And the adjacent settlements, both during urban battles, and later, when Stalingrad was being restored according to a new general plan, often without paying attention to the fact that historical relics were lost forever. But at the same time, monuments Battle of Stalingrad, created after the war, reflected the greatness of the country that won the world war, and bitterness for the millions of dead and maimed Soviet citizens.
Monuments in Volgograd
The most famous of them:
- Monument to the Motherland Calling! and other monuments on Mamayev Kurgan.
- Museum-Panorama of the Battle of Stalingrad.
- Gerhardt's Mill
In addition to well-known monuments in Russia and the world, the following are dedicated to the memory of the Battle of Stalingrad in Volgograd:
- the unrestored building of the plant director on the banks of the Volga, a witness to the defense of the bridgehead of the 138th Guards Division (Lyudnikov Island).
- "Gasitel" - fire boat of the Volga military flotilla.
- “Line of Defense” is a line of 17 turrets of T-34-76 tanks, symbolizing the line of defense of Stalingrad (Volgograd), with a length of about 30 kilometers. The idea of creating a monument appeared immediately after the end of the war. The decision to build the complex was made in February 1948, the author of the project was the Moscow architect F. M. Lysov. The first pedestal was installed on September 3, 1951, the last - three years later, on October 17, 1954. Tank turrets were assembled here, from equipment lost in the Battle of Stalingrad. Turrets of T-34 tanks of various modifications with traces of battles and holes were selected. The distance between the towers is several kilometers.
- Alley of Heroes - a wide street connects the embankment to them. 62nd Army near the Volga River and the Square of Fallen Fighters. On September 8, 1985 it was opened here memorial monument, dedicated to Heroes Soviet Union and full holders of the Order of Glory, natives Volgograd region and the heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad. Artwork executed by the Volgograd branch of the Art Fund of the RSFSR under the direction of the main artist of the city M. Ya. Pyshta. The team of authors included the chief architect of the project A. N. Klyuchishchev, architect A. S. Belousov, designer L. Podoprigora, artist E. V. Gerasimov. On the monument are the names (surnames and initials) of 127 Heroes of the Soviet Union, who received this title for heroism in the Battle of Stalingrad in -1943, 192 Heroes of the Soviet Union - natives of the Volgograd region, of whom three were twice Heroes of the Soviet Union, and 28 holders of the Order of Glory of three degrees
- The building of the Central Department Store (view of the pre-war facade of the building on Ostrovsky Street) - in its basement the headquarters of the 6th German Army and F. Paulus were captured. The Memory Museum is located in the basement.
- Poplar on the Square of Fallen Fighters is a historical and natural monument of Volgograd, located on the Alley of Heroes. The poplar survived the Battle of Stalingrad and has numerous evidence of military action on its trunk.
Monuments in the Volgograd region
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
- List of specially protected natural areas of the Tomsk region
- Project:USA/Technical monuments in the USA
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Volgograd- This term has other meanings, see Volgograd (meanings). The request "Stalingrad" is redirected here; see also other meanings. The city of Volgograd ... Wikipedia
Battle of Stalingrad- Great Patriotic War, Second world war... Wikipedia
Volgograd is a large city on the Volga with rich history. Stalingrad withstood the fascist pressure during fierce battles. The city was practically destroyed, but soviet army turned the tide of the war. This event affected the monuments of Volgograd. Most of them are dedicated to the Second World War: Motherland, Mother's Sorrow, other sculptural compositions of Mamayev Kurgan, a monument in honor civilians Stalingrad, composition dedicated to Mikhail Panikakha. There are also modern monuments: the bunny Agnia Barto, a sculpture of the first conductor. Among the pre-war monuments, the monument to V. S. Kholzunov has been preserved.
Monument-ensemble "Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad"
Better known as Mamayev Kurgan. This is a symbol of Volgograd, a tribute to the memory of the Battle of Stalingrad and the tens of thousands of soldiers killed while defending the city. The complex was founded from 1959 to 1967. The author of the project is Evgeniy Viktorovich Vuchetich. Since 2014, the memorial has been included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There are large compositions on Mamayev Kurgan. The basis of the complex is the statue of the Motherland. Other sculptures are also known: “Mother’s Sorrow”, “Stand to Death”, ruin walls and high relief memory of generations. The bodies of 35 thousand soldiers rest on the mound in mass and individual graves.
