Posted:
11.07.2024 12:50:36
Facets of heroism and glory
The Victory Monument in Minsk marks the 70th anniversary: the history behind the creation of the symbol of national memory
One of the symbols of the Belarusian capital and the place where people bring flowers on the days of major national holidays is the Victory Monument on the square with the same name in the very centre of Minsk. It may seem that the monument is nameless as neither names nor surnames are indicated on it. However, it is deeply personal for everyone — it was set up in honour of the Soviet Army soldiers and Byelorussian partisans who died during the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War. The grand opening of the monument took place seven decades ago, on July 4th, 1954.
The Victory Monument complex with Eternal Flame on Victory Square, Minsk
The President of Belarus,
Aleksandr Lukashenko,
“Please remember: come to the monuments, to the Eternal Flame, quietly and calmly, without any organisation, you can come without flowers. Remember and bow to those who gave us freedom,
if we do not want to fight.”
At the ceremony of laying wreaths and flowers at the Victory Monument as part of the patriotic campaign Belarus Remembers!, on May 9th, 2024
“Please remember: come to the monuments, to the Eternal Flame, quietly and calmly, without any organisation, you can come without flowers. Remember and bow to those who gave us freedom,
if we do not want to fight.”
At the ceremony of laying wreaths and flowers at the Victory Monument as part of the patriotic campaign Belarus Remembers!, on May 9th, 2024
From idea to implementation
The monument was solemnly unveiled exactly seven decades ago, on July 4th, 1954, in the centre of the square, which was called Kruglaya [Round] at that time. It received its current name — Victory Square — only four years later. By the way, Byelorussian architect Georgy Zaborsky conceived the idea to erect the monument back in 1942. It was he and his colleague Vladimir Korol who later became the leading architects in the process of creating the monument.
“I have chosen to work on a sketch-idea for a monument to the Heroes of the Great Patriotic War. I have many different ideas...” Zaborsky wrote to the Board of the Union of Architects of the BSSR [Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic] from the hospital in Troitsk, Chelyabinsk Region. The first sketches and drawings appeared at the same time.It was only in the autumn of 1950, when the Department for Architecture at the Council of Ministers of the BSSR announced a competition for the creation of a monument to the Soviet Army soldiers and Byelorussian partisans, that the previously made sketches came in handy. Zaborsky managed to defend his original idea in the fierce competition — more than 70 architects and sculptors from Moscow, Leningrad [now St. Petersburg], Minsk, Riga and other cities took part in the contest. The creative duo of Zaborsky and Korol was joined by sculptors Zair Azgur, Andrei Bembel, Aleksei Glebov and Sergei Selikhanov, who became the authors of the bronze high reliefs on the four sides of the monument pedestal. As a result, Belarusians got a bright pearl of monumental Belarusian art.
Memory does not age
The 38‑metre obelisk of grey granite is crowned with the massive image of the Order of Victory made of bronze and smalt. The obelisk facets are dissected by narrow stripes styled after the Byelorussian national ornament and completed with one wide stripe. The monument base features a sword wrapped in a laurel bronze branch. There are four bronze wreaths on the sides… This is an image familiar from childhood. However, not everyone may know that another important element included in this architectural ensemble — the Eternal Flame in front of the monument — was lit seven years after the monument had been opened. This happened on July 3rd, 1961, a few months after the capital of the BSSR got natural gas. The monument and the adjacent objects of the architectural ensemble have been restored several times.
The first renovation that was carried out in 1984-1985 coincided with the construction of the first section of the Minsk metro and the subsequent global reconstruction of Victory Square. The square became oval, and a circular gallery with the Memorial Hall was built underground. The granite obelisk and the Order of Victory on its top were renewed, and capsules with soil from hero cities and the Brest Fortress were placed in special plinths in front of the monument. Later, the site and the monument were repaired in 2003, as well as at the end of the last decade. In particular, by the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory, the concrete base had been strengthened, cracks on some structures had been eliminated, salt streaks on the granite stele had been removed, engineering networks and lighting had been modernised. The Order of Victory crowning the obelisk was also restored with gold leaf.
