On January 27, 1945, the Soviet Army liberated Auschwitz.
The unit discovered approximately 7,000 prisoners left behind in Auschwitz by the fleeing Nazis—individuals too weak or ill to walk. They also found around 600 corpses.
Among the liberators was Ivan Martynushkin, who later shared his harrowing account of that historic day. He is the last surviving liberator of the Auschwitz concentration camp. Below are excerpts of what he witnessed:
“We pushed the Germans back from a village, passed through it, and emerged onto an enormous field, almost entirely enclosed by electrified barbed-wire fences and watchtowers. Beyond the wire, we saw buildings. As we moved closer, we began to notice people.”
“We saw emaciated, tortured, and impoverished individuals. These were the first people we encountered. We could see in their eyes that they were relieved—grateful to be saved from this hell. They were no longer under the shadow of death in the crematorium. They were free. And for us, there was a sense of doing something profoundly good—liberating these people from such unimaginable suffering.”
“It was difficult to look at them. I still remember their faces, especially their eyes, which revealed the depth of their ordeal. What did I feel when I saw these people in the camp? Compassion and pity. I understood the cruel fate they had endured, and I couldn’t help but think: this could have been me. I, too, fought in the Soviet Army. If I had been captured, I might have ended up in the same situation.”
“At first, there was a mutual wariness—on both our part and theirs. But as they realized who we were, they began to welcome us. They signaled to us that they understood we were their liberators. There were no guards or Germans left behind the barbed wire—only prisoners.”
Martynushkin turned 101 on January 18, 2025.
Sources
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50743973
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Martynushkin
https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-veteran-recalls-soviet-liberation-of-auschwitz-/26807978.html
https://www.timesofisrael.com/soviet-veteran-recounts-horrors-of-auschwitz-liberation/
Please support us so we can continue our important work.
Donations
Your readership is what makes my site a success, and I am truly passionate about providing you with valuable content. I have been doing this at no cost and will continue to do so. Your voluntary donation of $2 or more, if you are able, would be a significant contribution to the continuation of my work. However, I fully understand if you’re not in a position to do so. Your support, in any form, is greatly appreciated. Thank you. To donate, click on the credit/debit card icon of the card you will use. If you want to donate more than $2, just add a higher number in the box left from the PayPal link. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
$2.00
History of Sorts 
Leave a comment