Liberation80: Reflecting on 80 Years of Banska Bystrica’s Liberation

Banska Bystrica/Bratislava, March 30 (TASR) - After the suppression of the Slovak National Uprising in October 1944, Nazi forces took control of Banska Bystrica, and with the support of Slovak guards, they held the city until Tuesday, March 25, 1945, when the city was liberated 80 years ago. On March 19, units of the Red Army and Romanian soldiers launched an artillery attack on the city occupied by German soldiers. Retreating German and Hungarian forces burnt the city and left on March 24. A few hours later, fighting broke out over Radvan nad Hronom and access roads to Banska Bystrica. In the early hours of March 25, soldiers from the liberation armies began entering the city. "At half past four in the morning, German soldiers blew up the bridges over the Hron [River]," said historian Vladimira Luptakova from the Central Slovak Museum in Banska Bystrica. Soviet units gradually advanced to the railway station and Banos. Romanian troops took control of the city barracks and the post office. Banska Bystrica was liberated. A total of 59 Soviet and 106 Romanian soldiers were killed during the liberation. The total number of fallen soldiers within the wider area of the city exceeded 2,000. The liberation is commemorated by the Black Obelisk on SNP Square. lin/df/ko