Some sources claim that the history of Brest Fortress began a century before her heroic feat in 1941.It does not correspond to reality.Fortress has long existed.Complete reconstruction of the medieval citadel in the town Berestye (the historical name of Brest) began in 1836 and lasted six years.
Immediately after the fire in 1835 the tsarist government decided to modernize a fortress that in the future to give it the status of the western outpost of national importance.
Medieval Brest
fortress dates back to the 11th century, mention of it can be found in the well-known "The Tale of Bygone Years", which captured scenes chronicle of the struggle for the throne between two great princes - Yaroslav and Svyatopolk.
Having a very privileged position - on a promontory between two rivers Western Bug and Mukhavets, birch bark soon acquired the status of a major shopping center.
In ancient times, the main ways of the merchant's movement was the river.And here the whole two waterways were given an opportunity to promote goods from east to west and vice versa.In Bug could get in Poland, Lithuania and Europe, and on Mukhavets through Pripyat and the Dnieper - in the Black Sea steppes and the Middle East.
can only guess how beautiful was the medieval fortress of Brest. photo illustrations and drawings of the early period of the fortress - a rarity, to meet them is possible only as museum exhibits.
Due to continuous transition of the Brest Fortress under the jurisdiction of a State and arrangement of the town in its own way, the plan and the outpost and settlement underwent minor changes.Some were inspired by the demands of the time, however, more than five hundred years of the Brest Fortress managed to keep its original medieval character and an appropriate atmosphere.
1812.French citadel
Border geography of Brest has always been the cause of the struggle for the town: 800 years history of Brest Fortress captured dominion Turov and Lithuanian principalities, Rzeczpospolita (Poland), and only in 1795 Brest became an integral part of the Russian land.
But Napoleon's invasion, the Russian government did not attach great importance to the ancient fortress.Only during the Russian-French war of 1812 Brest Fortress has confirmed its status as a reliable outpost, which, as people say its helps and destroys enemies.
French was also decided to leave Brest for themselves, but Russian troops recaptured the fortress, won a stunning victory over the French cavalry units.
historic decision
This victory was a starting point for addressing the tsarist government to build on the site of a medieval fortress flimsy enough new and powerful strengthening in the spirit of the time in the architectural style and military significance.
And what about the heroes of Brest Fortress of the Patriotic War of 1812?For any military action suggest the appearance of desperate adventurers and patriots.Their names remain unknown to wide circles of the then public, but it is possible that their reward for the courage they have received from the hands of the Emperor Alexander.
fire in Brest
fire that engulfed the ancient city in 1835, accelerated the process of the general reconstruction of the Brest Fortress.The plans of the then engineers and architects has been to destroy the medieval buildings to their place to erect a completely new architectural character and the strategic importance of the building.
fire destroyed about 300 buildings in the fort, and that, paradoxically, it was on the arm and the tsarist government, and builders, and the population of the town.
Reconstruction
Having given fire victims compensation in the form of cash and building materials, the government persuaded them to settle not in the fortress, and separately - two kilometers from the outpost, thus providing a single function of the fortress - protective.
history of Brest Fortress had never known such a grandiose reconstruction: medieval settlement was razed to the ground, and in its place rose the most powerful stronghold with thick walls, the whole system of the lift bridge, connects the three artificial islands, from the bastion forts equipped ravelins,with unassailable ten-earthen wall, with narrow loopholes allowing defenders to be protected as much as possible during the shelling.
Protective opportunities fortress in the 19th century
addition of protective structures, which will certainly play a key role in repelling enemy attacks, is also important and the number of well-trained soldiers, serving in the frontier fortress.
citadel defensive strategy was conceived by architects to the subtleties.Otherwise, why give ordinary soldiers' barracks chief importance of strengthening?Guests in rooms with walls as thick as two meters, one of the soldiers was subconsciously prepared to reflect the possible attacks of the enemy, literally jumped out of bed - at any time of the day.
500 casemates the fortress easily fit 12,000 soldiers with full armament and provisions for several days.The barracks were so well concealed from prying eyes, that their presence could hardly guess the uninitiated - they were in the thick of that same ten-meter rampart.
special architectural solutions fortress became inextricable link its facilities: the protruding towers covered the main stronghold of the fire and of the forts located on the islands, you can lead a purposeful fire, protecting the front.
When the castle was fortified by a ring of 9 forts, it has become virtually invulnerable: each of them could fit a whole garrison of soldiers (which is 250 servicemen), plus 20 guns.
Brest Fortress in peacetime
The period of calm on the borders of the state of Brest measured lived a leisurely life.And in the city, and the fortress reigned enviable rhythm, in churches committed service.At the fortress there were several churches - still a huge number of military fit one church could not.
One of the local monastery was rebuilt in the building for meetings of officers of rank and was named the White Palace.
But in the calm periods the castle is not so easy to get there.Entrance to the "heart" of the citadel consisted of four gates.Three of them, as a symbol of their inaccessibility, the existing state of the Brest Fortress.Museum begins with the old gate: Kholmsk Terespol, Northern ... Each of them was ordered to become the gateway to paradise for his many defenders in future wars.
Equipment fortress on the eve of the First World
During the turmoil in Europe, the fortress of Brest-Litovsk, remained one of the most reliable fortifications on the Russian-Polish border.The main task of the citadel - "to facilitate the freedom of action of the army and navy," which had no modern weapons and equipment.
From 871 units of weapons, only 34% meet the requirements of combat in modern conditions, the remaining guns were obsolete.Among the guns dominated by old patterns, capable of carrying out the shots at a distance of no more than 3 miles.At this time, a potential enemy had mortars and artillery systems .45.
