Greetings to all readers of my blog! May 9th on the calendar! Great holiday! Victory Day! Victory lives in everyone's heart! And I sincerely congratulate you, my dear readers! And I wish you, your families, your children a peaceful sky over your head, happiness and good!
War. She left her mark on the history of every family, every house, every village, every city of our homeland. Today 45 cities are cities of military glory. And there are also 13 Hero Cities. This is the highest distinction for heroic defense during the war.
Let's talk about each of them in more detail.
Lesson plan:
Leningrad (Saint Petersburg)
July 10, 1941. The beginning of the offensive of German troops in the Leningrad direction. The Germans managed to take Leningrad into the ring. On September 8, the blockade of Leningrad began. And it lasted 872 days. The history of mankind has never seen such a long siege again.
At that time, about three million people lived in the northern capital. A terrible famine, constant air raids, bombings, rats, diseases, infections have claimed more than 2 million lives. In spite of everything, the Leningraders held out, they even managed to help the front. The factories did not stop working and produced military products.
Today, numerous memorials and monuments installed in the northern capital remind of the feat of Leningraders.
Memorial Piskarevskoe cemetery. This is the place of mass graves of people who died and died during the siege of Leningrad. A statue of the Motherland, a woman who looks at the graves of her fallen sons, was installed in the cemetery.
If you are walking along Nevsky Prospekt in St. Petersburg, find house number 14. There is still an inscription from the time of the war.
A monument in memory of the defenders of the city was erected on Victory Square. One of the significant parts of this monument is the broken bronze ring, which symbolizes the breaking of the blockade ring.
Stalingrad (Volgograd)
Summer 1942. The Germans decided to seize the Caucasus, Kuban, Donets, and the Lower Volga. Hitler was going to deal with this in a week. In order to stop the enemy offensive, the Stalingrad Front was created.
On July 17, 1942, the Battle of Stalingrad began, one of the most important and major battles. This great battle lasted 200 days. And it ended with the complete victory of our troops thanks to the selfless actions of the military and ordinary people. More than 1 million of our soldiers were killed in terrible bloody battles. The Germans also suffered heavy casualties. More than 800 thousand killed and wounded. More than 200 thousand German soldiers were taken prisoner.
In Volgograd, on the Mamayev Kurgan, there is an ensemble monument dedicated to all the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad. The main monument of the ensemble is the 85-meter sculpture of the Motherland-Mother. 200 steps lead to this monument from the foot of the mound - a symbol of two hundred long days of battle.
And the Mamayev Kurgan itself is a huge mass grave, in which more than 34 thousand dead soldiers are buried.
Sevastopol
The defense of Sevastopol began on October 30, 1941 and ended on July 4, 1942. This is one of the bloodiest battles that ended in the defeat of the Soviet troops. But the courage and heroism shown by the units of the Red Army and the inhabitants of Sevastopol did not allow the Wehrmacht units to quickly seize the Crimea and the Caucasus.
The Nazis, having overwhelming superiority in the air and at sea, over and over again could not take the city. For the first and only time (throughout the war), German troops used an artillery gun weighing more than 1000 tons, which was capable of firing 7-ton shells and pierced a rock plate 30 meters thick. But Sevastopol stood. Stood until the ammunition ran out ... Until almost all the defenders were killed ...
There are more than 1500 monuments in Sevastopol. And about 1000 of them were installed in memory of the events of that terrible war. At Cape Khrustalny there is a monument "Soldier and Sailor", it was installed in memory of the defenders of Sevastopol.
Odessa
In the first years of the war, victories were achieved only at the cost of gigantic sacrifices. Hundreds of thousands of people died in order not to let the enemy pass, in order to at least slightly restrain the fascist war machine. The Nazis believed that Odessa would become the next item in their large list of cities that surrendered without a fight. But, they were wrong.
73 days of defense of Odessa inflicted colossal losses on the Romanian-German armies, who were waiting for a "easy walk". Of the 300,000 enemy soldiers, 160,000 were killed. Our losses were 16,000. The Nazis were never able to capture Odessa, the city was abandoned ...
Here is what the Pravda newspaper will write about the defense of Odessa:
There is a "Monument to the Unknown Sailor" in Odessa. The obelisk in the form of a granite stele is intended to remind the living of the heroic deeds of sailors during the war. And next to the "Walk of Fame", on it are the graves of the fallen warriors-defenders.
Moscow
Napoleon, and after him Hitler, called Russia and the USSR "a colossus with feet of clay." But, for some reason, this colossus did not want to kneel, but clenched his teeth and fists and threw himself on spears and machine guns with his bare chest. This happened near Moscow.
At the cost of terrible losses, but the enemy was moving more and more slowly towards the capture of Moscow. He was stopped near Brest, he was beaten near Smolensk and Odessa, he was not given a rest near Minsk and Yelets. The defensive operation near Moscow also lasted for several months. Defensive fortifications were built, thousands of kilometers of trenches were dug. They fought for every village, for every height. But the magnificent Wehrmacht car moved forward. They even saw the walls of the Kremlin through binoculars, but for many of them this was their last memory.
On December 5, 1941, the Germans were shown the way home. The offensive of our troops began near Moscow. More than a million soldiers and officers shouting "Hurray!" began to drive the fascists. The victory near Moscow became one of the key moments of the war, people believed that we could win ...
In Moscow, on Poklonnaya Hill, there is a huge memorial complex dedicated to the Great Patriotic War.
This complex includes:
- A monument in the form of an obelisk 141.8 meters high. This height is not accidental. It recalls the 1418 days of the war.
- Three temples that were erected in memory of all those who died during the war.
- Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War.
- An open-air exhibition of military equipment and other memorials.
Kiev
When the first German planes flew over Kiev, many residents thought that it was an exercise ... And they even rejoiced, they say, “how great the training was prepared! They even painted crosses. " No, these were not exercises - Kiev was one of the first to experience all the horrors of the war. He almost immediately found himself on the front lines. There was not enough ammunition, not enough supplies. But there was an order - Kiev not to surrender !!! More than 600,000 people died trying to fulfill it! But, on September 19, 1941, German troops entered the city. This was one of the most difficult defeats of the Red Army.
On the right bank of the Dnieper, at the highest point of Kiev, a monument is erected, the height of which is more than 100 meters. This is a sculpture of "Motherland".
The sculpture depicts a woman with her hands up. In one hand the woman holds a sword, and in the other a shield. The monument symbolizes the inflexibility of the people's spirit in the struggle for the Motherland.
Brest
On June 22, 1941, at 4:15 am, a massive artillery attack on the defenders of the Brest Fortress began. According to the plans of the German command, the fortress was to be taken by noon. But, the fortress held on. Without water, without food, without communication with the main units of the Red Army ...
This inscription will later be found by historians on the walls. 
Thousands died, very little is known about them. There was almost no one left who could tell ... The last defender was captured only on 23 July.
Memorial complex "Brest Hero Fortress". It was opened on September 25, 1971. If you are in Belarus, be sure to visit it. It includes many monuments, obelisks, an eternal flame, memorial plates, a museum of defense. The main monument of the memorial is a sculpture depicting the head of a Soviet soldier against the background of a waving banner.
Also pay attention to the memorial composition "Thirst".
The defenders of the fortress experienced a shortage of water, as the water supply was destroyed. The only source of water for them was the Buk and Mokhovets rivers. But since their shores were under constant fire, the hike for water was deadly.
Kerch
The first time Kerch was captured in mid-November 1941. In December it was liberated by Soviet troops, but in May 1942 it was again captured by the Nazis. It was from this time that the world-famous partisan war began in the Kerch (Adzhimushkay) quarries.
Throughout the occupation, several thousand partisans and soldiers of the regular army were hiding in them, which did not allow the German troops to live in peace. The Nazis blew up the entrances and poisoned with gases, collapsed the vaults ... To get water - each time they had to break through with a fight, since all the sources were outside. But the German troops could not break the resistance. Kerch was completely liberated only in April 1944. A little more than 30,000 inhabitants survived.
The "Obelisk of Glory" located on Mount Mithridates is a symbol of Kerch.
It is dedicated to all the soldiers who fell for the liberation of Crimea in 1943-1944. This monument was installed in August 1944. This is the first monument in the USSR dedicated to the events of the Great Patriotic War. The stele rises 24 meters into the sky, it is made of light gray stone. And three cannons are installed at the foot.
Novorossiysk
"Small earth" - many have heard it, but do not know where it is. You know, this is Novorossiysk. This is the triumph and courage of the Soviet marines. A couple of facts: on February 4, 1943, 800 Marines (according to other sources, up to 1500) held a bridgehead against 500 enemy firing points (in Normandy, the Allies landed 156,000 people).
Several hundred people held out until the main forces approached and fought back kilometer by kilometer. The Germans could not throw them into the sea. 225 days offensive. Every inch of the earth is watered with blood and sweat, the result of inhuman efforts, and Novorossiysk was liberated. On September 16, 1943, Soviet troops entered the city ... it was destroyed by almost 96%.
