Did Stalin silence the feat of the heroes of the Brest Fortress? The defense of the Brest Fortress became the first feat of the Soviet fighters in the Great Patriotic War
Major Gavrilov
The commander of the 44th Rifle Regiment of the 42nd Rifle Division Major Gavrilov Peter Mikhailovich was headed by defense in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Nordic Gate of Kobrin fortification, and on the third day of the war went to East Fort, where he commanded a consolidated group of fighters from various divisions in quantities About 400 people. According to the enemy's testimony, "... here it was impossible to approach with the means of infantry, since the perfectly organized rifle and machine-gun fire made of deep trenches and from the horseshoe yard would have made each approaching. Only one solution remained - hunger and thirst forcing Russians to surrender ... "On June 30, after a long shelling and bombing, the Nazis captured most of the Eastern Fort, however, Major Gavrilov with a small group of fighters continued to fight there until July 12. On the 32nd day of the war after an unequal battle with a group of German soldiers in the North-West Caponiary of Kobrin fortification, he was captured in captivity.
Disabled by Soviet troops in May 1945. Until 1946 served in the Soviet army. After demobilization, lived in Krasnodar.
In 1957, for courage and heroism, during the defense of the Brest Fortress, he was awarded the title Hero Soviet Union. He was an honorary citizen of Brest. He died in 1979. He was buried in Brest, on a garrison cemetery, where a monument was delivered to him. His name is named streets in Brest, Minsk, Pestrachs (in Tataria - on the homeland of the hero), the motor ship, a collective farm in the Krasnodar Territory.
Lieutenant Kijevatov
Head of the 9th Outpost of the 17th Brest Red Banner Lieutenant Andrey Mitrofanovich Kijevat was one of the leaders of defense in the Terespki gate district. On June 22, the Lieutenant of Kiezhvatov and the warriors of his outpost from the first minutes of the war took a fight with the German fascist invaders. He was several times wounded. On June 29, a breakthrough group remained with a small group of border guards and died in battle. His name was named Bruminesstava, where a monument was set, streets in Brest, Kamenets, Kobrin, Minsk.
In 1943, the fascist executioners were brutally shot by the family A.M. Kizhevatova is the wife of Ekaterina Ivanovna, the children of Vanya, Nyura, Galya and the elderly mother.
Organizers of Citadel Defense
Captain Zubachev
Assistant commander at the economic part of the 44th Rifle Regiment of the 42nd Rifle Division Captain Zubachev Ivan Nikolaevich, a participant in the civil war and battles with Belofin, from June 24, 1941 became the commander of the Citadel Citadel Commander. June 30, 1941, heavily wounded and contused was captured. He died in 1944 in Hammelburg camp. Posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree. His name is named streets in Brest, Zhbinka, Minsk.
Regiment Commissioner Fomin
The Deputy Commander of the Political Inspectorate of the 84th Rifle Regiment of the 6th Orlovsky Rifle Division Regiment Commissioner Fomin Efim Moisyevich headed the defense at first in the location of the 84th Rifle Regiment (at the Kholmth Gate) and in the building of engineering management (it was currently ruins in the Eternal Region Fire), organized one of the first contracts of our warriors.
On June 24, the order of the N1 was created the defense headquarters. Command has begun on Captain I.N. Zubacheva, his deputy appointed Regiment Commissioner Fomin E.M.
Order No. 1 was found in November 1950 with the disassembly of the barracks of the Brest Gate among the remains of 34 Soviet soldiers in the tablet of an unidentified commander. The banner of the shelf was found here. Fomina Nazis shot at the Kholm gate. Posthumously awarded the Order of Lenin. Buried under the plates of the Memorial.
His name is called streets in Minsk, Brest, Lozin, a sewing factory in Brest.
Defender of Terris Gate Lieutenant Naganov
The commander of the platoon of the regional school of the 333rd Rifle Regiment of the 6th Orlovsk Rifle Division Lieutenant Naganov Aleksey Fedorovich at dawn on June 22, 1941 with a group of fighters took defense in the waterproof three-story tower over the Terespol gate. He died in battle on the same day. In August 1949, Naganan's remains and its 14 combat friends were found in ruins.
Urn with gratk A.F. Naganova is buried in the necropolis of the Memorial. He was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree posthumously.
His name is named streets in Brest and in Zhibanka. In Brest, a monument was set.
Defenders of Kobrin Strengthening
Captain Shablovsky
Defender of the Kobrinsky Premotiment Strengthening Captain Shablovsky Vladimir Vasilyevich, Commander of the 125th Rifle Regiment of the 6th Orlovsky Rifle Division, housed in the Brest Fortress, at dawn on June 22, 1941 he headed Defense in the Western Fort and Komostava Houses in Kobrin Street. About 3 days Fascists led the siege of residential buildings.
Participation in their defense took women and children. The fascists managed to form a handful of wounded warriors. Among them was Captain Shablovsky together with his wife Galina Korneevna and Children. When the prisoners led across the bridge over the bypass canal, Shablovsky pushed the conversion of the shoulder and shouting: "For me!", Rushed into the water. The automatic line broke the life of the patriot. Captain Shablovsky posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War of 1 degree. Its name is the streets in Minsk and Brest.
In the winter of 1943/44, the Nazis tortured Galina Korneevna Shablovskaya - the mother of four children.
Lieutenant Akimochkin, Politruk Nesterchuk
Head of the Staff of the 98th Seven Anti-Tank Artillery Division Lieutenant Akimochkin Ivan Filippovich organized together with the Deputy Commander of the Division on the political part of the senior political officer Nesterchuk Nikolai Vasilyevich, defensive positions on the eastern shafts of Kobrin Strengthening (near the "Star"). Here were installed surviving guns and machine guns. Within 2 weeks, the heroes held the eastern trees, defeated the column of enemy troops moving along the highway. On July 4, 1941, the fascists grabbed the fascist and, finding a party ticket in a gymnaster, shot. Posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree. His name is called Street in Brest.
Defense of Terespol fortification
Art. Lieutenant Melnikov, Lieutenant Zhdanov, Art. Lieutenant black
Under the cover of an artillery fire at dawn on June 22, the exterior detachment of the 45th Infantry Division of the enemy managed to break through the Terespol gate to the Citadel. However, the defenders stopped the further advantage of the enemy on this site and several days were firmly held busy positions. Here, the group of head of the chauffeur courses Art. L-Ta Melnikova Fyodor Mikhailovich, 80 border guards led by Lieutenant Zhdanov and the fighters of transport company headed by senior lieutenant of black Akim Stepanovich - just about 300 people.
The losses of the Germans here, according to their own recognition, "especially officers, took regrettable sizes ... On the first day of the war on Terespol, the headquarters of two German parts were surrounded and defeated the commanders of parts." On the night of June 24-25, the combined group of Art. L-Tov Melnikov and Black made a breakthrough to Kobrin fortification. The cadets led by L-Tom Zhdanov continued to fight on Terespol strengthening and made their way to the Citadel. On July 5, the fighters decided to connect to the Red Army. It was possible to break through from the deposited fortress only Troim - Myasnikov, Sukhorukov and Nikulin.
The cadet of district courses of the chauffeurs of the Piermenokask Mikhatnikov Mikhail Ivanovich fought on Terespol fortification and in the Citadel until July 5, 1941. A group of border guards broke out from the enemy rings and, departing by Belarusian forests, connected with the parts of the Soviet army in the area of \u200b\u200bMazyr. For heroism, manifested in battles in the liberation of the city of Sevastopol, the older lieutenant Myasnikov M.I. The title Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded.
Senior Lieutenant Black Akim Stepanovich, commander of the transport company of the 17th red-known border detachment. One of the defense leaders on Terespol fortification. On the night of June 25, together with the group of senior lieutenant, Melnikova made his way to Kobrin fortification. June 28, contuge was captured. Fascist camps were held: Biala-Podlaska, Hammelburg. He took part in the activities of the underground anti-fascist committee in the Nuremberg camp. Released from captivity in May 1945.
Defense of Volyn Strengthening
Mortar, 1 rank Babkin, Art. Politruk Kislitsky, Commissioner of Bogoya
At Volyn Strengthening, the 4th Army and the 25th Infantry Corps of the 6th Infantry Division and the Rifle School of the 84th Rifle Regiment were posted on Volyn Strength. The southern gates of the fortifications were held back by the Natik of the enemy cadets of the regional school of the 84th Rifle Regiment under the leadership of Senior Politruk Kislytsky L.E.
German Hospital Building seized by noon on June 22, 1941. Head of the Hospital of the Armor of the 2nd Rang Babkin Stepan Semenovich and Batthale Commissioner Bogatejev Nikolai Semenovich, saving sick and wounded, the heroic died, shooting from the enemy.
A group of cadets of the regimental school of younger commanders with a part of patients from the hospital and fighters arrived from the Citadel, fought until June 27.