Motherland
This sculpture is compositional basis Mamayev Kurgan. Tourist pilgrimage center. It stands at the top point of the historical complex. The figure of the Motherland can be seen from almost every part of the city. The authors of the project are sculptor Vuchetich and engineer Nikitin. The height of the statue is 85 meters, without a pedestal it is the tallest sculpture in the world. The height including the pedestal is 87 meters. The sculpture is made of stressed reinforced concrete. 5,500 tons of concrete and 2,400 tons of iron structures were used in the manufacture. The statue represents a woman holding a sword in her raised hands. Symbolizes the Motherland, calling its sons into battle.
Sculpture "Mother's Sorrow"
The monument is located on Mamayev Kurgan, on the Square of Sorrow. Bowed female figure mother holds her dying son in her arms. The eleven-meter sculpture is made of reinforced concrete. According to the author's plan, the figures of mother and son are not completely carved. This creates a feeling of monolithicity and aching melancholy. Next to the monument is the Lake of Tears swimming pool. It symbolizes the pain of mothers and wives who lost their loved ones in battle.
Sculpture “Stand to the death”
This is one of the main monuments located on Mamayev Kurgan. It stands in the center of a round pool, rising out of the water like a rock. The warrior-liberator, 16.2 meters tall, holds a grenade in one hand and a machine gun in the other. The man is not completely carved, only the upper part of the body. The facial features resemble the commander of the 62nd Army V.I. Chuikov. The sculpture is positioned so that its back covers the Motherland standing in the distance.
High relief “Memory of Generations”
This is the central element of the Entrance Square of Mamayev Kurgan. The multi-figure bas-relief represents stone wall. The figures of men, women and children are carved on it. They all carry wreaths of flowers and flags at half-staff. In this way, people pay tribute to the memory of the soldiers who died in the Battle of Stalingrad. The high relief symbolizes the memory of descendants; they will never forget about the feat.
Ruin walls
This is a sculptural composition leading up the stairs. Located next to the "Stand to the Death" square. The length of the memorial wall is 46 meters, height 18 meters. The ruins represent the heroic chronicle of the Battle of Stalingrad. Figures of soldiers, banners, and battles are carved into the wall. Walking up the stairs, you inevitably find yourself back in time during the Second World War. Because the place is voiced by information bureau reports and songs of the war years.
Monument to Mikhail Panikakha
The sculpture was unveiled in 1975. The authors were sculptor Kharitonov and architect Belousov. The monument is dedicated to Mikhail Panikakha, the hero of the Battle of Stalingrad. In 1942, he sacrificed his life and jumped on a tank with a Molotov cocktail. The six-meter monument depicts Mikhail Panikakha in a jump. The sculpture is made of copper and stands on a reinforced concrete pedestal.
Gerhardt's Mill
This is a monument to the terrible Battle of Stalingrad. Gerhardt's mill is located not far from Pavlov's house and from the embankment. This is a building left over from the Second World War. It was not deliberately demolished or restored; it symbolizes the memory of the bloody events of the battles for Stalingrad. It is a box of a once full-fledged building, the walls of which are riddled with bullets, the windows are broken, and there is no roof at all. The steam mill building itself was built in 1907 – 1908.
Monument to Tank Destroyer Dogs
In 2011, a monument to demolition dogs was erected on Chekist Square in Volgograd. They were trained specifically to blow up fascist tanks. The author of the project is Nikolay Karpov. There is a figure of a dog on a granite pedestal. She looks like an East European Shepherd, but the author did not intentionally make obvious similarities. The height of the monument is 2 meters, weight is just over 200 kilograms.
Monument to civilians of Stalingrad
Stalingrad was subjected to terrible bombing during the war. On August 23, 1943, the most powerful bombardment of the city took place, when two thousand German aircraft carried out combat missions. Over 40 thousand civilians died. The monument is dedicated to these victims. It was installed on May 9, 1995. Authors: N. Pavlovskaya and V. Kalinichenko. A five hundred kilogram fascist bomb froze above the figures of women and children.
Floating monument to fallen river workers on the Volga
In 1980 it was opened in Volgograd unusual monument. It is located opposite Mamayev Kurgan, in the fairway of the Volga. A huge anchor, 15 meters high, occupies a floating platform. It is dedicated to the courage of the rivermen who transported thousands of wounded, and many sections of the Volga were often mined. Every year on the eve of Victory Day, a floating buoy takes its place on the Volga.
