KHATYN HISTORIC COMPLEX (КОМПЛЕКС ХАТЫНЬ КОМПЛЕКС)

Opened in 1969, this memorial complex is dedicated to the victims of the Second World War and recalls the horrors committed by the Nazi army in Belarus. It is located on the same spot as the village of Khatyn, which burned down with its inhabitants on March 22, 1943. Surrounded by forests, imposing and dramatic, this complex cannot leave its visitors indifferent. A symbolic concrete palisade indicates, in Russian and Belarusian, the names of the villages destroyed by the German army and the total number of dead. At the center of the memorial stands the monument to The Untamed Man, an impressive statue of a man emerging alive from the fire, holding his dead son in his arms. To the right of the monument, a large slab with a gap in the middle indicates the exact location of the carnage. To the left of the monument, the mass grave where the dead lie. The 26 obelisks beside it represent the 26 houses in the village. Twice a minute, the bells ring out. Further on, another highly symbolic place: a cemetery commemorating the Belarusian villages destroyed during the war. The names of concentration camp victims can be read on an adjoining memorial wall. The museum and exhibition retrace the history of the Khatyn massacre and the Second World War in Belarus. The Khatyn memorial is emblematic for all Belarusians and well worth a visit.

The complex is located 60 km north of Minsk. Take the M3 towards Vitebsk, then turn right and follow the signs for Khatyn. You can also contact the Minsk tourist office to book a tour.