In Vileyka, a century-old Polish barracks is being demolished

The fate of the two-story building, located on the western outskirts of the city at Gagarin Street, 6A, was predetermined several years ago. The building was on the balance sheet of the Vileyka Central District Hospital and was used as an educational building by a local college. For the last few years, the historic building has been empty.

In 2022, local authorities tried to find an investor for the historic building. The barracks was put up for sale for approximately $51,000 with a proposal to re-profile it for retail, services, or logistics. However, no interested parties were found.

Павялічыць

Павялічыць

Ultimately, officials chose the easiest path for themselves. According to the decision of the Vileyka District Executive Committee dated January 23, 2026, the educational building was ordered to be written off and demolished due to 100% depreciation.

The rubble remaining from the demolition was ordered to be gratuitously transferred to the local housing and communal services, farms, and population for the insulation of waste disposal sites and roadbed.

One can only marvel at the ingenuity of local officials, who wanted as much as $51,000 for a building with 100% depreciation.

Павялічыць

Павялічыць

Once, the building closed the perspective of Dolhaya Street, one of the central city streets, renamed by the Poles in honor of Vilnius bishop Bandurski, which became Chyrvonaarmeyskaya during Soviet times.

In the official decision of the district executive committee, the building is documented as a construction from 1924. However, unique archival photographs of the construction process of this barracks, published by local historians, are placed on an album sheet signed with the year 1934.

Павялічыць

Павялічыць

Павялічыць

Павялічыць

It is true, 1924 indeed seems plausible. In these shots, it is clearly visible that the barracks was built from yellow bricks characteristic of the region in the "brick style," although in Polish architecture, as experts note, completely different avant-garde trends already prevailed.

Initially, the facades were adorned with figural sandriks above the windows, and the window openings themselves had distinct segmental arch outlines. However, the building did not stand long in such a decorated form. Already in photographs from the late 1930s, it acquired a more austere look: the walls were tightly plastered, the brick decor disappeared, and the windows became ordinary rectangular.

The last frontier of the border defenders

The barracks was built specifically for the needs of the Border Protection Corps (KOP) — a military formation created to protect the eastern borders of the Second Polish Republic. The KOP regiment "Vileyka" was formed in 1929, uniting the "Budslau", "Krasnae" battalions, later "Ivyanets", and cavalry squadrons.

Павялічыць

It was the border guards from these barracks who were among the first to meet the beginning of World War II on the territory of Western Belarus. On the morning of September 17, 1939, a Red Army group commanded by division commander Cherevichenko, which included forces of the 4th Rifle Corps, 22nd Tank Brigade, and NKVD detachments, crashed into the regiment's positions.

Despite the catastrophic enemy superiority in manpower and armored vehicles, Polish battalions managed to impose battles. Retreating towards Vilnius, they destroyed bridges across the Serwach river behind them and burned ammunition depots, trying to slow down the advance of Soviet troops. They had no chance of winning in conditions where the Nazis were simultaneously advancing from the west.

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