Monument to Konstantin Rokossovsky
In honor of the 70th anniversary of the Victory, a monument to Konstantin Rokossovsky was opened in Volgograd in 2015. The military leader hosted the Victory Parade on Red Square and participated in most military operations. The authors were sculptors Vladimir Surovtsev and his son Danila. The marshal is depicted in military uniform and riding a horse. The sculpture was made in classic style, located on a high pedestal.
Guardian Angel Statue
In 2005, the opening of the monument “Guardian Angel of Volgograd” took place. The author of the project is sculptor Sergei Shcherbakov. A bronze angel stands on a granite hemisphere. His gaze is fixed on the Volga. Hands folded in prayer. The height of the monument is just over two and a half meters. Weight – 600 kilograms. A capsule with the wishes and dreams of Volgograd residents is buried under the monument.
Monument to Alexander Nevsky
In February 2007, a monument dedicated to the Novgorod prince was inaugurated. The author of the project was sculptor Sergei Shcherbakov. Nevsky was the first to talk about the need to build fortifications on the Volga, so a monument to him was erected in the city. The monument is cast from bronze. The figure of Alexander Nevsky is made in full height. He is dressed in armor and holds a banner in right hand. The height of the monument is 7 meters including the pedestal.
Monument to Lenin
The monument to Vladimir Ilyich is located near the entrance to the Volga-Don shipping canal. Considered one of the tallest statues in the world. Construction of the monument and pedestal lasted from 1969 to 1973. The authors are E. V. Vuchetich and L. M. Polyakov. Until 1962, a monument to Stalin stood on this pedestal, then it was removed. The Lenin monument is made of stressed reinforced concrete. The total height is 57 meters, of which the height of the pedestal is 30 meters.
Monument to V. S. Kholzunov
The sculpture was installed in 1940. Its authors are sculptors M. G. Belashov and E. F. Alekseeva-Belashova, architect V. E. Shalashov. The monument stands on the embankment and is included in the list of objects of federal significance. One of the few surviving pre-war monuments. On a granite pedestal stands a bronze figure of Hero of the USSR Kholzunov. The total height of the monument is 8.35 meters. Viktor Stepanovich was a bomber pilot. He showed himself in the Spanish Civil War.
Monument to the first governor of Tsaritsyn Zasekin
In 2009 per day national unity A monument to the first governor of Tsaritsyn, Grigory Zasekin, was solemnly opened. The voivode is considered the founder of the city. The authors of the project are V. Seryakov and S. Shcherbakov. Grigory Zasekin sits on horseback, he is dressed in a 16th century uniform. The gaze is directed into the distance, towards the Volga. The height of the monument including the pedestal is six and a half meters.
Monument to the founding fathers of the city
The monument opened in 1989, in honor of the 400th anniversary of the city of Volgograd. It symbolizes eternal memory generations. The authors of the monument: sculptors Yu. Yushin and A. Tomarov, architect O. Sadovsky. At the site where the monument was founded, the Tsaritsyn-Volgograd line once began. The monument represents two figures of an archer holding in their hands a letter with a covenant for future generations.
Monument to Peter and Fevronia
Monuments dedicated to married couple Saints are located in many cities of Russia. Volgograd was no exception. The composition was opened in 2001. The author was the sculptor Konstantin Chernyavsky. Peter and Fevronia stand on a low pedestal, in their hands they hold a dove - a symbol of love and peace. Eight rules for creating a strong and friendly family are carved next to the monument.
Monument "Cossack Glory"
Known as a monument Russian Cossacks. It was opened in 2010, on National Unity Day. Author: Vladimir Seryakov. The monument was placed next to the ancient Church of John the Baptist, where Stepan Razin was baptized. The monument represents a brave Cossack who is sitting on a horse, preparing for a military campaign. He is accompanied by a Cossack woman with an icon in her hands. The sculptural composition is cast from bronze. Height – 2.85 meters, width – 1.3 meters.
Monument to Zheglov and Sharapov
In 2015, a sculptural composition in an urban style dedicated to criminal investigation was unveiled. Gleb Zheglov and Vladimir Sharapov stand in front of the Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. Both figures are cast in bronze and copied in the likeness of the characters from the film “The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed.” The sculptures stand leaning on street lamp. The monument became the first such monument in Russia.
Monument to the first district conductor
The monument dedicated to the conductor was erected in 2015. There are tram rails next to the figure. The man is dressed in a uniform from the early twentieth century. The monument was created from old photographs. This collective image many conductors who worked in the first tram depot of Volgograd in the twentieth century.
