Liberation

By July 1944, appoximately 1,200 Jews had joined the Bielski partisan unit.  By then, the German troops had begun retreating from the east, but continued to pose a threat to the forest inhabitants.  On July 9, several retreating Germans attacked the family camp, resulting in the deaths of nine to eleven Jews.  A few hours later, Soviet troops liberated the camp. 

The next day, on July 10, the Bielski family group prepared to leave the forest.  Tuvia gave his final speech thanking the group for their work and endurance.  He issued each member a certificate of their participation in the unit, essential to prove that they had not collaborated with the enemy and had fought to save their country from the Germans.  After leaving the Naliboki forest, many people retuned to their former homes.  Not surprisingly, a majority found that they had been destroyed or taken by non-Jews in their absence.