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From schools to hospitals: Life in western Belarus was transformed after 1939

Igor Marzalyuk

MINSK, 13 September (BelTA) - In the latest episode of BelTA’s project True History. Lectures by Igor Marzalyuk, Chairman of the Standing Commission on Education, Culture, and Science of the House of Representatives, historian Igor Marzalyuk described how the standard of living changed in the western Belarusian lands after the end of the Polish occupation and reunification with the BSSR.

The historian drew attention to the fact that before the Great Patriotic War, from 1939 to 1941, on the territory of Western Belarus, which reunified with the BSSR, the industrial enterprises were reconstructed and new ones were built. At the same time, all small-land and landless peasants received more than 1 million hectares of land. Great efforts were also made in the social welfare. Thanks to the decisive actions of the Soviet authorities, a system of free medical care was established. Hospitals, maternity homes, polyclinics, and outpatient clinics were opened.

Public education developed widely. In the 1940/1941 academic year, 5,959 schools operated in the western Belarusian regions, of which more than 4,500 taught children in the Belarusian language. “Let me note that Belarusians were deprived of all of this in Poland,” Igor Marzalyuk emphasized.

"Belarusian peasants were granted the lands expropriated ofromf Polish landowners. There was a process of Belarusianization of the public education system and state institutions. Belarusians received social satisfaction. For the first time after the Polish occupation ended, Belarusians became government officials and employees. Medical care for the population improved sharply, and unemployment was eliminated,” the historian said.

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