Defenders of the Soviet Arctic during the Great Patriotic War
Encyclopedia
Defenders of the Soviet Arctic during the Great Patriotic War , commonly called Alyosha is a monument in Murmansk, Russia to Soviet
soldiers, sailors, and airmen of World War II
(called, in Russia, the Great Patriotic War
).
with a rifle slung over his shoulder. The height of the pedestal is 7 metres (23 ft); the statue is 35.5 metres (116.5 ft) tall. It is the second-tallest statue in Russia, after The Motherland Calls
in Volgograd
. The weight of the statue, which is hollow, is over 5,000 tons. The soldier faces west, toward the Valley of Glory
, where the fiercest fighting of the Actic Campaign occurred when the German invaders were turned back from the approaches to Murmansk at the Zapadnaya Litsa River
in July of 1941.
In front of the monument is a platform of natural black stone bearing an eternal flame
. A little higher and closer to the statue is a sloping triangular pyramid. According to the designers, this pyramid represents a flag at half–mast as a sign of mourning for the fallen soldiers of the red banner. Next to the statue is a stele
of polished granite with this inscription:
Slightly to one side of the monument are two anti–aircraft guns. (During the war, anti–aircraft guns were emplaced at the site as part of the air defense of Murmansk.) Built into the foot of the monument are two capsules, one with seawater from the gravesite of the heroic patrol craft Tumen
which sank while fighting off three German destroyers, one with earth from the Vally of Glory and from the Verman River
front.
A large central staircase leads up to a podium used by speakers during ceremonies at the monument. Completing the complex is a mall built in 2004 with plaques commemorating the other hero cities
.
at Cape Green in the Leninsky District. Collection of funds for the project was initiated by a floating workshop collective named "Chisel". Ground was broken on October 17 1969 and construction began in May of 1974.
The monument was dedicated on the 30th anniversary of the defeat of German forces in the Arctic – October 19th, 1974. At the opening ceremony, a column proceeded to the site, with two armored personnel carriers at the head and at the rear a gun carriage with the remains of an Unknown Soldier and the two capsules, one of water and one of earth. Standing on the roads in Kola Bay, the cruiser Murmansk saluted with 30 volleys in honor of the holiday and the opening of the memorial.
On May 9, 1975, the Unknown Soldier was reburied in a solemn ceremony at the eternal flame at the foot of the monument.
In October 2004, the 60th anniversary of the victory of Soviet forces in the Arctic, a memorial plaque and capsule containing earth from the other hero cities was installed at the mall of the hero cities.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
soldiers, sailors, and airmen of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(called, in Russia, the Great Patriotic War
Great Patriotic War (term)
The term Great Patriotic War , Velíkaya Otéchestvennaya voyná,) is used in Russia and some other states of the former Soviet Union to describe the portion of World War II from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945, against Nazi Germany and its allies in the many fronts of Soviet-German war.-History:The term...
).
Description
The statue is of a soldier in a greatcoatGreatcoat
A greatcoat, also known as a watchcoat, is a large overcoat typically made of wool designed for warmth and protection against the weather. Its collar and cuffs can be turned out to protect the face and hands from cold and rain, and the short cape around the shoulders provides extra warmth and...
with a rifle slung over his shoulder. The height of the pedestal is 7 metres (23 ft); the statue is 35.5 metres (116.5 ft) tall. It is the second-tallest statue in Russia, after The Motherland Calls
The Motherland Calls
The Motherland Calls, , also called Mother Motherland, Mother Motherland Is Calling, simply The Motherland, or The Mamayev Monument, is a statue in Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd, Russia commemorating the Battle of Stalingrad. It was designed by sculptor Yevgeny Vuchetich and structural engineer...
in Volgograd
Volgograd
Volgograd , formerly called Tsaritsyn and Stalingrad is an important industrial city and the administrative center of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. It is long, north to south, situated on the western bank of the Volga River...
. The weight of the statue, which is hollow, is over 5,000 tons. The soldier faces west, toward the Valley of Glory
Valley of Glory
The Valley of Glory is a valley on the right bank of the Zapadnaya Litsa River. The bloody battle began in the summer of 1941 as German forces launched offensive towards Murmansk. Russian forces halted enemy attack and frontline stabilized until the autumn of 1944....
, where the fiercest fighting of the Actic Campaign occurred when the German invaders were turned back from the approaches to Murmansk at the Zapadnaya Litsa River
Zapadnaya Litsa River
Zapadnaya Litsa River is a river in the north of the Kola Peninsula in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It is 107 km in length. The area of its basin is 1,190 km². The Zapadnaya Litsa River originates on the Kuchintundra and flows into the Barents Sea...
in July of 1941.
In front of the monument is a platform of natural black stone bearing an eternal flame
Eternal flame
An eternal flame is a flame or torch that burns day and night for an indefinite period. The flame that burned constantly at Delphi was an archaic feature, "alien to the ordinary Greek temple"....
. A little higher and closer to the statue is a sloping triangular pyramid. According to the designers, this pyramid represents a flag at half–mast as a sign of mourning for the fallen soldiers of the red banner. Next to the statue is a stele
Stele
A stele , also stela , is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerals or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living — inscribed, carved in relief , or painted onto the slab...
of polished granite with this inscription:
Slightly to one side of the monument are two anti–aircraft guns. (During the war, anti–aircraft guns were emplaced at the site as part of the air defense of Murmansk.) Built into the foot of the monument are two capsules, one with seawater from the gravesite of the heroic patrol craft Tumen
Tuman (Soviet patrol boat)
The Tuman was a Soviet patrol boat that achieved lasting fame in a battle fought in arctic waters in 1941.The Tuman was built in 1931 in the Free City of Danzig as a seagoing fishing trawler, with a displacement of 1,218 tons, a length of and width of , a speed of 9 knots, and a range of .On...
which sank while fighting off three German destroyers, one with earth from the Vally of Glory and from the Verman River
Verman River
-References:...
front.
A large central staircase leads up to a podium used by speakers during ceremonies at the monument. Completing the complex is a mall built in 2004 with plaques commemorating the other hero cities
Hero City
Hero City is a Soviet honorary title awarded for outstanding heroism during the German-Soviet War of 1941 to 1945. It was awarded to twelve cities of the Soviet Union. In addition the Brest Fortress was awarded an equivalent title of Hero-Fortress...
.
History
The first plan was to build the monument at Five Corners, the main square of Murmansk, but it was later decided to build it on a hill overlooking the city and Kola BayKola Bay
Kola Bay or Murmansk Fjord is a 57-km-long fjord of the Barents Sea that cuts into the northern part of the Kola Peninsula. It is up to 7 km wide and has a depth of 200 to 300 metres. The Tuloma and Kola Rivers discharge into the bay....
at Cape Green in the Leninsky District. Collection of funds for the project was initiated by a floating workshop collective named "Chisel". Ground was broken on October 17 1969 and construction began in May of 1974.
The monument was dedicated on the 30th anniversary of the defeat of German forces in the Arctic – October 19th, 1974. At the opening ceremony, a column proceeded to the site, with two armored personnel carriers at the head and at the rear a gun carriage with the remains of an Unknown Soldier and the two capsules, one of water and one of earth. Standing on the roads in Kola Bay, the cruiser Murmansk saluted with 30 volleys in honor of the holiday and the opening of the memorial.
On May 9, 1975, the Unknown Soldier was reburied in a solemn ceremony at the eternal flame at the foot of the monument.
In October 2004, the 60th anniversary of the victory of Soviet forces in the Arctic, a memorial plaque and capsule containing earth from the other hero cities was installed at the mall of the hero cities.