On the Commemorative Ceremony in Oberwart

On the 80th anniversary of the Red Army's entry into Austrian territory, a solemn wreath-laying ceremony was held at the Soviet war cemetery in the commune of Oberwart (federal state of Burgenland). The event was attended by the Ambassador of Belarus, Andrei Dapkiunas, heads of diplomatic missions of the Russian Federation, representatives of the organization “Austrian Black Cross”, clergy, and members of the diaspora.

It was in this very area, on March 29–30, 1945, that the advance units of the Red Army crossed the Austro-Hungarian border and launched the final stage of the Vienna Offensive. The liberation of Austria from Nazi occupation marked an important milestone on the country’s path to neutrality and the restoration of democratic statehood. More than 38,000 Soviet soldiers lost their lives in this operation.

The Soviet war cemetery in Oberwart is one of the largest in the region. It is the final resting place of 819 Red Army soldiers who died in the battles for the city, succumbed to wounds, illness, or perished while fulfilling their postwar duties. The memorial complex was officially reopened after reconstruction in October 1966.

Among those buried at the cemetery is Hero of the Soviet Union Captain Alexei Marcinkovsky, who demonstrated exceptional bravery during the battle for Hill 403 near the Vargauber River.

Today, the cemetery contains 19 gravestones: 4 individual and 15 mass graves, where soldiers from the former Soviet republics, including Belarus, as well as from Turkey, are laid to rest.

The participants of the ceremony honored the memory of the fallen with a moment of silence and laid wreaths adorned with national ribbons. Belarusian and Russian diplomats expressed gratitude to their partners from the “Austrian Black Cross” organization for their cooperation in preserving historical memory.

The wreath-laying in Oberwart marked the beginning of a series of commemorative events celebrating the 80th anniversary of Victory, which will continue in Vienna and other cities across Austria in the coming weeks.

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