82nd anniversary of the joint parade of the Third Reich and the USSR in Brest. Wehrmacht and Red Army soldiers celebrated the victory over Poland

On September 22, 1939, a joint German-Russian parade took place in Brest-on-the-Bug. It was a symbolic show of triumph of both aggressors over Poland.

German troops entered Brest, but based on the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact Brest was handed over to the Red Army.

A joint German-Russian parade was held in the city, accompanied by the anthems of the USSR and the Third Reich.

In accordance with Stalin’s proposal, the territorial division of the Polish lands was revised. The border between the USSR and the Third Reich was to run along the San-Bug-Narew-Pisa river line.

As Prof. Andrzej Paczkowski wrote:

„Stalin, by proposing an amendment to the secret clause of the treaty of 23 August and ‘giving back’ Polish lands to the Germans up to the Bug River line (instead of the Vistula River line) - in exchange for moving Lithuania to the ‘Soviet sphere of influence’ - was undoubtedly aiming at getting rid of territories with overwhelming majority of Polish population, and thus of a serious political problem”. (A.Paczkowski „Pół wieku dziejów Polski 1939-1989”)

The representatives of the two totalitarian powers also agreed that

„they would not tolerate any Polish agitation on their territories, which would penetrate the territory of the other party. All attempts of such agitation on their territories will be eliminated, and both sides will inform each other about the measures taken for these purposes”.

Tłum. K.J.