Monument to tanker volunteers - a symbol of unity of the front and rear

The Great Patriotic War passed through the destinies of every Soviet family. Who beat the enemy on the battlefields, who worked for the benefit of the victory in the rear. But in the party there was no one left. In each Russian city there are memorial complexes dedicated to fighters who did not return from the war. And in every corner of the country the memory of the heroes is alive.

Chelyabinsk Square

In Chelyabinsk there is a square dedicated to veterans and their immortal feat. Many glorious fighters went to war, more than 40 thousand of them remained on the battlefields. Their heroic deed is dedicated to this square, where the Eternal Flame burns, so that the younger generation never forgets the courage of their grandfathers. And it is here that a monument to volunteer tankers is erected.

Gift to the front

This monument is not just a tribute. The monument to the tanker volunteers is especially revered by the inhabitants of the city, and the whole Urals. It was created in memory of the unprecedented campaign organized by the inhabitants of the region. They raised funds for the creation of a tank voluntary corps. The money was collected tanks, sewed ammunition, formed a detachment of tankmen.

It was a gift to the front from the Urals. Residents responded vividly to the call and in record time collected about 57 million rubles. Everything needed, including heavy equipment, was made and sewn in their spare time. People on weekends and at moments of short breathing rushed to the shops to put a piece of their heroic labor into the struggle against the common enemy.

In those severe years, the Ural was given a heavy mission. Being in the deep rear, people worked day and night, bringing victory closer. Chelyabinsk was then given the unnamed name "Tankograd", because it was here that the legendary T-34s were launched. And the development of a new direction was conducted in record time. In just a month the workers have mastered and implemented the conveyor production of tanks.

Volunteers

The military registration and enlistment office of Chelyabinsk received 49517 applications from volunteers who wished to enroll in a tank brigade. The best sons of the Ural people were selected.

On May 9, 1943, more than 45,000 people gathered in the square at the main post office to accompany their brothers, sons, and husbands to the front. Was read out The order of fellow countrymen not to drop the honor of the Urals and beat the enemies to the end. The volunteers leaving for the front solemnly vowed to return home with Victory. Their oath was kept by the tankmen, their courage and heroism became an example for many. Residents of the Urals fully complied with the call "Everything for the front, everything for the Victory!".

Monument to the heroes

A lot of Uralians fell on the battlefields and in an equally harsh battle in the rear, but the memory of them is alive. In honor of the famous tank brigade, who went to the front on the initiative of the Chelyabinskites, in 1975 a monument was erected to volunteer tankers.

The authors of the monument were the architect E.V. Alexandrov and sculptor L.N. Golovnitsky.

The place for installation was chosen not accidentally. The monument to volunteer tankers (Chelyabinsk) was erected on the very spot from which thirty-two years ago new heroes and a new party of equipment for the front were solemnly sent to the front.

The figure depicts a worker-tank-builder on the monument. He still wears a working apron, but on his head we already have a tankman's helmet. A young stout man stands at the open tank hatch and with a broad gesture calls on all to follow him, to fight for a just cause. The figure of the volunteer is cast from bronze and has a height of 5 m. It is installed on a 3-meter pedestal, lined with black dolomite. The monument became a symbol not only of the heroism of the soldiers, but also of the solidarity of the rear and front.

The monument to volunteer tankers in Chelyabinsk has become a decoration of the city. A path leads to it, paved with slabs cast from cast iron. Some depict a Russian sword that cuts the Teutonic sword as a sign of the victory of Russian arms. Others show crossed blacksmith hammers, embodying the contribution of the workers of the entire Urals to the Victory.

Memory alive

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the victory, a garden was built around the monument "Monument to Volunteer Tankmen" (1984). Since then, this is a favorite vacation spot for townspeople. Here come on holidays and weekdays. Every inhabitant of the city is proud of the feat of his fellow countrymen, who contributed to the common cause not only by striking labor, but also by heroism in battles.

When the competition was announced for which city will be shown on the banknote in 2000 rubles, Chelyabinsk also took part, sending its project. According to the idea of the creators, a monument to volunteer tankers as a symbol of the city was to appear on the bill.