Today everyone has the opportunity to look at what looked like the Victory Banner over the Reichstag.Photos that have been made after hoisting, common in large enough quantities.However, how to perform the command, and under whose leadership know in today's world few.Therefore it is necessary to elaborate on this issue, the debate on which lasted quite a long time.And yet there is no clear opinion on who is raising a symbol of victory.
Historical information about the attacks on the German capital
Thrice our troops managed to gain a foothold in the territory of Berlin.For the first time this has happened in the years of the Seven Years' War.While the troops that attacked the capital of Prussia, commanded by Major-General Totleben.The second time, Berlin was taken during the war with Napoleon, namely in 1813.And in 1945, the capital of Germany has taken the third time the Red Army.
When we had to start the assault?
had a lot of doubts.Back in February, according to Marshal Chuikov, I had the opportunity to gain a foothold in the German capital.In addition, it managed to save many thousands of lives.Marshal Zhukov, however, thought otherwise and canceled the attack.In this he was guided by the fact that the soldiers are tired.And the rear did not have time to catch up to that time.The Americans, along with the British and all decided to abandon the assault on Berlin, arguing that the loss would be too great.
During the Berlin operation were killed and wounded about 352 thousand people.Polish Army were missing about 2892 soldiers.
attack in two directions and inconsistencies commanders
Naturally, it was immediately clear that Berlin is practically no chance.But the commander of the Soviet troops was decided to begin the assault.It was decided to attack from two sides.Marshal Zhukov, who commanded the 1st Byelorussian Front, attacked from the northeast.Marshal Konev, who led the 1st Ukrainian Front, launched an attack from the southwest.
plan was rejected by the city environment.Two marshals around trying to get ahead of each other.The essence of the original plan was that Konev attacked one half of the German capital, and Zhukov - another.
April 16 attack began Byelorussian Front.During her at the gates of the Seelow killed about 80 thousand soldiers.1st Ukrainian Front crossing of the River Spree began April 18.Marshal Konev gave the command of the attack April 20 in Berlin.Exactly the same team gave Zhukov April 21, stressing that it must be done at any cost.At the same time the success of the operation it was necessary to inform immediately and to Comrade Stalin.
Due to the lack of coordination between the two armies were lost many soldiers.It should be noted that such "competition" was completed in favor of Marshal Zhukov.Thanks
that were filed in advance
advance, it was decided to make a battle flag.But a little thought, they were made of nine pieces by the number of divisions attacked the Reichstag.One of these banners subsequently passed under the command of Major-General Schatiloff the 150th Division, which fought in the immediate vicinity of the Reichstag.That is the Victory Banner and then leaped over the structure of the German Bundestag.
With the coming April 30 at about three o'clock Shatilov was handed an order from Zhukov.He was absolutely secret.It marshal my thanks to the troops who put up the Banner of Victory.This was done in advance.But before the Reichstag was still a break of about 300 meters.And literally had to fight the battle for every meter.
hoist the banner at any cost!
first attempt attack failed.But it should be noted that Marshal Zhukov in his order identified the exact date.According to the official paper that was to be done on April 30 at 14.25.
Naturally, it was impossible to violate the order.Therefore Shatila gave the command to hoist the Victory Banner over the Reichstag at any cost, by taking any action in this case.And if he does not get to hoist the flag, then at least to raise the entrance to the building of a small box.Maybe Shatila was afraid that it was ahead of the commander of the 171st Division Nehoda.Thus, in the Berlin competition going on between the marshals and of the Reichstag - between the division commander.
Trying to obey the order, the volunteers took homemade red flags, rushed to the main building of the German.It should be noted that in conventional warfare is first necessary to master the main point, and only then to hoist the flag of victory.But in this war, it happened quite the opposite.
674 th Regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Plehodanova was adequate for the hoisting of the flag.When doing this distinguished Lieutenant Koshkarbaev.To cope with the task, under his command were given to the soldiers of the reconnaissance, led by Senior Lieutenant Sorokin.
appearance of the first symbol of victory in the German building
And now, after 7 hours, the red flag of victory (namely its miniature copy) was fixed to the wall of the Reichstag.Needless to say, how hard the soldiers were overcome the last meters of the Royal Plaza!The movement was accompanied by a constant barrage.However, with the task they have coped.By the way, the flag is attached to the wall of one of the soldiers - Bulatov.He thus stood on the shoulders of Lieutenant Koshkarbayev.
Thus, fighters Koshkarbaev Bulatov and the first to reach the main building of the German.It happened on April 30 at 18.30.
skeptical attitude to the command championship Koshkarbayev and Bulatov
Attacked Reichstag and the battalion under the command of Neustroeva, who was a member of 756 th Regiment of the same 150th Division.Three times the assault failed.It was only the fourth attempt the soldiers were able to reach the building.It broke the doors of three soldiers - Maj Sokolovsky and two privates.But there they were waiting Koshkarbaev and Bulatov.
There are some details, the essence of which is that the miniature flags to win a foothold in the column ordinary Peter Shcherbina.He picked it up from the hands of the dead man on the steps of Peter Pyatnitsky, who was the liaison battalion commander Neustroeva.It is not known whether he was the first.
