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• Major dates in the history of Belarus - here you can find the most important facts in Belarusian history and become familiar with the key dates and events by Aliaksandr Arciuhovich, on the basis of the J.Zaprudnik book "Belarus: At a Crossroads in History".
• History of Belarus - excerpts from the book "Belarus - a new country in Eastern Europe", written in 1994 by Uladzimir Novik, a member of the Belarusian Parliament. The book is written for foreign readers who would like to familiarise themselves with Belarus.
• Notes from the history of Belarus - if you want to have a closer look at Belarusian history, this is a top opportunity. This pages deal with the historical development starting from the first principalities on Belarusian territory, the renaissance of Belarusian culture in the Middle Ages right down to the 20th century (by E. Reshetau)
• Songs About Litwins from the Eldest Times to the year of 1434 (In Old Belarusian - Cyrillic Win1251*)

• A Military History of Belarusian Lands Up to the End of Twelfth Century By Jahor Novikaǔ 

XIII-XVII cc. The Grand Duchy of Litva - a medieval Belarusian state. Belarusian Renaissance.

• The Origins of Grand Duchy of Litva (Lithuania)

  These articles deal with the creation and the first rulers of one of the major European powers in the 13th-16th century.

• Lithuanian Metrics  

  Lithuanian Metrics is a 556 volume archive of documents of the State Chancellery of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL) which was under the personal control of the Chancellor of the GDL. This archive contained originals and copies of all documents issued in a period from 1386 to 1794 by the State Chancellery.

• Statutes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania  

  The Statutes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were a great achievement of Belarusian Law. They were written during the 16th century and are among first European constitutions and Law codes. They have served later as an etalon to other European nations. The Statutes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania are considered to be one of the main treasures (in addition to Lithuanian Metrics) of Belarusian, Lithuanian, and Polish culture.

• Famous Belarusian Military Commanders and Engineers  
  
• Belarusian Renaissance of XV-XVI centuries.  
  • Old Belarusian Poetry
  • Belarusian Knighthood.
  • Belarusian Architecture. Estates and Castles in Belarus
  • Famous figures of Belarusian Renaissance: 
    F. Skaryna, S. Budny, V. Cyapinski, L. Sapega, Radzivill family, R.Sanhushka 
    
• Crisis of Christian Orthodoxy and Catholicism - Reformation and Counter-Reformation in Belarus  
  • Reformation in Belarus
  • I. Pocei
  • M. Smatrycki
    
• "Patop" - Deluge  - Russo-Polish War of 1654-1667 - "Thirteen Years' War"
  In 1632 joint forces of GDL and Poland sent by the King and Grand Duke Uladyslau surrounded, defeated and taken prisoners Russian (Muscovy) army, in defense of Belarusian city of Smaliensk. Russians (Muscovites) have summoned their courage to come back to Belarus only in 20 years, when Ukrainian Cossacks of  Chmielnicki revolted against the rule of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and joined their forces with Muscovites (tsar Aleksei Mikhajlovich) to perform the bloodiest carnage in the history of Belarusian nation - Russian War of 1654-1667. Poland could not come to help to Lithuania because it was fighting at this time Swedes and Germans (First Northern War). Too many enemies attacked Poland and GDL simultaneously to defend our lands successfully. And the carnage begun. By estimates of Belarusian historians more than 50% of Belarusians died in this war defending their multi-cultural land, protestant religion and the Western civilized style of life. Many famous Belarusian nobility families perished in their entirety. The material losses were also tremendous. For example only 100 houses were left out of 1500 houses in the city of Polacak, 56 - out of 982 in Vitebsk. Belarus has lost Smaliensk lands to Russia. Because of the sea of the spilled blood in those years Belarusian historians refer to these 13 years as "Patop" - the Flood, the Deluge. The picture below is ("The Return of the Cossacks" by Jozef Brandt, 1894.

