The partisans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 are part of the Resistance movement, which was designed to destroy the German support system (undermining provisions, ammunition, roads, etc.). As you know, the fascist invaders were very afraid of this organization, so they treated its members very cruelly.
RSFSR
The main points of the tasks of the partisan movement were formulated in the 1941 directive. In more detail, the necessary actions were described in the order of Stalin from 1942.
The basis of the partisan detachments was made up of ordinary residents, mainly of the occupied territories, that is, those who knew life under the fascist aim and power. Similar organizations began to appear from the first days of the war. Old people, women, men, who for some reason did not take to the front, and even children, pioneers, entered.
The partisans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 conducted sabotage activities, engaged in reconnaissance (even undercover), propaganda, provided military assistance to the USSR army, and directly destroyed the enemy.
On the territory of the RSFSR there were countless detachments, sabotage groups, formations (about 250 thousand people), each of which brought great benefits to achieve victory. Many names remained forever in the annals of history.
Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya, who became a symbol of heroism, was thrown into the German rear to set fire to the village of Petrishchevo, where the German regiment was located. Naturally, she was not alone, but, by coincidence, their group partially dispersed after the arson of three houses. Zoya decided to return there alone and finish what was started. But the inhabitants were on their guard and Zoya was seized. She had to go through terrible torture and humiliation (including from compatriots), but she did not give out a single name. The Nazis hanged the girl, but even during the execution she did not lose courage and urged the Soviet people to resist the German invaders. The first of the women she was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Belorussian SSR
The partisan movement in Belarus lasted from 1941 to 1944. During this time, many strategic tasks were solved, the main of which was the decommissioning of the German echelons and directly the railways along which they traveled.
The guerrillas of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 provided invaluable assistance in the fight against the invaders. 87 of them were awarded the highest military award of the Soviet Union. Among them was Marat Kazei, a sixteen-year-old boy whose mother was executed by the Germans. He joined the partisan detachment in order to assert his right to freedom and a happy life. Along with adults, he performed tasks.
Marat did not live a year before victory. He died in May 1944. Each death in a war is tragic in itself, but when a child dies, it becomes a thousand times more painful.
Marat, along with his commander, returned to headquarters. By chance they met the German punitive. The commander was killed immediately, the boy could only be wounded. While firing, he hid in the forest, but the Germans pursued him. Until the bullets ran out, Marat left the chase. And then he made an important decision for himself. The boy had two grenades. He immediately threw one into a group of Germans, and the second he held tightly in his hand until he was surrounded. Then he blew it up, taking German soldiers to the next world with him.
Ukrainian SSR
Partisans during the years of World War II on the territory of the Ukrainian SSR united in 53 formations, 2145 detachments and 1807 groups, with a total number of about 220 thousand people.
Among the main command of the partisan movement in Ukraine are K.I. Pogorelov, M.I. Karnaukhov, S.A. Kovpak, S.V. Rudnev, A.F. Fedorov and others.
Sidor Artemyevich Kovpak, on the orders of Stalin, was engaged in propaganda in Right-Bank Ukraine, which was practically inactive. It was for the Carpathian raid that he was awarded one of the awards.
Mikhail Karnaukhov led the movement in the Donbass. Subordinates and local residents nicknamed him "Batya" for the warm human relations. Dad was killed by the Germans in 1943. Secretly, residents of the local occupied villages gathered at night to bury the commander and give him due honors.
The World War II guerrilla heroes were later reburied. Karnaukhov rests in Slavyansk, where his remains were transferred in 1944, when they liberated the territory from German invaders.
During the operation of the Karnaukhov detachment, 1304 fascists were destroyed (out of 12 were officers).
Estonian SSR
Already in July 1941, an order was issued to form a partisan detachment in Estonia. His command included B. G. Kumm, N. G. Karotamm, J. Kh. Lauristin.
The partisans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 faced a practically insurmountable obstacle precisely in Estonia. A large number of local residents were friendly to the German occupiers and even rejoiced at such a combination of circumstances.
That is why in this territory underground organizations and sabotage groups had great strength, which had to more carefully think through their moves, since betrayals could be expected from anywhere.
The heroes of the Soviet Union were Lean Kulman (shot by the Germans in 1943 as a Soviet intelligence) and Vladimir Fedorov.
Latvian SSR
Until 1942, the activities of partisans in Latvia did not go well. This was due to the fact that most activists and party leaders were killed at the very beginning of the war, people had poor preparation, both physically and financially. Thanks to denunciations of local residents by the Nazis, not a single underground organization was destroyed. Some partisan heroes of the Great Patriotic War died nameless, so as not to betray and not to discredit their comrades.
After 1942, the movement intensified, people began to join groups with the desire to help and free themselves, as the German invaders sent hundreds of Estonians to Germany for hard work.
Among the leaders of the Estonian partisan movement was Arthur Sprogis, trained by Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya. He is also mentioned in Hemingway's book, For Whom the Bell Tolls.
Lithuanian SSR
On Lithuanian territory, partisans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 produced hundreds of sabotage, as a result of which almost 10 thousand Germans were destroyed.
With a total number of partisans of 9187 people (only identified), seven are Heroes of the Soviet Union:
- Yu. Yu. Alexonis. An underground radio operator, died in an unequal battle, surrounded by Germans, in 1944.
- S.P. Apivala. He personally destroyed seven echelons with enemy ammunition.
- G.I. Boris. The commander of a special sabotage group, died at the hands of the Gestapo, after being captured in 1944.
- A.M. Cheponis. A radio operator who died in 1944 in a solo battle against a German unit. He killed 20 fascists.
- M.I. Melnikayte. She was captured, spent a whole week in torture without saying a word to the Nazis, but she was able to slap one of the Wehrmacht officers in the face. Shot in 1943.
- B.V. Urbanavichus. He led the subversive group of partisans.
- Yu. T. Vitas. Head of the partisan underground of Lithuania. He was captured and shot by the Nazis, after the denunciation of the traitor in 1943.
The guerrilla heroes of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 fought in Lithuania not only with the fascist invaders, but also with the Lithuanian liberation army, which did not destroy the Germans, but sought to destroy Soviet and Polish soldiers.
Moldavian SSR
During the four years of the operation of partisan detachments on the territory of Moldova, about 27 thousand fascists and their accomplices were destroyed. On their account also the extermination of a huge amount of military equipment, ammunition, kilometers of communication lines. The guerrilla heroes of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 were engaged in the production of leaflets and information bulletins in order to maintain cheerfulness and faith in victory among the population.
Two - Heroes of the Soviet Union - V.I. Timoshchuk (commander of the First Moldavian unit) and N.M. Frolov (under his leadership, 14 German echelons were blown up).
Jewish resistance
In the USSR there were 70 purely Jewish liberation detachments. Their goal was to save the remaining Jewish population.
Unfortunately, Jewish units had to deal with anti-Semitic sentiments even among Soviet partisans. Most of them did not want to provide any support to these people and Jewish youths were reluctant to take their units.
Most Jews were ghetto refugees. Among them, children were often met.
The partisans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 did a great job, rendered invaluable assistance to the Red Army in the liberation of territories and the victory over the German fascists.