Historian: majority of Belarusians did not accept Nazi ideology, choosing independence instead

Strategic plans of Nazi Germany did not include the preservation of statehood on the territory of Belarus – as noted by the Head of the Military History Centre at Belarus’ National Academy of Sciences, Aleksei Litvin, in his Historical, Cultural and Archaeological Legacy of the Country in the Structure of National Interests and Preservation of Historical Memory report delivered at today’s seminar of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly on the topic: Republic of Belarus: From the Origins to the Present (Historical Path of State Building)

According to the historian, the Nazis planned to destroy 75 percent of the Belarusian population on racial and genetic grounds over the period of three decades.

Mr. Litvin also recalled that the existing Soviet power was outlawed at that time. “Under the prevailing threats, complex processes involving two opposing forces were taking place in the occupied territory. Those events have connections with our modern times. The first force comprised the BSSR supporters, and the other united those who collaborated with the occupiers and betrayed the interests of their state," he added.

The historian stressed that the vast majority of the Belarusian people did not accept the Nazi ideology, making a choice in favour of defending the country’s independence – despite the fact that collaborators sought to use the existing situation for implementation of their plans and carried out active work, while understanding that the people did not accept them.