  

  • Russo-Polish War (1654-1667) from History of Warfare (World History at KMLA)
  • Fight for Ukraine - private page
  • The Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569-1795) at allempires.com
  • The Truce of Anrusovo was a long-lasting treaty that ended the Thirteen Years' War (1654-67) between Russia and Poland for the control of the Ukraine
  • The Deluge from Wilkipedia.com
    
• "Paunochnaia Vajna" - Great Northern War or Second Northern War
  By the end of Second Northern War the region of Prussia, Poland and GDL (Belarus and all Baltic states) was so demolished that for about 100 years culture and civilization was pretty much suspended here. The normal history was interrupted. In Belarus only 40% of agricultural lands were cultivated because more 30% of population perished in Northern War, only one generation apart from Russian War, that killed more than 50% of population.
  • Three stages of Belarusian-Swedish relations by www.vitryssland.nu
  • Great Northern War from the list of Swedish wars at brainyencyclopedia.com
  • Swedish Wars - graphical representation
  • Northern Wars (1648-1730)- Danish infantry uniforms
  • Battles of the Great Northern War (1700-1721) - the dates and places of main battles.
  • Great Northern War timeline
  • History of St. Petersburg - the city started on the shores of Baltic sea by Russian Tsar Peter The Great after his victory in Great Northern War.

XVIII c. "Rzecz Pospolita Polsko-Litewska" - Commonwealth of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

• Constitution of 1791  

  These are the excerpts (in Belarusian) from the constitution of 1791 of Commonwealth of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - Rzecz Pospolita.

• Administrative divisions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 17th and 18th centuries 

  From genealogical page by Rafal T. Prinke.

• Three Partitions of Rzecz Pospolita Polsko-Litewska by Russia, Prussia and Austria: 1764, 1772, 1795. 
  • Page by Wikipedia - free Encyclopedia.
  • 1UpInfo: Country Study & Country Guide for Poland
  • Workmall.com: Poland The Three Partitions, 1764-95.

• Tadeusz Kosciszko and 1794 Uprising against occupation by Russian Empire
  • Tadevush Kasciushka - our own page in Great Belarusian Military Commanders and Engineers series.
  • The 1794 Uprising and T. Kasciushka at European History with Robert Wilde at About.com
  • More on the brutal suppression of 1794 uprising and Kosciuszko capture by Russians here at Freemasonry site.
  • Remarks at Commemoration of General Kosciszko’s 257th Birth Anniversary by US Ambassador in Belarus Michael Kosak:
    "He fought for the freedom of the United States at a time when his own country was not free. His strategic engineering genius was a major factor in the first major victory of the American Revolution in 1777 at Saratoga. This triumph, viewed by most historians as the turning point of the war, convinced France and other European powers to support the American struggle for independence."
  • Kosciuszko bio at PolishWorld.com:
    "From one man we can have but one life" - wrote about Kosciuszko President Thomas Jefferson ' "and you gave us the most valuable and active part of yours, and we are now enjoying and improving its effects. Every sound American, sincere votary of freedom loves and honors you..."

XIX c. Napoleon war. Belarusian revival. Belarusian Uprising of 1863-64.

• Napoleon War.  
  When the Great Army of Napoleon crossed the borders of Russian Empire and attacked the Russian troops. Russians had to recede. On July 1 the Napoleonic Army came to Vilna. The emperor created the government of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Thus he attracted many local noble and townspeople. 20 000 volunteers supported him with their wealth and guns. Napoleon was cheered in Poland and Belarus as a liberator from Russians, who could bring back Western influence in the region, abolish serfdom and free people of other wild Russian Empire idiosyncrasies. Unfortunately, this did not happen. Napoleon was defeated by the vastness of Russian territory and the skill of Russian Field Marshal Kutuzov in the Battle of Borodino near Moscow, Russia. Later defecting Napoleon Army had a crushing defeat in the Battle on Biarezina in Belarus. The picture below was painted in 1843 by Peter von Hess depicts Napoleon army crossing Biarezina river in Belarus, chased by Russian Army.
  
  
  • Napoleon capture of Vilna (at the time center of Belarusian-Lithuanian lands), Vitebsk, 
  • Battle of Biarezina 1812 (Barysau area) Map#1 and Map #2- The retreating Napoleon army had a bitter battle here with Russian army.
  • Napoleon at Igumen (near Mahilyow)
  • Napoleon Bonaparte - The war in Russia from NapoleonBonaparte.nl
  • Virtual Battle of Borodino - the decisive defeat of Napoleon Army in Russia.
    
