Miensk, Padhornaja, Bank. Менск, Падгорная, Банк (1941-43)

This is an attempt to see World War 2 through the eyes of people who lived or fought on the territories controlled by the Axis powers, originally the Rome–Berlin Axis. Axis' principal members in Europe were Nazi Germany, the Kingdom of Italy, Hungary, and Spain. During World War II, Nazi Germany and Axis powers occupied or controlled a number of countries in Europe and beyond. At its zenith in 1942, the Axis presided over large parts of Europe, North Africa, and East Asia, either through occupation, annexation, or puppet states. The collection is made with an image recognition aid, so a small percentage of images may be wrongly attributed as European & 1939-1945. Here is a list of some of the countries that were occupied or allied with Nazi Germany during the war: Austria: Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938, after the Anschluss, which was the union of Austria and Germany. Czechoslovakia: Nazi Germany occupied the western and southern regions of Czechoslovakia in 1938, after the Munich Agreement. The rest of the country was occupied in 1939, after the invasion of Poland. Denmark: Nazi Germany occupied Denmark in 1940, after the invasion of Norway. France: Nazi Germany occupied France in 1940, after the fall of Paris. The French government set up a collaborationist regime in the unoccupied zone of Vichy. Greece: Nazi Germany invaded and occupied Greece in 1941, after the fall of Crete. Italy: Italy was an ally of Nazi Germany during World War II, but was also occupied by German forces after the fall of Mussolini in 1943. Netherlands: Nazi Germany occupied the Netherlands in 1940, after the invasion of Belgium. Norway: Nazi Germany invaded and occupied Norway in 1940. Poland: Nazi Germany invaded and occupied Poland in 1939, at the start of World War II. Belgium: Nazi Germany occupied Belgium in 1940, after the invasion of the Netherlands. Luxembourg: Nazi Germany occupied Luxembourg in 1940, after the invasion of Belgium. Ukraine: Nazi Germany occupied parts of Ukraine during World War II, after the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. Belarus: Nazi Germany occupied Belarus during World War II, after the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. Russia: Nazi Germany invaded and occupied parts of the Soviet Union during World War II, after the invasion in 1941. Yugoslavia: Nazi Germany occupied parts of Yugoslavia during World War II, after the invasion in 1941. Albania: Nazi Germany occupied Albania in 1943, after the fall of Mussolini. Hungary: Hungary was an ally of Nazi Germany during World War II, but was also occupied by German forces after the fall of the Hungarian government in 1944. Romania: Romania was an ally of Nazi Germany during World War II, but was also occupied by German forces after the fall of the Romanian government in 1944. Bulgaria: Bulgaria was an ally of Nazi Germany during World War II, but was also occupied by German forces after the fall of the Bulgarian government in 1944. Finland: Finland was an ally of Nazi Germany during World War II, but was not occupied by German forces.

Minsk is the capital and largest city of Belarus, a country in Eastern Europe. The city's history dates back to the 9th century. According to legend, Minsk was founded by a prince named Menesk, who established a fortress on the banks of the Svislach River. The city was first mentioned in historical records in 1067, when it was part of the Kievan Rus, a medieval Slavic state. The Rus people were a group of East Slavic tribes that lived in what is now Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus in the 9th to 13th centuries. They are often referred to as "Scandinavian" because they were initially ruled by Scandinavian Vikings, who established a state called Kievan Rus' in the 9th century. The Rus' people were a mix of Slavic tribes who lived in the region, as well as Scandinavian Vikings who had settled there. The Vikings, who were known as Varangians, played a dominant role in the early history of Kievan Rus', but they eventually intermarried with the Slavic tribes and adopted their culture and customs. In the 13th century, Minsk became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a medieval state in Eastern Europe that was founded in the 13th century and existed until the late 18th century. It was one of the largest and most influential states in Europe during its time, and it covered a vast territory that included much of present-day Belarus, parts of Poland, Ukraine, and Russia. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was engaged in conflicts with its neighbors, including the Teutonic Knights, the Mongols, and the Russian state. Despite these challenges, it managed to maintain its independence and become one of the most powerful states in Europe. In the late 14th century, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania entered into a union with the Kingdom of Poland, forming the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This union lasted until the late 18th century when the Commonwealth was dissolved and the territories of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were annexed by the Russian Empire. There has been a Jewish community in Minsk for centuries, and it has played a significant role in the cultural and economic life of the city. During the medieval period, Jews in Belarus were subject to persecution and discrimination, but they also made significant contributions to the region's economy and culture. Many Jews in Minsk were engaged in trade and commerce, and Jewish merchants played a key role in the development of the region's economy. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Jews in Belarus were subjected to pogroms and other forms of violence. During World War II, the Jewish community in Belarus was decimated by the Nazi regime, which killed hundreds of thousands of Jews in the region. Minsk remained part of Russia until the end of World War I in 1918. After the war, Minsk became the capital of the newly independent Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic, and it played a key role in the Soviet Union's industrialization and modernization efforts.