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During the darkest years of the war, the people of Smolensk participated in decisive battles, contributing to changing the course and course of the conflict. Hundreds of thousands of the land's finest sons and daughters fell, their blood soaking into every inch of soil, transforming Smolensk into a sacred land, a living monument to sacrifice and courage. These painful losses are etched into the national memory, but at the same time, they forged pride and unwavering will, passed down from generation to generation.
"No one is forgotten, nothing is forgotten" - these are not just words solemnly inscribed on the city's glorious monuments, but have become a motto deeply ingrained in the hearts of every resident of Smolensk. They live with the past, cherish the present, and look towards the future with an unwavering, indomitable will.
To commemorate the liberation of Smolensk, in 1974 a commemorative emblem made of red granite was placed in the center of the heroic city of Smolensk (Gromovo Tower).
Located 378km west of Moscow, upstream on the tranquil Dnepr River, and bordering Belarus, the city of Smolensk stands as a majestic witness to history. With centuries of history, the city has endured countless sieges, fierce battles, and immeasurable suffering and loss. Yet, under any circumstances, Smolensk has always stood firm, refusing to surrender to any enemy. This resilient and indomitable history has forged the heroic qualities of the people of Smolensk, transforming them into outstanding sons and daughters of the nation, ready to sacrifice themselves for independence and freedom.
The city of Smolensk is a city with a long history, having repeatedly endured sieges, destruction, and tragic losses.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly emphasized the important position of the Smolensk region in Russian history. He affirmed that Russians have always deeply understood and been proud of Smolensk's immense role as a heroic city, a solid "shield" of the country. During the fierce years of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), hundreds of thousands of Smolensk residents bravely took up arms on the front lines, defending every inch of their homeland.
But the war didn't just claim the lives of soldiers. More than half a million people in Smolensk, including innocent children, the elderly, and women, became victims of this brutal conflict. The governor of the Smolensk region, Vasily Anokhin, stated in a meeting with foreign journalists that there are more than 1,500 memorials throughout the region, and about 1,000 of them are mass graves, the final resting place of thousands who fell. These heartbreaking figures are undeniable proof of the brutality and horror of Nazi Germany, and a stark reminder of the value of peace.
President Putin has repeatedly emphasized the important position of the Smolensk region in Russian history.
From 1941 to 1943, the city of Smolensk endured the brutal occupation of the Nazi German army. During this dark period, much of the city was reduced to ruins and desolation. The streets and alleys of Smolensk became graveyards, burying hundreds of thousands of innocent lives. This immense sacrifice and loss left a deep scar on the hearts of the people of Smolensk, but at the same time, it forged their will and determination to protect what was most sacred to their nation.
In Smolensk, the memorials are not merely structures of remembrance, but haunting reminders of the painful past of the Great Patriotic War. The monument to the children—prisoners of Nazi concentration camps, also known by the poignant name "Burning Flowers"—is one of the most powerfully moving symbols.
The image of the emaciated, tiny bodies of children clustered together in a sphere evokes a feeling of choked-up sorrow and a shiver down the viewer's spine, a stark reminder of what history has witnessed. Over 2,000 innocent lives perished here, in the brutal concentration camps of Nazi Germany. This monument, erected in 2005, serves as a memorial from the survivors of those hellish years to their young, deceased comrades.
Russians are well aware of and proud of Smolensk's significant role in history; it is a heroic city, a shield of Russia.
Not far away is the Monument to the Smolensk guerrillas – those who participated in Operation "Children". The monument depicts the image of the resilient female guerrillas and teachers who led groups of children evacuating over 200 kilometers through arduous conditions, under enemy bombardment, to reach the Toropets train station in the Kalinin region (now Tver), and from there brought them safely to the rear. The image of a woman cradling her young child, surrounded by other children, radiates protection, love, and a fierce will to live, moving anyone who sees it to tears.
When laying flowers at the city's memorials, visitors are inevitably shocked and haunted by the numbers inscribed on the mass graves. Thousands, tens of thousands of people lost their lives in the unjust war; these dry numbers suddenly come alive, screaming about the brutality of war and the irreparable loss. Even in the grounds of a local hospital today, a small plaque marks the resting place of more than 1,500 Soviet Red Army soldiers who fell defending their homeland.
Russian historical records also state: "For centuries, Smolensk was the defender of Russia's western border. It was rightly called a key city, a shield of Russia."
The memorial, located on Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya Street in Smolensk, was built to commemorate the Soviet citizens who died in Concentration Camp No. 126 during the Nazi occupation of the city (from the summer of 1941 to the autumn of 1943). A total of 87 mass burial sites have been discovered in this area, containing the remains of more than 45,000 people.
The memorial was built on the site of a concentration camp in 1975, with rows of simple concrete tombstones inscribed with the years of death of those who perished: 1941, 1942, 1943... The facade of the memorial is a hollow trapezoidal structure, reminiscent of the cold, dark prisons of Nazi Germany. Above, the inscription "Hormonal crimes were committed here" serves as a powerful indictment, echoing through the ages. More than a hundred kilometers from Smolensk, in the city of Vyazma, the "Dulag-184" memorial also commemorates over 30,000 people who died in the concentration camp. The sculptures there, with their bas-reliefs depicting the deceased, further intensify the pain and loss of the war.
A wreath-laying ceremony was held to commemorate the heroes of the Great Patriotic War at the Heroes' Memorial Square in Smolensk.
And there are many more documents and images about the Great Patriotic War preserved at the "Museum of the Smolensk Region in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945" and the Museum of the Unknown Soldier in the Smolensk region. The museum guides, with overwhelming emotion, shared stories about the artifacts of those who sacrificed their lives. They said that every inch of this land is soaked with the blood and tears of countless outstanding sons and daughters of the nation.
