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Monument to the warrior liberator in Berlin's Treptow Park. To be remembered. History of the monument to the Soviet soldier in Berlin

...And in Berlin on a holiday

Was erected to stand for centuries,

Monument to the Soviet soldier

With a rescued girl in her arms.

He stands as a symbol of our glory,

Like a beacon shining in the darkness.

This is him - a soldier of my state -

Protects peace throughout the world!

G. Rublev

On May 8, 1950, one of the most majestic symbols opened in Berlin's Treptower Park Great Victory. The liberating warrior climbed to a height of many meters with a German girl in his arms. This 13-meter monument became epoch-making in its own way.

Millions of people visiting Berlin try to visit here to worship the great feat of the Soviet people. Not everyone knows that according to the original plan, in Treptow Park, where the ashes of more than 5 thousand Soviet soldiers and officers rest, there should have been a majestic figure of Comrade. Stalin. And this bronze idol was supposed to hold a globe in its hands. Like, “the whole world is in our hands.”

This is exactly what the first Soviet marshal, Kliment Voroshilov, imagined when he summoned the sculptor Yevgeny Vuchetich immediately after the end of the Potsdam Conference of the Heads of the Allied Powers. But the front-line soldier, sculptor Vuchetich, prepared another option just in case - the pose should be an ordinary Russian soldier who tramped from the walls of Moscow to Berlin, saving a German girl. They say that the leader of all times and peoples, having looked at both proposed options, chose the second. And he only asked to replace the machine gun in the soldier’s hands with something more symbolic, for example, a sword. And so that he chops down the fascist swastika...

Why exactly the warrior and the girl? Evgeniy Vuchetich was familiar with the story of the feat of Sergeant Nikolai Masalov...

A few minutes before the start of a fierce attack on German positions, he suddenly heard, as if from underground, a child’s cry. Nikolai rushed to the commander: “I know how to find the child! Allow me!" And a second later he rushed to search. Crying came from under the bridge. However, it is better to give the floor to Masalov himself. Nikolai Ivanovich recalled this: “Under the bridge I saw a three-year-old girl sitting next to her murdered mother. The baby had blond hair that was slightly curly at the forehead. She kept tugging at her mother’s belt and calling: “Mutter, mutter!” There is no time to think here. I grab the girl and back again. And how she will scream! As I walk, I persuade her this way and that: shut up, they say, otherwise you will open me. Here the Nazis really started firing. Thanks to our people - they helped us out and opened fire with all guns.”

At this moment Nikolai was wounded in the leg. But he didn’t abandon the girl, he brought it to his people... And a few days later the sculptor Vuchetich appeared in the regiment, who made several sketches for his future sculpture...

This is the most common version that the historical prototype for the monument was soldier Nikolai Masalov (1921-2001). In 2003, a plaque was installed on the Potsdamer Bridge (Potsdamer Brücke) in Berlin in memory of the feat accomplished in this place.

The story is based primarily on the memoirs of Marshal Vasily Chuikov. The very fact of Masalov’s feat has been confirmed, but during the GDR times eyewitness accounts were collected about other similar cases throughout Berlin. There were several dozen of them. Before the assault, many residents remained in the city. The National Socialists did not allow the civilian population to leave, intending to defend the capital of the “Third Reich” to the last.

The names of the soldiers who posed for Vuchetich after the war are precisely known: Ivan Odarchenko and Viktor Gunaz. Odarchenko served in the Berlin commandant's office. The sculptor noticed him during sports competitions. After the opening of the memorial, Odarchenko happened to be on duty near the monument, and many visitors, who did not suspect anything, were surprised by the obvious portrait resemblance. By the way, at the beginning of work on the sculpture he was holding a German girl in his arms, but then she was replaced by the little daughter of the commandant of Berlin.

It is interesting that after the opening of the monument in Treptower Park, Ivan Odarchenko, who served in the Berlin commandant’s office, guarded the “bronze soldier” several times. People approached him, amazed at his resemblance to the liberating warrior. But modest Ivan never said that it was he who posed for the sculptor. And the fact that the original idea of holding a German girl in his arms, in the end, had to be abandoned.

The prototype of the child was 3-year-old Svetochka, the daughter of the commandant of Berlin, General Kotikov. By the way, the sword was not at all contrived, but an exact copy of the sword Prince of Pskov Gabriel, who together with Alexander Nevsky fought against the “dog knights”. The weight of this sword was about two pounds.