Monument to the motorist
This modern statue is dedicated to the motorist. It was opened in 2012 at the request of the Arkont automobile company. Author – Sergey Shcherbakov. Taken as a motorist main character"The Golden Calf" Adam Kozlewicz. He sits on one wheel, the steering wheel is in his hands, and his foot is on the gas pedal. Counts the only monument motorist in Russia.
Monument to the first teacher
In 2010, on Teacher's Day, a monument to the first teacher was unveiled. The author of the project is sculptor Anatoly Pakhota. The teacher holds a school magazine and a pointer in her hands. Next to her stands a boy dressed in a Soviet uniform, holding a briefcase behind his back. “Tags” are laid out on the asphalt in front of the teacher and student. The monument is cast from bronze, the height of the composition is one and a half meters.
Monument to the bunny Agnia Barto
A sculpture of a bunny from the famous children's poem by Agnia Barto stands in the city garden. The author of the sculptural composition is architect Alexey Antyufeev. A bunny in a children's overalls and a short-sleeved shirt sits on a pile of books with children's poems by Agnia Barto. Not far from the statue there is a carved bench on which, according to the poem, a bunny was forgotten.
On October 15, 1967, the historical and memorial complex “To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad” was opened on Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd.
During the Great Patriotic War, during the Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943), there were stubborn battles on Mamayev Kurgan, located in the central part of Volgograd (from 1925 to 1961 - Stalingrad), especially in September 1942 - January 1943.
On front-line maps the mound was designated as “height 102.0”. It was of exceptional military importance, as it occupied a dominant position over the central part of the city; crossings across the Volga were clearly visible from above; industrial facilities and a railway station were within sight. The one who owned the mound owned the city: maintaining this height was a matter of life or death - the mound passed “from hand to hand” of the warring parties several times a day. But the Nazis were never able to completely capture the mound. The eastern slopes steadfastly and heroically defended the troops of the Red Army, repelling the furious attacks of the enemy.
For 140 days and nights, the troops of the 62nd Army under the command of Vasily Chuikov stood to the death on the slopes of Mamayev Kurgan. On January 26, 1943, on the northwestern slopes of the mound, units of the 21st Army united with the advancing 62nd Army. As a result of this connection, the Nazi group was divided into two parts and liquidated.
The fighting on Mamayev Kurgan was so fierce that even its outline changed. Immediately after the battle, from 500 to 1250 shell fragments were found on every square meter of his land. In the spring of 1943, not even the grass was green on it.
After the end of the battle, the dead from all over the city were buried on Mamayev Kurgan. According to approximate data, about 34.5 thousand people are buried there.
The idea to erect a majestic monument in memory of the Battle of Stalingrad arose immediately after the end of hostilities. In 1945-1955, a competition was held in the country for his project, and as a result, he became the author and leader of the team of builders. folk artist USSR sculptor Evgeniy Vuchetich, chief architect - Yakov Belopolsky. Construction of the monument began in May 1959, and the opening took place on October 15, 1967.
The memorial complex "Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad" is a unique structure, the total length from the foot to the top is 820 meters. The total area of the complex is 177,758 square meters. It represents a series of architectural and spatial links, as if strung on a single axis. As you ascend the mound, more and more new elements and compositions of the memorial open up before your eyes.
The entrance to the memorial complex begins with an introductory composition located on V.I. Avenue. Lenin at the foot of Mamayev Kurgan and called “Memory of Generations”. It is a large high relief (sculpture in stone) depicting people different generations(11 figures), who in mournful silence move along the dilapidated stone wall in the direction of the stairs leading to the mound to honor the memory of the dead.
Behind the introductory composition on the square, 12 pedestals were later installed with the soil of the hero cities and Brest Fortress. From them, a wide staircase leads to the Alley of Pyramid Poplars, which is laid along the ridge of an artificial earthen embankment, rising 10 meters above the entrance square - Avenue named after. V.I. Lenin. The length of the alley is 223 meters, width is 10 meters. Its upper level is 20 meters higher than the lower one.
Heroes Square ends with a retaining wall, the area of which is about one thousand square meters. On it, in the form of separate paintings-episodes in a relief image, the story about the offensive of Soviet troops near Stalingrad, the joy of victory, the capture of the Nazis, and the rally of the winners is reproduced.