• New Belarusian Literature of XIX c. and Belarusian Cultural Revival
  In 1696 by decision of the Warsaw General Confederation, the Ruthenian (Old Belarusian) language was replaced by Polish in all official documents of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Latin alphabet (Lacinka) replaced Cyrillic in popular usage. Old Belarusian was still an official language of courts proceedings in the former lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania until mid XVIII century, when it was replaced by Polish and Russian. The bloodiest in the history of Belarus Russian/Ukrainian invasion of 1564-1567 followed by a prolonged Northern Wars with Sweden had completely destroyed culturally rich Belarusian lands. Most of the cities were demolished. Our famous libraries have been burned or robbed. Many countries in the Baltic region appeared in a similar situation of destruction and complete stagnation that lasted for more than a century. For half a century Be3larusian language was only surviving in village household use. The first signs of recovery of Belarusian culture appeared only in the beginning of the XIX century. A New Belarusian Poetry and Belarusian cultural revival was announced by Jan Chachot, Vincent Dunin-Marcinkievich, Francishak Bahushevich and their followers.  
  
  • J.Chachot
  • V. Dunin- Marcynkievich
  • F. Bahushevich
    
• Kastus' Kalinouski and Belarusian Uprising of 1863-64 against Russian Empire.  
  
  • The biography of Kastus Kalinouski
  • See also our Kastus' Kalinouski page from the Great Belarusian Military Commanders and Engineers series.
  • Kastus' Kalinouski page from A Belarus Miscellany
  • Kastus' Kalinouski bio from Svislackiia Arkushy:
    - Whom do you love?
    - I love Belarus.
    - So mutually...
    The password of the Belarusian insurgents of 1863-64 Uprising.
  
  

XX c. WWI, the end of Russian Empire, Belarusan Democratic Republic.

• Belarus during the WWI
  The WWI front was going straight through Belarus. My grandfather as a boy was injured by German shrapnel in WWI. Tsar command center (Stavka) was in Homel, Belarus. 
  
• The Belarusan Democratic Republic
  The history of the first independent Belarusian state in the 20th century (BDR, BNR in Belarusian). The Belarusian  Democratic Republic came into being after the October Revolution as a result of disintegration of the Russian Empire and occupation of Belarusian lands by German army during WWI. After one year of its existence (1918-119) it was pushed into an exile by the Bolsheviks, advancing from East. 
  • Belarusan Democratic Republic government in exile - their website is now available on Internet
  • Map of Belarusan Democratic Republic, 1918
  • About national anthem of BNR - Vajacki marš (Come, We Shall March In Joint Endeavour), Words by: Makar Kraucov; Music by: Uladzimier Terauski. Download lyrics and listen to music from original site or from our mirror (music MIDI file, Lyrics in Belarusian and English).
  • BNR on Belarusian Governments page of Belarus-Misc.org
  • BNR on Answers.com The Belarusian People's Republic was pronounced on March 25, 1918 during World War I, when Belarus was occupied by the Germans according to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. In its Third Constituent Charter, the following territories were claimed for BNR: Mogilev guberniya (province), parts of Minsk, Hrodna (including Białystok), Vilnia, Vitebsk, and Smolensk guberniyas, as well as parts of bordering guberniyas. The areas were claimed because of a Belarusian majority according to demographic research, although there were also numbers of Lithuanians, Poles and people speaking pidgins of Belarusian, Lithuanian and Polish, as well as many Jews, mostly in towns and cities (in some towns they made up a majority). Some of the Jews spoke Russian as their native tongue; others spoke Yiddish.
  • BNR on Wikipedia - due to the nature of Wikipedia (anyone can edit information in it) it may be an alternative personal view on BNR.
  • Belarus 1917-1922 at WHKMLA.
  • V. Zacharka
  • P. Krecheuski
  • A. Ćvikievič
  • Memorandum of the Executive Council of the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic In Exile on 2006 presidential elections in Belarus.
  • Latest news: Minister of Estonia's Foreign Affairs Urmas Paet met Ivonka Survilla, the President of the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic in exile on Thursday, 5 October, 2006

Soviet Belarus in 1919-1939. Belarus divided: BSSR and Western Belarus in Poland.