It is interesting that the sword in the hands of the “Warrior-Liberator” has a connection with other famous monuments: it is implied that the sword in the hands of the soldier is the same sword that the worker gives to the warrior depicted on the monument “Rear to Front” (Magnitogorsk), and which then the Motherland raises it on Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd.

ABOUT " Supreme Commander-in-Chief"reminiscent of his numerous quotes carved on symbolic sarcophagi in Russian and German languages. After the reunification of Germany, some German politicians demanded their removal, citing crimes committed during the Stalinist dictatorship, but the entire complex, according to interstate agreements, is under state protection. No changes are allowed here without the consent of Russia.

Reading quotes from Stalin these days evokes mixed feelings and emotions, making us remember and think about the fate of millions of people in both Germany and the former Soviet Union who died during Stalin’s times. But in this case, quotes should not be taken out of the general context; they are a document of history, necessary for its comprehension.

After the Battle of Berlin, the sports park near Treptower Allee became a soldiers' cemetery. Mass graves are located under the alleys of the memory park.

The work began when Berliners, not yet divided by the wall, were rebuilding their city brick by brick from the ruins. Vuchetich was helped by German engineers. The widow of one of them, Helga Köpfstein, recalls: much in this project seemed unusual to them.

Helga Köpfstein, tour guide: “We asked why the soldier was holding a sword rather than a machine gun? They explained to us that the sword is a symbol. A Russian soldier defeated the Teutonic knights on Lake Peipus, and a few centuries later he reached Berlin and defeated Hitler.”

60 German sculptors and 200 stonemasons were involved in the production of sculptural elements according to Vuchetich’s sketches, and a total of 1,200 workers participated in the construction of the memorial. They all received additional allowances and food. German workshops also produced bowls for the eternal flame and mosaics in the mausoleum under the sculpture of the liberating warrior.

Work on the memorial was carried out for 3 years by the architect J. Belopolsky and sculptor E. Vuchetich. Interestingly, granite from Hitler's Reich Chancellery was used for construction. 13 meter figure Warrior-liberator was manufactured in St. Petersburg and weighed 72 tons. It was transported to Berlin in parts by water. According to Vuchetich’s story, after one of the best German foundries carefully examined the sculpture made in Leningrad and made sure that everything was done flawlessly, he approached the sculpture, kissed its base and said: “Yes, this is a Russian miracle!”

In addition to the memorial in Treptower Park, monuments to Soviet soldiers were erected in two other places immediately after the war. About 2,000 fallen soldiers are buried in Tiergarten Park, located in central Berlin. In the Schönholzer Heide park in Berlin's Pankow district there are more than 13 thousand.

During the GDR era, the memorial complex in Treptower Park served as the venue for various kinds official events, had the status of one of the most important state monuments. On August 31, 1994, a ceremonial roll call dedicated to the memory of the fallen and the withdrawal of Russian troops from a united Germany was attended by one thousand Russian and six hundred German soldiers, and the parade was hosted by Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

The status of the monument and all Soviet military cemeteries is enshrined in a separate chapter of the treaty concluded between the Federal Republic of Germany, the German Democratic Republic and the victorious powers in World War II. According to this document, the memorial is guaranteed eternal status, and the German authorities are obliged to finance its maintenance and ensure its integrity and safety. Which is done in the best possible way.

It’s impossible not to talk about future destinies Nikolai Masalov and Ivan Odarchenko. After demobilization, Nikolai Ivanovich returned to his native village of Voznesenka, Tisulsky district Kemerovo region. A unique case - his parents took four sons to the front and all four returned home victorious. Due to shell shock, Nikolai Ivanovich was unable to work on a tractor, and after moving to the city of Tyazhin, he got a job as a caretaker in a kindergarten. This is where journalists found him. 20 years after the end of the war, fame fell on Masalov, which, however, he treated with his characteristic modesty.

In 1969 he was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Berlin. But when talking about his heroic deed, Nikolai Ivanovich never tired of emphasizing: what he did was no feat; many would have done the same in his place. That's how it was in life. When German Komsomol members decided to find out about the fate of the rescued girl, they received hundreds of letters describing similar cases. And the rescue of at least 45 boys and girls by Soviet soldiers has been documented. Today Nikolai Ivanovich Masalov is no longer alive...

But Ivan Odarchenko still lives in Tambov (information for 2007). He worked at a factory, then retired. He buried his wife, but the veteran has frequent guests - his daughter and granddaughter. And at parades dedicated to the Great Victory, Ivan Stepanovich was often invited to portray a liberating warrior with a girl in his arms... And on the 60th anniversary of the Victory, the Memory Train even brought an 80-year-old veteran and his comrades to Berlin.