In 1910 aeronautic battalion fortress was at the disposal of his first airship, and in 1911 the Brest-Litovsk fortress special imperial decree was equipped with its own radio station.
first war of the 20th century
First World War found the Brest Fortress in a relatively peaceful occupation - building.Attracted by villagers from nearby and distant villages actively constructed more forts.
Fortress would be well protected if it is not broke on the eve of the military reform, which resulted in the Corps was disbanded and lost outpost of fighting garrison.At the beginning of the First World in the Brest-Litovsk fortress left alone militias that during the retreat were forced to burn the most robust and modern outpost.
But the main event of the first war of the twentieth century to the fortress was not due to military actions - within its walls was signed Brest peace treaty.
Monuments Brest Fortress have a different look and character, and one of those is this significant for the time the contract.
As people learned about the heroism of Brest
Most contemporaries know Brest citadel on the events of the first day of the treacherous attack of Nazi Germany on the Soviet Union.Information about this appeared not immediately announced its own, the Germans completely unexpected way: having shown grudging admiration for the heroism of the defenders of Brest personal diaries, which were later found and published military journalists.
It happened in 1943-1944.Until that time, about the heroism of the citadel it was unknown to a wider audience, and the survivors of the "meat grinder" heroes of the Brest Fortress, according to senior military officials, is generally regarded as prisoners of war, surrendered to the enemy from cowardice.
information that local tochilis fighting in the citadel and in July and even in August 1941, also did not immediately become public.But now historians can say for sure: the Brest fortress which the enemy expected to take up to 8 hours, kept for a long time.
start date of hell: June 22, 1941
Before the war, which was not expected, Brest fortress looked very negrozno: old ramparts donkey overgrown grass in the territory - flowers and playgrounds.In early June the main regiments stationed in the fortress, left her and went to summer training camps.
On the night of June 22, the outpost was almost defenseless.
history of Brest fortress for all the centuries did not know even such treachery: wee hours of the short summer nights were for its inhabitants utter hell.Suddenly, out of nowhere, the fortress was opened artillery fire, being caught everyone by surprise in it, and to the territory of the outpost ruthless burst of 17 000 "fellows" of the Wehrmacht.
But neither blood nor horror, nor the death of comrades could not break and stop the heroic defenders of Brest.They fought for eight days, according to official data.And two months - according to unofficial.
not so simple and not so quick to give in Brest Fortress.Defense 1941 became an omen of all future course of the war and the enemy showed the ineffectiveness of his cold calculation and super-weapon that wins unpredictable heroism poorly armed, but ardently loving the fatherland of the Slavs.
«Talking» stones
What now silently screaming Brest Fortress?The museum has preserved numerous artifacts and the stones on which you can read records of its defenders.Short phrases in one or two lines take the quick, touched to tears of all generations, though they sound sparingly manly dry and businesslike.
Muscovites Ivanov, Stepanchikov Zhuntyaev and led the chronicle of this terrible period - nail stone tears at the heart.Two of them died and the remaining Ivanov also knew that he would not have long promised: "There was last pomegranate.Live will not give up ", and then asked:" Avenge us, comrades. "
Among the evidence that the fortress was held longer than eight days left unturned date: July 20, 1941 - the most distinct of them.
To understand the importance of heroism and resistance of the defenders for the entire country, just need to remember the date and place: Brest Fortress, 1941.
Create a memorial
the first time since the occupation of the territory of the fortress of the representatives of the Soviet Union (and the official of the people) were able to get there in 1943.Just at that time, and have published excerpts from the diaries of German soldiers and officers.
Before Brest was a legend, passed from mouth to mouth on all fronts and in the rear.To make the events of formality, to stop all kinds of fiction (even positive character) and capture the heroism of Brest fortress for centuries, the western outpost, it was decided to reclassify to the memorial.
Implementation of ideas took place a few decades after the war - in 1971.The ruins, burned and shelled the wall - all this has become an integral part of the exhibition.Scarred buildings are unique, they make up the bulk of the evidence of the courage of its defenders.
In addition, the memorial Brest Fortress for peaceful years acquired several thematic monuments and obelisks of more recent origin, which are harmoniously blended into a unique ensemble of the fortress-museum and its rigor and conciseness emphasized occurred in these walls tragedy.
Brest Fortress in the literature
most famous and controversial work of even a few of the Brest Fortress was the book by SS Smirnov.Faced with witnesses and survivors of the protection of the citadel, the author decided to restore justice and to whitewash the real names of the characters, which the then government was blamed for a stay in a German prisoner of war.
And he did it, even though the times were not the most democratic - mid 50-ies of the last century.
greatly helped to return to normal, do not despise their fellow citizens living book "Brest Fortress".Photos of some of those lucky widely published in the press, the names sounded on the radio.It was established even radio series devoted to the search for the defenders of the Brest stronghold.
product Smirnov was one saving thread on which, like the mythological heroine, came out of the darkness of oblivion other heroes - defenders of Brest, the rank and file and commanders.Among them: Major Gavrilov, Commissioner Fomin, Lieutenant Semenenko, Captain Zubachev.
Brest Fortress - a monument valor and glory of folk, it is tangible and material.Many mysterious legends about his fearless defender of the people living today.We know them in the form of literary and musical works, sometimes found in oral folk art.
And these legends live through the centuries, because of the Brest Fortress feat worthy to remember him in the 21 th and 22 th, and in the subsequent centuries.