• Riga Treaty of 1920. Division of Belarus and Ukraine.
• The treaty of Riga and Belarus Partition of 1921 - our own page by Vitali Voranau.
• Riga Treaty info from Bartleby.comt
• Riga Treaty paragraph from Encyclopedia.com
  
• BSSR - Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.
  January 1, 1919 - Proclamation (in Smolensk!) of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR) with its capital in Minsk. Setting up of the Provisional Workers' and Peasants' Soviet Government headed by D.Zhilunovich. Adoption of the first BSSR Constitution at the first All-Byelorussian Congress of Soviets of Workers', Peasants' and Red Army Deputies. The congress made an appeal to all the peoples on recognition of independence of Belarus and establishment of diplomatic relations with it. The BSSR Central Executive Committee (CEC) formed. The joint session of the CEC of the Lithuanian SSR and the CEC of the BSSR in Vilnya decided to create the Lithuanian-Byelorussian SSR that comprised the territories of Minsk and Vilnya provinces.BSSR was part of the USSR until 1991, when the USSR was dismantled in the famous Belavezhskaia Puscha meeting of three leaders: Gorbachev (Russai), Shushkevich (Belarus) and Kravchuk (Ukraine). On the 27^th of July, 1991 the Supreme Soviet of the BSSR adopted the Declaration on State sovereignty of the BSSR. On the 25^th of August, 1991 the Supreme Soviet of the BSSR suspended the Communist Party of Belarus. On the 19 August, 1991 the BSSR was renamed to the Republic of Belarus. In December of 1991 the Belavezh Accord on Denouncement of the 1922 Treaty resulted in the break-up of the USSR. Belarus joined the Community of Independent States.
• Information on BSSR at thefreedictionary.com.
• Foundation of the USSR page from Museum of Lenin
• History of Belarusian Academy of Sciences and its First President
  
• Kurapaty - Stalin`s repressions in Belarus
  Some information about the sad history of Belarus - the mass executions of innocent Belarusians from 1937-41 and the repercussions of this policy up to the present day. Including the article "Kurapaty - the Road of Death" by Z. Pazniak and J. Smyhaliou . See also this article by Zyanom Pazniak "Physical Annihilation of Belarusian Nation"

• 1939 Reunification of Western and Eastern Belarus.
• Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact from Wikipedia.org
• Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact from Modern History Source.
• Katyn' Polish Officers massacre

1939-1945. World War II.

• Partisan Resistance in Belarus during the WWII
• Belarusian Anti-Communist Movement - Belarusian Collaborationist Government during WWII.
• Belarusian Nazi during the World War II and their work for the Cold War based on "Belarus Secret" by John Loftus.
• Critic of "Belarus Secret" book by James Dingley
• "Belarus File" movie by Robert Markowitz on Jewish collaborationists in Belarus
• Cossacks in German Service
• Belarusian Collaboration
• Soviet Guerilla - "Partyzan"- Movement during WWII German occupation.
• Khatyn - WWII memorial to 586 Belarusian villages burned by nazis with population alive.
• Khatyn site by Belarus-misc.org
• Le Memorial de Khatyn - France-Belarus.com site (in French)
• Holocaust in Belarus.
• Jewish Resistance: Bibliography Belarus
• Pictures of Holocaust in Belarus
• The Holocaust in Hrodna by Ellen Sadove Renck

Below is the photo of downtown Minsk - Belarusian capital, that was completely demolished in WWII by the bombings. The large building in the distance is an Opera House.

1946-1992. Post WWII Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR).

• Minsk Reconstruction - a giant collective effort of the youth of 15 republics of the USSR delegated to Belarus.
• Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic - the UN founding member: Declaration of April 10, 1945, San Francisco.
• UNRRA and the Post WWII Belarus

1992-Present. The newly proclaimed independent state - Republic of Belarus.

• Summary of Belarusian politics in 1986-96

The events in Belarus of the last ten years in chronological order, compiled on the basis of articles from the international and local press. Facts which, on the one hand, still have a strong impact on events in today's Belarus and, on the other hand, have already become history.

• Law and Politics in Belarus

Our page on current political situation in Belarus

• 2001 Presidential Elections in Belarus

A somewhat turmoil report on the presidential elections of 2001 and it's main players.

• Belarus - A Post Soviet Tyranny by Jake Inselman. A libertarian point of view.

• History of Belarus as Nuclear Power - a compilation of WWW resources.