In 1961, a memorial was opened in Novorossiysk in memory of the heroic liberators of the city. This is a sculpture depicting three people: a soldier, a sailor with a banner and a partisan girl. Three people stand shoulder to shoulder, and personify strength and courage.
The “shot carriage” is another monument in Novorossiysk.
There are countless bullet holes in this boxcar. It was installed on the defense line of the Soviet troops in 1946.
Minsk
Another difficult and terrible page of that war. So much so that even the Sovinformburo did not announce the surrender of Minsk. About 10 high-ranking Soviet military leaders were arrested and shot. After all, the city was taken already on June 28, 1941.
But, not only this fell to the lot of Belarusians. Several hundred thousand civilians were taken to work in Germany. Units returned back. Hundreds of thousands were hanged, shot and burned alive. But they did not give up. A partisan movement was created, with which the elite units of the Wehrmacht could not do anything. Thanks to the partisans, many offensive operations of the Germans were thwarted. More than 11,000 trains were derailed, guerrillas blew up more than 300,000 rails. They killed the enemy wherever they could.
In 1952, a "Monument-Tank" was erected in Minsk in honor of the feat of Soviet tankmen.
On July 3, 1944, Soviet tanks entered the city during its liberation from the Nazi invaders.
Tula
At the beginning of the war, news of the German offensive sometimes came after the city was captured. This almost happened to Tula. A sudden tank breakthrough of the front led to the capture of Orel, and only 180 km from it to Tula. The city remained practically unarmed and not ready for defense.
But, skillful leadership and, most importantly, quickly deployed reinforcements did not allow German units to occupy the city of gunsmiths. The difficult situation at the front led to an almost complete blockade of Tula, but the enemy was never able to take it. Thousands of women were digging trenches at a time when the evacuation of defense plants and fierce battles were going on. The Germans threw selected, elite units into battle, in particular the Great Germany regiment. But they could not do anything either ... Tula did not give up! She survived!
In Tula, there are several memorial complexes dedicated to the Second World War. For example, on Victory Square, a memorial was erected in honor of the Hero-Defenders who defended the city in 1941.
A soldier and a militia are standing shoulder to shoulder, holding machine guns in their hands. And three multi-meter steel obelisks shot up into the sky nearby.
Murmansk
Murmansk became a front-line city from the first days of the war. The offensive of German troops began on June 29, 1941, but at the cost of incredible efforts it was thwarted and in the future the enemy could not advance even a kilometer. The front line was unchanged until 1944.
Over the years, 185 thousand bombs were dropped on Murmansk, but he lived, worked and did not give up. He repaired military ships, accepted food and transport ... The resilience of the inhabitants of Murmansk helped Leningrad withstand, since it was in Murmansk that food was accumulated, which was then transferred to the Northern capital. The northern fleet has about 600 destroyed enemy ships. On May 6, 1985, the merits of the residents of Murmansk were recognized and their city received the title of Hero.
Memorial to the Defenders of the Soviet Arctic. The most famous monument in Murmansk.
The sculpture is 35 meters high and depicts a soldier with a weapon in his hands. The monument was opened in 1974. The people call this stone soldier "Alyosha".
Smolensk
Smolensk always stood in the way of those who were eager for Moscow. So it was in 1812, and so it was in 1941. According to the plans of the German command, the capture of Smolensk opened the way to Moscow. It was planned to capture a number of cities with lightning speed, including Smolensk. But, as a result, the enemy lost more soldiers in this direction than since the beginning of the war in all other directions combined. 250 thousand fascists did not come back.
It was near Smolensk that the later glorified tradition of the "Soviet Guard" was born. On September 10, 1941, Smolensk fell, but did not surrender. A powerful partisan movement was created, which did not give a quiet life to the invaders. 260 natives of the Smolensk region received the title "Hero of the Soviet Union", and years later ... May 6, 1985, and Smolensk received the title "Hero City".
Many monuments of Smolensk remind of those who laid down their heads in the struggle for the Motherland. Among them is the “Monument to the Grieving Mother”.
It is located where the Nazis shot over 3,000 people in 1943. Their mass grave is also located here, and a memorial wall was erected above it, which depicts the moment of the execution and a sculpture of a woman in simple clothes and a scarf, with eyes full of grief.
All these cities paid for the right to be called Heroes with courage, blood and lives of their inhabitants!
Let's say a huge thank you to our dear veterans again. War veterans, labor veterans! For their feat!
Peace to the world!
All the best and the best to you!
Evgenia Klimkovich.
P.S. I express my deep gratitude for the help in preparing this article to my husband Denis, a great connoisseur of history.
P.P.S. The information presented in the article will be an excellent material for preparing reports for Victory Day. Also on the blog you will find interesting facts and solutions for posters and projects, and other subjects.
List of hero cities in the Great Patriotic War
The honorary title "Hero City" was awarded by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to those cities of the Soviet Union, whose inhabitants showed massive heroism and courage in defending the Motherland during the Great Patriotic War. Here is a list of Hero Cities, with the year in which the title was awarded:
Leningrad (St. Petersburg) - 1945 *;
Stalingrad (Volgograd) - 1945 *;
Sevastopol -1945 *;
Odessa - 1945 *;
Kiev -1965;
Moscow -1965;
Brest (Hero Fortress) -1965;
Kerch - 1973;
Novorossiysk -1973;
Minsk -1974;
Tula -1976;
Murmansk -1985;
Smolensk -1985.
* Leningrad, Stalingrad, Sevastopol and Odessa were named hero cities in the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief dated May 1, 1945, but officially this title was assigned to them in the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the approval of the Regulations on the honorary title "Hero City" of 8 May 1965.
The city awarded the highest degree of distinction "Hero City" was awarded the highest award of the Soviet Union - the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal, which were then depicted on the city's banner.
Hero City Moscow
Among the 13 hero cities of the Soviet Union, the hero city Moscow occupies a special place. It was in the battle near the Soviet capital that the whole world saw the first defeat in history of the impeccably debugged military machine of the Third Reich. It was here that a colossal battle took place, equal to which world history did not know either before or after, and it was here that the Soviet people demonstrated the highest degree of courage and heroism that shook the world.
On May 8, 1965, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR established the honorary title "Hero City", and on the same day Moscow (along with Kiev and the Brest Fortress) was honored to be awarded a new high title. As all domestic and foreign military historians rightly point out, the defeat near the capital of the Soviet Union broke the morale of the German army, for the first time with obvious force exposed discord and contradictions in the top Nazi leadership, instilled hope in the oppressed peoples of Europe in a speedy liberation, intensified national liberation movements during all European countries ...
The Soviet leadership highly appreciated the contribution of the defenders of the city to the defeat of the fascist monster: the medal "For the Defense of Moscow", established on May 1, 1944, was awarded to more than 1 million soldiers, workers and employees who took part in this historic event of a grandiose scale.
In memory of those events filled with unparalleled heroism, the memorial obelisk "Moscow - Hero City" was solemnly opened in 1977; the memory of the fallen heroes is immortalized in the names of avenues and streets, in monuments and memorial plaques, the never-dying Eternal Flame burns for the glory of the dead ...
For its unparalleled feat, the city was awarded the highest award of the Soviet Union - the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.
Hero City Leningrad
Among the 13 hero-cities of the Soviet Union, Leningrad stands in a special place - it is the only city that survived an almost 3-year blockade (872 days), but never surrendered to the enemies. For Hitler, who dreamed of completely destroying and wiping out the city on the Neva from the face of the earth, the capture of Leningrad was both a matter of personal prestige and the prestige of the entire German army as a whole; that is why directives were issued to the German troops besieging the city, which stated that the capture of the city was the "military and political prestige" of the Wehrmacht. Thanks to the unsurpassed courage of the inhabitants and participants in the defense of the city, this prestige was lost in 1944, when the invaders were driven back from Leningrad, and finally trampled by Soviet troops on the ruins of the Reichstag in May 1945 ...
Residents of the city and defenders paid a terrible price to keep the city: according to various estimates, the death toll is estimated from 300 thousand to 1.5 million people. At the Nuremberg trials, a figure of 632 thousand people was named, of which only 3% died as a result of hostilities; the remaining 97% starved to death. At the peak of the famine in November 1941, the bread distribution rate was 125 grams (!!!) per person per day. Despite the colossal mortality, severe frosts, extreme exhaustion of the troops and the population, the city still survived.
To commemorate the merits of the townspeople, soldiers and sailors of the Red Army and the Navy, partisan formations and people's squads who defended the city, it was Leningrad that was given the right to hold a fireworks in honor of the complete lifting of the blockade, an order signed by Marshal Govorov, to whom this right was entrusted personally Stalin. This honor was not awarded to any of the front commanders during the entire period of the Great Patriotic War.
Leningrad was among the first cities of the Soviet Union (together with Stalingrad, Sevastopol and Odessa) was named a hero city in the Order of the Supreme Commander, dated May 1, 1945.
Among the first was Leningrad and the honorary title "Hero City", established on May 8, 1965 by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, in accordance with which the city was awarded the highest awards of the Soviet Union - the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal, whose images proudly flaunt on the city banner.
