In the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, the crimes of German troops during the Great Patriotic War were recognized as genocide
The Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria recognized the "crimes of the German fascist invaders committed on the territory of the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous SSR during the Great Patriotic War as genocide of the Soviet people." The Investigative Committee of the republic reported that during the occupation, more than four thousand civilians and prisoners of war were killed, and also died of hunger and disease.
"During the occupation, the Nazis mocked local residents, killed them, drove them to concentration camps. The fascists smashed cinema buildings, destroyed libraries, paintings. The building of the local drama theater was also destroyed in the fire," the Investigative Committee reported.
At the same time, on March 8, 1944, the Soviet government began the deportation of the Balkar people to the republics of Central Asia. 37 thousand people, mostly old people, women and children, were sent to Kazakhstan and Central Asia. Almost 40% of the migrants did not return home.
The deportation was officially justified by the alleged facts of participation of representatives of the Balkar people in collaborationist formations that fought on the side of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Balkars were allowed to return to their land only in 1957.