Pupils of musician platforms
Petya Vasilyev
The pupil of the musician platoon Petya Vasilyev from the first minutes of the war helped pull the ammunition from the destroyed warehouses, delivered products from a dilapidated store, performed intelligence tasks, mined water. By participating in one of the attacks to liberate the Red Army Club (churches), replaced the deceased machine gunner. The tricky Fight Petit forced the fascists to heal, and then run back. In this battle, the seventeen-year-old hero was mortally wounded. Posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree. Buried in the necropolis of the Memorial.
Peter Klypa
The pupil of the musician platoon of Klypa Peter Sergeevich fought at the Terespol gate of the Citadel until July 1st. Delivered ammunition and products soldiers, mined water for children, women, wounded and fighting defenders of the fortress. Led reconnaissance. For fearlessness and smelter, the fighters called Petya "Brest Gavrose". During a breakthrough, a fortress was captured. Fight from prison, but was captured and stolen to work in Germany. After liberation served in the Soviet Army. For courage and heroism, which was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree during the defense of the Brest Fortress.
Women in the defense of the Brest Fortress
Vera Gorpeetskaya
"Verochka" - so called it all in the hospital. A girl from Minsk region on June 22, together with the battalion commissar, Bogatyev endured patients from a burning building. When I learned that in a dense shrub, where there was a position of border guards, a lot of wounded, she darted there. Dressing: one, the other, the third - and the warriors again go to the line of fire. And the Gitlerians all squeeze the ring. Because of the bush, a fascist with an automatic machine for a promotion was emerged, after him, Horetskaya was sent forward, honest as an exhausted warrior. Crash automatic line merged with recent words nineteen years old girl. She took death in battle. Buried in the necropolis of the Memorial.
Raisa Abakumova
In the eastern fort in the shelter, a dressing point was organized. He was headed by Voalfeldsher Raisa Abakumova. From under the enemy's fire, she endowed the serious fighters on themselves, in shelters provided them with medical care.
Praskovaya Tkacheva
Nurse Praskovya Leontievna Tkacheva from the first minutes of the war rushes in the smoke of the flame of the hospital. From the second floor, where postoperative patients lay, she managed to save more than twenty people. Then after severe injured he was captured. In the summer of 1942, he became connected in the partisan detachment of the name of Chernaka.
Soviet border guards were the first to meet the enemy.
On the taking, the fascists took the minute. Border guards held hours, days, weeks ...
This article is dedicated to the immortal fee of defenders of the Brest Fortress.
Brest Fortress. On June 22, 1941, the first German shells and bombs were broken here at dawn. And here the fascists first learned what Soviet resistance and Soviet courage.
In August 1915, Russian troops left the Brest Fortress without a fight. The arrogant Hitler's generals were confident that the first blow to Brest would force the garrison to capitulate fortress. Gitlerians waited for cruel disappointment.
June 22, 1941. The enemy throws the 12th Army Corps to Brest as part of the 31st, 34th and 45th divisions with coming tank, sperm and other special parts of the 4th Army. A hundreds of guns of heavy artillery batteries beat the city and fortress.
About the hour of day, the fascists on the pontoons are trying to force the Bug. To capture the fortress, they need to master the unspecable island between the old and new river beds. Island - outpost of the fortress. The bridge connects it with the Western Gate of the Citadel.
This was what the defender of the Brest Fortress attacks the enemy was told about the first minutes of the enemy's attack - at the time of the ordinary courses of the chauffeurs of the Belarusian border crossing M. I. Myasnikov, awarded afterwards the title of Hero of the Soviet Union:
"From June 21 to 22, I with the ordinary border guard Shcherbina I. S. was appointed in the outfit for the protection of the State Border of the SSR Union ...
Border outfit on the West Island.
I was appointed eldest outfit. Carrying service, watching abroad, we noticed a strong noise from 12.00 on June 21, the movement of cars, equestrian thrust and noise of tanks near the border. I have been reported on the stamping about the observed actions of the Germans. I received an order to strengthen vigilance and observation.
On June 22, approximately in 3.40, we found a nomination to the railway bridge across the Bug Break River, which is approximately five minutes after it approached the bridge, opened the artillery fire in the fortress and the railway station. At the same time, the fire of the artillery of the Germans in the fortress and the railway station and the barracks of the border outpost was opened, while the artillery fire on the outpost was conducted by direct vendor, as a result of which the roof of the barracks immediately collapsed and the barracks caught fire. German aviation has subjected to bombardment simultaneously with artillery training Brest, fortress, island and areas of the station. After the artillery and aviation training, the Germans began to force the Bug in several directions in several directions and use the railway bridge to cross the troops to cross the troops to cross the troops and tanks. At the same time, the engine boats with the landing were forced in several places. "
Border guards chose the fortress.
The flame and smoke enveloped the island. The roar and howl airplanes covered everything. Bomb bomb, projectile projectile. But the outpost did not flutter. In black smoke, the head of the head of the head, and people in green caps, sowing in blockhouses, met the coming machine-gun fire, were thrown by grenades, rushed into counterattacks.
A group of younger Politrut Komsomolman Yakovleva three times discarded the Nazis, trying to master the island.
Were on the outcome of the cartridges. The fighters gathered a combat reserve from those killed. Prerequisitive machine guns, prepared ... Here they appeared on the pontoons of the figure of enemy soldiers.
Do not shoot! - Command Yakovlev.
The fascists are absolutely close. But barely approached the island, as the machine guns and automata of border guards spoke again. Hurricane fire for the fourth time made the enemy return to his shore. And the river took down dozens of corpses in green overcoats.
The island defended the look. Almost all the fighters were Komsomol members. But not only the "Komsomolskaya Zadavna" - all fighters defended Brest, fought with astounding courage.
Documents are talking about the Sablin Machine Machinery: Heavy-wounded in both legs, squeezing his teeth, losing consciousness, he beat from the machine gun for the casual to the Nazis.
At another fighter, Grigoriev, right hand It was fragmented by a discontinuous bullet, but he continued to shoot.
Heavily wounded Kuzmin, expired by blood, threw a grenade for a grenade into the thick of the fascists. His last words were: "You, bastards, do not take us never!"
Among the defenders of the fortress there was a wife of one of the border guards, Katia Tarasyuk, a rural teacher, Komsomolka. She came to her husband to spend his holidays. In the first days of the battle, Katya cared for wounded. She carefully poked them out of the pots, trying not to shed a single drop of precious moisture, bandaged the wounds. Her husband is a machine gunner - died during the next laid on the fortress of fascist pixers. When Katya learned about her husband's death, she said:
Give me his machine gun.
Katya Tarasyuk equipped a machine-gun nest in the branches of the old Rakita, grew at the fortress yard. I saw this Rakit. Black, with dried branched branches, she proudly stands among the stones. Brest residents called Rakitu "War War". Katya Tarasyuk and her combat comrades fought here until the last drop of blood ...
The second week of defense circidle. The red banner was still waving over the citadel. The German command established one period of taking the fortress after another.
The defenders of the fortress were still ammunition, but the products were becoming less and less, and the water reserves were dried. To quench thirst, they took raw sand in the mouth. In the basements on the straw rushed wounded: "Drink!" I was looking for wells - not found. In one basement, they found some ice, it was divided into small pieces ...
Neither the flour of hunger and thirst, nor bombing, nor provocative proposals of the Hitlerovtsev - Nothing could break the spirit of Soviet soldiers!
The 9th border appendix led by her head of Lieutenant A. M. Kijevatov was directly in the Brest Fortress. Every day the position of her defenders was becoming harder, lacked ammunition, there were no food and water. Nazis practically continuously fired a fortress from guns and mortars, one attack replaced the other. The fortress did not give up, her garrison stood to death.
Repeated border guards made bold babes, destroyed the enemy. They fought to the last cartridge, while they could hold weapons in their hands. The wounded remained in the ranks and continued to beat the enemy, and the example for them was the Lieutenant of the Kijevats, wounded more than once ...
On the wall of one of the chamber guards, where the border guards were found in the 9th outpost, the inscription was discovered: "I'm dying, but I do not give up! Goodbye, homeland! " And the date - "20.VII.41." For almost a month, the Soviet border guards of the enemy were held back in the Brest Fortress, they made his strength, made it difficult to advance.
In the combat report of the 45th German Infantry Division "On the Take of the Brest-Lithuanian Fortress", captured in the village of the village high, said:
"To destroy flanking from the Komstava's house (so the Germans called this building) of the central island on the North Island, which was very unpleasant, there was sent there by the 81st spernaya battalion with the instruction: a subversive party to clear this house and other parts. From the roof of the house, explosives were lowered to the windows, and the phytilites were lit; We were heard of wounded Russians from the explosion, but they continued to shoot ... "
Until the last cartridge, defenders of the fortress headed by the Senior Lieutenant Potapov and Lieutenant of Kiezhevat fought to the last drop of blood. Without breaking the resistance of the Soviet soldiers, the fascists blew up the building.
Hero of the defense of the fortress of A. M. Kiezhvatov died.