Last year, a scandal erupted in Germany around monuments to Soviet liberating soldiers erected in Berlin's Treptower Park and Tiergarten. In connection with the latest events in Ukraine, journalists from popular German publications sent letters to the Bundestag demanding the dismantling of the legendary monuments.

One of the publications that signed the openly provocative petition was the newspaper. Journalists write that Russian tanks have no place near the famous Brandenburg Gate. "Bye Russian troops threaten the security of a free and democratic Europe, we do not want to see a single Russian tank in the center of Berlin,” write angry media workers. In addition to the authors of Bild, this document was also signed by representatives of the Berliner Tageszeitung.

German journalists believe that Russian military units located near the Ukrainian border threaten the independence of a sovereign state. "For the first time since graduating cold war Russia is trying to suppress a peaceful revolution in Eastern Europe"- write German journalists.

The scandalous document was sent to the Bundestag. By law, German authorities must review it within two weeks.

This statement by German journalists caused a storm of indignation among readers of Bild and Berliner Tageszeitung. Many believe that newspapermen are deliberately escalating the situation around the Ukrainian issue.

Over the course of sixty years, this monument has truly become an integral part of Berlin. It was on postage stamps and coins; during the GDR times, probably half of the population of East Berlin was accepted as pioneers. In the nineties, after the unification of the country, Berliners from the west and east held anti-fascist rallies here.

And neo-Nazis more than once smashed marble slabs and painted swastikas on obelisks. But each time the walls were washed, and the broken slabs were replaced with new ones. The Soviet soldier in Treptover Park is one of the most well-kept monuments in Berlin. Germany spent about three million euros on its reconstruction. Some people were very annoyed by this.

Hans Georg Büchner, architect, former member Berlin Senate: “What is there to hide, in the early nineties we had one deputy of the Berlin Senate. When your troops were withdrawing from Germany, this figure shouted - let them take this monument with them. Now no one even remembers his name.”

A monument can be called a national monument if people go to it not only on Victory Day. Sixty years have changed Germany greatly, but it has not changed the way Germans view their history. Both in the old Gadeer guidebooks and on modern tourist sites, this is a monument to the “Soviet soldier-liberator.” To the common man, who came to Europe in peace.

69 years ago, on May 8, 1949, the Monument to the Soldier-Liberator in Treptower Park. This memorial was erected in memory of the 20 thousand Soviet soldiers who died in the battles for the liberation of Berlin, and became one of the most famous symbols of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Few people know that the idea for creating the monument was true story, and the main character of the plot was a soldier Nikolay Masalov, whose feat was undeservedly forgotten for many years.

The memorial was erected at the burial site of 5 thousand Soviet soldiers who died during the capture of the capital fascist Germany. Along with Mamayev Kurgan in Russia, it is one of the largest and most famous of such monuments in the world. The decision to build it was made at the Potsdam Conference two months after the end of the war.

The idea for the composition of the monument was a real story: on April 26, 1945, Sergeant Nikolai Masalov carried a German girl out from under fire during the storming of Berlin. He himself later described these events as follows: “Under the bridge I saw a three-year-old girl sitting next to her murdered mother. The baby had blond hair that was slightly curly at the forehead. She kept tugging at her mother’s belt and calling: “Mutter, mutter!” There is no time to think here. I grab the girl and back again. And how she will scream! As I walk, I persuade her this way and that: shut up, they say, otherwise you will open me. Here the Nazis really started firing. Thanks to our people - they helped us out and opened fire with all guns.” The sergeant was wounded in the leg, but he carried the girl to his own. After the Victory, Nikolai Masalov returned to the village of Voznesenka, Kemerovo region, then moved to the town of Tyazhin and worked there as a supply manager in kindergarten. His feat was remembered only 20 years later. In 1964, the first publications about Masalov appeared in the press, and in 1969 he was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Berlin.

Nikolai Masalov became the prototype of the Warrior-Liberator, but another soldier posed for the sculptor - Ivan Odarchenko from Tambov, who served in the Berlin commandant's office. Vuchetich noticed him in 1947 at the celebration of Athlete’s Day. Ivan posed for the sculptor for six months, and after the monument was installed in Treptow Park, he stood guard next to him several times. They say that people approached him several times, surprised by the similarity, but the private did not admit that this similarity was not at all accidental. After the war, he returned to Tambov, where he worked at a factory. And 60 years after the opening of the monument in Berlin, Ivan Odarchenko became the prototype of the Veteran’s monument in Tambov.

