourist attraction and destination of Belarus.
Please send some program schedule, sticker, view card, Promotional items of Radio Belarus for our club members and students.
We are waiting for your reply.
With best wishes,
SHIVENDU PAUL
President
Metali Listeners' Club
India
Answer:
Dear Shivendu Paul,
thank you very much for listening to us! Your club is among our most dedicated listeners. We will send you some of our promotional products as soon as possible. 73!
Hello!
Did the arabic programmes start? I don't see them on your Internetcast schedule page. Thanks!
Answer:
Hello! The Arabic programmes have been on air since October, every Monday. You can see the schedule and listen to them on our Arabic page http://radiobelarus.by/ar
FM transmitters and frequencies:
Rakitnitsa - 106.2 MHz
Hrodna - 95.7 MHz
Svislach - 104.4 MHz
Heraniony - 99.9 MHz
Braslau - 106.6 MHz
Miadzel - 102.0 MHz
Satellite broadcasting:
see satellite parameters here