I did not have to make his family to wait for the Victory Day. Mother Lieutenant Kizhevatova, wife and children - Nyura, Vasya, Galya were brutally shot by the Nazis.
High courage and heroism showed the warriors of the border, which were on the border island, which covered the Brest Fortress. There were about 300 people here: the cadets of the school of the chauffeur, courses of cavalrysts, the national team of the Brest detachment and border trials of the Superpace of Kizhevatov. For the most part, these were young fighters, just put on the border shape.
The wives of commanders of border guards were courageous. They were together with their husbands on the fire line, tied up wounded, brought ammunition, water for machine guns. Some themselves shot on the upcoming fascists.
Rows of border guards melted, their forces weakened. The storage barracks and residential buildings were burned, marked by artillery enemy. But the border guards stood to death. They knew: for their back in the predestrous fog to the border, the troops rush, artillery pulls up. And when the first echelons of the divisions of our corps approached, the border guards continued the battle to the shoulder to the shoulder with them.
Another testimony of the participant in the defense of the fortress - the head of the 20th frontier, now Colonel in resignation Georgy Filippovich Manneck:
"The 20th front desk guarded the area of \u200b\u200bthe state border at the junction of the Belarusian and Ukrainian border districts. Our plot was considered active. We knew that on the adjacent side not far from the border was located one of the German reconscases. On the eve of the war, the opponent's intelligence strengthened their activities. Almost daily, she threw on our side of their agents to establish the location of defensive structures in the border strip and deployment points of the Soviet troops in the direction of Brest, Kobrin, Minsk. With this agent, we had a chance to join the struggle long before the open armed attack of fascist Germany. Only on the site of our oblast in a short time, 16 lazuts were detained.
On the eve of the war on the bank of the Western Bug, the movement of German troops increased. We saw how their units were erected engineering facilities, in the afternoon and at night, the observation of our side. Literally on each tree there were observers. Cases of threats and even the shelling of our border guardians. German aircraft something and case invaded our airspace, we categorically forbidden to respond to these provocations. Local residents who moved to us from the other side reported the preparation of fascist Germany to attack our country. Yes, and we felt: the war smells in the air.
Given the folding situation ... We managed to strengthen the supporting points and open about 500 meters of trenches and the message moves. It helped us later, in the first fights.
At about 3.00 on June 22, the Germans cut telephones with the headquarters of the border and neighbors, and at 4.00 at dawn on the stamping (as well as other on a wide front) hit the flurry of artillery and mortar fire. Machine guns and enemy automata tracing bullets shot the entire shore, creating a solid fiery wall. Because of the Bug, the fascist "Junkers" flew to the east. Enemy shells were marked border tower.
Border guards entered an unequal battle. The outfits arrived from the flanks reported that large divisions of the enemy crossed themselves through the Bug and began to promote into our territory.
We have nothing to prevent the crossing of the Germans. In the garrison, the buildings tanned.
Neighboring heads from the enemy fire suffered large losses. Located in the open area, they were destroyed and burned with artillery shells.
According to my team, the personal composition took reference points. A reinforced enemy battalion has been accessed against us, crossed on the East Beach of Bug at the railway bridge. Three chains, shooting on the move from the automata, the Nazis rushed to our positions. We submitted them for 250-300 meters and met the fire of two machine and three hand machine guns. The fascists climbed, and then moved to coastal thickets. Seeing that the attack failed, the Nazis resumed shelling from artillery and mortars. Border guards took place in Zotch, leaving observers in positions. As soon as the artillery shelling stopped, the fighters again took their places.
Fascists repeated the attack in the same direction. This time we let them apart even closer. From the distance of 100 meters opened the rifle and machine gun fire on the enemy chains. Dozens of corpses left the enemy on the approaches to the caution. Attack again choked.
Successfully unsubscribe border guards and a third attack, which the Germans were taken after a powerful mortar and artillery shelling. Only after the fifth attack, individual enemy groups managed to close to our trenches. Then the border guards were let down grenades. Yet near the platoon of the Nazis wedged into our defense. Starshina Zheltuhin and Efreitor SERGUSHUR, put forward forward, threw them with grenades.
The fierce fight continued. At that moment I reported to me that the head of the 5th backup appendix Lieutenant V. V. Kiryukhin was killed (this storage fought next to us). His wife A. T. Maltsev at this time in the trenches tied ordered by the wounded, drove the cartridges, herself took a rifle in his hands and shot on the attacking fascists.
During the fight, machine gunners often changed their positions and with short distances opened fire on the enemy. The Germans hunted every machine gunner. One of the enemy groups went to the rear machine-gun calculation of the younger sergeant Alexander Filatov, she wanted to throw him with grenades. But at that time, the border guards of Inomers and Burekhin were opened on it.
The fascists again moved back and began to fill us with incendiary shells. Forest caught fire in the defense area. Thick smoke lasted defensive structures. It was difficult to observe the actions of the enemy. But border guards, accustomed to carry service in conditions of limited visibility, still noticed the maneuver of the enemy. We quickly regrouped our strength and prepared for the reflection of new attacks.
The hot battle boiled again. Two companies hit our positions from the north and from the North-West, the third attacked from the southeast. Under Grek, the bullet border guards rose from the trenches and the Nazis destroyed the Nazis. Preparing a fatal danger, secretary of the Komsomol organization Junior Sergeant of Filatov rolled out a machine gun for a tag brush. Long queues he shot attacked German soldiers. When the enemy bullet struck the hero, the border guar of Ermakov took his place at the machine gun.
Machine gunners, incessantly changing firing positions, wrapped fire on the enemy from those directions where he did not expect. The Germans had an impression that the whole terrain in front of defense is sacrificed with solid cross-fire.
In the art of conducting fire, in the tactical skill, machine gunners were not inferior and arrows - Starshin Zheltuhin, Jr. Sergeant Shangin, Private Abdullah Hyrutdinov, Snipers Vladimir and Ivan Afanasyev.
For eleven hours of uninterrupted battle, border guards beat seven enemy attacks. The enemy forces were much superior to our, the ring of the environment shrined more and more. There was another terrible enemy against us - a forest fire (our trenches were in a pine forest). Buildings burned and buildings. Many border guards received strong burns. People torn from caustic smoke.
Together with the senior political officer, blonde and younger political cravings decided to withdraw the personnel from the environment.
To cover the waste, the calculations of the machine gun led by Yermakov and manual machine guns of Burekhin and Inozemesev was allocated. Machine gunners occupied firing positions 50-70 meters from the course of the message. While the Germans were preparing for the next attack, we moved to the forest.
By how the fire was weakened by the defenders, the Nazis guessed that we began to waste. They decided to catch up with us, but they were reversible from the machine gunners left in the barrier. The Hitlerians did not pursue the burning forest.
On the second day, we went to the city of Lomomoml, where the headquarters of the 98th border starts were located.
This ended the first unequal fight with the enemy. Zavadava destroyed over 100 fascists.
Soon we joined the neighboring foundations of our commandation, then in conjunction with the units of the Red Army, fierce defensive battles for lomoml, Kovel and other reference points
The German command planned to capture the Brest Fortress in the first hours of war. By the time of the German attack on the USSR, 7 rifle battalions and 1 intelligence, 2 artillery divisions were stationed in the fortress, some special forces of rifle regiments and divisions of cabinet parts, the assembly of the 6th Orlovsk Red Banner and 42nd Rifle Division of the 28th Infantry Corps 4- Army, divisions of the 17th Red Brest Brest border detachment, 33rd separate engineering regiment, part of the 132th battalion of the NKVD troops. That is, from 7 to 8 thousand Soviet soldiers and 300 families of servicemen.
From the first minutes of the war, the fortress was subjected to massive bombardments and artillery shelling. Stormed the Brest Fortress The German 45th Infantry Division (about 17 thousand soldiers and officers), which applied the frontal and flank strikes in cooperation with part of the forces of the 31st Infantry Division. On the flanks of the main forces, the 34th infantry and the rest of the 31st infantry divisions of the 12th Army Corps of the 4th German Army, as well as 2 tank divisions of the 2nd Guderian Tank Panel, were operating. The enemy for half an hour was the hurricane actuat on all entrance gates to the fortress, premises strengthening and bridges, artillery and fleet, in warehouses with ammunition, medicines, food, according to the barracks, and the homes of the superior composition. Followed by shock assault groups of the enemy.
German troops attack the Brest Fortress.
As a result of the actuator and fires, most warehouses and material part were destroyed or destroyed, the plumbing stopped acting, the connection was interrupted. A significant part of the fighters and commanders was disabled at the very beginning of hostilities, the garrison of the fortress is dismembered into separate groups. In the first minutes of war, border guards were entered into battle with the enemy, the Red Army and the cadets of the regional schools of the 84th and 125th rifle regiments, which were at the border, on the Volyn and Kobrin fortifications. Stubborn resistance allowed the morning of June 22 to get out of the fortress of about half of the personnel, remove several guns and light tanks in the areas of concentration of their parts, evacuate the first wounded. In the fortress there are 3.5-4 thousand Soviet soldiers.