In memory of the mass heroism of the participants in the defense of Leningrad, a number of monuments have been erected in the city, the most significant of which are the Obelisk to the Hero City of Leningrad, erected on Vosstaniya Square, the Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad on Victory Square, a trolley monument on which the collected items were transported to corpses and a huge Piskarevskoye cemetery, where the ashes of Leningraders who died and died of hunger rest.
Hero City Stalingrad (Volgograd)
The name of the city, after which the most epoch-making battle of the 20th century was named, is known far beyond the borders of the former Soviet Union. The events that took place here in the period from July 17, 1942 to February 2, 1943, changed the course of world history. It was here, on the banks of the beautiful Volga, that the backbone of the German fascist war machine was broken. According to Goebbels, said by him in January 1943, the losses in tanks and cars were comparable to six months, in artillery - with three months, in small arms and mortars - with two months of production of the Third Reich. The loss of life for Germany and its allies was even more horrific: more than 1.5 million captured and killed soldiers and officers, including 24 generals.
The military-political significance of the victory at Stalingrad was highly appreciated by the military-political leadership of the Soviet Union: on May 1, 1945, the city on the Volga was named among the first hero cities in the Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief (along with Sevastopol, Odessa and Leningrad), and 20 years later , May 8, 1965, in accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Stalingrad was awarded the honorary title "Hero City". On the same day, this honor was awarded to Kiev and Moscow, as well as the Brest Fortress.
Monuments dedicated to the events of that heroic era are the main city attractions. The most famous of them are Mamaev Kurgan, panorama "The Defeat of Nazi Troops at Stalingrad", "House of Soldiers' Glory" (better known as "Pavlov's House"), Alley of Heroes, "Union of Fronts" monument, "Rodimtsev's Wall", " Lyudnikov Island ", Gerhart's Mill (Grudinin), etc.
Hero City Kiev
One of the first Soviet cities that significantly delayed the advance of the enemy at the initial stage of the Great Patriotic War was the capital of Ukraine, the hero city Kiev, which received this title on the day of its establishment by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on May 8, 1965.
Already 2 weeks later (July 6, 1941) after the treacherous attack of the Nazi troops on the Soviet Union, the City Defense Headquarters was established in Kiev, and a few days later the heroic defense of the Ukrainian capital began, which lasted 72 days (until September 19, 1941). as a result of which more than 100 thousand soldiers and officers of the Wehrmacht were destroyed by the defending Soviet troops and residents of the city.
After the abandonment of Kiev by the regular units of the Red Army, by order of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, the inhabitants of the city organized resistance to the invaders. During the occupation of the underground, thousands of soldiers of the German regular army were liquidated, more than 500 cars were blown up and disabled, 19 trains were derailed, 18 military warehouses were destroyed, 15 boats and ferries were launched to the bottom, more than 8 thousand Kievites were saved from being hijacked into slavery.
During the Kiev offensive operation on November 6, 1943, the city was finally cleared of the invaders. These heroic events are witnessed by hundreds of monuments located both in the city itself and on the defense lines, the most famous of which are: the well-known sculpture "Motherland", the memorial complexes "Park of Eternal Glory" and "Museum of History Of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 ", as well as the obelisk" To the Hero City of Kiev "located on Victory Square.
Hero City Minsk
The hero city Minsk, located in the direction of the main blow of the Nazi troops, found itself in the very millstone of fierce battles already in the first days of the war. On June 25, 1941, an unstoppable avalanche of German fascist troops swept over the city. Despite the fierce resistance of the Red Army, the city had to be abandoned by the end of the day on June 28. A long occupation began, which lasted more than three years - until July 3, 1944.
Despite the horrors of the Nazi administration (during the German rule the city lost a third of its inhabitants - more than 70 thousand citizens died), the invaders did not manage to break the will of the Minskers, who created one of the largest underground formations of the Second World War, which united about 9 thousand people, to which even listened to in the USSR People's Commissariat of Defense when planning strategic tasks. The underground workers (of which more than 600 people were awarded orders and medals of the Soviet Union) corrected their actions with 20 partisan detachments operating in the region, many of which later grew into large brigades.
During the occupation, the city underwent colossal destruction: at the time of the liberation by Soviet troops on July 3, 1944, only 70 surviving buildings remained in the city. On Sunday, July 16, 1944, a partisan parade was held in Minsk in honor of the liberation of the capital of Belarus from the Nazi invaders.
For the merits of the capital of Belarus in the struggle against the fascist conquerors, Minsk was awarded the honorary title "Hero City" in accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces of June 26, 1974. In memory of the military events of that era, a number of monuments were erected in the city, the most famous of which are the Victory Monument and the Eternal Flame, the Mound of Glory and the Monument to Tank Soldiers.
Hero City Odessa
Odessa (along with Stalingrad, Leningrad and Sevastopol) was one of the four cities, first named in the status of hero cities in the Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of 05/01/1945. The city received such a high honor for its heroic defense from August 5 to October 16, 1941. These 73 days cost the German and Romanian troops dearly, the losses of which are estimated at 160 thousand soldiers and officers, more than 200 aircraft, about a hundred tanks.
The defenders of the city were never defeated: in the period from October 1 to 16, ships and vessels of the Black Sea Fleet in the strictest secrecy from the city evacuated all available troops (about 86 thousand people), part of the civilian population (more than 15 thousand people). ), a significant amount of weapons and military equipment.
About 40 thousand residents of the city went to the catacombs and continued to resist until the complete liberation of the city by the troops of the III Ukrainian fleet on April 10, 1944. During this time, the enemy missed more than 5,000 soldiers and officers, 27 echelons with military cargo, 248 vehicles; the partisans saved more than 20 thousand citizens from being hijacked into German slavery.
The honorary title "Hero City" was officially awarded to Odessa on the basis of the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the day of the release of the "Regulations on the highest degree of distinction - the title" Hero City "on May 8, 1965
In memory of those heroic events along the line of the main defense line of Odessa, the "Belt of Glory" was created, which includes 11 monuments located in various settlements on the outskirts of the city, in which the most fierce battles took place.
Hero City Sevastopol
One of the most persistent cities of the Great Patriotic War is considered to be the hero city of Sevastopol, which withstood fierce attacks and siege of the enemy for 250 days. Thanks to the courage and unshakable stamina of the defenders, Sevastopol became a truly national hero city - the first books with the use of such characteristics appeared already in 1941-42.
At the official level, Sevastopol was named a hero city on May 1, 1945 in the Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief (together with Odessa, Stalingrad and Leningrad), and was awarded the honorary title "Hero City" on May 8, 1965 on the basis of the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.
From October 30, 1941 to July 4, 1942 defenders of the city held a heroic defense. During this time, four massive attacks were undertaken with the aim of capturing Sevastopol, but faced with stubborn resistance from soldiers, sailors and townspeople who defended the city, the fascist German command was forced to change tactics - a long siege began with periodically flashing brutal battles. After the city was abandoned by the Soviet authorities, the Nazis brutally recouped civilians, destroying about 30 thousand citizens during the management of the city.
Liberation came on May 9, 1944, when control over Sevastopol was fully restored by Soviet troops. During these 250 days, the losses of the Nazis amounted to about 300 thousand people killed and wounded. It is quite possible that the city is a champion in the territory of the former Union in terms of the number of military monuments, among which the diorama "Storming Sapun Mountain", Malakhov Kurgan, monuments to the soldiers of the 414th Anapa and 89th Taman Red Banner divisions, 318th The Novorossiysk mountain rifle division and the 2nd Guards Army, as well as the "Locomotive-monument" from the legendary armored train "Zheleznyakov" and a number of others.
Hero City Novorossiysk
One of the most outstanding pages of the Great Patriotic War was the defense of Novorossiysk, which lasted 393 days (only Leningrad defended longer in that war). The enemy did not succeed in completely taking the city - a tiny section of Novorossiysk in the region of cement plants in front of the strategically important Sukhumi highway remained in the hands of Soviet soldiers, although even the Sovinformburo on September 11, 1942, erroneously reported that Novorossiysk was abandoned by the Red Army.
Another heroic milestone in the defense of Novorossiysk was the landing operation to seize a strategic bridgehead, called "Small Land". While the main forces of the paratroopers were shackled by the German defense, a group of 274 sailors under the command of Major Ts.L. Kunikova, on the night of February 3rd to 4th, 1943, was able to capture a 30 sq. km, to which significant forces of Soviet troops were transferred within 5 days, consisting of 17 thousand paratroopers with 21 guns, 74 mortars, 86 machine guns and 440 tons of food and ammunition. In less than a month (from April 4 to April 30), more than 20 thousand people were destroyed by paratroopers. enemy manpower and a significant amount of military equipment. The bridgehead was held for 225 days until the complete liberation of the city on September 16, 1943.
Novorossiysk received its first award, the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree, on May 7, 1966, and 7 years later, on September 14, 1973, by the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the city was awarded the honorary title "Hero City" with the presentation of the Gold Star medal and the Order of Lenin.
