How they celebrated Easter in the Dachau concentration camp in 1945: it happened just three days before the victory!

Orthodox Life

Interesting parallels.

Easter in 1945 fell on May 6 according to the new style. Day of the Great Martyr George the Victorious - the great patron of warriors. Victorious and Victory. I think it's very symbolic. And Victory Day itself fell on Bright Week, when the people of God celebrate the Resurrection of Christ.

This year is almost the same. The difference is four days.

Yes, of course, two practically anti-Christian empires - communist and Nazi. Yes, of course, there are many questions. To which there are still no answers. And millions of deaths... But in the memory of that day and that war there is something deep, rooted for many peoples. An example of courage, an example of heroism, an example of faith. After all, it was because of the war that thousands of people returned to the fold of the Orthodox Church, and the pressure of communist power weakened. The Church, thank God, had the opportunity to develop.

I remember a still from an old black and white Soviet chronicle. Laying flowers at the memorial to those killed in that terrible war. A father and his little son (probably about five years old) approach the monument. They both have carnations in their hands. Dad holds the child's hand. In front of the memorial, he takes off his beret from his head. They stand silently for a while, lay flowers and leave.

This is a tradition. This is education in the correct tradition. Pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives so that you could live.

I also remember footage from old Soviet chronicles on Victory Day. People rejoice, rejoice, truly with tears in their eyes. There is something really similar to Easter joy in this: through Golgotha ​​- to the Resurrection of Christ. And in the eyes of these people who survived the war there is deep joy and deep sadness. Sadness for the dead, of whom there were many. Almost every family was in mourning. How many are missing? How much torment is there in the heart from the question “alive or dead?” And the joy that it all ended: burned villages, cities destroyed to the foundation, thousands fleeing to the east, loss of home. It's all over. There is a house again.

Therefore, there is something deep, root, and correct in this day. And this tradition cannot be lost. It seems to me that it will be very useful for future generations. As it was once written in one history textbook: the next war will begin when the coming generation forgets about the last war.

And you can’t cut down the roots with an ax. The tree may dry out. But, on the contrary, the correct fundamental tradition needs to be raised and cherished, nurtured in the hearts of children. And then it will bear good fruit, which will be based on the fear of God and on love and respect for your ancestors, who gave you life. Just as you should carefully, crystal-fragilely, reverently, with hot tenderness in your heart, pass on this life further. You must LEARN, with God's help, to pass this life on.

Therefore, we must not forget about concentration camps and courage, about deaths and self-sacrifice, about the explosion of the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and that Victory Day is associated with the day of remembrance of the Great Martyr George the Victorious and fell on Easter.

God's Providence turns evil into good.

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

Priest Andrey Chizhenko

Easter 1945, Dachau: SMERSH was watching, but people believed in a miracle

Several decades have already passed since those events that have already become epoch-making in the history of our country and state: 90 years ago, in 1931, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow was destroyed. In 2021, it will be 80 years since that mournful date of June 22, 1941, when Nazi Germany attacked the USSR without declaring war - the Great Patriotic War began, the next anniversary of the end of which - Victory Day - we celebrate on May 9.

It should be noted that it was with the beginning and during the Great Patriotic War itself that the political leadership of the USSR finally abandoned plans for the speedy destruction of religion and the church and switched to a policy of partial revival of religious life in the country under strict state control.

At the same time, attitudes towards religious Orthodox holidays changed. So, already on April 4, 1942, the curfew was lifted in Moscow for Easter for one night. Moreover, this was announced in advance on the radio several hours before the Easter services, and the services themselves, by the way, were held under blackout conditions and, by the way, with the involvement of 85 thousand parishioners - believing Muscovites.

Moreover, on September 14, 1943, the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church (SDROC) was created under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, and on May 19, 1944, the Council for Religious Affairs (SDRK). Subsequently, these “Soviets” made their contribution to the cause of Victory, carried out enormous work to strengthen the defense capability of the army and navy, as well as to raise the morale of the Red Army soldiers, participants in the partisan movement, rear workers and, in general, all believing Soviet citizens - those who in their I hoped in my prayers for the speedy victory of Russian weapons.

Easter dates from 1900 to 1999

(dates according to new style)

The earliest Easter in the 20th century was in 1915 - April 4 (new style). The latest Easter was in the victorious years of 1945 (May 6) and 1956 (May 6).

The record late Easter fell on May 8th in 1983 - the only time in 200 years! The next time Easter will be on May 8th will be in 2078.

Word on Victory Day, May 9, 1945

Victory flag over the Reichstag

...Glory and thanksgiving to God!

Peace on Russian land and, thanks to the united efforts of the allied governments and armies, peace on the lands of many...

...God put to shame the daring dreams of villains and robbers, and we now see them bearing terrible retribution for their atrocities.

We confidently and patiently waited for this joyful day of the Lord - the day on which the Lord pronounced His righteous judgment over the worst enemies of mankind - and Orthodox Rus', after unprecedented feats of war, after the incredible strain of all the forces of the people, stood up as one person to defend the Motherland and who did not spare even his life for the sake of saving the Fatherland - now he stands before the Lord of strength in prayer, gratefully appealing to the very Source of victories and peace for His heavenly help in times of battle, for the joy of victory and for giving peace to the whole world.

But is victory only the consciousness of joy? It also carries a consciousness of duty, a consciousness of duty, a consciousness of responsibility for the present and the future, a consciousness of the need to intensify work in order to consolidate victory, to make it fruitful, to heal the wounds inflicted by the war.

We still have a lot of difficult work ahead of us, but now we can breathe freely and joyfully get to work - hard, but creative.

If during the war, in an unshakable faith in the final triumph of a just cause, we victoriously overcame all the difficulties, all the hardships, all the hardships at the front and in the rear, then with what redoubled force will we set about rebuilding our cities, each of which is a war hero; our dear and sacred monuments - everything that was created by the mighty will and sovereign power of our great people.

Recalling with reverence the exploits of our valiant army and those of our loved ones who laid down temporary life for our happiness in the hope of receiving eternal life, we will never stop praying for them and in this we will draw consolation in grief over the loss of those dear to our hearts and strengthen our faith to God’s endless mercy towards them, who have departed to the heavenly world, and to God’s omnipotent help to us, left to continue our earthly exploits and to improve life throughout the world.

May our prayer be corrected like incense before the Lord.

Let the heavens pass.

May it be brought by the holy prayer books for the Russian land to the Throne of the Lord.

May the God of peace continue His blessings on our native land and may our leaders and rulers assist our peaceful weapons of state wisdom and truth to defeat everything that is hostile to the peace and good of our great Fatherland and, through the combined efforts of the victorious peoples, to establish throughout the world such an order in which it is impossible there would be a repetition of the horrors of war.

I call on our Holy Church, in the person of her archpastors, pastors and faithful children, to pray with the same zeal and with the same fiery faith for the peaceful prosperity of our country, with which she prayed in times of trial for victory over our enemies. And may this prayer be just as acceptable before God.

“Blessed are you, O God, who tame the beasts and extinguish the fire...” (Canon of the Service of Praise to the Mother of God).

Amen.