The tragedy in the Belarusian village of Khatyn occurred during the Second World War, March 22, 1943. The innocent villagers were killed to the last, and the village itself was destroyed.
In history books, this atrocity is usually attributed to the Nazis. This version has been unconditionally believed for several decades. However, in recent years, details that once were secret have surfaced. But first, you should still consider the classic version of events.
Khatyn: what the textbooks say
The Nazis broke into Khatyn on March 22, 1943 and surrounded her. It is believed that their brutality was largely triggered by the murder of a German officer near the village. They drove people out of their homes, did not spare anyone: men, women, children, the elderly. The goal was to gather everyone in one barn. Some children managed to hide from the Nazis. They tried to escape into the forest, but were overtaken by bullets. The fascist detained one girl with his own hand and shot him in front of his father.
When all the inhabitants of Khatyn found themselves in the shed, the Nazis imposed straw on it, doused it with gasoline and set it on fire. Horrified people tried to get out, as a result of which the doors were torn down and the villagers rushed to run. However, all those fleeing were shot by the Nazis. Only two girls managed to escape, in critical condition the inhabitants of the village of Hvorosteni picked them up. Also managed to survive and two boys. One of them lay under the corpse of his mother, the other was wounded by the Nazis and mistook them for the dead. A total of 149 people died, including 75 children. The Nazis looted and burned the village.
After the tragedy, the only surviving adult resident of the village - the smith Joseph Kaminsky. He found his son among the corpses, but he was mortally wounded and died literally in the arms of his father. This image was taken as the basis for the design of the Khatyn memorial complex, a man with a dead child in his arms is the only sculpture in him.