In memory of those heroic times, a number of monuments have been erected in the city, the most famous of which are the "Defense of the Small Earth" monument, the monument to Major Ts. L. Kunikov, the Mass Grave, the "Fire of Eternal Glory" monument, the "Small Earth" memorial, monuments " To the Unknown Sailor "and" Heroic Sailors of the Black Sea ".
Hero City Kerch
One of the few cities that passed from hand to hand several times during the Great Patriotic War was the hero city of Kerch, first captured by the Nazis on November 16, 1941. However, after a month and a half, the city was liberated by Soviet troops (December 30) and remained under the control of the Red Army for almost 5 months, until May 19, 1942.
On that day in May, Nazi troops, as a result of fierce fighting, managed to regain control over the city. During the subsequent occupation of Kerch, which lasted almost 2 years, Soviet citizens faced a real avalanche of terror: during this time, almost 14 thousand townspeople died at the hands of the invaders, and the same number were deported to forced labor in Germany. An unenviable fate befell Soviet prisoners of war, 15 thousand of whom were liquidated.
Despite constant repressions, the residents of the city found the strength to resist the invaders: many townspeople joined the remnants of the Soviet troops who took refuge in the Adzhimushkai quarries. A combined partisan detachment of Red Army soldiers and residents of Kerch fought heroically against the invaders from May to October 1942.
During the Kerch - Eltigen landing operation in 1943, Soviet troops managed to capture a small bridgehead on the outskirts of Kerch, and on April 11, 1944, the city was finally liberated by the Red Army. The following fact speaks volumes about the terrible fury of those battles: for their participation in the liberation of the city, 146 people received the highest state award - the Star of the Hero of the USSR.
The city itself was awarded a little later with other top state awards (the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal), and on September 14, 1973, on the basis of the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Kerch was awarded the honorary title of Hero City.
The exploits of the defenders of the city are immortalized in the Obelisk of Glory, erected in 1944 on Mount Mithridates in memory of the soldiers who died in the battles for the city. In their honor, on May 9, 1959, the Eternal Flame was solemnly lit, and in 1982 a memorial complex "To the Heroes of Adzhimushkaya" was built.
Hero City Tula
Tula is one of the few hero-cities of the Great Patriotic War that repulsed all enemy attacks and remained unconquered. During the 45 days of the Tula operation, which lasted from October to December 1941, being almost completely surrounded, the defenders of the city not only withstood massive bombing and fierce attacks by the enemy, but also with an almost complete absence of production capacities (almost all the main enterprises were evacuated inland ), managed to repair 90 tanks, more than a hundred artillery pieces, and also to organize the mass production of mortars and small arms (machine guns and rifles).
The last attempt to capture the city was made by German troops in early December 1941. Despite all the fury of the German offensive, the city was defended. Having completely exhausted their offensive capabilities, the enemy troops left the territory on the outskirts of the city.
For the courage and heroism shown by the defenders of the city, on December 7, 1976 by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Tula was awarded the honorary title of "Hero City".
In memory of the heroic days of defense, a number of monuments and memorial signs have been erected in the city, among which the most famous are the monumental complex "The Front Line of the City Defense", the monuments "Defenders of Tula in the Great Patriotic War", "Tula Workers' Regiment" and "Heroes of the Soviet Union ", as well as monuments to various types of military equipment -" lorry ", anti-aircraft gun, tanks IS-3 and T-34," Katyusha ", howitzer cannon and anti-tank gun
Hero City Murmansk
During the Great Patriotic War, the hero city of Murmansk was never taken by Hitler's troops, despite the efforts of the 150,000-strong German army and constant bombing (in terms of the total number of bombs and shells dropped on the city, Murmansk is second only to Stalingrad). The city withstood everything: two general offensives (in July and September), and 792 air raids, during which 185 thousand bombs were dropped on the city (on other days the Nazis made up to 18 raids).
During the heroic defense in the city, up to 80% of buildings and structures were destroyed, but the city did not surrender, and, along with the defense, continued to receive convoys from the allies, while remaining the only port of the Soviet Union that was able to receive them.
As a result of the massive Petsamo-Kirkenes offensive, launched by the Soviet troops on October 7, 1944, the enemy was driven back from the walls of Murmansk and the threat of seizing the city was finally eliminated. The enemy's significant grouping ceased to exist less than a month after the start of the Soviet offensive.
On May 6, 1985, Murmansk was awarded the honorary title "Hero City" by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR for the perseverance, courage and heroism shown by the defenders and residents in the defense of the city.
In memory of the heroic days of defense, many monuments and monuments were erected in the city, the most significant of which are the "Monument to the Defenders of the Soviet Arctic" (the so-called "Murmansk Alyosha"), monuments to the "Hero of the Soviet Union Anatoly Bredov" and "Soldiers 6- th Heroic Komsomol Battery ".
Hero City Smolensk
The hero-city of Smolensk was at the forefront of the attack of the German troops rushing to Moscow. The fierce battle for the city, which lasted from 15 to 28 July, turned out to be one of the fiercest at the initial stage of the Great Patriotic War. The battle for the city was preceded by incessant bombing from the air, which began from the first days of the war (in just one day on June 24, Hitler's pilots dropped more than 100 large high-explosive and more than 2 thousand incendiary bombs, as a result of which the city center was completely destroyed, more than 600 residential buildings burned down ).
After the retreat of the Soviet troops from the city on the night of July 28-29, the Battle of Smolensk continued until September 10, 1941. It was in this battle that the Soviet troops succeeded in their first major strategic success: on September 6, 1941, near Yelnya, Soviet troops destroyed 5 fascist divisions, and it was there that on September 18, for the first time, 4 Red Army divisions received the honorary title of the Guards.
The Nazis brutally avenged the inhabitants of Smolensk for their perseverance and courage: during the occupation, more than 135 thousand civilians and prisoners of war were shot in the city and the surrounding area, another 80 thousand citizens were forcibly taken to Germany. In response, partisan detachments were massively created, of which by the end of July 1941 there were 54 units with a total number of 1160 fighters.
The liberation of the city by Soviet troops took place on September 25, 1943. In commemoration of the mass heroism of the residents of the city and the soldiers of the Red Army during the Smolensk operation and the defense of the city, on May 6, 1985, Smolensk was nominated for the honorary title "Hero City" in accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. In addition, the city was twice awarded the Order of Lenin (in 1958 and 1983), and the Order of the Patriotic War, I degree in 1966.
In memory of the heroic defense of Smolensk, a number of monuments were erected in the city and its environs, among which are the "Memorial sign in honor of the liberation of the Smolensk region from the fascist invaders", the Kurgan of Immortality, "Memorial to the victims of fascist terror", the Eternal flame in the park in memory of the Heroes and also a monument BM-13- "Katyusha" in the Ugransky district of the Smolensk region.
Hero Fortress Brest (Brest Fortress)
The hero-fortress Brest (Brest Fortress), the first to take the blow of the massive armada of German fascist troops, is one of the most striking symbols of the Great Patriotic War. One eloquent fact testifies to the fury of the battles that took place here: the losses of the German army on the approaches to the fortress in the first week of battles amounted to 5% (!) Of the total number of losses on the entire eastern front. And although the organized resistance was suppressed by the end of June 26, 1941, separate centers of resistance continued until the beginning of August. Even Hitler, struck by the unprecedented heroism of the defenders of the Brest Fortress, took a stone from there and kept it until his death (this stone was discovered in the Fuhrer's office after the end of the war).
The Germans did not succeed in taking the fortress with conventional military means: to destroy the defenders, the Nazis had to use special types of weapons - an 1800-kg aerial bomb and 600-mm Karl-Gerät guns (of which there were only 6 units in the Wehrmacht troops), which fired concrete-piercing (over 2 tons ) and high-explosive (1250 kg) shells.
For the courage and heroism shown by the defenders, the fortress was awarded the honorary title "Hero Fortress" on the day of the promulgation of the Decree of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet on the establishment of the title "Hero City". This solemn event took place on May 8, 1965. On the same day, Moscow and Kiev were officially named hero cities.
In order to perpetuate the unparalleled courage and resilience of the defenders, in 1971 the Brest Fortress was given the status of a memorial complex, which includes a number of monuments and monuments, incl. "Museum of the Defense of the Brest Fortress" with the central monument "Courage", near which the Eternal Flame of Glory never fades.
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So, as of 2017, in the Alexander Garden, near the walls of the Kremlin, there are steles of 12 Hero Cities and 1 Hero Fortress, as well as 45 Cities of Military Glory.
As a state award, the title "Hero City" was established on May 8, 1965 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. This event was timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany and its allies.
However, the first hero cities in the Soviet Union appeared earlier. On May 1, 1945, this title was awarded to Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Stalingrad (Volgograd), Sevastopol and Odessa.
Why is the title "Hero City" awarded?
The honorary title of Hero City was awarded in the USSR to cities whose residents showed "massive heroism and courage in defending the Motherland in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945."
The hero cities were awarded the Order of Lenin, the Gold Star medal and the diploma of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Memorial obelisks were erected in the cities, and an order and medal were to be depicted on their banners.
