Belarusian Independence Party


The Belarusian Independence Party was a Belarusian nationalistic military organization during the Second World War.

Creation

The BNP was probably created in 1939—1940 in Vilnius. The initiator of its creation was padre Vincent Hadleŭski. The organization united predominantly young people.
Formally the BNP introduced itself as a patriotic undercover organization fighting for the independence of Belarus, but as a matter of fact its leadership cooperated with the German Abwehr from the very beginning.
The BNP started its practical activity in June 1944 by creating several undercover guerrilla troops in Belarus to fight against the approaching Red Army..
As its political programme the BNP proposed to use the "inevitable conflict" between the USSR and its Western Allies after the victory over Germany in the Second World War to gain independence for Belarus.
After evacuation in 1944, the Foreign Sector of the BNP was created in Germany, led by Dźmitry Kasmovič.

Relations with the Belarusian Central Rada

In 1944 the leaders of the BNP heavily criticized the Belarusian Central Rada, the pro-German government of Belarus, and its leader Radasłaŭ Astroŭski for taking a loyal position towards the Nazis. In early 1945 the BNP stopped all cooperation with the BCR.
The BNP especially criticized the badly organized evacuation and practical liquidation of the Biełaruskaja Krajovaja Abarona, the military of the BCR, and Astroŭski's inefficient attempts to create a Belarusian army in Germany.
Several guerrilla units of the BNP continued its activities in Soviet-occupied Belarus in 1945-1946 but were soon liquidated by the Soviets.

Activity after the war

After the war the BNP acted among Belarusian refugees in Western Europe. The organization underwent many internal conflicts and a split in two parts in 1948-1949. In 1954 the BNP recognized the Belarusian Central Rada as "the only legitimate and representative centre".

Structure

The organization had a Central Committee and five regional committees.
Leadership:
In 1942-1943 the BNP had its branches in the regions of Briansk and Smalensk as well.

Publishing activity

Under the Nazi occupation of Belarus the BNP published a formally illegal bulletin Biuleten BNP, after the war - the bulletin Praca i Vola.