The model for the statue of the girl in the arms of a soldier was supposed to be a German woman, but in the end, the Russian girl Sveta, the 3-year-old daughter of the commandant of Berlin, General Kotikov, posed for Vuchetich. In the original version of the memorial, the warrior was holding a machine gun in his hands, but they decided to replace it with a sword. It was an exact copy of the sword of the Pskov prince Gabriel, who fought together with Alexander Nevsky, and this was symbolic: Russian warriors defeated the German knights on Lake Peipsi, and several centuries later they defeated them again.

Work on the memorial took three years. Architect J. Belopolsky and sculptor E. Vuchetich sent a model of the monument to Leningrad, and there a 13-meter figure of the Liberator Warrior was made, weighing 72 tons. The sculpture was transported to Berlin in parts. According to Vuchetich’s story, after it was brought from Leningrad, one of the best German foundries examined it and, finding no flaws, exclaimed: “Yes, this is a Russian miracle!”

Vuchetich prepared two designs for the monument. Initially, it was planned to erect a statue of Stalin holding a globe in Treptower Park as a symbol of the conquest of the world. As a fallback option, Vuchetich proposed a sculpture of a soldier holding a girl in his arms. Both projects were presented to Stalin, but he approved the second one.

The memorial was inaugurated on the eve of the 4th anniversary of the Victory over fascism, May 8, 1949. In 2003, a plaque was installed on the Potsdam Bridge in Berlin in memory of the feat of Nikolai Masalov accomplished in this place. This fact was documented, although eyewitnesses claimed that there were several dozen such cases during the liberation of Berlin. When they tried to find that same girl, about a hundred German families responded. The rescue of about 45 German children by Soviet soldiers was documented.

At the Motherland from a propaganda poster from the times of the Great Patriotic War there was also a real prototype: .

Berlin is known for its parks and green areas. More than a third of the entire territory of the German capital is given over to recreation areas. Treptower Park occupies a special place in this rich list. Its main attraction is the monument to Soviet soldiers-liberators, opened back in 1949. This is the largest memorial complex dedicated to those killed in World War II outside of Russia. The memorial has not only historical, but also artistic value. Dozens of talented sculptors, architects and artists from the USSR and Germany were involved in its creation.

Pay your respects to Russian soldiers in Treptower Park. (Click to enlarge)

History of Treptower Park

The history of one of Berlin's largest parks begins in early XIX century, when an “artificial forest” was planted on the banks of the Spree River. When the Directorate of City Gardens was created in the capital of Brandenburg, its head Gustav Mayer began developing projects for several parks at once, among them Treptow Park.

In the warm summer day You can rent a boat and sail along the Spree.

Treptow's project included not only alleys and lawns, but was also landscaped with fountains, piers, ponds, a sports area and a rose garden. Mayer himself only managed to take part in the park's groundbreaking ceremony. All works were completed after his death, for the public Treptow was opened in 1888. Grateful Germans have not forgotten the master’s contribution landscape design, his bust is installed here on one of the alleys.

The spirit of Gustav Mayer dwells forever in the heart of his creation.

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, Treptower Park was a favorite vacation spot for the townspeople. The place was quiet, secluded, away from the main city highways. Berliners sailed boats along the Spree, dined in summer cafes, watched carp in the pond, and walked along shady alleys.

After the war, in 1949, on the eve of May 9, a memorial to Soviet soldiers-liberators was opened in the park. In the same year, the entire complex was transferred to the jurisdiction of the city authorities of Berlin. Who were obliged to maintain order, renovate and restore the memorial. The contract is unlimited. According to this agreement, the German side has no right to change anything on the territory of the complex.

A small fountain made the park even more picturesque.

In the mid-50s, through the efforts of German designers, a sunflower garden and a huge rose garden appeared in Treptower Park in Berlin. At the same time, sculptures lost during the war were installed in the park, and a fountain began to function.

Memorial to the Soldier-Liberator

The storming of Berlin in April 1945 cost the lives of 22 thousand Soviet soldiers. In order to perpetuate the memory of the dead, as well as to resolve the issue of burials of soldiers, the command of the Soviet Army announced a competition for best projects memorials. Treptower Park became the place where about 7 thousand soldiers and officers who died in the war were buried. last days war. Therefore, the issue of creating a memorial complex here was approached with particular demands.