The enemy had almost 10 times superiority in the power. On the first day of battles to 9 o'clock in the morning, the fortress was surrounded. The advanced parts of the 45th German division tried to master the fortress (according to the German command to 12 o'clock in the day). Through the bridge at the Terespol gate, the embroidering groups of the enemy broke through to the citadel, in the center it was captured by the building club dominant over other buildings, where the adjustments of artillery fire were immediately settled. At the same time, the enemy developed an offensive in the direction of the Kholm and Brest gate, hoping to connect there with groups that were coming from the Volyn and Kobrin fortifications. This idea was ripped.
The Kholmian gates into battle with the enemy were joined the soldiers of the 3rd battalion and the staff units of the 84th rifle regiment, in Brest - the fighters of the 455th rifle regiment, the 37th separate battalion of communication, 33rd separate engineering regiment went to the counterattack. The enemy's bayonet attacks were crumpled and tilted. Refrigerating Hitlerians with dense fire met Soviet soldiers at the Terespol gate, which by this time were repulsed from the enemy. The border guards of the 9th border shops and the total divisions of the 3rd border committee - the 132nd Battalion of the NKVD, the fighters of the 333rd and the 44th rifle regiments, the 31st separate auto-battalion were consolidated. They were kept under the sighting rifle and machine-gun fire through the Western Bug, prevented the enemy to establish a pontoon crossing.
Only a little of the German car masters breakdown in the citadel managed to hide in the club's building and at a nearby building of the Komstava dining room. The enemy here was destroyed on the second day. Subsequently, these buildings have repeatedly moved from hand to hand. Almost simultaneously, fierce battles unfolded throughout the fortress. From the very beginning, they acquired the nature of the defense of its individual fortifications without a single headquarters and command, without communication and almost without interaction between the defenders of different fortifications. The defendants were headed by commanders and political workers, in some cases - the commander of ordinary fighters.
After a few hours of fighting, the command of the German 12th Army Corps was forced to send all available reserves to the fortress. However, as the commander of the German 45th Infantry Division, General Schlipper, this "also did not make changes to the position. Where the Russians were discarded or burned, after a short period of time from the basements, drainage pipes And other shelters appeared new forces that fired so excellent that our losses increased significantly. " The opponent unsuccessfully passed through the radio installation of calls to the prisoner, sent parliamentaries. Resistance continued.
The defenders of the citadel held almost a 2-kilometer ring of a defensive 2-storey barrage belt in conditions of intense bombardments, an art footer and attacks of opponent's assault groups. During the first day, they beat 8 fierce attacks by enemy infantry, blocked in the citadel, as well as the attacks from the outside, with an opponent of bridgeheads on Terespol, Volynsky, Kobrin fortifications, from where the Nazis rummaged to all 4 gates of the Citadel. In the evening of June 22, the enemy entrenched in a portion of the defensive barrack between the Kholm and Terspotic gates (later used it as a bridgehead in the citadel), captured several barrack compartments at the Brest gate. However, the calculation of the enemy was not justified; Defensive battles, counterattacks of Soviet soldiers fastened the forces of the enemy, caused him great losses.
Morning June 23 again began with the art print and bombardment of the fortress. The battles took a fierce, protracted character, which the enemy did not expect anything. The stubborn heroic resistance of the Soviet soldiers was met by the German-fascist invaders on the territory of each serf strengthening.
On the territory of the Border Terespol Strengthening, the defense was kept warriors of the chauffeur courses of the Belarusian Border District under the command of the head of the graduate of senior lieutenant F.M. Melnikova and teacher of Leutenanta Zhdanov courses, transport company of the 17th frontier headed led by the commander of the senior lieutenant A.S. Black together with the fighters of cavalry courses, a sapper platoon, reinforced outfits of the 9th frontier. They managed to cleanse the most part of the strengthening of the opponent, but due to the lack of ammunition and large losses in the personal composition they could not. On the night of June 25, the remains of Melnikov's groups who died in battles, and black, forced Western Bug and joined the defenders of the citadel and Kobrin fortification.
At Volyn fortification, the 4th Army and the 28th Rifle Corps of the 6th Infantry Corps were held at Volynsky Strength, the 95th Song of the 6th Rifle Division was located, the 94th Rifle Regiment, outfits of the 84th rifle regiment, were located. B of border shops. On the southern gates of the defense holder held a duty platoon of the regimental school. From the first minutes of the enemy invasion, the defense acquired focal nature. The enemy sought to break through to the Kholm goal and, breaking through, connect with the assault group in the citadel. The warriors of the 84th rifle regiment came to the rescue from the citadel. Battalion commissioner N.S. was organized in the Defense Hospital Bogatyhev, Voirevat 2nd Rang S.S. Babkin (both died). German automatic gunners burst into hospital buildings brutally painted with sick and wounded.
The defense of Volyn Strengthening is full of examples of the dedication of fighters and medical staff, fought to the end of the ruins of buildings. Covering the wounded, killed nurses V.P. Horetskaya and E.I. Rovnegin. Capturing the patients, wounded, medical staff, children, on June 23, the Nazis used them as a living fallow, poverty ahead of the attackers of the Kholmmakers. "Shoot, do not regret us!" - prisoners shouted.
By the end of the week, the focal defense at the strengthening of the bloodstream. Some fighters joined the ranks of the defenders of the Citadel, few managed to break from the enemy ring.
In the citadel - the most large assembly of defense - by the end of the day on June 22, the command of individual plots of defense was determined: in the western part, in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Terespol gate, he was headed by the head of the 9th front border station A.M. Kijevats, Lieutenants of the 333rd Rifle Regiment A.E. Potapov and A.S. Sanin, senior lieutenant N.G. Semenov, commander of the 31st Automobile Ya.D. Minakov; Warriors of the 132nd Battalion - Junior Sergeant K.A. Novikov. A group of fighters who occupied defense in the tower over the Terespol gate, led Lieutenant A.F. Naganov. To the north of the 333rd rifle regiment, the fighters of the 44th rifle regiment under the command of the assistant commander of the 44th rifle regiment on the economic part of Captain I.N. Zubacheva, senior lieutenants A.I. Semenhenko, V.I. Bytko (from June 23). At the junction with them, the Brest gates fought warriors of the 455th rifle regiment under the command of Lieutenant A.A. Vinogradov and Political Arms P.P. Koshkarov. In the barracks of the 33rd separate engineering regiment, the assistant chief of the headquarters of the regiment, senior lieutenant N.F. Scherbakov, in the White Palace area - Lieutenant A.M. Nagai and Private AK Sugurov is the responsible secretary of the Komsomol Bureau of the 75th Separate Intelligence Battalion. In the area of \u200b\u200bthe arrangement of the 84th Rifle Regiment and in the engineering management building, the Deputy Commander of the 84th Rifle Regiment on the Political Part of the Political Commissioner E.M. Fomin. The progress of defense demanded the association of all the forces of defenders of the fortress.
On June 24, a meeting of commanders and political workers was held in the Citadel, where the issue of creating a consolidated combat group was decided, the formation of divisions from warriors of different parts, the approval of their commanders distinguished during the fighting. The order No. 1 was given, according to which the command group was entitled to Captain Zubachev, his deputy appointed Regiment Commissioner Fomin.
Almost they were able to lead defense only in the Citadel. And although the command of the consolidated group failed to unite the leadership of the battles throughout the fortress, the headquarters played a big role in enhancing hostilities. By decision of the consolidated group command, attempts were made to break through the ring of the environment. On June 26, he went to a breakthrough a detachment (120 people, mostly sergeants) led by Lieutenant Vinogradov. For the eastern feature of the fortress, 13 soldiers managed to break through, but they were captured by the enemy. Other attempts to mass breakthrough from the besieged fortress were unsuccessful, only individual small groups were able to break through.
The remaining little garrison of Soviet troops continued to fight unusual resistance and perseverance.
On the unshakable courage of the fighters say their inscriptions on the fortress walls:
"We were five seats, sad, Bogolyub, Mikhailov, Selivanov V. We took the first fight on June 22, 1941. I will die, but we will not leave here ...";
The remains of 132 soldiers discovered during the excavations of the White Palace of the White Palace of the Warriors and the inscription left on the bricks are: "I do not die."
At the Kobrin Strengthening from the moment of the start of military operations, several sections of fierce defense were developed. The hard cover of the exit from the fortress through the north-western gate of the soldiers of the garrison, and then the defense of the barracks of the 125th Rifle Regiment headed the battalion commissar S.V. Derbenev. In the area of \u200b\u200bWestern Fort and houses, Nachsostav, where the enemy penetrates, the defense was headed by the commander of the battalion of the 125th Rifle Regiment Captain V.V. Shablovsky and Partburo Secretary of the 333rd Rifle Regiment Senior Politruk I.M. Handres. Defense in this zone fade by the end of the third day.
