Monument in honor of the Vitebsk Gate

«Vitebsk Gates» - a 40-kilometer breach in the front line at the junction of Army Group «North» and «Center» between Velizh and Usvyaty, which was formed as a result of the onset of the 4th Shock Army of the Kalinin Front during kholm pocket (1942) and the liberation war zone partisans Vitebsk region.
«Vitebsk Gates» have existed from February 10 to September 28, 1942. Through them keep in touch with the Soviet partisan units commanded; behind enemy lines, and sent organizing subversive groups, weapons, ammunition, medicine, literature; from the occupied territories out guerrilla groups to re-form, as well as volunteers who wanted to join the ranks of the Red Army. The approaches to them held units of the 51st Infantry Brigade (Commander A. Fedorov), 249 th Infantry Division (commanded by G.F. Tarasov) and the partisans of the 1st and 2nd Byelorussian teams.
During the existence of «Vitebsk Gates» were evacuated to the Soviet rear about 200 thousand people: women, the elderly, children. They walked through the convoys with food for the Red Army soldiers.
September 28, 1942 with the help of artillery and tanks, and with the obvious advantage of the Nazis succeeded in fierce fighting close the «Gates of Vitebsk». For distinction in the battles for the retention of «Vitebsk Gates» 249 Infantry Division was awarded the Order of Lenin and received the title «Guards».
In memory of the fighting soldiers and partisans in the village Zapolle Vitebsk district is a monument symbolizing «Vitebsk Gates» (sculptor V. Yagodnitsky). It is significant that during the fighting for the retention of «Vitebsk Gates» in February 1942 of the 4th Shock Army liberated the small northern Surazh District, Vitebsk Region. It was the first Belarusian land, freed from the Nazi invaders. A prominent Belarusian artist M. Sawicki described the events dedicated to one of his famous paintings, which is called - «Surazh Gates».