Liberation80: Bombing of Nitra Claimed Hundreds of Lives

Nitra, April 19 (TASR) - The end of the Second World War was marked by tragedy in Nitra, where during the city market held before the Easter holidays, Soviet aircraft began bombing the city on the morning of March 26, killing hundreds of civilians, according to Stefan Kosovan, the author of the book 'Nitra, the Second Coventry?'. The city was attacked by a Soviet bomber division. This occurred at a time when the German army had already left Nitra, but the streets were still filled with civilians who had come to the market to shop for the Easter holidays. According to Kosovan, 266 bombs were dropped on the city, killing 345 people, destroying 48 buildings, and damaging another 289. The tragic bombing of Nitra was a taboo topic under the communist regime. The reasons behind the Soviet air raid are still debated, as it occurred after the German army had withdrawn fully from the city. Some suggest that it was revenge for Nitra's lack of involvement in the Slovak National Uprising, while others believe the attack targeted a key Gestapo headquarters. According to the Military History Institute, however, the primary goal was to eliminate potential sources of German resistance. The victims of the bombing are buried in two mass graves at the City Cemetery in Nitra. A memorial plaque in their honour was ceremoniously unveiled in 2009. lin/df/mf