Smolensk Community

"Stańczyk at the Ball in the Court of Queen Bona Concerning the Lost Smolensk" Jan Matejko 1862

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like you were the only person who truly cared about the fate of others? About the future of your own homeland? Stańczyk by Jan Matejko is an iconic painting depicting the royal court jester lost in sorrow over the fall of Smolensk (1514), while a... read more

Died on This Day

March 15, 1944 #OTD Mariya Oktyabrskaya, Soviet tank driver and mechanic who fought on the Eastern Front against Germany during World War II. After her husband was killed fighting in 1941, Oktyabrskaya sold her possessions to donate a tank for the war effort, and requested that she be allowed to... read more

On This Day in History - March 15, 1944

March 15, 1944 #OTD Mariya Oktyabrskaya, Soviet tank driver and mechanic who fought on the Eastern Front against Germany during World War II. After her husband was killed fighting in 1941, Oktyabrskaya sold her possessions to donate a tank for the war effort, and requested that she be allowed to... read more

On This Day in History - July 31, 1941

July 31, 1941 #OTD World War II: The Battle of Smolensk concludes with Germany capturing about 300,000 Soviet Red Army prisoners. Pictured: Soviet prisoners of war.

On This Day in History - July 16, 1941

July 16, 1941 #OTD World War II: Battle of Smolensk Soviet Army Lieutenant Yakov Dzhugashvili (Pictured wearing trench coat), son of Joseph Stalin, was taken prisoner by the Germans. The circumstances of his capture are disputed: Artyom Sergeyev later said that "the Germans surrounded Yakov’s... read more

On This Day - July 16, 1941

July 16, 1941 #OTD World War II: Battle of Smolensk Soviet Army Lieutenant Yakov Dzhugashvili, son of Joseph Stalin, was taken prisoner by the Germans. The circumstances of his capture are disputed: Artyom Sergeyev later said that "the Germans surrounded Yakov’s battery. The order was given to... read more