The author blames unprepared and cowardly Poles for the German invasion that rushed toward them.
Nevertheless, on the 1st of September, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, in what was the beginning of World War II. The rulers of the Polish gentry were not able to organize the defense of their side. They ran to Romania, abandoning their people to the randomness of fate. The praises of the Polish government vanished and dissipated like smoke in the air, and previously Polish territory was now occupied by Nazis.
Enslavement by the Germans also threatened our settlement, being in Western Belorussia and the Ukraine.
The Soviets, in contrast, stood up as defenders of Divin's region.
In connection with this, on the 17th of September, 1939 the Soviet government and the head command of the Red Army decreed that they would defend the citizens and property of Western Belorussia and the Ukraine. Parts of the Belarusian and Ukrainian warring counties crossed the Soviet-Polish border from the
Dniester River to the
Western Divina River. The Polish gentry and capitalists ran across the border, in a panic, to save themselves from the wrath of the masses.
All of the residents of our Divin also celebrated this event: The first Soviet troops appeared in Divin on the 24
th of September. A temporary government was created in Divin consisting of the hardworking of our little place. A strong society was created around this government. A few people, volunteers, created a citizen police. It was a big source of help to the installation of revolutionary order in the town, as well as its surroundings.
The laborers of Western Belarus greeted the liberators with universal joy and glee.
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The temporary government strived towards the quick establishment of normal life in our little place [Divin]. It opened private and government-owned [public] stores.
In December of 1939, in the government stores, large amounts of sugar, salt, cereals, and kerosene were brought in from the Soviet Union. In additional to goods brought in from the USSR, the temporary government’s procurers harvested and bought rye, barley, buckwheat, oats, potatoes, and large, horned cattle from the citizens of Divin. Harvested were tens and hundreds of tons.
Two steam powered mills were launched in Divin. Under the direction of the temporary government, the town underwent beautification, the expansion of health care services, and the organization of public education.
Elections for the deputies to the National Assembly were created. The working people of our Divin showed their support of, unity and dedication to the People's Power.
The National Assembly, which opened October 28, 1939 in the city of Bialystok, in the form of a government establishment, unanimously elected a Council and announced the establishment of Soviet power throughout the Western Belarus, as well as the confiscation of the landlords' lands, and the nationalization of banks and industry.
The National Assembly also decided to ask the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Supreme Soviet of Belarus to accept Western Belarus into the Soviet Union, reuniting the Belarusian people into a single state, and thus put an end to the disunity of the Belarusian people.
On November 2, 1939 the fifth session of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR was held, which passed a law to include Western Belarus into the Soviet Union and its reunification in the form of the BSSR [Ed. Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic].
On November 12, 1939 an extraordinary session of the Supreme Soviet of the BSSR completed the act of reunification of the Belarusian people in a single Belarusian Soviet government.
Inclusion in a Soviet state was enthusiastically supported by the people. They went on to participate in the new government structure.
For all the laborers of our western regions, including the people of our Divin, it was the beginning of a new, free and happy life.
On March 24, 1940, all of our Divin workers, for the first time on the basis of the Soviet Constitution, elected their deputies to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the BSSR. They exercised their rights as equal members of the great family of the peoples of the Soviet Union.
With the advent to us of Soviet rule, our Divin became the center of a district whose composition included eleven rural councils: Divin, Chemer, Yagminov, Povit, Lelikov, Radostov, Ossov, Novoselkov, Verholes, Chernyan, Habovichev. {
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In Divin and its region, party and Soviet [government] authorities were created. The party,
Komsomol [communist youth organization], and trade union entities launched a wide range of activities for all enterprises. Labor and political activities of the working people had increased. The economic development of Divin, as a regional center, noticeably rose.
In 1940, a big and beautiful building was built for regional institutions in the center of town.
Resources were nationalized and –perhaps most important for the downtrodden peasant– land was redistributed. Free medical care and financial aid were also made available.
On the basis of the decree of nationalization adopted by the National Assembly, during the period between 1939 and 1940, the steam-powered mills were nationalized. All of the lands previously owned by Polish landowners were transferred to landless and land-poor peasants. A district industrial combine was constructed at the steam mill (the former Kowal Roch). City trade developed very rapidly. By January 1st, 1940, 12 trade outlets were operating in Divin. Divin was becoming the cultural center of the region.
The public education system underwent great changes. In Divin, there was a seven-year school, in which adults began to study, as well as children who did not previously have the chance to attend school.
The Soviet government showed a great concern for the security of public health. Medical help was provided at no cost to all residents of Divin. A hospital, maternity ward and dentist’s office began to operate in Divin.
A government bank began to give out money to peasants, for individual construction and repairs of private homes, as part of long-term loans. Our Diviners cheered up, sensing the concern and care of the government.