The retaining wall contains the entrance to the Hall of Military Glory. In the transition to the hall there is a model of the medal “For the Defense of Stalingrad”; inside on the ceiling there are 18 models of orders and medals of the USSR. In the center of the hall is an image of the hand of the deceased hero with the torch of the Eternal Flame, and a Guard of Honor is installed. On the walls are 34 mosaic mourning banners with 7,200 names, symbolizing all the fallen defenders of Stalingrad. At the top there is an inscription on the pictured ribbon from the medal: “Yes, we were mere mortals, and few of us survived, but we all fulfilled our patriotic duty to the sacred motherland.”
The exit from the hall is located at the level of the next terrace - the Square of Sorrow.
On the square in the pool there is a sculpture “Mother’s Sorrow”: in boundless grief and sadness, the mother bent over the body of her murdered son. There are two graves on the Square of Sorrow. One is a single grave of twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal of the Soviet Union, former commander of the 62nd Army Vasily Chuikov.
The second is a mass grave, where 34,505 (+ 4) soldiers (from the areas of Stalingrad) were reburied during the construction of the memorial. Later, urns with the ashes of the Hero of the Soviet Union, former commander of the 64th Army Mikhail Shumilov, chairman of the City Defense Committee (during the war) Alexei Chuyanov were buried, twice Hero of the Soviet Union pilot Vasily Efremov was buried, and the famous sniper Hero of the Soviet Union Vasily Zaitsev was reburied. Along the grave there are 37 memorial slabs with the names of particularly distinguished defenders during the Battle of Stalingrad, including the slab to the Unknown Soldier.
The compositional center of the ensemble is the Motherland sculpture. The monument depicts a woman holding a sword in her hand and standing in a pose calling for fight. The figure of the Motherland dominates not only Mamaev Kurgan, but also the city; it is visible for tens of kilometers. The height of the monument is 85 meters with a sword, 52 meters without a sword. The length of the sword is 33 meters, the weight of the sword is 14 tons. The entire monument weighs 8 thousand tons. At the base, the sculpture is not secured by anything; it stands under its own weight. The inside is hollow, there is a staircase in sculpture and sword. It is made of reinforced concrete, the sword is steel.
To climb from the foot of the mound to its top, you need to walk 200 granite steps - the number of days of the Battle of Stalingrad.
Since the opening of the Mamayev Kurgan memorial complex, it has changed noticeably. In 1985, military service was opened memorial cemetery. In 2005, the memorial complex received its own church - All Saints. By 2013 (the 70th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Stalingrad) there were engraved the names of 17 thousand defenders of Stalingrad.
The memorial complex "Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad" by order of the Government of the Russian Federation was classified as an object cultural heritage federal significance, and the sculpture "Motherland" - to especially valuable objects of cultural heritage of Russia in 2016.
In 2008, according to the results of a popular vote, the monument-ensemble “To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad” and the sculpture “The Motherland Calls!” were included in the "Seven Wonders of Russia". In 2013, according to the results of a nationwide vote, the Mamayev Kurgan and the sculpture “The Motherland Calls!” entered the top ten winners of the multimedia project-competition "Russia-10".
In 2014, the memorial complex "To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad" on Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd from Russian Federation.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
Monument to the Glory of Generations
The Monument to the Glory of Generations was installed on central square Volgograd - the Square of Fallen Fighters, with which heroic pages of history are connected.
During the days of the great battle on the Volga, the square became the scene of fierce battles. On January 31, 1943, the Nazis threw a white flag of surrender over it, and Field Marshal Paulus, who had surrendered, emerged from the basement of a dilapidated department store - his last headquarters.
The Square of Fallen Fighters witnessed a solemn meeting dedicated to the defeat of the fascist hordes at Stalingrad. There, next to the mass grave of the workers, the defenders of the city who died in the battles of 1942 - 1943 were buried.
In 1957, a single granite monument was built on the mass graves - an obelisk and a tombstone.
On Mamayev Kurgan
Mamayev Kurgan is the dominant height over the city. During the Battle of Stalingrad it was the site of the most fierce fighting, a key position in the city's defense.
The defenders of Stalingrad well understood the significance of the mound and figuratively called it the main height of Russia. There they took an oath: “Not a step back!”, “There is no land for us beyond the Volga!”, “Fight to the death!” For almost 140 days and nights, lead showers raged over Mamayev Kurgan; the Nazis frantically rushed to this height, but were never able to capture it completely. The mound turned black, as if charred, from the cruel fire; during the fighting, the earth on it was thickly mixed with iron fragments and blood. The top of the mound changed hands many times, and its northeastern slopes were firmly held by Soviet soldiers throughout the entire period of hostilities.
