Andrei Halias

Kurapaty is a forested area in the northeast of Minsk, known as a site of mass burials of victims of Stalinist repressions in the late 1930s to early 1940s. Here, NKVD officers executed thousands of innocent people, most of whom were later rehabilitated. The number of victims remains a topic of debate, with estimates ranging from 7,000 to over 250,000 people. Initial investigations revealed 510 graves over an area of about 15 hectares.

Kurapaty has become a symbol of the tragedy of political repression in Belarus. Since 1993, this site has been listed in the State Register of Historical and Cultural Values as a first-category object, highlighting its international significance. A memorial to the victims was established by the public in 1988, and since then, numerous memorial crosses and stones have been installed, along with a memorial with a bell and inscriptions in several languages.

Kurapaty got its name from the white field flowers — "kuroslep" — that once grew here. The history of the area gained widespread attention after the publication of an article by Zenon Poznyak and Yevgeny Shmygalov in 1988, which included eyewitness testimonies of the executions. The publication caused a public outcry and led to a criminal investigation, although many archival documents remain sealed.

The memorial has been visited by notable political figures, including U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1994. However, the site of remembrance has been repeatedly targeted by vandalism and political disputes. In recent years, actions to protect historical memory, as well as commemorative marches and prayers, particularly on All Souls' Day (Dzyady), have been held at the site of the mass burials.

You can reach Kurapaty by buses and minibusses from the Zeleny Lug district or by car along the M3 highway.

库罗帕特是位于明斯克东北部的一片森林区域，因是20世纪30年代末至40年代初斯大林镇压受害者的集体埋葬地而闻名。这里，内务人民委员部（NKVD）官员处决了数千名无辜者，其中大多数后来被平反。遇害人数至今仍是讨论的焦点，估计在7千到25万以上。根据最初的调查，约15公顷的区域内发现了510座坟墓。

库罗帕特已成为白俄罗斯政治压迫悲剧的象征。自1993年以来，该地被列入国家历史文化价值名录中的一级文物，彰显其国际重要性。1988年，民众在此建立了纪念受害者的纪念碑，此后，安装了众多纪念十字架和石碑，还有带有多国语言铭文的钟楼纪念碑。

库罗帕特的名字来源于曾在此地生长的白色野花——“库罗斯列普”。1988年，泽农·波兹尼亚克和叶夫根尼·什米加列夫发表了一篇文章，介绍了目击者对处决事件的证词，库罗帕特的历史由此广为人知。该文章引发了公众的强烈反应，并促成了刑事案件的立案，然而，许多档案文件仍未解密。

包括美国总统比尔·克林顿在内的知名政治人物曾访问过这座纪念地。然而，这片记忆之地多次成为破坏行为和政治争议的目标。近年来，在集体墓地上举行了维护历史记忆的活动，以及特别是在亡灵节（Dzyady）的纪念游行和祷告仪式。

可以通过从绿草区的公交和小巴线路，或驾车沿M3高速公路前往库罗帕特。