The park serves as a living monument to all those who died in the last days of the war.

In total, more than 30 projects were presented. The chosen work was the work of the architect Belopoltsev (the first monumental work) and the sculptor Vuchetich (the author of the famous sculptural portraits Soviet military leaders). For this project and its implementation, the authors were awarded the Stalin Prize, 1st degree.

The memorial can be divided into several parts:

Sculpture "Grieving Mother"- opens the complex, is the beginning of the “legend” of the memorial;
Alley of birches- leads the visitor to the entrance to the fraternal cemetery of Soviet soldiers;
Symbolic gate- bowed banners and sculptures of mourning soldiers;

The sculpture of a grieving soldier is only a small part of the whole complex. (Photo enlarges when clicked)

- symbolic marble cubes with bas-reliefs telling the exploits of Soviet soldiers during the war; in the central part of the alley there are five mass graves, where 7,000 soldiers are buried; the sarcophagi themselves are made of marble slabs from the Reichstag;

More than 7,000 Russian soldiers are buried in the alley of sarcophagi. (Photo enlarges when clicked)

Sculpture of a warrior-liberator- the main dominant feature of the complex.

Main sculpture of the memorial

The figure of a soldier with a girl in his arms is full of symbolic details that make up the main meaning of the entire complex:

Trampled and cut swastika- symbolizes the victory over Nazism;
Lowered sword- the sculptor wanted to depict his hero with a machine gun in his hands, but Stalin personally ordered a replacement modern weapons on the sword, which immediately made the sculpture more monumental in meaning. Despite the fact that the weapon is lowered, the hero clutches it tightly in his hand, ready to repel anyone who dares to disturb the peace.
Girl in arms- was intended to symbolize the nobility and selflessness of Soviet soldiers who do not fight with children. Initially, the sculptor intended to depict a boy in the arms of the hero; the girl appeared when the author learned about the feat of Sergeant Masalov, who saved a German girl during the assault on the German capital.

The most famous and symbolic sculpture is the Liberator Warrior!

Two soldiers served as models for the sculptor - Ivan Odarchenko(infantry sergeant) and Victor Gunaza(paratrooper). Both models were spotted by Vuchetich during sports competitions. Posing was boring, so during the sessions the soldiers replaced each other.

Eyewitnesses of the creation of the sculpture claim that at first the author of the monument chose the cook of the Berlin commandant's office as a model, but the command was dissatisfied with this choice and asked the sculptor to replace the model.

The model for the girl in the arms of a soldier was the daughter of the Berlin commandant Kotikov, future actressSvetlana Kotikova.

Pedestal of the main sculpture

At the base of the sculpture of the liberating warrior there is a memorial room, in the center of which there is a black stone pedestal. On the pedestal there is a gilded casket; in the casket there is a parchment folio bound in red. The folio contains the names of those buried in the memorial's mass graves.

The mosaic panel is a classic image of the friendship of Soviet peoples.

The walls of the room are decorated with mosaic panels. On them, representatives of all the republics of the USSR lay wreaths on the graves of fallen soldiers. At the top of the panel there is a quote from Stalin’s speech at one of the ceremonial meetings.

The ceiling of the memorial room is decorated with a chandelier in the shape of the Order of Victory. High-quality rubies and rock crystals were used to make the chandelier.

The ceiling is decorated with a chandelier made of rock crystal and rubies, and a quote from Stalin's speech is carved on the wall.

Park life today

Since the early 90s of the 20th century, events have been held very rarely in the park. In the spring, especially on the eve of Victory Day, it can be very crowded. Mostly tourists and “Russian” Berliners with children come to the boat. Representatives of a number of embassies lay wreaths on May 8 and 9. The monument to the soldier-liberator is surrounded by flowers these days.

Frequent guests in the park are representatives of numerous anti-fascist organizations in Germany, who hold their rallies and ceremonial events here.

For most of the year, the Treptow Park memorial is deserted. Cleanliness and safety are meticulously maintained here; even in the snowy winter, all paths are cleared.

In winter the park freezes...

There are several attractions in the park that attract tourists:

children's playground with slides, towers and water attractions;
the boat station offers walks along the Spree;
Archenhold Observatory, where you can view a telescope with huge lenses.

Children will find it especially interesting to visit the Archenhold Observatory.

Berlin travel companies offer tours of the German capital, which include a visit to Treptow Park. There are no separate excursions around the memorial.

How to get there?

The Berlin transport map shows that the best way to get to Treptow Park is by train: routes S7 and S9 to the Ostkreuz stop, then transfer to the circle line to the Treptower Park stop.