The battles were tense in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Eastern Gate of Strengthening, where the fighters of the 98th separate anti-tank artillery division were fought for almost two weeks. The enemy, forcing the Mukhaver, moved the tanks and infantry into this part of the fortress. In front of the division fighters, there was a task - to delay the enemy in this zone, not to give him the opportunity to penetrate the territory of strengthening and disrupt the output of parts from the fortress. He headed Defense Head of the Department of Division Lieutenant I.F. Akimochkin, in the following days, together with him and the Deputy Commander of the Division for Politchasti Senior Politruk N.V. Nesterchuk.
In the northern part of the main shaft in the area of \u200b\u200bthe northern gate, a group of fighters from different departments were fought for two days (from those who covered the exit and was injured or did not manage to leave) under the leadership of the commander of the 44th rifle regiment Major P.M. Gavrilova. On the third day, the defenders of the northern part of the main shaft moved to East Fort. Here in the shelter were families of commanders. A total of about 400 people gathered. Leaded the defense of the Fort Major Gavrilov, Deputy Polytechasti Politruk S.S. Spripter from the 333rd Rifle Regiment, Chief Staff - Commander of the 18th Separate Communication Battalion Captain K.F. Casatkin.
In the earthen shafts surrounding the fort, there were trenches of trenches, on the shafts and in the courtyard installed machine gun points. Fort has become impregnable for German infantry. According to the enemy's testimony, "it was impossible to approach here, having only infantry tools, since the perfectly organized rifle and machine-gun fire made of deep trenches and the horseshoe yard made each approaching. There was only one solution - hunger and thirst forced Russians to surrender ... "
Nazis methodically for a whole week attacked the fortress. Soviet soldiers had to beat 6-8 attacks per day. Next to the fighters were women and children. They helped the wounded, drove the cartridges, participated in hostilities.
The fascists were allowed into the course of tanks, flamets, gases, set fire and rolled from the external trees of barrels with a combustible mixture. The chases were burning and crumbled, there was nothing to breathe, but when enemy infantry was in the attack, the hand-to-hand fights were tied. In the short intervals of the relative clutch in the reproductors, calls were given to the capture.
Being in full surroundings, without water and food, with an acute lack of ammunition and medicine, the garrison fought courageously with the enemy. Only for the first 9 days of fighting defenders of the fortress disabled about 1.5 thousand soldiers and opponent officers.
By the end of June, the enemy captured most of the fortress, 29 and Just Jun, the Nazis took a continuous two-day fortress assault using powerful (500 and 1800 kilogram) airbabes. June 29 died, covering with several fighters a breakthrough group, twentieth. In the Citadel on June 30, the Nazis grabbed the seriously edged and contuge captain Zubachev and the Regiment Commissioner Fomin, whom the fascists were shot near the Kholm gate.
June 30, after a long shelling and bombing, ending with a fierce attack, the Nazis mastered the Hitler large part The facilities of the Eastern Fort, captured the wounded. As a result of bloody battles and losses, the defense of the fortress broke up into a number of isolated foci of resistance.
Until July 12, a small group of fighters led by Gavrilov continued to fight in East Fort. Blowing out of the fort, seriously wounded Gavrilov and Secretary of the Komsomol Bureau of the 98th Separate Anti-Tank Artillery Division GD. Doodle, captured. But later, the 20th of July, Soviet soldiers continued to fight the fortress. The last days Fight wrestled legends.
These days are the inscriptions left on the walls of the fortress by her defenders: "I will die, but I will not leave the fortress", "I'm dying, but I do not give up. Goodbye, Motherland. 20.11.41."
None of the banners of military units who fought in the fortress did not get the enemy. The banner of the 393rd separate artillery division was buried in the Eastern Fort Senior Sergeant R.K. Semenyuk, ordinary I.D. Fungalkov and Tarasov. 09/26/1956, it was digested by Semenyuk. In the basements of the White Palace, Engineering Department, Club, the barracks of the 333rd regiment held the last defenders of the Citadel. In the building of engineering management and the eastern fort, the Nazis applied gases, against the defenders of the barracks of the 333rd regiment and the 98th division, in the zone of the 125th regiment - flames ... The enemy was forced to mention the resistance and heroism of the defenders of the fortress. In July, the commander of the 45th German Infantry Division General Shlipper in the "report on the occupation of Brest-Litovsk" reported: "Russians in Brest-Litovsk fought extremely stubbornly and persistently. They showed excellent rate of infantry and proved a wonderful will to resistance. "
The defense of the Brest Fortress is an example of the courage and perseverance of the Soviet people in the struggle for freedom and independence of the Motherland. Defenders of the fortress - warriors more than 30 nationalities - to the end fulfilled their duty to their homeland, made one of the greatest feats in the history of the Great Patriotic War. For exceptional heroism in the protection of the fortress, the title Hero of the Soviet Union was assigned by Major Gavrilov and Lieutenant Kizhevatov. About 200 defense participants are awarded orders and medals. On May 8, 1965, the Brest Fortress was awarded the honorary title "Fortress hero" with the presentation of the Order of Lenin and the medal "Golden Star".
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References:
Kislovsky Yuri Grigorievich from the first day to the last: for the string of combat report and reports of Sovinformbüro
- Samsonov Alexander Mikhailovich collapse of fascist aggression 1939-1945
- Fedyuninsky Ivan Ivanovich raised
- Mikhail Zlatogorov Defenders of the Brest Fortress
Defense of the Brest Fortress (lasted from June 22 - June 30, 1941) - one of the very first large battles of Soviet troops with German in the period of the Great Patriotic War.
Brest was the first Soviet border garrison, which covered the central highway leading to Minsk, so immediately after the beginning of the wars, the Brest Fortress turned out to be the first item that attacked the Germans. Soviet soldiers during the week held back the onslaught of German troops who had numerical superiority, as well as support for artillery and aviation. As a result of the assault at the very end of the siege, the Germans were able to take possession of the main fortifications, but they still continued on other sections of the battle for several weeks, despite the catastrophic lack of food, medicine and ammunition. The defense of the Brest Fortress became the first battle in which Soviet troops showed their complete readiness to protect their homeland to the last. The battle became a kind of symbol showing that the plan of the rapid assault and seizure by the Germans of the USSR may be unsuccessful.
History of the Brest Fortress
The city of Brest was included in the USSR in 1939, at the same time the fortress, located near the city, has already lost its military significance And he remained only a reminder of past battles. The fortress itself was built in the 19th century, as part of the fortification system at the Western borders of the Russian Empire. By the time the Great Patriotic War began, the fortress could no longer fulfill its military functions, as it was partially destroyed - it was used mainly to accommodate border detachments, NKVD troops, engineering parts, as well as hospital and various border units. By the time of the initiation of Germany, about 8,000 servicemen was located in the Brest Fortress, about 300 families of the commander, as well as medical and service personnel.
Storming of the Brest Fortress
Storming the fortress began on June 22, 1941 at dawn. The powerful artillery fire from the Germans was subjected to, first of all, the barracks and residential houses of the command formulation in order to disorient the army and achieve chaos in the ranks of Soviet troops. After the shelling began the assault. The main idea of \u200b\u200bthe assault was the factor of suddenness, the German command hoped that an unexpected attack would cause panic and broke the will of the military to resistance in the fortress. According to the calculations of German generals, the fortress was to be taken to 12 hours of day on June 22, but the plans were not justified.
Leave the fortress and take the positions beyond it, as staging in the plans in the event of an attack, only a small part of the soldiers managed, the rest remained inside - the fortress was surrounded. Despite the unexpectedness of the attack, as well as the death of a significant part of the Soviet military command, the soldiers showed the courage and an inflexible will in the fight against German invaders. Despite the fact that the situation of the defenders of the Brest Fortress was initially practically hopeless, Soviet soldiers resisted to the last.
Defense of the Brest Fortress
Soviet soldiers who could not leave the fortress, managed to quickly destroy the Germans who broke through to the center of defensive structures, and then take advantageous positions for defense - the soldiers took the barracks and various buildings that were around the perimeter of the citadel (central part of the fortress). This made it possible to effectively organize a defense system. The defense was headed by the remaining representatives of the officer and in some cases, simple ordinary soldiers, who were then recognized as heroes for the defense of the Brest Fortress.
On June 22, 8 attacks from the enemy were committed, the German troops, contrary to forecasts, suffered significant losses, so it was decided to withdraw the band in the fortress back in the rate of German troops in the evening of the same day. A blockade line was created along the perimeter of the fortress, military actions from the assault turned into a siege.
On the morning of June 23, the Germans began a bombardment, after which an attempt was made by storming to take the fortress. The broken inside of the group collided with fierce resistance and assault prayed again, turning into protracted battles. By the evening of the same day, the Germans suffered huge losses again.
The following few days resistance continued, despite the onslaught of German troops, artillery shelling and suggestions to surrender. Soviet troops had no opportunity to replenish their ranks, so the resistance gradually faded, and the power of soldiers melted, but, despite this, it was still not possible to take the fortress. Food and water supplies were suspended, and the defenders decided that women and children should surrender to stay alive, but some women refused to leave the fortress.