Other Related Historical Topics.

• Some articles from Wolha Ipatava's book "Zwischen Moskau und Warschau" (in German language) - a journey through historically significant Belarusian towns and cities
• History of Miensk (Minsk) - by D.Zielienka, on the basis of the book "Minsk: a Historical Guide" by Guy Picarda
• Litva, Bielaja Rus' - by D.Zielienka
• A giant collection of links to information on the History of Belarus from the Belarusian Academy of Sciences (by Dr. M. Kasciukovich).

Visit the Belarusian Heritage Page

This project encompasses information about the historical and culutural Heritage of the Belarusian people. It includes sites on various subjects compiled by the "Virtual Guide"-time and links to other sources.

Here you can
       ... start on a journey through beautiful and historically significant Belarusian towns and cities, learn about the history of more than 30 small towns and large cities, see pictures of historical monuments - ancient churches, castles and ruins - and landscapes - ranging from the lakes in the Braslau region in the North, the hills of Navahradak down to the Palessie swamps in the South.
       ... On this journey through our country you will also learn about famous representatives of our country across different centuries.      
 ... moreover you can read about Belarusian architecture, traditional clothing, crafts and more.

• Clickable historical map of Belarus
• Slavic tribes - the Belarusians' ancestors - and their territories in the 9th - 12th c.

  Dryhavicy
  Kryvicy
  Radzimicy

• Map of principalities of Polacak, Turau, Navahradak and Smaliensk - the first states on the territory of modern Belarus in the 9-11th cc. (310 k)
• Great Duchy of Litva (Lithuania) in the 13-15th cc. (220 k)
• Great Duchy of Litva (Lithuania) in the 14-15th cc. (385 k)
• The battle of Gruenewald on July, 15, 1410
• Belarus at the end of the XVI c.:

  Western and central parts (485k)
  Eastern part (320k)

• Great Duchy of Litva (Lithuania) in the 17th c. (350 kB.)
• Map showing towns in the Grand Duchy of Litva which enjoyed home rule
• War between Moscow and the GDL (1654-1667) (420 k)
• Belarus in the middle of the XVIII c. (342k)
• Map of city of Slucak (Slutsk) in 1799 (129k)
• War between Russia and Napoleon in 1812:

  Route of Napoleon to Moscow through the territory of Belarus (156k)
  Flight of Napoleon from Moscow through the territory of Belarus (163k)

• Belarus at the end of the XIX c. (488k)
• Belarus in 1882
• Fragment of an ethnographical map of the Slavic world by Pr. Niederle, early 20th c. (164k)
• Belarus in 1918-1920 - during German-Soviet and Poland-Soviet wars (429 k)
• Belarusian Democratic Republic in 1918 (195k)
• Growth of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR) in 1921-26 - transfer of territories with Belarusian population from Russia to BSSR (within USSR) (240k)
• West Belarus under Polish power in 1922-39 (352k)
• Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1940 (580 k)
• Belarus during the WWII:

  Occupation by the Germans in 1941 (200k)
  Division of Belarus under German power in 1942-44 (175k)

• Belarusians in north-east of Poland in 1993 (437k)
• The old map of Belarus and Litva (Lithuania) published with the permission of the Russian Imperial Ministry of Internal Affairs in 1890:

  Northern gubernia's
  Southern gubernia's

• Map of modern Belarus (185k)
• Dialects on Belarusian territory (291k)
• The map of Post Cold War Europe.

• Belarusian Heraldry - an overview of the historical tradition of Belarusian Heraldry, including a large collection of the coats of arms of Belarusian towns and cities.

  "Pahonia" - "Chase" - an article about the Belarusian historical state symbol.

• Religion in Belarus - short account of Belarusian religious path
• Belarusian Autocephalous Orthodox Church: A Brief History - by D.Zielenka
• Belarusian Icon-Painting - some pictures of original school of sacral paintings by Mikalaj Karelin

Belarusian Castles

• Belarusian Historical Review - new historical sources and materials, various articles on Belarusian history, essays on historiography and other specific aspects of historical science

  Editorial Board: Henadz Sahanovich

Other documents

• Summary of Belarus history conference - 10.-14. April 1996, Stuttgart, Germany - written by Bernhard Chiari. This information is in German.

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