The whole journey from the center of Berlin will take no more than 30 minutes.

There are several more buses (166, 365, 265). But in this case you will have to take a walk along Pushkin Alley.

The journey from the center of Berlin to the park will not take more than half an hour.

Andres Jakubovskis

What do tourists say?

Evgeniy, 36 years old, Moscow:

“Treptower Park on May 9 makes a strong impression. I saw how parents read with their children in Russian the inscription over the mass grave: “The Motherland will not forget its heroes!” A large group of young anti-fascists chanted something loudly and took pictures in front of the monument. There are a lot of people. We returned to the station by boat. We paid 5 euros and had a lot of fun.”

Irina, 24 years old, Belgorod:

“We booked the excursion at a Russian tourist office and paid 25 euros. The route included the zoo, the Reichstag, the museum island and Treptower Park. The guide was knowledgeable and told me a lot of interesting things. There was no one on the territory of the memorial except us. But there are flowers everywhere.”

A little German girl fearfully clings to the chest of a Soviet soldier who stands on the ruins of a swastika with a lowered sword. This is the world famous monument to the Soldier-Liberator in Berlin's Treptower Park. The memorial was officially opened on May 8, 1949. The team of authors was headed by architect Yakov Belopolsky and sculptor Evgeniy Vuchetich.

Not everyone knows that according to the original plan, in Treptow Park, where the ashes of more than 5 thousand Soviet soldiers and officers rest, there should have been a majestic figure of Stalin with a globe in his hands. This is exactly how the first Soviet marshal, Kliment Voroshilov, imagined the monument when, immediately after the end of the Potsdam Conference, the heads of the Allied powers summoned the sculptor Yevgeny Vuchetich. However, front-line soldier Yevgeny Vuchetich, just in case, did the second option - with a Red Army soldier holding a German girl in his arms. Both projects were presented to Stalin, and he chose the “backup” option.

The prototype of the “Warrior-Liberator” was Sergeant Nikolai Masalov, who on April 26, 1945, during a battle, carried a three-year-old German girl out of the shelling zone. The hero himself recalled his feat this way: “Under the bridge I saw a three-year-old girl sitting next to her murdered mother. The baby had blond hair that was slightly curly at the forehead. She kept tugging at her mother’s belt and calling: “Mutter, mutter!” There is no time to think here. I grab the girl and back again. And how she will scream! As I walk, I persuade her this way and that: shut up, they say, otherwise you will open me. Here the Nazis really started firing. Thanks to our people - they helped us out and opened fire with all guns.”

Marshal Chuikov was the first to tell about Masalov’s feat. The very fact of Masalov’s feat is documented, but during the GDR times eyewitness accounts were collected about dozens of other similar cases throughout Berlin. Before the assault, many residents remained in the city. The National Socialists did not allow the civilian population to leave, intending to defend the capital of the “Third Reich to the last.” After the war, Evgeniy Vuchetich met with Nikolai Masalov, whose feat suggested to him the key idea of the monument in Treptow Park: by saving a girl, a soldier protects peace and life.

However, Vutečić chose a completely different person as his sitter. At the celebration of Athlete's Day, the sculptor noticed 21-year-old private Ivan Odarchenko, who participated in a running competition. It is curious that Odarchenko, who served in Berlin, was on guard at the monument to the “Warrior-Liberator” several times. People constantly approached Ivan and were amazed at the resemblance to the monument, but the guard private never revealed the secret of this similarity to the visitors. According to the memoirs of Ivan Odarchenko, the model for the sculpture of the girl whom the warrior holds in his arms was first a German girl, and then a Russian one - 3-year-old Sveta, the daughter of the commandant of Berlin, General Kotikov.

Many believed that the sword was out of place in the “Warrior-Liberator” statue, and advised the sculptor to exchange it for some modern weapon, for example, a machine gun. But Vuchetich insisted on the sword. In addition, he did not make a sword at all, but exactly copied the sword of the Pskov prince Gabriel, who, together with Alexander Nevsky, fought for Rus' against the “dog knights”.

Work on the memorial took 3 years. Interestingly, granite from Hitler's Reich Chancellery was used for construction. The 13-meter bronze figure of the “Warrior-Liberator” was made in St. Petersburg and weighed 72 tons. It was transported to Berlin in parts by sea.

In the fall of October 1, 2003, the sculpture of the warrior was dismantled and sent for restoration. In the spring of 2004, a monument to soldiers Soviet Army, who fell in battles against fascism in Berlin, was returned to its original place.