Residents of the city brought Mamayev Kurgan back to life. They took mines, unexploded shells and bombs out of its wounded land, laid out squares and parks on it, and covered it with a green carpet of grass. A grandiose sculptural ensemble was built on Mamayev Kurgan, immortalizing the feat of the heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad.
In front of the stairs to the mound is the introductory composition “Memory of Generations”. It depicts people of different ages carrying a wreath to the grave of fallen heroes. An alley of pyramidal poplars leads to the first square of the ensemble. In the center of the square, a 12-meter figure of a Russian warrior-hero, surrounded by a swimming pool, seems to grow out of a rock. At the foot of the sculpture there are inscriptions: “Not a step back!”, “Fight to the death!”
The ruined walls adjacent to the square give the impression of the streets of a destroyed city. On the walls appear figures and faces of the city’s defenders, relief scenes telling about front-line life and the exploits of soldiers. The walls are painted with excerpts from military orders, protocols of party and Komsomol meetings, and oaths of soldiers.
The next terrace of the ensemble is Heroes Square. In its center is a huge water parterre. Six sculptural compositions telling about the exploits of warriors and episodes of the battle are reflected in the calm surface of the water.
The other side of the water parterre is bordered by a 112-meter wall, made in the form of an unfolded and greatly elongated banner. On the wall are the words: “The iron wind hit them in the face, and they all walked forward, and again a feeling of superstitious fear gripped the enemy: were people going to attack, were they mortal?!”
Granite steps lead from Heroes Square to the Hall of Military Glory. The entrance, decorated with gray concrete slabs, resembles a dugout. The round building of the hall with a light suspended ceiling is made in the style of the ancient Greek pantheon. 34 symbolic red banners hang along the high walls lined with gold smalt. The names of 7201 fallen in the Battle of Stalingrad are inscribed on them. Above the banners is a wide ribbon with the inscription: “Yes, we were mere mortals, and few of us survived, but we all fulfilled our patriotic duty to the sacred Motherland.”
In the center of the hall there is a marble hand with a flaming torch of the sacred Eternal Flame.
A spiral ramp leads from the Hall of Military Glory to the Square of Sorrow, the main sculptural composition of which is the figure of a woman-mother. In deep sorrow she bent over the fallen warrior. Mother's boundless grief intensifies weeping willows, growing over the pond in front of the sculpture.
A mound rises from the Square of Sorrow. During the construction of the monument, the remains of dead soldiers were transferred there from mass graves located on the territory of the city.
On 34 granite symbolic slabs located along the serpentine path along the slope of the mound, the names of the most distinguished participants in the great battle, who died defending the city and died after the war, are carved.
The monument-ensemble is crowned by a 52-meter sculpture of the Mother Motherland, who in anger raised a punishing sword. Mother Motherland calls her sons to fight the enemies.
A talented team of sculptors, architects, and engineers worked on the ensemble under the leadership of Hero Socialist Labor E. Vuchetich.
The entire monument-ensemble is made of concrete. Its construction took place from January 1961 to May 1967. The monument was unveiled on October 15, 1967.
M. Aleshchenko, V. Matrosov, L. Maistrenko, A. Melnik, V. Morunov, A. Novikov,
A. Tyurenkov; head of the engineering group N. Nikitin; military consultant Marshal of the Soviet Union
V. Chuikov.
Panorama Museum
On the steep bank of the Volga, on the site of the brutal battles for Stalingrad, it was created memorial ensemble- Panorama Museum “Battle of Stalingrad”. The panoramic part of the complex “The defeat of the Nazi troops at Stalingrad” was opened on July 8, 1982. This is a monumental work of art about the Great Patriotic War.
The museum complex includes 7 exhibition halls, 4 dioramas and a triumphal hall. The canvases depict the most striking pages in the history of the great battle on the Volga. The entrance hall of the panorama leads to the artistic canvas, the ceiling of which is decorated with heraldry - signs of the branches of the troops that participated in the battle. They are made of smalt and placed along the curly ribbon of the medal “For the Defense of Stalingrad”. In the center of the hall is the Order of Victory.
