Borisov, Berezina… Posledniyaya Nadejda Napoleona

Borisov, Berezina… Napoleon’s Last Hope by Alexander Balyabin is an illustrated historical study examining the dramatic final stages of Napoleon Bonaparte’s 1812 campaign in Russia, focusing on the Belarusian town of Borisov and the strategically significant crossing of the Berezina River. Drawing on historical scholarship and documentary sources, Balyabin reconstructs the events surrounding Napoleon’s retreat and the desperate struggle to secure a route across the river in November 1812.

The book explores the strategic importance of Borisov, where Napoleon hoped to regain control of a vital crossing and reach supplies and potential support further west. Following the loss of the town and its bridge to Russian forces, the French emperor faced the challenge of finding an alternative crossing while evading the pursuing Russian armies. The narrative examines the military manoeuvres leading up to the celebrated crossing near the village of Studenka, where French forces constructed bridges over the Berezina to facilitate the retreat of the remnants of the Grande Armée.

Published in 2012 to mark the bicentenary of the Patriotic War of 1812, this compact, illustrated volume combines military history with regional historical research, highlighting the enduring significance of Borisov and the Berezina in the story of Napoleon’s retreat. It will interest readers of Napoleonic history, the French invasion of Russia, and Belarusian local history, as well as students and researchers seeking to understand the strategic decisions and events surrounding one of the campaign’s most consequential episodes.