Rostov-on-Don during The Great Patriotic War

Rostov during The Great Patriotic War

Peaceful life of Rostov-on-Don was violated by the invasion of Nazi hordes. In October 1941 the first fascist bombs fell on the city. The nearest way to the Caucasus led through Rostov. Rostov was a key city in the plans of the fascist general headquarters.

Hitler`s general Kleist wrote: “Rostov is the key to the Caucasus… By turning this key we`ll come as masters through the gateway leading to the oil of Baku and then to India”. That why the best Nazi troops such as the first tank army and the SS divisions “Viking” and “Adolf Hitler” stormed Rostov. The defenders heroically repelled the aggression. Near the village of Bolshye Saly the battery of senior lieutenant Sergei Oganyan and the political instructor Sergei Vavilov destroyed about 30 fascist tanks. For two days and nights 16 courageous soldiers of different nationalities of our country led the unequal battle. They displayed exceptional courage and fortitude in this tough battle. Almost all heroes perished there but the tanks didn`t pass through their positions.

For their heroic deed they were posthumously awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union.

In Bolshye Saly on the brotherhood grave of the fallen heroes there is a monument where you can read the words: “They stood to the last man”. And on the hill where there was Oganyan`s battery, the “Artillery Hill” as it is called now, there is a magnificent and the Eternal Flame.

The Hitlerite aggressors occupied Rostov on November 21, 1941. But it was liberated within 8 days on November 29. During those days of terminal occupation the fascists destroyed more than 100 largest buildings of the city, thousands of people were killed.

The fascists succeeded in coming to Rostov again on July 23, 1942. The black night of the fascist occupation lasted for almost seven months. The fascist invaders shot, tortured to death in a concentration camp, burned alive and killed more than 5 thousand people. Among them there were many women, children and old people.

On the territory of our region the nazi agressors annihilated more than 98 thousand people and about 85 thousand people were driven away to Germany for hard labour.

In spite of the occupation the city was never defeated. It managed to stay alive and struggle. During the first weeks of terminal occupation groups of underground fighters were organized in all districts of our region. The partisans of Neklinovsky, Fyodorovsky and Taganrog districts were the first to begin the struggle.

A numerous underground organization headed by Mikhail Mikhailovich Trifonov (Yugov) operated actively in Rostov. About 120 people were members of this organization. They helped to liberate Rostov in February 1943.

The main purpose of their struggle was to foil the enemy`s plans of establishing a punitive regime. The partisans organized various actions against the fascist butchers. They exploded bridges, collected valuable intelligence data. All those people who joined the underground movement lived and worked in constant danger.

Freedom came to Rostov on February 14, 1943. The defeat of the German troops on the Don had a great military and political significance as it frustrated Hitler`s plans of conquering the Caucasus.

For heroism and courage displayed during the Great Patriotic War about 500 partisans were awarded different orders and medals.

For the heroic fight against the enemy, for selfless work during the years of the Great Patriotic War and for heroic deeds in the restoration of the city Rostov was awarded the Order of the Great Patriotic War.

Numerous documents, letters and pictures displayed in the Museum of Regional study reveal the courage of the Rostovites in the Great Patriotic War. There you will be able to find much material about the fearlessness and self-sacrifice of the Rostovites in their struggle against the fascist Germany.

The streets and squares of Rostov widen the limits of the Museum of Regional Study. You can find there memorial plaques, commemorating war heroes. Some of the streets bear the names of the heroes of the people`s Volunteer Corps who devoted their lives to future flourishing of our native city and Motherland. These streets are named after these heroes: M.A. Varfolomeev, T.A. Malyugina, P.M. Yufimtsev, S.V. Vavilov, S.A. Oganov. Come to the places of eternal glory and mourning such as Zmiyovskaya Balka and Karl Marx Square. Come to the Eternal Flame there, commemorating soldiers, underground fighters and partisans, civilians who here shot, tortured to death, burned alive, killed in gas chambers, who fell in the battles of war for freedom of our region, our native city and our Motherland. On the Victory Day a sea of flowers covers these monuments. Old and young people, children bring their flowers to the Eternal Flame. War widows and war veterans bend their heads in unceasing sorrow and grief.

New words and expressions:

to violate – вторгаться, врываться, нарушать

an invasion – вторжение, нашествие, набег

to repel – отражать нападение

to destroy – уничтожать, истреблять

posthumously – посмертно

to torture to death – пытать, замучить до смерти

to annihilate – уничтожать, истреблять

to foil the plans – срывать планы

to explode – взрывать, подрывать

fearlessness – мужество, бесстрашие

a self-sacrifice – самопожертвование