Tragedy in the Katyn Forest

A film about the work of the Extraordinary State Commission (CHGK) to investigate and establish the circumstances of the shooting by the Nazi invaders in the Katyn forest (near the city of Smolensk) Polish officers of war in the fall of 1941. Filming was carried out on January 18-24, 1944. The first part. Panorama of Smolensk after its liberation from Nazi occupation. Ruined and dilapidated buildings of residential and industrial buildings. The building of the Assumption Cathedral. The dilapidated building of the Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. Two priests examine the dome on the ground. Monument to the heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812. Monument to the defenders of Smolensk August 4-5, 1812 One of the sections of the Smolensk-Vitebsk highway. View of the Katyn forest in winter. Members of the ChGK observe the exhumation of corpses, examine the corpses. Among those present: writer A. N. Tolstoy, Chairman of the Smolensk Regional Executive Committee R. A. Melnikov, Academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences N. N. Burdenko (Chairman of the Commission), People's Commissar of Education of the RSFSR V. P. Potemkin, Metropolitan Nikolai. The chief forensic expert of the USSR People's Commissariat of Health V. I. Prozorovsky examines the corpses at the excavation site. Soldiers carry corpses on a stretcher into the tent. Doctor of Medical Sciences V.M.Smolyaninov, other forensic experts open and examine the corpses in the presence of the Chairman of the Commission N.N.Burdenko. The laboratory assistant of the chief expert N.P. Uvarova keeps the minutes. Foreign correspondents, including the daughter of the American ambassador to the USSR K. Harriman, accompanied by V. I. Prozorovsky, visit the place of execution of Polish prisoners of war in the Katyn forest, examine the corpses, clothes of the killed, observe the excavations. The second part of. Foreign correspondents visit an exhibition of documents and material evidence testifying to the execution of Polish prisoners of war by the Nazis. Among the exhibits are letters, documents, personal belongings, exhibits of a forensic medical examination. Members of the ChGK are interrogating witnesses in the presence of foreign correspondents. The questions are answered by the former head of the station "Gnezdovo" Ivanov (sinhr.), The former coupler at the station "Smolensk" Zakharov (sinhr.), The former worker in the kitchen in the German concentration camp Alekseev (sinhr.), The peasant of the farm "Kozy Gory" Kiselev (sinhr. ). NN Burdenko, Metropolitan Nikolai, Lieutenant General A.S. Gundorov, V.P. Potemkin, R.E. Melnikov, A.N. Tolstoy, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Union of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are present in the meeting hall. A. Kolesnikov and others. The third part. Members of the Extraordinary Commission are questioning witnesses. The witness Moskovskaya (sinhr.), A former assistant to the burgomaster of Smolensk, Bazilevsky (sinhr.) Answer the questions. Metropolitan Nikolai, A.N. Tolstoy, A.S. Gundorov, V.P. Potemkin, foreign correspondents are present in the meeting room. The unearthed corpses lie in rows in the snow. Mass grave of Polish prisoners of war. Cross on the grave. Members of the delegation of units of the 1st Polish Corps in the USSR lay wreaths at the mass grave, pass in formation near the grave. Priest Franzyszek Kubsch serves as a memorial service for Polish prisoners of war killed by the Nazis.

B&W

3

sound M. Sobolev, V. Kotov, music producer D. Shtilman