For which the cities of the USSR / Russia received the title of "Hero City", as well as a list of Hero Cities of the USSR and Russia.
Moscow
The title of "hero city" was brought to the capital by the battle for Moscow in 1941-1942. It consisted of three stages:
- defensive operation (from September 30 to December 5, 1941);
- offensive operation (from December 6, 1941 to January 7, 1942);
- Rzhev-Vyazemskaya offensive operation (from January 8 to April 20, 1942).
The offensive in the Moscow direction was of decisive importance. For a crushing blow to Soviet troops, the fascist command concentrated 77 divisions (more than 1 million people), almost 14.5 thousand guns and mortars, and 1,700 tanks. The ground forces were supported from the air by 950 combat aircraft.
In these harsh days, the efforts of the entire country were aimed at solving one problem - to defend Moscow. On December 4-5, the Soviet Army threw the fascists back from Moscow and launched a counteroffensive, which grew into a general offensive of the Red Army along the entire Soviet-German front. This was the beginning of a radical turn in the course of the Great Patriotic War.
Perished in the battle for Moscowfrom September 30, 1941 to April 20, 1942, more than 2.400.000 Soviet citizens.
Leningrad
The Nazis wanted to completely destroy Leningrad, wipe it off the face of the earth and exterminate the population.
Fierce fighting on the outskirts of Leningrad began on July 10, 1941. Numerical superiority was on the side of the enemy: almost 2.5 times more soldiers, 10 times more aircraft, 1.2 times more tanks, and almost 6 times more mortars. As a result, on September 8, 1941, the Nazis managed to capture Shlisselburg and thus, take control of the source of the Neva. As a result, Leningrad was blockaded from land (cut off from the mainland).
From that moment on, the infamous 900-day siege of the city began, which lasted until January 1944. The number of its victims exceeds the losses of the USA and Great Britain combined during the entire Second World War.
The data were first published at the Nuremberg Trials, and in 1952 they were published in the USSR. Employees of the Leningrad branch of the Institute of History of the USSR of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR came to the conclusion that at least 800 thousand people died of hunger in Leningrad during the Nazi siege.
During the blockade the daily bread rate for workers was only 250 g, for employees, dependents and children - half that. At the end of December 1941, the bread ration became almost twice as heavy - by this time a significant part of the population had died.
More than 500 thousand Leningraders went to work on the construction of fortifications; they built 35 km of barricades and anti-tank obstacles, as well as over 4,000 bunkers and bunkers; equipped with 22,000 firing points. At the cost of their own health and lives, the courageous heroes of Leningrad provided the front with thousands of field and naval guns, repaired and released 2,000 tanks from the assembly line, manufactured 10 million shells and mines, 225,000 machine guns and 12,000 mortars.
On December 22, 1942, the medal "For the Defense of Leningrad" was instituted, which was awarded to about 1,500,000 city defenders. On May 8, 1965, Leningrad was awarded the title Hero City.
Volgograd (Stalingrad)
In the summer of 1942, Nazi troops launched a massive offensive on the southern front, seeking to capture the Caucasus, the Don region, the lower Volga and the Kuban - the richest and most fertile lands of our country. First of all, the city of Stalingrad was hit.
On July 17, 1942, one of the greatest and largest battles in the history of World War II began - the Battle of Stalingrad. Despite the fascists' desire to capture the city as soon as possible, it lasted 200 long, bloody days and nights, thanks to the incredible efforts of the heroes of the army, navy and ordinary residents of the region.
The first attack on the city took place on 23 August 1942. Then, just north of Stalingrad, the Germans almost approached the Volga. Policemen, sailors of the Volga fleet, NKVD troops, cadets and other volunteer heroes were sent to defend the city. On the same night, the Germans made the first air raid on the city, and on 25 August a state of siege was introduced in Stalingrad. At that time, about 50 thousand volunteers - heroes from among ordinary townspeople - joined the people's militia. Despite the almost continuous shelling, the factories of Stalingrad continued to work and produce tanks, Katyushas, \u200b\u200bguns, mortars and a huge number of shells.
On September 12, 1942, the enemy came close to the city. Two months of fierce defensive battles for Stalingrad inflicted significant losses on the Germans: the enemy lost about 700 thousand people killed and wounded, and on November 19, 1942, our army began a counteroffensive.
The offensive operation lasted 75 days and, finally, the enemy at Stalingrad was surrounded and completely defeated. January 1943 brought complete victory in this sector of the front. The fascist invaders were surrounded, and their commander, General Paulus, with the entire army surrendered. (By the way, Paulus only agreed to hand over his personal weapon.)
During the entire time of the Battle of Stalingrad, the German army lost more than 1,500,000 people.
In the course of 143-day battles, fascist German aviation dropped about 1 million bombs weighing 100 thousand tons on Stalingrad (5 times more than on London during the entire war). In total, the Nazi troops dropped over 3 million bombs, mines and artillery shells on the city. About 42 thousand buildings (85% of the housing stock) were destroyed, all cultural institutions, industrial. enterprises, municipal facilities.
Stalingrad was one of the first to be named a hero city. This honorary title was first announced in the order of the commander-in-chief dated May 1, 1945. And the medal "For the Defense of Stalingrad" became a symbol of the courage of the defenders of the city.
Novorossiysk
After the Soviet troops thwarted the German plan of conquering operations in the Caucasus direction, the Hitlerite command launched an attack on Novorossiysk. Its capture was associated with a phased advance along the southern coast of the Black Sea and the capture of Batumi.
The battle for Novorossiysk lasted 225 days and ended with the complete liberation of the hero-city on September 16, 1943.
September 14, 1973 in honor of the 30th victory over the Nazis, while defending the North Caucasus, Novorossiysk received the title of Hero City.
Tula
Tula became a hero city thanks to the courage of the soldiers who defended the city from October 24 to December 5, 1941. The city was in a state of siege, but did not surrender to the Germans, despite shelling and tank attacks. Thanks to the retention of Tula, the Red Army did not allow the Wehrmacht troops to break through to Moscow from the south.
December 7, 1976 Tula received the title of Hero City with the Gold Star medal.
Murmansk
During World War II, the port city of Murmansk was of strategic importance for the USSR - supplies from allied countries went through it.
The Germans made several attempts to capture the city, but to no avail.
Murmansk is one of those cities that became front-line from the very first days of the war. Following Stalingrad, Murmansk becomes a leader in sad statistics: the amount of explosives per square meter of the city's territory exceeded all conceivable limits: 792 air raids and 185 thousand bombs dropped - but Murmansk survived and continued to work as a port city.
Under regular air raids, ordinary heroes were unloading and loading ships, building bomb shelters, and producing military equipment. For all the war years, the Murmansk port received 250 ships, handled 2 million tons of various cargo.
The hero fishermen of Murmansk also did not stand aside - in three years they managed to catch 850 thousand centners of fish, supplying food to both the residents of the city and the soldiers of the Soviet army. The townspeople who worked in the shipyards repaired 645 combat ships and 544 ordinary transport ships. In addition, 55 more fishing vessels were converted into combat ones in Murmansk.
In 1942, the main strategic actions were developed not on land, but in the harsh waters of the northern seas. The main task of the Nazis was to isolate the shores of the USSR from going to sea. However, they did not succeed: as a result of incredible efforts, the heroes of the Northern Fleet destroyed more than 200 warships and about 400 transport ships. And in the fall of 1944, the fleet drove the enemy out of these lands and the threat of seizing Murmansk was over.
In 1944, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR established the medal "For the Defense of the Soviet Polar Region". The city of Murmansk received the title of "Hero City" May 6, 1985 The most famous monument dedicated to the events of the Great Patriotic War in the hero city of Murmansk is the memorial to the Defenders of the Soviet Arctic, which is located in the Leningrad district of the city. It was opened in honor of the 30th anniversary of the defeat of the Nazi forces on October 19, 1974 and is dedicated to all the fallen heroes of those years. The people know the monument under the name "Alyosha".
Smolensk
With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, Smolensk found itself on the path of the main attack of the fascist troops in the direction of Moscow. The city was first bombed on June 24, 1941, and 4 days later the Nazis launched a second air attack on Smolensk, as a result of which the central part of the city was completely destroyed.
On July 10, 1941, the famous Battle of Smolensk began, in which the Red Army tried to stop the advancing Germans with constant counterattacks. The "Battle of the Smolensk arc" lasted until September 10.
In this battle, the Red Army suffered heavy losses - more than 700 thousand people, but the delay near Smolensk did not allow the Germans to reach Moscow before the autumn thaw and cold weather, and ultimately to the disruption of the entire Barbarossa plan.
Sevastopol
By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the city of Sevastopol was the largest port on the Black Sea and the main naval base of the country. His heroic defense against Nazi aggression began on October 30, 1941. and lasted 250 days, going down in history as an example of active, long-term defense of a seaside city deep behind enemy lines. The Germans managed to capture Sevastopol only on the fourth attempt.