On June 26, a few more attempts were made to break through into the fortress, it was possible only to small groups. To capture most of the fortress the Germans managed only by the end of June. On June 29 and 30, a new assault was performed, which was combined with art prints and bombards. The main groups of the defenders were captured or destroyed, as a result of which the defense lost centrality and broke into several separate foci, which eventually played its role in the surrender of the fortress.
Results of the defense of the Brest Fortress
The remaining Soviet soldiers continued to resist until the fall, despite the fact that the fortress was actually taken by the Germans, and the defense was destroyed - small battles continued until he was destroyed last defender fortress. As a result of the defense of the Brest Fortress, several thousand people were captured, the rest were killed. Battles in Brest became an example of the courage of the Soviet troops and entered the world history.
"What could be heroism on Western borders?! The German has freely crossed the border and reached Moscow under the green light. surrendered ... "
For a long time, it was just such a conviction. Moreover, Stalin authoritatively stated that "we have no prisoners of war, we have traitors." And all the surviving defenders of the Brest Fortress automatically fell into their discharge. Only at the time of the Khrushchev "thaw" prose, the playwright and journalist Sergei Smirnov was able to tell people the truth, gathering the material about the heroism of defenders and presenting it in the book "". And today we want to remember the feat of the defenders of the Citadel over the Bug, about the courage of the dead and about the heroism of the survivors.
It is necessary alive
Around the Brest Fortress and to this day there are quite a few myths. One of them - no one is alive from the defenders. And I bought on this consecration, except that Peter Kotelnikov popped up in memory - Countryman, Brestanin, who passed through the camp for prisoners of war, unsuccessful shoots, prison. It seems that he and his wife recently celebrated a diamond wedding?
Yes, Peter Mikhailovich is alive, - reassured the head of the scientific and expeditionary department of the memorial complex " Brest Hero Fortress"Elena Mityukova. - Just moved to live to the son of Moscow. Now live and approximately 20 people. Sorry for this "approximately," just there are no answers to our letters. It is known for certain that Russians are Russians Ivan Bugakov and Peter Bondarev, Chuvash Nikandr Bakhmisov, Bashkir Rishat Ismagilov, Valentina Kokoreva-Four Truchin lives in the Volgograd region.
Fate is few people who are famous Valentina's nurse is to look at it. In August last year she celebrated its 100th anniversary. As a child, the currency took their studies in the conservatory - the voice had excellent. How did the girl wanted to become an artist! But her father-doctor chose her profession: "You still sleep your own, treat people much more important." And Valya went to the first Leningrad Medin Institute. Having graduated, became a children's neurologist, prepared the dissertation. When the Soviet-Finnish war began, the girl went to the front volunteer. On that war, she got the medal "for courage." Once wounded and accompanying their travels turned out to be cut off from their own. The boy commander was confused and did not know what to do. Valya took command on himself and on the forest paths brought people from the environment.
Further service in Latvia Valentina Aleksandrovna compared almost with paradise earthly, but this favorable life ended very quickly. June 22, 1941 she woke up from the roar, thought - thunderstorm, and in fact war began again. On the 5th day of the bloody fight in the Brest Fortress, where Valentine served for half a year, her Germans were discovered with wounded. Then there were concentration camps in Poland, Prussia, Saxony with cold, hunger, humiliation ... Nevertheless, it was then that she smiled happiness - she met her love and fate in the concentration camp. The doctor Nikolai Kokorev suggested her hand and heart. In the camp they had a daughter born. Then the long-awaited victory came! But the joy very quickly changed by the next mitigarchs: the family of prisoners of war of the doctors was waiting for endless checks, continuous distrust. The spouses were not allowed to return to Leningrad, and they settled in the Volgograd region, worked by doctors, raised three daughters, five grandchildren and great-grandchildren. "Merpering up to 100 years do not live up," Valentina Kokoreva-Four Truchin notes. War and captivity failed to break this woman. It looks at life with optimism. Poems that began to write after the war, full of love, good, mood, although there is no - no and zone the alarmer: "How hard for me to live! From what? I will not say…"
Alone on all deadlie
Andrei Kizhevatov, Efim Fomin, Ivan Zubachev ... These people are no longer alive, but their names personify the courage. In the same row and Peter Gavrilov. In 1957, he would be a title Hero of the Soviet Union, but by the long-awaited event, Peter Mikhailovich will have to go through this hell. His, headed by the defense of the Kobrin strengthening of the Eastern Fort, grabbed on the 32nd day of war. When they brought to the hospital, he could not even drink water - was in a state of extreme exhaustion. At the same time, German soldiers testified that only an hour before his capture, when Major was worn in one of the incidents of the fortress, he accepted the battle alone, threw grenades, shot from a gun, killed and wounded several opponents.
After Peter Mikhailovich's hospital was waiting for 4 years of concentration camps - until May 1945, he was in Hammelburg, then in Ravensbrück. After the victory, it was also easier, too, Major Gavrilov was repressed. It is not known how the further fate of this person would have arisen if Sergei Smirnov's book was not rehabilitated with recovery in the rank. Major for many years was looking for a wife lost during the war and son, but to no avail, and married another woman.
Peter Mikhailovich went a lot around the country, spoke, was in Brest 20 times. At one of the meetings, a woman came up to Gavrilov and reported the shocking news - his wife Ekaterina Grigorievna alive and is located in Kosovo (Ivatsevichsky district) of the house of persons with disabilities. 15 years after the end of the war, the spouses were destined to meet. It turned out that the wife and son of Gavrilov were captured, after liberation returned to Belarus. The exhausted war, paralyzed Ekaterina Gavrilov, was defined in the house of persons with disabilities and the connection with his son lost.
Local press, Rahweb told about the fate of the legendary defender of the fortress. Thanks to this, I managed to find Nikolai Gavrilov - the commander of the part, where he served as a guy, sent a telegram to the Brest register. And the family reunited - Gavrilov took the first spouse with her. The second wife cared for her, though, not long - in December 1956, Ekaterina Grigorievna died. The son of Gavrilova became an artist. By the way, a lot of former defenders of the fortress elected creative professions. The Folk Artist of the RSFSR became the former ordinary 44th rifle regiment Nikolai Belousov. Famous children's writer - Lieutenant Alexander Makhnach. It was his one of the first to find Sergey Smirnov.
Among the former defenders of the fortress, it is simply impossible to bypass the name of the Hero of the Soviet Union Mikhail Myasnikova, who was at the time of the beginning of the war by the cadet of the Sheafa courses. On July 5, he, together with a group of fighters, managed to escape from the fortress and to fight in the ranks of the Red Army. For the defense of Sevastopol, butchers awarded a high title of hero.
It is impossible not to mention and Praskov Tkachev. This woman war met in the post of senior medical sister Brest military hospital, which was based in the fortress. Its trade union ticket, subsequently the museum's exhibit, she turned into a notebook: on his pages launched the surname of the killed fighters.
In June, terrible stones burned here
Ukrainians Rodion Semenyuk at the time of the beginning of the war turned 20. An important mission fell into his fortress. The junior sergeant of the anti-aircraft artillery division together with the redvarmers fell fetvarkov and Tarasov covered the combat banner of the part. But it was Semenyuk that wore him on his chest under a gymnaste and was afraid that he was wounded, and the banner would get into the hands of the enemy. "And then this terrible bombing, when the edge of earthen shafts came in, and bricks were filled from the walls and from the ceiling of the camicaseons. Then Major Gavrilov ordered to bury the banner. They just managed to do it and throw the rammed land with garbage, as the fascists broke into the fort. Tarasov was killed, and Fetvarkov was captured together with Semenyuk. " (From the book of Sergei Smirnova.)
From captivity, Rodion Semenyuk tried to run three times, but unsuccessfully. And only in January 1945 he found himself in the ranks of the Soviet Army. In September 1965 he arrived in the fortress, dug off the banner and handed over to the museum. A year later, when the government awarded the heroes of defense, noble metallurgist Kuzbass Rodion Semenyuk received the Order of the Red Banner.
One of the first to hit the fascist troops of the heroic Brest Fortress. The Germans were already under Smolensk, and the defenders of the fortress continued to resist the enemy.
Defenders of the Brest Fortress. Hood P.A. Crivonogs. 1951 / Photo: O. Ignatovich / RIA Novosti
The defense of the Brest Fortress entered the story exclusively thanks to the pilot of her small garrison - those who were not a panic in the first days and weeks of the war, did not give up, but fought to the end ...
Five times superiority
In accordance with the Barbarossa plan, through Brest, the path of one of the main shock wedges of the invasion of the invasion of the Right Wing of the Center group "Center" as part of the 4th field army and the 2nd tank group (19 infantry, 5 tanks, 3 motorized, 1 cavalry , 2 Security Divisions, 1 Motorovyd). Wehrmacht's strength concentrated here only for their personnel almost five times exceeded the forces opposing them 4th soviet army under the command of General Major Alexander Korkovawho was responsible for covering the direction Brest - Baranavichi. The German command decided to force the Western Bug with tank divisions south and north of Brest, and the 12th Army Corps of General was allocated for the assault of the fortress Walter Shrot..