The status of the monument and all Soviet military cemeteries is enshrined in a separate chapter of the “two plus four” unification agreement concluded between the Federal Republic of Germany, the German Democratic Republic and the victorious powers in World War II. According to this document, the memorial is guaranteed eternal status, and the German authorities are obliged to finance its maintenance and ensure its integrity and safety. Which is done in the best possible way.

The monument to a Russian soldier with a girl in his arms is located in Berlin. The author of this monument is sculptor E.V. Vuchetich. This is not the only monument in Berlin dedicated to Soviet liberating soldiers.

About the monument

“Warrior-Liberator” is the name of the monument to a soldier with a rescued girl in his arms, which was erected in Berlin’s Treptower Park. The monument was erected in honor of the victory of our great people over fascist invaders. It weighs 70 tons, its height is 12 meters.

Creators of "Warrior Liberator":

E.V. Vuchetich (sculptor).
S.S. Valerius (engineer).
Ya.B. Belopolsky (architect).
A.V. Gorpenko (artist).

This memorial contains the ashes of 7 thousand Soviet soldiers who fell during the storming of Berlin. The names of only 1,000 of them are known, and in total 75,000 of them died.

The bronze monument “Warrior-Liberator” is made in the form of a figure of a Soviet soldier standing on the ruins of a fascist swastika with his head held high. With one hand he holds the rescued girl, who trustingly clings to his chest, and in his other hand he holds a sword. But the sketch of the monument was somewhat different. Initially, the sculptor planned to put a machine gun in the warrior’s hand, but I.V. Stalin insisted that it be a sword. In the end, it was done as the leader wanted. The sword that the liberator warrior holds in his hand is associated with two more monuments. These are “Motherland” in Volgograd and “Rear to Front” in Magnitogorsk. It is implied that all the figures depicted on these three monuments are holding the same sword. All of these monuments are dedicated to the Great Patriotic War.

The sword in the hands of the liberating warrior is an exact copy of the weapon of Prince Gabriel. He fought against the “dog knights” side by side with Alexander Nevsky. The sword in the hand of the Berlin warrior is lowered, which symbolizes peace, but, as I.V. said. Stalin, “woe to the one who forces our hero to raise him again.” A Soviet soldier with a German girl in his arms is known throughout the world. The feat, which was immortalized in bronze, will forever serve as an example for descendants. A photo of the monument to a soldier holding a girl in his arms is presented in this article.

Pedestal

The monument to a soldier with a girl in his arms is installed on a pedestal, inside of which there is a memory hall. On the walls there is a mosaic panel depicting representatives different nations, they lay wreaths at the grave of Soviet soldiers. Above them there is an inscription in Russian and German, which reads: “Now everyone recognizes that the Soviet people, with their selfless struggle, saved the civilization of Europe from the fascist pogromists. This is the great merit of the Soviet people to the history of mankind.” This phrase is a quote from the report of Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin.

The central part of the hall is a cube-shaped pedestal carved from black stone. On it stands a golden casket, inside of which is stored a parchment book bound in red morocco. The names of all the soldiers who died in the battles for Berlin are inscribed there and are buried in the Hall is decorated big chandelier made of rubies and crystal, which is made in the form

Creation of a monument

May 8, 1949 is the opening date. To gain the right to create a monument to a soldier with a girl saved in his arms, sculptors and architects had to take part in a competition. 33 monument projects were presented. The winners of the competition were E.V. Vuchetich and Ya.B. Belopolsky. Their project was chosen for implementation.

The following people took part in the construction of the memorial complex:

a German foundry called Noack;
Puhl & Wagner workshops specializing in mosaics and stained glass;
gardening associations Späth nursery;
1200 German workers.

The monument to a soldier with a girl in his arms was cast in Leningrad at a factory and then sent to Berlin. The Soviet military commandant's office was responsible for caring for the monument. In 2003 it was under restoration, and in 2004 it was returned to its place.

Over the years of its existence, the monument to the soldier and the girl has become an integral part of Berlin. An agreement was concluded between the victorious countries and Germany, in a separate chapter of which it is stated that the “Warrior-Liberator” memorial has been given eternal status. The German authorities are obliged to care for it, restore it, and finance its preservation. To this day, Germany fulfills the terms of the agreement, and the monument is provided with proper maintenance. A Soviet soldier with a German girl in his arms is one of the most well-kept monuments in the country. In 2003, Germany financed the restoration of the monument, for which it spent almost three million euros.

