ТНЕ GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR ( )

“ …No one has been forgotten and nothing has been forgotten”. Olga Bergholts. When the soldiers performed their heroic deeds, they did not think of honours. They thought of their Motherland. Listen to the tale of those who did their best for our Great Victory. This will never be forgotten!

For Russia World War II started on 22 June Leningrad was of great importance for the Nazi command. They planned to take the city by storm. The siege of Leningrad began by the 8 - the of September 1941.Every day a great number of civilians were killed or died from hunger. The main inhabitants of the city were women, children and old people. The blockade of Leningrad lasted about 900 days from the 8 – th of September 1941 till the 27-th of January 1944.The history doesn’t know the other example of such a blockade.

In large child’s script, Tanya wrote on the pages of her ABC book the dates and times as each member of her family-sister, brother, grandmother, uncle and mother-died one after another. Finally come the tragic lines: “The Savichevs have died. Everybody has died. Only Tanya is alive”. Tanya Savicheva was evacuated from the blockade Leningrad, but she was too weak to recover from the effects of starvation. The Tanya Savicheva’s Blockade Diary.

Khatyn was a small Byelorussian village. On March 22, 1943 Khatyn was no more. 149 Khatyn people were exterminated, 75 children among them. The village has not only become a monument to itself but a symbol of a terrible human tragedy. Khatyn is a reminder and a warning. 186 Byelorussian villages were burned down together with their population. Khatyn makes people think well and look back at the Mankind’s life experience.

Josef Kaminski was the only villager who escaped death. He stands there, his son in the arms, to remind people of unforgettable grief. All should go to Khatyn. All should see Khatyn. All should remember Khatyn.

The memory of the heart calls us to the sacred soil of Stalingrad. It is sixty kilometres long. Its houses, plants and factories are built from north to south along the right bank of the Volga. The battles here and in the region lasted from 1942 till People were defending Stalingrad and its surroundings to the last drop of blood despite heavy bombing and artillery bombardment. It was a turning point in the history of the war. Komarova Z I, the World War II veteran, remembers well the difficult time of that battle.

We can see the famous Tchkalov’s staircase (Nizhny Novgorod) that leads to the Volga. Its construction started in 1943 to mark the victory in Stalingrad (architects Yakovlev, Rudnev and Muntz) and was completed in 1949.In 1985, during the 40 th Anniversary of the Victory festivities, the “Gueroy” boat, once a combat ship of the Volga Military Flotilia in the W.W.II, found its eternal anchorage at the foot of the staircase.

Boris Ivanovich Sharov, the World War II veteran, took part in combat operations near Kursk. He was badly wounded being only 19 years old. He was awarded an order and a medal. The battle near Kursk (the 5 th of July the 23d of August 1943) was of great importance for our country. Six Russian fronts took part in combat operations. The battle of tanks near Prokhorovka took place on the 12 th of July. It was another step to the disgraceful crash of the German Army.

Gorky proved to be a real arsenal of victory. Every third cannon, tank, self- propelled machine came from Goky. More than 16 thousand planes, 22 submarines were produced in the plants of the city. The memorial “Gorkovites supporting the Army” was opened in the Tank T- 34 was recognized as the best of WW 2.It was developed in Krasnoe Sormovo Plant.

The majority of able – bodied men went to the front. The main inhabitants of cities and villages were women, children and old people. Cities and towns produced cannons, tanks, planes, other machines. Village people also tried to support the Army. LI Streknyova (photo2, in the middle), a 14 – year girl had to leave her school and work hard. She was awarded a medal for her labour prowess.

The World War II veterans, former defenders of our Motherland recall their comrades –in- arms and tell the stories of their own fates. All of them have been awarded orders and medals. (Popov A I, Varmalei, Savin I A, Pomra, Komarova Z I, Tamozhnikovo, Sharov B I, Pomra, Maleev Y A, Channikovo) We come to the monument to learn how to be courageous and brave, how to love our native land!

Chizhov Y.P Kvashennikov N.A Kvashennikov A.V Kvashennikov V.A Maksimov V.I Maleev Y.A Malov V.A Malygin N.V Popov A.I Savin I.A Sharov B.I Shiryaev V.V Tikhonjv A.V Yakimichev N.A Vatagin N.I The Nizhny Novgorod Region – Pomra – 75 Varmalei – 59 Ustama – 54 Channikovo – 44 Tamoznhikovo - 43 They Gave Up Their Lives For Their Motherland:

In Russia, traditionally, the Victory Day is celebrated on the 9 – th of May and on that day we remember all those who gave their lives for future generations. We go to the Unknown Soldier’s tomb to lay flowers and to honour the memory of all the soldiers killed in the war. We listen to war stories.From our veterans we learn how courageous and faithful common people can be, how much they love their Motherland and how selflessly they fight for its independence!