"It was impossible to bypass the fortress and leave it unemployed," Commander of the 4th Army of the Wehrmacht General Field Marshal reported the authorities. Gunter von Klege- since it blocks important crossings through the Bug and access roads to both tank highways that had crucial For the transfer of troops, and above all to provide supply. "
The Brest Fortress is located to the west of the city - in the place where the River Mukhavets falls into the Bug, on the border itself. Built in the XIX century, in 1941, it did not have a defensive value, and the fortress buildings were used as warehouses and barracks for the placement of parts of the Red Army. On the eve of the Great Patriotic War, parts of the 28th Rifle Corps were located here (primarily the 6th Orlovsk Red Banner and 42nd Rifle Divizes), 33rd Separate Engineering Regiment of Distortion, the 132nd Separate Battalion of the Konvoy Troops of the NKVD, as well as regimental schools , Transport companies, music plates, staff and other units. There were two military hospitals on the territory of Volyn fortification. In the fortress, the border guards served the 9th Option of the 17th Red Banior Border Council.
In the event of the beginning of hostilities, the quartered parts had to leave the fortress and take the fortifications at the border.
"Dislocation of Soviet troops in Western Belarus, - wrote in memoirs General Leonid Sandalov (In June 1941, the head of the headquarters of the 4th Army), at first it was not subordinate to operational considerations, but was determined by the presence of barracks and premises suitable for the placement of troops. This, in particular, was explained by the crowded location of the 4th Army troops with all their warehouses of inviolable reserves (NZ) on the border itself - in Brest and the former Brest Fortress. "
To exit the Fortress combat parts required at least three hours. But when the commander of the Western Special Military District, the army general Dmitry Pavlov Gave an order to bring the troops in combat readiness, it was already too late: before the german artillery preparation, it remained about half an hour.
Start of invasion
Despite the fact that on the eve of the war, a significant part of the personnel was occupied on the construction of a Brest fortified district, in the fortress on the night of June 22 were from 7 thousand to 9 thousand soldiers, as well as about 300 families (more than 600 people) commanders Red Army. The condition of the serf garrison was well known to the German command. It decided that the powerful bomb and artillery strikes so walked the people caught by the surprise that the assault divisions would not be difficult to take the fortress and implement it "stripping". For all operations allocated for several hours.
It seemed that the enemy did everything so that it happened. In front of the Brest fortress from the 12th Army Corps of the Brest Fortress, the 45th Infantry Division was put forward, the regiment of heavy mortars, two divisions of Mortira, nine Gaubitz and two artillery installations of the Karl system, whose 600-millimeter guns were shot by concreck and Fugasic shells weighing 2200 and 1700 kg, respectively. Artillery The Germans focused on the left bank of the Bug in such a way that the strikes fell immediately throughout the fortress and were struck as much as possible her defenders. The shooters of the instruments of the special power "Karl" were to not only lead to huge destruction, but also demoralize those who survived after the shelling and encourage them to immediately surrender.
5-10 minutes before the start of artillery training, German assault groups captured all six bridges through the Western Bug in the Brest area. At 4:55 minutes in Moscow time, artillery opened a hurricane fire at Soviet territory, the east shore of the Bug on bridges and boats began to forward the advanced parts of the invasion army. The attack was sudden and merciless. The thick clubs of smoke and dust, penetrated by fiery outbreaks of explosions, climbed over the fortress. Burned and collapsed at home, in the fire and under the ruins of the scenes of military personnel, women and children ...
History of the Brest Fortress
Brest-Litovsk entered Russia in 1795 - after the third section of the Commonwealth. To strengthen new borders in St. Petersburg, it was decided to build several fortresses. One of them was to appear on the site of Brest-Litovsk. The solemn ceremony of laying the first stone of the future fortress was held on June 1, 1836, and already in 1842 the Brest Lithuanian fortress came into the number of actors of the I class I of the Russian Empire.
The fortress consisted of citadel and three extensive fortifications that form the main fortress fence and cover the citadel from all sides: Volynsky (from the South), Terespol (from the West) and Kobrin (from the East and North). From the outside, the fortress defended the Bastion Front - a fortress fence (an earthen shaft with brick chambers inside) of a 10-meter height, a length of 6.4 km and the waterconded canal filled with water. total area The fortress was 4 square meters. km (400 hectares). The citadel was a natural island, throughout the perimeter of which a bombarded two-storey defensive barrack with a length of 1.8 km was built. The thickness of the outer wall reached 2 m, internal - 1.5 m. The barracks consisted of 500 caases, which could accommodate up to 12 thousand soldiers with ammunition and food.
In 1864-1888, the fortress was upgraded by the Hero of the Hero of the Crimean War of General Eduard Totleben and was charged with a ring of forts 32 km in circle. On the eve of the First World War, the construction of the second rings of fortifications with a length of 45 km was launched (the future Soviet general Dmitry Karbyshev took part in its design), but before the start of hostilities, it was never completed.
To defend the Brest Fortress of the Russian Army, then did not have to: the rapid offensive of the Kaiser troops in August 1915 made the command forced the decision to leaving the fortress without a fight. In December 1917, Brest held negotiations on the armistice at the front between the delegations of Soviet Russia on the one hand and Germany and its allies (Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria) - on the other. On March 3, 1918, the Brest World was concluded in the building of the White Palace of the Fortress.
According to the results of the Soviet-Polish war, 1919-1920, the Brest fortress was almost 20 years old became Polish. It was used by Poles as a barracks, a military warehouse and a strict regime political prison, where the most dangerous state criminals were held. In 1938-1939, the Ukrainian nationalist Stepan Bandera was served here, who organized the murder of the head of the Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs and sentenced to the death penalty, which was later replaced by a life imprisonment.
September 1, 1939 fascist Germany attacked Poland. Surrounded by the Polish garrison resisted from September 14 to September 16. On the night of September 17, the defenders left the fortress. On the same day, the liberation campaign of the Red Army began to the Western Belarus: Soviet troops switched to the state border in the area of \u200b\u200bMinsk, Slutsk and Polotsk. Brest, together with the fortress, entered the USSR.
In 1965, the fortress, the defenders of which in the summer of 1941 showed unparalleled heroism, was awarded the title "Fortress-hero".
Smirnov S.S. Brest Fortress (any publication);
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Suvorov A.M.Brest fortress in the winds of history. Brest, 2004;
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Brest Fortress ... Facts, Certificates, Opening / V.V. Gubarenko and others. Brest, 2005.
First assault
Of course, shelling the barracks, bridges and the entrance gates of the fortress caused confusion among the soldiers. The surviving commanders could not penetrate the barracks, and the Red Army, having lost the connection with them, independently, groups and one, under artillery and machine-gun shelling, the enemy tried to escape from the West. Some officers, such as, for example, the commander of the 44th Rifle Regiment Major Peter Gavrilov, I managed to get through to your parts, but to bring people from the fortress no longer opportunity. It is believed that in the first few hours, about half of those who were in barracks were found from the fortress. At 9 o'clock in the morning, the fortress was already surrounded, and the remaining had to make a choice: to surrender or continue the struggle in hopeless conditions. Most preferred the second.
Wehrmacht's artilleryrs are preparing for the shot 600-millimeter self-propelled Mortira "Karl" in the Brest area. June 1941.
Pastor of the 45th Wehrmacht Infantry Division Rudolph Gshepf. Subsequently remembered:
"Exactly in 3.15, a hurricane began and swept over our heads with such a force, which we have never been tested before, nor in the entire subsequent course of the war. This gigantic concentrated fire shaft literally led to the shudder. Above the citadel as mushrooms grown thick black fountains of the earth and smoke. Since at that moment it was impossible to notice the opponent's opponent fire, we believed that everything was turned into a pile of Razvalin. The infantry for the last artillery salvo, the infantry began to transfer across the Bug River and, using the surprise effect, tried a fast and energetic throw to capture the fortress with go. It was immediately a bitter disappointment at once ...
The Russians were raised by our fire directly from bed: it was seen by the fact that the first prisoners were in underwear. However, the Russians were surprisingly quickly recovered, formed in combat groups behind our broken mouth and began to organize desperate and stubborn defense. "
Major General A.A. Boxes
Regiment Commissioner E.M. Fomin
Overcoming the initial confusion, the Soviet fighters were covered in the basements of the wounded, women, children and began to cut off and destroy the Nazis breakdown in the fortress, to build the defense of the most dangerous sites. In the western part of the cited by combat actions were led by lieutenants Andrei Kizhevatov and Alexander Potapov, Holm gates and in engineering management - Regiment Commissioner Efim Fomin, in the area of \u200b\u200bthe White Palace and the barracks of the 33rd engineering regiment - Senior Lieutenant Nikolay Shcherbakov, Brest (triphar) gate - Lieutenant Anatoly Vinogradov.