The culmination of the events depicted in the panorama is the breakthrough of the enemy defense by the troops of the 21st Army of General I. Chistyakov from the west and the forces of the 62nd Army of General V. Chuikov from the east with the aim of dismembering the enemy group. The panorama conveys the grand scale of the Battle of Stalingrad. The canvas depicts the military actions of the troops that took part in the encirclement and defeat of the Nazi formations. The artists managed to create a generalized image of the battle and reflect the most striking and characteristic episodes of the heroic battle. Events are shown both on the battlefield and in the immediate rear of the units: reserves are being pulled together, shells are being transported, and assistance is being provided to the wounded.
The canvas reproduces not only individual episodes of the battle and heroic deeds of soldiers, but also the strategic plan for the final blow of the Soviet troops at Stalingrad. Dimensions of the panorama, one of the largest in the world artistic practice, allowed us to freely place, without distorting the historical truth, all big picture battle spread over a large area.
The observation deck of the panorama is conventionally located at the top of Mamayev Kurgan. Main topic panoramas - the greatness of the feat Soviet people. All artistic means are subordinated to the embodiment of this idea.
P. Zhigimont, P. Maltsev,
G. Marchenko, M. Samsonov, F. Usypenko.
The project of the unique complex was developed by a group of architects and engineers under the leadership of architect V. Maslyaev.
"Connecting Fronts"
During fierce defensive battles on the approaches to Stalingrad, Soviet troops stopped the enemy on a front stretching more than 800 km. The main forces of the Nazi troops were drawn into heavy, bloody battles between the Don and Volga rivers.
The Headquarters of the Supreme High Command developed a plan for encircling the Stalingrad enemy group under the code name “Uranus”. The troops of the Southwestern and Stalingrad fronts were supposed to unite in the Kalach-Sovetsky area and surround units and formations of the enemy’s 6th field and 4th tank armies.
On November 19 and 20, 1942, the troops of the Southwestern, Don and Stalingrad fronts, after powerful artillery preparation, launched a decisive offensive. As a result of bold actions, the 26th Tank Corps of General A. Rodin crossed the Don and on November 23 fought Kalach.
On the same day, units of the 4th Tank Corps of General A. Kravchenko of the Southwestern Front and the 4th Mechanized Corps of General V. Volsky of the Stalingrad Front united in the Sovetsky area. 22 enemy divisions and more than 160 separate units were surrounded.
To commemorate this event, in 1953 in the Kalachevsky district, at lock No. 13 of the Volga-Don Shipping Canal, the “Union of Fronts” monument was built. The multi-figure 16-meter composition depicts a meeting of soldiers from two fronts. On the pedestal there are two memorial plaques with the texts:
“On November 23, 1942, in the Kalach area, Soviet troops of the Southwestern and Stalingrad fronts, in cooperation with troops of the Don Front, completed the operational encirclement of the enemy, which led to the subsequent defeat of the 330,000-strong group of fascist German troops that broke through to the Volga.”
“Our descendants will never forget the greatness of spirit and the fabulous fortress of Russian soldiers along the banks of the Don and Volga. In the battles to encircle Nazi troops, the 19th, 45th, 69th, 157th, 102nd tank, 14th motorized rifle and 36th mechanized brigades distinguished themselves.”
Location: Peschanka village, Sovetsky district of Volgograd.
On the outskirts of Peschanka, where the heaviest battles took place in 1942–1943, there is a strange structure, which cannot be immediately recognized as a monument. As you get closer, you can see signs of a memorial - a tombstone with a cross, flowers, wreaths... But first of all, a sharp figure made of rusty steel sheets seems to be one of the many shell fragments left here from the war and now rising from the ground and rushing into the sky. Once upon a time, this unusual sign of memory was aptly called a thorn.
The monument to all victims of the Battle of Stalingrad was erected on June 8, 1996 at the expense of Austrian citizens. The public organizations “Austrian Black Cross” and “Committee for 50 Years of Stalingrad” were involved in collecting money in 1992–1993.
In 1992, an agreement was concluded between the governments of the Russian Federation and the Federal Republic of Germany on the care of military graves. As part of the agreement, the German side is allowed to arrange and care for German war graves on Russian territory. In addition, the German government, at its own expense, ensures the preservation and care of Russian war graves in Germany. The agreement covers those killed during the First and Second World Wars.
Initially, in negotiations with Volgograd officials and veterans, the Austrian side insisted on installing a monument in the city center - on Predmostnaya Square (now Reconciliation Square). However, ultimately the monument was erected in Peschanka, and on Predmostnaya Square back in 1993 the Cross of Reconciliation between the peoples of Russia, Austria and Germany appeared.