While the defense of Sevastopol lasted 250 days, the liberation took only a week. The battles for the liberation of Sevastopol began on April 15, 1944, when Soviet soldiers came to the occupied city. Especially fierce battles were fought in the area adjacent to Sapun Mountain. On May 9, 1944, soldiers of the 4th Ukrainian Front, together with the sailors of the Black Sea Fleet, liberated Sevastopol. Sevastopol received the title of Hero City May 8, 1965
Odessa
Already in August 1941 Odessa was completely surrounded by Nazi troops. Her heroic defense lasted 73 days, during which the Soviet army and militia units defended the city from enemy invasion. From the mainland side Odessa was defended by the Primorsky Army, from the sea - by the ships of the Black Sea Fleet, with the support of artillery from the coast. The enemy threw forces to capture the city, five times outnumbering its defenders.
Thanks to the dedication of Soviet troops and the heroes of the people's militia, more than 160,000 German soldiers were killed, 200 enemy aircraft and 100 tanks were destroyed.
But the city was still taken on October 16, 1941. Partisan war began. Odessa was liberated on April 10, 1944, and on May 1, 1945, in the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, it was first named the Hero City. Officially, the title City Hero of Odessa was awarded May 8, 1965
Summing up the results of the defense of Odessa, the newspaper Pravda wrote:
“The whole Soviet country, the whole world watched with admiration the courageous struggle of the defenders of Odessa. They left the city without staining their honor, retaining their combat capability, ready for new battles with the fascist hordes. And on whatever front the defenders of Odessa fight, they will everywhere serve as an example of valor, courage, heroism. "
Brest Fortress
Central Museum of the Armed Forces. Part of the wall of one of the casemates in the northwestern part of the Brest Fortress. Caption: “I am dying, but I am not giving up. Goodbye, Motherland. 20 / VII-41 ". Lev Polikashin / RIA Novosti Of all the cities of the Soviet Union, it was Brest that was the first to face the aggression of the German fascist invaders.... In the early morning of June 22, 1941, the enemy bombed the Brest Fortress, in which at that time there were about 7 thousand Soviet soldiers and members of the families of their commanders.
The German command hoped to capture the fortress within a few hours, but the 45th motto of the Wehrmacht was stuck in Brest for a week and, with significant losses for another month, suppressed individual centers of resistance of the heroic defenders of Brest. As a result, the Brest Fortress became a symbol of courage, heroic stamina and valor during the Great Patriotic War.
The decree on conferring the honorary title "Hero-Fortress" on the Brest Fortress was signed on May 8, 1965.
Kiev
Ruined Independence Square in Kiev in a photograph from 1942 German troops launched a surprise attack on the city of Kiev from the air on June 22, 1941, in the very first hours of the war, and on July 6, a committee for its defense was created. From that day on, the heroic struggle for the city began, which lasted for 72 days.
Kiev was defended not only by Soviet soldiers, but also by ordinary residents. Huge efforts were made for this by the detachments of the people's militia, of which there were nineteen by the beginning of July. Also, from among the townspeople, 13 extermination battalions were formed, and a total of 33,000 people from the city's residents took part in the defense of Kiev. During those difficult July days, the Kievites built more than 1,400 bunkers, manually dug 55 kilometers of anti-tank ditches.
The courage and courage of the heroes of the defenders stopped the enemy offensive on the first line of the city's fortifications. The Nazis failed to take Kiev on the fly. However, on July 30, 1941, the fascist army made a new attempt to storm the city. On August 10, she managed to break through the defenses on its southwestern outskirts, but through the joint efforts of the people's militia and regular troops, they managed to give a worthy rebuff to the enemy. By August 15, 1941, the militia threw the Nazis back to their former positions.
The losses of the enemy near Kiev totaled more than 100,000 people. The Nazis did not undertake any more direct assaults on the city; under it, seventeen German fascist divisions were "bogged down" in battles for a long time. Such a long resistance from the defenders of the city forced the enemy to withdraw part of the forces from the offensive in the Moscow direction and transfer them to Kiev, due to which the Soviet soldiers were forced to retreat on September 19, 1941.
The Nazi invaders who occupied the city inflicted enormous damage on it, establishing a regime of brutal occupation. More than 200,000 people from Kiev were killed, and about 100,000 people were sent to Germany for forced labor.
Kiev was liberated on November 6, 1943. In honor of the feat of Soviet citizens, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR in 1961 established a new award - the medal "For the Defense of Kiev".
In 1965 Kiev was awarded the title of Hero City.
Kerch
Soviet marines are installing a ship's jack at the highest point of Kerch - Mount Mithridat. April 1944. Photo by E. A. Khaldei. During the fighting in Kerch, more than 85% of buildings were destroyed, the liberators were met just over 30 inhabitants of the city out of almost 100 thousand inhabitants of 1940
In mid-November 1941, after two weeks of fierce fighting on the Kerch Peninsula, the city was captured by the Nazis. On December 30, 1941, during the Kerch-Feodosiya landing operation, Kerch was liberated by the troops of the 51st Army of the Black Sea Fleet and the Azov Military Flotilla. But the fascists really needed Crimea. In May 1942, the Germans concentrated large forces on the Kerch Peninsula and launched a new offensive. After terrible, stubborn battles, the city was again in the hands of the Nazis. No, the defenders have nothing to be ashamed of. They stood to death.
An example is the heroic, long and stubborn struggle of the partisans in Adzhimushkay quarries ("Adzhimushkai" - translated as "Bitter gray stone"). When the marines liberated Kerch and the village of Adzhimushkay and descended into the quarries, they, hardened in the war, were shocked by what they saw: ... the further into the depths of the stone galleries, the harder it is to breathe. It smells of age-old dampness. Coldly. On the floor are rags, sheets of paper. And the remains of people.
A sheet taken at random is another shock. This is the daily delivery of different products per person: 15 grams, 10 grams, 5 grams. And in the next compartment - dozens of corpses of Soviet soldiers. In greatcoats, in bandages, reclining, head thrown back - in these positions they were caught by death. Nearby are weapons and gas masks. Shops of rifles and machine guns are empty: people fought to the last bullet.
Gloom and heavy spirit of the grave complete the ominous picture. The shocked sailors realized that it was self-sacrifice in the name of the Fatherland.
With the name of the heroes of Adzhimushkaya, the soldiers later liberated Kerch, Crimea, Sevastopol. There were 15 thousand people in the Adzhimushkai quarries, there was not enough food, water, and there was not enough air. The enraged fascists threw lighted gas bombs at the catacombs. To fight them, the defenders arranged shifts and threw burning checkers into boxes of sand. Then the Nazis began to inject gas with a compressor and drilled holes in the walls for hoses. But the defenders found a way out. They tied the hoses in a knot. Then the Germans began to inject gas directly through the holes. And here the defenders found a way out - they created gas-tight walls.
The problem N 1 became for the underground garrison - water. People sucked water from damp walls, collected it drop by drop into mugs. It was very difficult for emaciated people to dig wells; many died. And the fascists, if they heard the knock of a pickaxe, blew up this place, realizing that people were looking for water. The notes of the defenders have been preserved. From them you can see how hard it was for the fighters. And when our troops left Sevastopol, the Germans intensified their psychological attack:
"Give up. We promise you. You were left alone in Crimea, everyone surrendered. "
But the fighters understood that they were holding the German troops and did not allow them to go to Taman. They fulfilled their duty to the Motherland with honor. Members of the underground garrison did not sit in the catacombs. They came to the surface at night, destroyed enemy firing points, procured food and weapons. Many died in battle, others from weakness could not return and died.
The defense was led by PM Yagunov, who was killed by a stray German grenade.
Together with the adults, there were children in the quarries. Name AT olodya Dubinina known to many in Russia. The boy was a scout. Knowing every stone in the quarries, all the passages, thin and small young scouts could crawl through the holes into which the adults could not, and get the information necessary for the partisans. Volodya lived to see Victory. I met my mother, washed myself off the multi-layer soot and dirt. Everything seemed fine, but the Germans, retreating, mined many of the entrances to the quarries, and there were still people. Volodya, who knew the quarries well, could not help but help the sappers. One of the bombs exploded. The brave boy died. He was posthumously awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
For only a month and a half the invaders ruled for the first time, but the consequences were monstrous. "Bagerovsky ditch" - here the Nazis shot 7 thousand people. It was from here that the Soviet Commission to Investigate the Crimes of Fascism began its work. The materials of this investigation were presented at the Nuremberg Trials.
Bagerovsky anti-tank ditch near Kerch For outstanding services to the Motherland and mass heroism, courage and fortitude in 1973 (to the 30th anniversary of the liberation of Crimea) Kerch was awarded the honorary title "Hero City" with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.
Minsk
Belarusian partisans on Lenin Square in Minsk after the liberation of the city from Nazi invaders. 1944 year. V. Lupeiko / RIA Novosti In the very first days of the Nazi invasion of the USSR in June 1941, Minsk was subjected to devastating German air raids. Despite the stubborn resistance of the Red Army, the city was captured already on the sixth day of the war. During the three-year occupation in Minsk and its environs, the Germans killed more than 400 thousand people, and the city itself was turned into ruins and ashes. They destroyed 80% of residential buildings, almost all factories and plants, power plants, scientific institutions and theaters. In spite of the terror of the invaders, a patriotic underground operated in the city.