Feat of a soldier

The monument to the unknown soldier with a girl in his arms was created on the basis of real events, and the name of this hero has survived to this day. The prototype of the warrior-liberator is Nikolai Masalov from the Kemerovo region, a Soviet soldier. During one of the assaults on Berlin, namely on April 30, 1945, he heard a child crying. Under the bridge located on the front line, he found a blonde girl three years old, who sat next to the murdered mother, fiddled with her, cried and called “mutter.” Without hesitation, the soldier grabbed the baby and ran with her in his arms to his own. The Germans started firing and wounded Nikolai in the leg, but he did not abandon the girl, he carried her out of the battlefield, risking his life. On the Potsdam Bridge, the same one from under which N. Masalov carried the child, in 2003 a plaque was installed in memory of the feat that the Soviet soldier accomplished.

Prototype

The history of the monument to a soldier with a girl in his arms is known to many, but what was the fate of the one whose feat is captured in this bronze statue? Nikolai was drafted into the ranks of the Soviet Army at the age of 17, took courses and received the specialty of a mortar operator. It was hard to study, because the soldiers had to master in one winter what it took 2 years to learn.

N. Masalov received his baptism of fire in 1942 at the front near Bryansk. The fighting was so heavy that out of the entire company where he served, only five soldiers remained alive. After this, Nikolai Ivanovich served under the command of General Chuikov and defended Mamayev Kurgan. Of all his comrades, only one captain Stefanenko reached Berlin with him. N. Masalov himself suffered three wounds and was shell-shocked twice.

After the war, he returned to his native village, and then moved to the city of Tyazhin, where he worked as a caretaker in a kindergarten. Glory fell on the hero 20 years after the last volleys of guns died down. It was filmed about him. documentary, all the newspapers wrote about his feat. He managed to visit Berlin. He saw the monument, of which he became the prototype. Soviet hero was awarded the title of honorary citizen of Berlin in 1969. Nikolai Ivanovich was modest, and he did not like the fact that his action was called a feat. He himself said that he did not consider this heroism. Now Nikolai Ivanovich is no longer alive.

About those who posed for the author

Monument to the Soviet soldier with a girl in his arms E.V. Vuchetich created from life. There are several versions about who posed for the author, and perhaps all of them are correct, since at different times they could have acted as models different people. The sculptor sculpted the German girl from three-year-old Sveta, the daughter of General A.G. Kotikov, who was the commandant of the Soviet sector in Berlin.

According to some sources, as a model of a soldier, E.V. Colonel V.M. posed for Vuchetich. Gunaza. According to another version, it was Sergeant Ivan Odarchenko. He is depicted twice on a mosaic panel inside the pedestal: in the form of a worker and in the form of a heroic soldier. According to the third version, a cook who served in the Soviet commandant's office in Berlin posed for the sculptor.

Sculptor

Monument to Owls created a soldier with a girl in his arms man of genius. He was not only a sculptor, but also a teacher, and was president of the Academy of Arts for several years. And he knew firsthand what war was. In 1941, he volunteered to go to the front. In 1943, due to a severe concussion, he was discharged, and he returned to Moscow, where he began working as a war artist. At the beginning, Viktorovich Vuchetich was a private. He was already commissioned with the rank of lieutenant colonel. The artist created sculptures of leaders, prominent politicians, heroes of war and labor, outstanding commanders. All creations of E.V. Vuchetich’s works are life-affirming, they are filled with drama and romanticism. The sculptor died in 1974.

Copies of the monument

A monument to a soldier with a girl in his arms, or rather, smaller copies of it, are installed in the cities: Sovetsk (Kaliningrad region), Vereya (Moscow region), Tver, Moscow (at the entrance to the Night Wolves biker club). The model of the monument, whose height is 2.5 meters, has still been preserved. Until 1964, it was in Germany, then it was transported to Serpukhov, where until 2008 it stood near the hospital, and in 2009 it was moved to the territory of the Cathedral Mountain memorial complex.

Warrior-liberator in faleristics and numismatics

A monument to a soldier with a girl in his arms was often depicted on coins:

1 ruble, 1965;
10 mark coin of the GDR (1985);
10-ruble coin dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory (issued in 2015).

On medals:

to the twentieth anniversary of the Victory (1965);
20 years of the Berlin Brigade (1982);
medal "Lviv Union" (1984).

Also, the image of the monument is present on the sign of the GSVG (group Soviet troops in Germany).