The monument to all victims of the Battle of Stalingrad was created according to the design of the Austrian architect Johann Boyle. It looks deliberately simple, even rude. The sharp 10-meter edge of the pyramid made of ordinary steel, subject to rust, symbolizes the tools and materials of war in all their ugliness. "Thorn" leans towards a tombstone with a Catholic cross.
On the other side of the monument lies a granite slab. The inscription in German and Russian reads: “This monument is dedicated to all the victims of the Battle of Stalingrad 1942–43. It recalls the suffering of the soldiers and civilians who fell here. For those who fell here and died in captivity from all countries, we pray for eternal peace in the Russian land.”
Despite the exhaustive inscription, the Thorn is sometimes referred to as a monument dedicated to the Austrians who died during the First and Second World Wars. But this is not so, the memorial was created in memory of all victims of the war, regardless of nationality or affiliation with any of the warring parties.
In September 1942, the Germans broke through to Stalingrad from three directions. In the south, in the steppe near Peschanka there were fierce battles. To this day, not far from the monument you can see the remains of the fortifications of those times - trenches, artillery caponiers.
Operational report from September 9, 1942
40th Army. During September 8, two battalions of the 206th Infantry Division fought a firefight in the area 2 kilometers southwest of the village of Peschanka. In the battle on September 7, units of the division in the area southwest of the village of Peschanka destroyed up to 500 soldiers and officers, 4 mortar batteries, 8 machine guns, 3 wagons with ammunition; 1 enemy dugout and 1 observation post were destroyed.
Since the morning of September 8, the 64th Army, with right-flank units, repelled enemy attacks of up to two infantry regiments with 50 tanks, advancing from the direction of Voroponovo station in the direction of the Peschanka area - height 143.5.
By 15:00 on September 8, the 138th Infantry Division was fighting on the western outskirts of the village of Peschanka - an unnamed height south of mark 143.5. As a result of an enemy tank attack, the division's 343rd Infantry Regiment was almost completely destroyed. In the battle of September 8, 18 enemy tanks were knocked out and burned.
On September 11, Peschanka was captured by Nazi troops. There were bloody battles in Stalingrad, and here, in Peschanka, wounded and killed German soldiers were brought en masse to the local hospital and cemetery. According to various sources, from 15 to 27 thousand soldiers and officers of the German side are buried here.
In addition to the unusual “Thorn”, which is considered to a greater extent German, in Peschanka there are three mass graves of Soviet soldiers.
In August 1942, in the area of Peschanka, a Soviet Pe-2 bomber plane was attacked by a German fighter, caught fire and exploded. He was returning to his airfield in the Volga region. The names of the three dead pilots could not be established. Residents of Peschanka buried them in the local cemetery, and an airplane propeller became a monument to the pilots.
A mass grave in the center of Peschanka appeared in 1943 after the liberation of the village from invaders; in 1965, an obelisk by the sculptor Shelkov was installed here. The tombstones bear the names of 117 fallen Soviet soldiers - officers and soldiers, but the true number of those buried here is unknown.
In a battle in the Peschanka area on January 22, 1943, the famous sniper Maxim Passar, one of the most effective snipers of the Battle of Stalingrad, who killed more than 200 enemy soldiers and officers, died. Soviet troops attacked enemy positions, but two machine guns firing from cover prevented the attackers from getting closer. Passar was able to get within 100 meters of the machine gunners and destroyed both crews. The attack was successful, but Maxim Passar himself was killed.
On January 25, 1943, in the battle near Peschanka, messenger Maxim Fefilov, who took command of the company after the death of the commander, led the soldiers into the attack. Under heavy enemy fire, Fefilov's riflemen broke through the barrage and were the first to occupy Peschanka. In this battle, more than 100 German soldiers and officers were killed, and more than 200 were captured.
The monument to all victims of the Battle of Stalingrad and the three mass graves are looked after to the best of their ability by local residents - students and teachers of school No. 114 and the local TOS. The Austrian delegation, which comes to Peschanka every year, also contributes to the maintenance of the international memorial.
The Austrian Black Cross is an international public organization in Austria, founded in 1919 to organize soldier burials and care for the graves of soldiers of all nationalities. In addition, he deals with the burials of those killed during the bombings, victims of political repression and refugees. It exists through donations. The headquarters is located in Vienna.