The city of Minsk and the Minsk region were the center of the partisan movement in the BSSR.
Minsk was liberated by Soviet troops on July 3, 1944. Now this date is celebrated as the Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus. In 1974 in commemoration of the merits of the citizens of the city in the fight against Nazism, Minsk received the title of Hero City.
Why is the title of "city of military glory" awarded?
Stella of the cities of military glory in the Alexander Garden. Photo: poznamka.ru The title "city of military glory" did not exist in the USSR; it was approved by Vladimir Putin in 2006. The title of a city of military glory is awarded to cities "on the territory of which or in the immediate vicinity of which, during the fierce battles, the defenders of the Fatherland showed courage, resilience and mass heroism."
In the city that received this title, a special stele is installed. Festive events and fireworks are held on February 23, May 9 and City Day.
The title of a city of military glory can also be awarded to a hero city.
Which cities of Russia have been awarded the title of "Cities of Military Glory"?
Today there are 45 Cities of Military Glory in Russia: Belgorod, Kursk, Oryol, Vladikavkaz, Malgobek, Rzhev, Yelnya, Yelets, Voronezh, Luga, Polyarny, Rostov-on-Don, Tuapse, Velikiye Luki, Veliky Novgorod, Dmitrov, Vyazma, Kronstadt, Naro-Fominsk, Pskov, Kozelsk, Arkhangelsk, Volokolamsk, Bryansk, Nalchik, Vyborg, Kalach-on-Don, Vladivostok, Tikhvin, Tver, Anapa, Kolpino, Stary Oskol, Carpets, Lomonosov, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Taganrog, Maroyaroslavets, Mozhaisk, Khabarovsk, Staraya Russa, Petrozavodsk, Grozny and Feodosia.
In the city awarded the title "City of Military Glory":
- a stele is installed with the image of the coat of arms of the city and the text of the decree of the President of the Russian Federation on conferring this title on the city;
- public events and festive fireworks are held on February 23 (Defender of the Fatherland Day), May 9 (Victory Day), as well as on City Day or the Day of the city's liberation from Nazi invaders (eg Tikhvin).
Hero City - the highest degree of distinction, which was awarded to twelve cities of the Soviet Union, famous for their heroic defense during the Great Patriotic War. For the first time, the cities of Leningrad, Stalingrad, Sevastopol and Odessa were named hero cities in Order No. 20 of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of May 1, 1945. Kiev was named a hero city in the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated June 21, 1961 "On the establishment of the medal" For the defense of Kiev "".
The regulation on the honorary title "Hero City" was approved later, on May 8, 1965, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. On the same day, seven decrees were issued, according to which Leningrad and Kiev were awarded the Gold Star medal, Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad), Sevastopol and Odessa - the Gold Star medal and the Order of Lenin, and Moscow and the Brest Fortress were for the first time awarded the title “ Hero City "and" Hero Fortress ", respectively, with the presentation of the Gold Star medal and the Order of Lenin. On July 18, 1980, the wording of the Regulations was changed: it began to speak not of an honorary title, but of the highest degree of distinction - the title of "Hero City".
Leningrad was awarded the title "Hero City" on May 8, 1965. Fierce battles on the outskirts of the city began on July 10, 1941. The numerical superiority was on the side of the Germans: almost 2.5 times more soldiers, 10 times more aircraft, 1.2 times more tanks and almost 6 times more mortars. On September 8, 1941, the Nazis managed to capture Shlisselburg and thus take control of the source of the Neva. Leningrad was blocked from land (cut off from the mainland). From that moment on, the 872-day siege of the city began.
Despite the terrible famine and the continuous attacks of the enemy, as a result of which almost 650,000 inhabitants of the city died, the Leningraders proved themselves to be real heroes. More than 500 thousand people went to work on the construction of fortifications; they built 35 km of barricades and anti-tank obstacles, as well as over 4,000 bunkers and bunkers; equipped with 22,000 firing points. The heroes of Leningrad provided the front with thousands of field and naval guns, repaired and produced 2,000 tanks, produced 10 million shells and mines, 225,000 machine guns and 12,000 mortars.
During the blockade, about 150 thousand shells were fired in Leningrad and 102,520 incendiary and 4,655 high-explosive aerial bombs were dropped. 840 industrial enterprises and more than 10 thousand residential buildings were put out of action. The Nazis failed to capture Leningrad on the move, or by storm, or by siege and starvation.
The first breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad occurred on January 18, 1943, through the efforts of the troops of the Volkhov and Leningrad fronts, when a corridor 8-11 km wide was formed between the front line and Lake Ladoga. But only on January 27, 1944, the blockade of the city was completely lifted.
2 Stalingrad (Volgograd)
In the summer of 1942, German troops launched a massive offensive on the southern front, seeking to capture the Caucasus, the Don region, the lower Volga and the Kuban - the richest and most fertile lands of the Soviet Union. Hitler was going to deal with this in a week. In order to stop the enemy offensive, the Stalingrad Front was created.
On July 17, 1942, one of the greatest and largest battles in the history of World War II began - the Battle of Stalingrad. It lasted 200 days. The first attack on the city took place on 23 August 1942. Then, just north of Stalingrad, the Germans almost approached the Volga. Policemen, sailors of the Volga Fleet, NKVD troops, cadets and other volunteers were sent to defend the city. On the same night, the Germans made the first air raid on the city, and on 25 August a state of siege was introduced in Stalingrad. Despite the almost continuous shelling, the factories of Stalingrad continued to work and produce tanks, Katyushas, \u200b\u200bguns, mortars and a huge number of shells.
On September 12, 1942, the enemy came close to the city. Two months of fierce battles for Stalingrad caused significant damage to the Germans: the Nazis lost about 700 thousand people killed and wounded.
On November 19, 1942, the Soviet army launched a counteroffensive. The offensive operation continued for 75 days, as a result of which the Germans at Stalingrad were surrounded and completely defeated. On February 2, 1943, the battle ended. During the entire time of the Battle of Stalingrad, the German army lost more than 1,500,000 people.
Stalingrad was one of the first to be named a hero city. And officially the title "Hero City" was awarded to Volgograd on May 8, 1965.
3 Sevastopol
By the beginning of World War II, the city of Sevastopol was the largest port on the Black Sea and the main naval base of the USSR. His heroic defense against the Nazis began on October 30, 1941 and lasted 250 days.
The first assault on Sevastopol is considered to be the attempts of German troops to capture the city on the move during October 30 - November 21, 1941. From October 30 to November 11, battles were fought on the distant approaches to Sevastopol, from November 2, attacks on the external defense line of the fortress began. On November 9-10, the Wehrmacht managed to completely encircle the city from land. On November 11, with the approach of the main grouping of the 11th Army of the Wehrmacht, battles began around the entire perimeter. Within 10 days, the attackers managed to slightly wedge into the front line of defense, after which there was a pause in the battle. On November 21, after shelling from coastal batteries, two cruisers and the battleship "Paris Commune", the Wehrmacht stopped the assault on the city.
The Nazis made a second attempt to seize the city in December 1941. This time, they had seven infantry divisions, two mountain rifle brigades, over 150 tanks, 300 aircraft and 1,275 guns and mortars at their disposal. But this attempt also failed.
By the end of the spring of 1942, the Germans had pulled 200,000 soldiers, 600 aircraft, 450 tanks and more than 2,000 guns and mortars to Sevastopol. They managed to blockade the city from the air and increase their activity at sea, as a result of which the city's defenders had to retreat. On July 3, 1942, the Soviet Information Bureau gave a report on the loss of Sevastopol.
The battles for the liberation of Sevastopol began on April 15, 1944. Especially fierce battles were fought in the area adjacent to Sapun Mountain. On May 9, 1944, the Soviet army liberated Sevastopol. Sevastopol was one of the first to receive the title of Hero City on May 8, 1965.
4 Odessa
In August 1941, Odessa was completely surrounded by Nazi troops. Her heroic defense lasted 73 days, during which the Soviet army and militia units defended the city from enemy invasion. From the mainland side Odessa was defended by the Primorsky Army, from the sea - by the ships of the Black Sea Fleet, with the support of artillery from the coast. The enemy threw forces to capture the city, five times outnumbering its defenders.
The first big assault on Odessa was undertaken by German troops on August 20, 1941, but Soviet troops stopped their offensive 10-14 kilometers from the city borders. Every day, 10-12 thousand women and children dug trenches, laid mines, pulled up barbed wire. In total, during the defense, the hands of residents delivered 40,000 mines, dug over 250 kilometers of anti-tank ditches, and erected about 250 barricades on the streets of the city. The hands of teenagers who worked in factories and factories made about 300,000 hand grains and the same number of anti-tank and anti-personnel mines. During the months of defense, 38 thousand ordinary inhabitants-heroes of Odessa moved to the ancient Odessa catacombs, stretching for many kilometers underground, to take part in the defense of their native city.
