December 5th. In 1894, Yakov Syrkin — a Soviet physicist, chemist and USSR Academy of Sciences’ academician was born in Minsk.
December 6th. In 1899, Russian and Belarusian director and teacher and Honoured Artist of Russia, Boris Mordvinov was born.
December 6th. In 1899, military figure and an intelligence officer Major General Naum Eitington, was born in the Mogilev Region.
December 7th. In 1923, Russian and Belarusian film director and scriptwriter and Honoured Figure of the Arts in Belarus Nikolay Figurovsky, was born.
December 8th. In 1929, Belarusian actor Yuri Trukhanov was born. This Honoured Artist of Belarus played at Mogilev’s Regional Drama Theatre from 1962-1980.
December 9th. In 1944, Belarusian scientist in the field of theoretical and applied mechanics, doctor of physico-mathematical sciences and professor, Yuri Chigarev, was born. Since 1978, he has lectured at the Belarusian Agrarian Technical University.
December 10th. In 1870, graphic painter, theatrical decorator and teacher Ferdynand Ruszczyc was born. He was known as the author of the first Belarusian poster.
December 11th. In 1934, Belarusian architect, architectural historian, teacher and Honoured Architect Anatoly Voinov was born.
December 5th. In 1812, Belarus’ Berezina River became the point at which the French army advance was held back.
December 6th. In 1918, the first Catholic service took place in Belarusian.
December 6th. In 1925, the 1st all-Belarusian art exhibition opened in Minsk paving the way for subsequent Republican shows.
December 7th. In 1991, the church in Nemiga Street was ‘returned’ to the Belarusian Orthodox Church, with the first service taking place for 46 years.
December 6th. In 1938, the Union of Artists of Belarus was established.
December 7th. In 1941, the Yekaterinenskaya Church was re-consecrated by Archbishop Filofey to honour the apostles Peter and Paul.
December 7th. In 1963, the Belarusian Railways’ Minsk-Olekhnovichi section was electrified. In 1966, the section was extended to include Molodechno.
December 7th. In 1966, the Belarusian Voluntary Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments was founded.
December 7th. In 1973, the BSSR Academy of Sciences’ Bio-organic Chemistry Institute was founded.
December 8th. In 1918, the first Belarusian conservatory opened in Vitebsk (now known as the I.I. Solletrinsky Musical College).
December 8th. In 1991, Minsk was acknowledged the CIS capital, with the Commonwealth’s headquarters established there.
December 8th. In 1991, the Maxim Bogdanovich Literary Museum opened in the Troitsky Suburb.
December 8th. In 1999, the presidents of Belarus and Russia signed an agreement on the establishment of the Union State.
December 9th. In 1976, the Belarusian State Folk Architecture and Life Museum was founded.
December 9th. In 1981, a monument to Maxim Bogdanovich was erected in Parizhskaya Kommuna Square, in front of the Opera and Ballet Theatre, to honour the poet’s 90th birthday. After the park and the theatre building were reconstructed, the monument was moved to the city centre, close to Maxim Bogdanovich Street.
December 10th. In 1920, the Belarusian State Polytechnic College was founded in Minsk. In 2002, it was renamed the Belarusian National Technical University.
December 10th. In 1933, a branch of the State Library and the Lenin Bibliographic Institute opened — known as the Gorky Governmental Library since 1938. At present, it’s the Presidential Library.
December 10th. In 1998, monuments to Frantsisk Skorina (sculptured by S. Adashkevich) and Nikolay Gusovsky (by V. Panteleev) were erected in the grounds of the Belarusian State University.
December 11th. In 1879, the first free hospital for the poor opened in Minsk (using donations from Minsk’s Society of Doctors). It was headed by Sigismund Sventitsky — a Doctor of Medicine and a founder of gastrointestinal medicine in Belarus.