The first renovation that was carried out in 1984-1985 coincided with the construction of the first section of the Minsk metro and the subsequent global reconstruction of Victory Square. The square became oval, and a circular gallery with the Memorial Hall was built underground. The granite obelisk and the Order of Victory on its top were renewed, and capsules with soil from hero cities and the Brest Fortress were placed in special plinths in front of the monument. Later, the site and the monument were repaired in 2003, as well as at the end of the last decade. In particular, by the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory, the concrete base had been strengthened, cracks on some structures had been eliminated, salt streaks on the granite stele had been removed, engineering networks and lighting had been modernised. The Order of Victory crowning the obelisk was also restored with gold leaf.
It is notable that the latest modernisation of Victory Square and the restoration of the monument were carried out using the funds, inter alia, raised during the nationwide clean-up day of 2019. In other words, millions of Belarus’ residents contributed to the preservation of the place perpetuating the memory of their ancestors and cherished by every Belarusian. This is also deeply symbolic.
Touches to the portrait
• The project by Georgy Zaborsky and Vladimir Korol originally envisaged the construction of a 48-metre stele. However, due to the tight deadlines — the monument was expected to be unveiled to the 10th anniversary of Minsk’s liberation — the scale had to be sacrificed.
• Both Byelorussian architects who worked on the creation of the Victory Monument were later awarded the People’s Architect of the USSR title, which was generally appreciated by urban planners even more than the Hero of Socialist Labour.
• Tamara Nizhnikova, soloist at the Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of the BSSR, People’s Artist of the USSR, who witnessed the opening of the monument in 1954, later recalled that many people were tearful and even knelt down during the solemn ceremony. People who came to Kruglaya Square in the following days did the same — so strong were their feelings.
• On July 3rd, 1984, Post No. 1 with guard duty at the Victory Monument was initiated for the first time. The symbolic Guard Post of Memory with the participation of students of educational institutions has been taking place for 40 years already.
• Tamara Nizhnikova, soloist at the Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of the BSSR, People’s Artist of the USSR, who witnessed the opening of the monument in 1954, later recalled that many people were tearful and even knelt down during the solemn ceremony. People who came to Kruglaya Square in the following days did the same — so strong were their feelings.
• On July 3rd, 1984, Post No. 1 with guard duty at the Victory Monument was initiated for the first time. The symbolic Guard Post of Memory with the participation of students of educational institutions has been taking place for 40 years already.
Important things in details
- Bronze sculptural compositions (high reliefs) are placed on the four facets of the pedestal. May 9th, 1945 (sculptor Andrei Bembel) — attests to the triumph of Victory. The Coat of Arms of the BSSR is located above it. The Soviet Army during the Great Patriotic War (sculptor Sergei Selikhanov) — illustrates the moment of the battle. Partisans of Byelorussia (sculptor Aleksei Glebov) — reflects one of the rail war episodes. Glory to the Fallen Heroes (sculptor Zair Azgur) — shows people’s grief over the hero’s grave.
- A bronze sword entwined with a laurel branch (sculptor S. Saltykov) — a symbol of Victory.
- A wreath made of art glass with illumination from inside in the Memorial Hall under Victory Square (artist V. Poznyak) — a symbol of the Eternal Flame of our memory. The wall features a bronze outline of the Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union and plates with the names of hundreds of soldiers and officers who perished when liberating Byelorussia from German Nazi invaders and were awarded the highest degree of distinction.
- Four bronze laurel wreaths on cube-shaped stylobates of the stepped monument pedestal (sculptor Sergei Adashkevich) — signify the four fronts whose soldiers participated in the liberation of Byelorussia.
By Aleksandr Nesterov