Naturally, championship Koshkarbayev and Bulatov Command did not want to believe.At 19.00 the building Reichstag broke all the other soldiers of the 150th Division.The front door was broken.After a fierce firefight building came under the control of the Soviet troops.
battle for the Reichstag lasted very long
fighting inside the building lasted for two days.Basic SS troops were knocked out before May 1st.However, some individual soldiers entrenched in the basements, resisted until May 2.During all these days, while there were fighting, were killed and wounded about two and a half thousand enemy soldiers.The prisoner managed to capture the same.The huge help in the assault could have infantry units.However, except for the battles in the building, the war went on and around it.Soviet troops crushed the Berlin group, which prevented to take the capital.
appearance of the symbol Victory
Raising the Victory Banner over the Reichstag began after the attack the building.First of all, Colonel Zinchenko, who led the 756th regiment, congratulated the soldiers on the success of the operation.It was he who gave the order for the delivery of the Banner of Staff.In addition, there is evidence that it was he who gave the command to select two characters, who will raise the flag of victory.They were Yegorov and Kantaria.
Somewhere in 21.30 they were able to get to the roof of the Reichstag.After that, they are primarily secured on the front of the banner, which is located above the main entrance.Then, receiving the appropriate command, under constant bombardment and the risk of break Yegorov and Kantaria climbed to the top of the dome and placed on it a symbol of victory.And it happened in the morning, respectively, May 1.This version is the official.
So who was the first?
But according to historian Sychev, this version is incorrect.Exploring archives and conducting private meetings with soldiers who stormed the main building of the German, he found that there was another self-made symbol of victory, which belonged to a group of Sorokin.Thus, in his opinion, the Victory Banner over the Reichstag and hoisted Provatorov Bulatov, who served in the 674th Cavalry Regiment.And it happened at seven o'clock in the evening.This fact is fully confirmed by archival documents 674 Regiment.
It should be noted that there are some contradictions in the documents of the 756 th Regiment, which speaks of the storming of the Reichstag and the flag that hoisted Yegorov and Kantaria.For example, the planting date does not always indicate the same.It should be noted that the scouts, commanded by Sorokin, immediately after the capture of the Reichstag, received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.The feat of the group is sufficient detail in premium sheets.However, the stars of the Hero has not been received.And all because of the fact that Yegorov was to become a hero Kantariya.No one was not needed for the hoisting of the flag.
Thus, it appears that the first banner was secured over the front of the building and Provatorov Bulatov.Operation of hoisting the flag on the dome of the Reichstag directed Alexey Berest.Egorov Kantariya, respectively, performed his orders.That flag, which has been fixed on the wall and Koshkarbayev Bulatov, was shot by soldiers.Scraps from him were divided between them on the memory.
large number of symbols of victory over the Reichstag
There is an opinion, and that the first flag was hoisted ordinary Kazantsev.It should be understood that for the time of the assault on the Reichstag was taken about 40 different panels, among which were as large banners and miniature flags.They can be seen almost everywhere.Windows, doors, roofs, walls and columns - it was in the red a symbol of victory.
confusion in this matter has arisen for several reasons.On the first hand, fighting for the Reichstag lasted more than a day.German artillery managed everything else several times to destroy the banners by successfully sent a projectile.On the other hand, several groups were ordered by hoisting the flag over the building.And all the soldiers acted without knowing that, apart from them and others perform this order.In order not to look for one single group, which first handled by the purpose, command decided to erect one banner, which summarizes in itself all the others fighting cloth.
Note that Kazantsev was the war.Naturally, he often found himself in the hospital.But quickly recovering, he again returned to the line of attack.However, the irony was that the very next day after hoisting the flag Kazantsev was quite seriously injured and died on May 13.
zip Banner on Red Square and failed
Unfortunately, the parade, which went down in history, a symbol of victory no one saw.The banner group was removed after the dress rehearsal.Preparation for the parade was held for a month.However, the heroes were able to fly it at a time when it was only up to two days.The parade took place under the command of Rokossovskogo.He took his Marshal Zhukov.
Neustroev, who was holding the Banner, Yegorov and Kantaria had to start the parade.At that moment, when I sounded march Neustroyev was very hard.Because of the injury, he almost became disabled.Thus at one point he just lost his feet and trotted.It is because of that moment, and it was decided to Zhukov that the standard-bearers at the parade should not be.
huge role of absolutely all participants of the war
total reward for the capture of the Reichstag, as well as planting the symbol of Victory got about 100 people.We can say that the symbol of victory was hoisted by each individual soldier.And the young guards who were killed at the beginning of the war in the Brest fortress, and the blockade of Leningrad, and even evacuated workers.All those who survived and all those who could not see the Victory Parade - everything took part not only in victory, but in hoisting her character to the building of the German Bundestag.
Today homemade Victory Banner photo, which can look everyone, is permanently stored in the Museum of the Armed Forces.And every year on Victory Day he sneaked across Red Square.
