Monument to the Soldiers of the Ural Volunteer Tank Corps
Record: 6 m
Monument to the soldiers of the Ural Volunteer Tank Corps in Yekaterinburg
In February 1962, a large-scale composition was opened on Privokzalnaya Square in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg) dedicated to the feat of the soldiers of the Ural Volunteer Corps. The massive figures of the worker and tanker warrior are set on a huge pedestal of polished gray Ural granite.
The figures of the father-worker and son-warrior symbolize the cohesion and unity of the rear and the front of the mortal danger hanging over the Motherland. The tank warrior comes forward a little, as if emphasizing that with his chest you can reliably protect those who remained in the rear. The monument was created by sculptors V. M. Druzin and P. A. Sazhin together with the monumental artist V. Z. Belyaev.
The history of the creation of the monument dates back to 1943. At the beginning of that year, the inhabitants of the Urals presented to the front a whole tank corps, which was equipped with military equipment, ammunition and uniforms, made during off-hours and bought from the state with voluntary funds. In May 1943, a solemn presentation of honorary trophy banner to the volunteer soldiers took place. By giving an oath to the inhabitants of the Urals, the soldiers of the corps fulfilled their duties with honor.
Address: st. Chelyuskintsev
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MONUMENT TO THE URAL VOLUNTEER TANK CORPS
The monument dedicated to the heroism of the soldiers of the Ural Volunteer Tank Corps was opened on February 23, 1962, sculptors V. M. Druzin and P. A. Sazhin.
The total height of the monument is almost 14 meters. 6-meter high bronze figures of a worker and a tank crewman emphasizing the unity of home and battle fronts are placed on stylized tank-shaped pedestal made of polished Ural granite. The relief on the pedestal depicts military and labor heroic deeds of the people of the Urals in 1941-1945 during the Great Patriotic War, the unbreakable connection of home and battle fronts.
Ural Volunteer Tank Corps (30th tank corps) was formed in 1943 and equipped with weapons and machinery produced with voluntary overtime work and donations by the citizens of Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, and Molotov Oblasts. The Corps’ personnel were also recruited here in the Urals. The first battle the Corps took part in was on July 27, 1943 during the second phase of the Battle of Kursk. During its two years at war the Corps marched over 5 500 km from Oryol to Prague. 27 of its soldiers and sergeants became Full Cavaliers of the Order of Glory, and 38 became Heroes of the Soviet Union.
INTERESTING FACT
For its distinctive feature – the worker's extended hand in a gauntlet – the monument earned its affectionate nickname "The Mitten".
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