But the city was still taken on October 16, 1941. Odessa was liberated on April 10, 1944, and the title of Hero City was awarded in 1965.
5 Moscow
In the plans of Nazi Germany, the capture of Moscow was of prime importance. To capture the city, a special operation was developed, codenamed Typhoon. The Germans launched a major offensive against the capital in October and November 1941.
In the October operation, the Hitlerite command used 74 divisions (including 22 motorized and tank divisions), 1.8 million officers and soldiers, 1,390 aircraft, 1,700 tanks, 14,000 mortars and guns. The Hitlerite command set the task: to capture Moscow by October 16, 1941. But the Nazis were unable to break through to Moscow. The second operation consisted of 51 combat-ready divisions. On the Soviet side, just over a million people stood up to defend the city, 677 aircraft, 970 tanks and 7,600 mortars and guns.
As a result of a fierce battle that lasted more than 200 days, the enemy was driven back from Moscow. This event dispelled the myth of the invincibility of the Nazis. For exemplary performance of combat missions, 36 thousand city defenders were awarded various orders and medals, and 110 people were awarded the title "Hero of the Soviet Union". More than a million soldiers were awarded the medal "For the Defense of Moscow".
6 Kiev
A sudden blow to the city of Kiev was struck by German troops from the air on June 22, 1941 - in the very first hours of the war, a heroic struggle for the city began, which lasted 72 days. Kiev was defended not only by Soviet soldiers, but also by ordinary residents. Huge efforts were made for this by the detachments of the people's militia, of which there were nineteen by the beginning of July. Also, from among the townspeople, 13 extermination battalions were formed, and a total of 33,000 people from the city's residents took part in the defense of Kiev. Kievans built more than 1400 pillboxes and manually dug 55 kilometers of anti-tank ditches.
The Germans failed to take Kiev on the fly. However, on July 30, 1941, the fascist army made a new attempt to storm the city. On August 10, she managed to break through the defenses on its southwestern outskirts, but through the joint efforts of the people's militia and regular troops, they managed to repulse the enemy. By August 15, the militia threw the Nazis back to their former positions. The losses of the enemy near Kiev totaled more than 100,000 people. The Nazis did not undertake more direct assaults of the city. Such a long resistance from the defenders of the city forced the enemy to withdraw part of the forces from the offensive in the Moscow direction and transfer them to Kiev, due to which the Soviet soldiers were forced to retreat on September 19, 1941.
The Germans who occupied the city established a brutal occupation regime. More than 200,000 people from Kiev were killed, and about 100,000 people were sent to Germany for forced labor. Kiev was liberated on November 6, 1943. In 1965, Kiev was awarded the title of Hero City.
7 Kerch
Kerch was one of the first cities to be hit by German troops at the beginning of the war. During the entire time, the front line passed through it four times and during the war years the city was occupied twice, as a result of which 15 thousand civilians were killed and more than 14 thousand were taken to Germany for forced labor. The first time the city was captured in November 1941, after bloody battles. But already on December 30, during the Kerch-Feodosia landing operation, Kerch was liberated by Soviet troops.
In May 1942, the Germans concentrated large forces and launched a new offensive against the city. As a result of hard and stubborn battles, Kerch was again abandoned. It was from this time that the world-famous partisan war began in the Kerch (Adzhimushkay) quarries. Throughout the entire occupation, several thousand partisans and soldiers of the regular army were hiding in them, who did not allow the German troops to live in peace. For 320 days, while the city was in the hands of the enemy, the invaders destroyed all factories, burned all bridges and ships, cut down and burned parks and gardens, destroyed the power station and telegraph, blew up railway lines. Kerch was almost completely wiped off the face of the earth.
During the battles for the liberation of the Caucasus and Crimea on April 11, 1944, the city of Kerch was liberated by the soldiers of the Separate Primorsky Army and the Black Sea Fleet. On September 14, 1973 Kerch was awarded the title of Hero City.
8 Novorossiysk
To protect the city of Novorossiysk, on August 17, 1942, the Novorossiysk defensive region was created, which included the 47th Army, sailors of the Azov military flotilla and the Black Sea Fleet. People's militia units were actively created in the city, more than 200 firing defenses and command posts were built, a strip of anti-tank and anti-personnel obstacles, more than thirty kilometers long, was equipped.
The ships of the Black Sea Fleet especially distinguished themselves in the struggle for Novorossiysk. Despite the heroic efforts of the defenders of Novorossiysk, the forces were unequal, and on September 7, 1942, the enemy managed to enter the city and seize several administrative facilities in it. But after four days, the Nazis were stopped in the southeastern part of the city and went over to a defensive position.
To liberate Novorossiysk, on the night of February 4, 1943, Soviet naval paratroopers landed on the southern border of the hero city, in the vicinity of the village of Stanichki. A kind of foothold with an area of \u200b\u200b30 sq. kilometers, entered the chronicle of the Great Patriotic War under the name "Small Land". The battle for Novorossiysk lasted 225 days and ended with the complete liberation of the hero-city on September 16, 1943. On September 14, 1973 Novorossiysk received the title of Hero City.
9 Minsk
From the first days of the Great Patriotic War, Minsk was in the very center of the battles, as it was in the direction of the main attack of the Germans - to Moscow. The advance units of the enemy troops approached the city on June 26, 1941. They were met by only one 64th Rifle Division, which in just three days of fierce fighting destroyed about 300 enemy vehicles and armored vehicles, as well as a lot of tank equipment. On June 27, the Nazis managed to be thrown back, 10 km from Minsk - this reduced the striking force and the pace of the Nazis' advance to the east. Nevertheless, after stubborn and heavy fighting, on June 28, Soviet troops were forced to retreat and leave the city.
The Nazis established a tough occupation regime in Minsk, they destroyed a huge number of both prisoners of war and civilians in the city. But underground groups and sabotage detachments began to form in the city. Thanks to the partisans, many offensive operations of the Germans were thwarted. More than 11,000 trains were derailed, guerrillas blew up more than 300,000 rails. Several military and administrative objects were blown up.
On July 3, 1944, Soviet tanks entered the city during its liberation from the Germans. On June 26, 1974 Minsk was awarded the title of Hero City.
10 Tula
By October 1941, the Germans had managed to quite advance deep into Russia. Oryol was taken, from which only 180 km remained to Tula. There were no military units in Tula, except for: one NKVD regiment, which guarded the defense plants working here at full capacity, the 732th anti-aircraft artillery regiment, which covered the city from the air, and fighter battalions consisting of workers and employees.
Immediately after the capture of Orel, Tula was transferred to martial law. Residents of the city girdled Tula with ribbons of trenches, dug anti-tank ditches inside the city, set holes and hedgehogs, built barricades and strongholds. Parallel to this, active work was carried out to evacuate defense plants.
The Germans threw three armored divisions, one motorized and a regiment "Great Germany" on the capture of Tula. Despite the fierce attacks, in which about a hundred tanks participated from the enemy, the enemy did not manage to break through to Tula in any sector of the battles. On December 7, 1976, Tula received the title of Hero City.
11 Murmansk
To seize the lands of the Arctic, from Norway and Finland, the Germans deployed the "Norway" front. In the plans of the invaders was an attack on the Kola Peninsula. The defense of the peninsula was deployed on the Northern Front, a strip 500 km long. It was these units that covered the Murmansk, Kandelak and Ukhta directions. The ships of the Northern Fleet and the ground forces of the Soviet Army participated in the defense, protecting the Arctic from the invasion of German troops.
The enemy offensive began on June 29, 1941, but Soviet soldiers stopped the enemy 20-30 kilometers from the border line. At the cost of fierce fighting, the front line remained unchanged until 1944, when Soviet troops launched an offensive. Murmansk is one of those cities that became front-line from the very first days of the war. The Nazis made 792 air raids and dropped 185 thousand bombs on the city - but Murmansk survived and continued to work as a port city. Under regular air raids, ordinary heroes were unloading and loading ships, building bomb shelters, and producing military equipment. For all the war years, the Murmansk port received 250 ships, handled 2 million tons of various cargo.
The main strategic actions were developed not on land, but in the waters of the northern seas. The heroes of the Northern Fleet destroyed more than 200 German warships and about 400 transport ships. And in the fall of 1944, the fleet drove out the enemy, and the threat of seizing Murmansk was over. Murmansk received the title "Hero City" on May 6, 1985.
12 Smolensk
With the outbreak of World War II, Smolensk found itself on the path of the main attack of the German troops towards Moscow. The city underwent the first bombardment on June 24, 1941, and 4 days later the Nazis made a second air attack on Smolensk, as a result of which the central part of the city was completely destroyed.
On July 10, 1941, the famous Smolensk battle began, which lasted until September 10 of the same year. Soldiers of the Western Front of the Red Army stood up to defend the city. The enemy outnumbered them in human resources, artillery and aircraft (2 times), as well as in tank equipment (4 times).
Despite the heroic efforts of the defenders of Smolensk, on July 29, 1941, the Nazis managed to enter the city. The occupation lasted until September 25, 1943, but during these years, residents continued to fight the enemy, creating partisan detachments and conducting underground subversive activities.