Major P.M. Gavrilov
"In the officers, the ranks were in that hell, they were unnoticed, and it was: who skillfully say and fights boldly, they were even better to have been respected," recalled the former partburo secretary of the regional school of the 33rd engineering regiment Fedor Zhuravlev.
The battles that moved to hand-to-hand fights went on the first day at all fortifications: West-Terespol, South-Volyn, North Kobrin, as well as in the central part of the fortress - Citadel.
Lieutenant A.M. Kijevat
On the Hitlerians who broke up on the central island and seized the club's building (the former Church of St. Nicholas), the fighters of the 84th Rifle Regiment went to the attack, the border guards of the 9th Ozda, fighters of the 333 and the 455th rifle regiments hit the enemy , 132th separate battalion of the Konvoy troops of the NKVD. On the counterattack of the fighters of the 84th rifle regiment at the Kholm gate, the testimony of its participant has been preserved Samvel Matevosyan (In June 1941, the regimental secretary of the Komsomolsk bureau):
"When shouted:" For me! For homeland! " - Many ahead of me. Literally, the exit faced a German officer. High height versil, I was lucky that he was also a pistol armed. In the fraction of a second ... At the same time shot, he hooked me the right temple, and he himself remained ... I touched the wound bandage, our sanitary helped me. "
The surviving German soldiers were blocked in the Church building.
Lieutenant A.A. Vinogradov
"Our hopeless position"
Morning assault failed. The first victory strengthened the spirit of those who were depressed by the strength and suddenness of the artillery laid and the death of comrades. Large losses of assault groups on the very first day of the offensive forced the German command to make a decision to take off their parts at night on the external trees of the fortress, surrounding it with a dense ring in order to break the resistance of defenders with artillery and aviation. The art printing began, interrupted by calls through the loudspeaker to give up.
People blocked in the basements, especially wounded, women and small children, suffered from heat, smoke and a smoldering of decaying dead bodies. But the terrible test was thirst. The plumbing was destroyed, and all the approaches to the river or the gytler canal were kept under the sighting fire. Each flask, every sip of water was mined at the price of life.
Realizing that they will no longer be able to save the death of children and women, the defenders of the Citadel decided to send them to captivity. Turning to the wives of the commanders, Lieutenant of Kiezhov said:
"Our hopeless position ... You are a mother, and your holy duty to the homeland - save children. This is our order for you. "
He assured his wife:
"Do not worry for me. I'm not in captivity. I will fight until the last breathing and even when not a single defender will remain in the fortress. "
Several dozen people, including wounded fighters and, perhaps, those who have already exhausted the strength on the struggle, came under the White Flag on the West Island on the Terespol Bridge. On the fourth day of defense, the defenders of the eastern trees of the fortress were also accepted, drove to the Germans of their relatives.
Most family members of the Commanders of the Red Army failed to live before the liberation of Brest. First, the Germans, holding them for a short time in prison, let them go all, and they settled down, as they could, somewhere in the city or its surroundings. But in 1942, the occupying authorities held several raids, deliberately looking for and shooting wives, children and relatives of Soviet commanders. Then Mother Lieutenant were killed Kizhevatova Anastasia Ivanovna, His wife Catherine and the three of their children: Vanya, Galya and Anya. In the fall of 1942, a three-year-old boy was killed Dima Shulzhenkosaved by unknown heroes on the first day of war - he was shot along with his aunt Elena ...
Who knows why the Germans did it: maybe they were revenge on their impotence, for defeat near Moscow? Or did they lead the fear of the inevitable retribution, which they reminded them melted with firemakes for a long time silent by the time of the fortress? ..
Memories of defenders
Stock Foto Igor Zotin and Vladimir Mezhevich / Photoxronics TASS
Any description of the first days of war, and especially events in the Brest Fortress, forced to be based almost exclusively on the memories of their participants - those who managed to survive. The documents of the 4th Army headquarters and, more and more in its composition, the divisions are mostly lost: burned during bombing or, so as not to get the enemy, they were destroyed by staff workers. Therefore, still historians have accurate data regarding the number of parts and places of their quartering in the Brest "Mousetrap" and are reconstructed differently and even dating battle episodes. Thanks to the many years of work of the Museum of the Heroic Defense of the Brest Fortress, open in 1956, and a whole collection of memories was collected by the journalistic investigation of the writer Sergei Smirnov. They are hard, scary to read.
"Our apartment was in the Terespol Tower," Valentina recalled, the daughter of the Musician platoon of the 33rd engineering regiment Ivan Zenkina. - during the shelling of the Terespol Tower, two water tanks struck with projectiles. The water flowed from the ceiling on the stairs, began to drag our apartment. We did not understand what's the matter. Father said: "This is a war, daughter. Take yourself, go down, fragments fly here. And I need to go to the regiment. "
Silently stroked me on the head. So I forever broke up with my father. Behind the hum, the roar and smoke, we did not hear and did not see how the enemies broke into the premises of the power plant and began to throw pomegranates in front of the pomegranates:
"Rus, give up!" One grenade ripped next to the power plant. Children shouted, women. We were kicked to the shore of the Mukhaver River. Here we saw the wounded redarmeys lying on the ground. Over them with automata stood fascists. From the windows of the caasemates between the Kholmk gates and the Terespol tower, the fighters opened fire on the fascists who were captivated.
But, seeing women and children, stopped shooting in our direction. "Shoot what stopped? Fascists will still shoot us! Shoot! " - Raid himself, shouted one of the wounded redarmeys. In my eyes began to beat the boots of one of our wounded black-haired fighter. They shouted, insulted, showing gestures that he is a Jew. I was very sorry for this person. I clung to the fascist and began to pull him out. "This is Georgian, this is Georgian," I repeat ... "
Another bright testimony of the courage of the defenders of the fortress left Natalia Mikhailovna Constrovski, wife Lieutenant Sergey Chouvikov.
"I saw," she told, "which heroism showed border guards, fighters and commanders of the 333rd rifle regiment ... I never forget the border guard, a wounded machine-gun bucket in both legs. When I assisted him help and women wanted to carry it into the shelter, he protested, asked to give Lieutenant to Kijevatov, that he can still lying at the machine gun, beat the fascists. His request was satisfied. In the afternoon of June 22, when at the time of verse, hurricane artillery fire, we saw from the basement that it was not far from the premises of the depository among the piles of Razvalin lay Tonya Shulzhenko And near her corpse crawled son. The boy was in the constant shelling zone. Never forget the fighter to me, who saved Dima. He crawled behind the child. He stretched out his hand to pull the boy to himself, and it remained lying ... Then two wounded again crawled to Dima, saved him. The kid was wounded ... "
Heroic defense. Collection of memories O. heroic Defense Brest Fortress in June-July 1941. Minsk, 1963;
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Grebenkina A.A.Live pain. Women and children of the Brest garrison (1941-1944). Minsk, 2008.
"I'm dying, but not surrender!"
On June 24, the defenders of the Citadel tried to coordinate their actions in order to prepare a breakthrough from the fortress to go to the forest to the partisans. This is evidenced by the draft of order No. 1, the text of which was found in 1951 during search engines in the basement of the barracks at the Brest gate in the field bag of the remaining unknown Soviet commander. The order was discussed in the combination of several combat groups and the creation of headquarters led by the captain Ivan Zubachev and his deputy regimental commissioner Efim Fomin. The attempt of the breakthrough was undertaken under the command of Lieutenant Anatoly Vinogradov through the Kobrin fortification in the morning of June 26, but almost all of its participants died or were captured after they managed to overcome the external trees of the fortress.
The inscription on the wall of one of the champions of the Brest Fortress: "I'm dying, but I do not give up! Goodbye homeland. 20 / VII-41 »/ Photo: Lion Polykashin / RIA Novosti
By the end of the third day of the war, after the introduction of reserves (now the units opened here two regiments) the Germans were able to establish control over most of the fortress. Defenders of the ring barracks near the Brest gates, the caasemates in the earthen shaft on the opposite bank of the Mukhaver River and East Fort on the territory of Kobrin fortification. Part of the barracks where the defense headquarters were destroyed as a result of several substruples made by German sapirers. Died or were captured by the defenders of the citadel, including the leaders of defense (Fomin was shot shortly after the captivity, and Zubachev died in 1944 in a camp for prisoners of war Hammelburg). After June 29, only insulated foci of resistance and single fighters were left in the fortress, which was collected in groups and trying to escape from the environment. Major fell in one of the latter among the defenders of the fortress Peter Gavrilov - It happened on July 23, on the 32nd day of war.
German soldiers in the courtyard of the Brest Fortress after her take
Staff Sergeant Sergey KuvalinThe captured on July 1, among other prisoners of war, worked at clearing the dawns near the Terris gate.
"Numbers July 14-15, a detachment of German soldiers passed by us, a man 50. When they were gateing with a gate, an explosion unexpectedly rang out in the middle of them, and all overwhelmed smoke. It turns out that this one our fighter was still sitting in the destroyed tower above the gate. He dropped the bunch of a grenade on the Germans, killing a man 10 and many hard wounds, and then jumped down from the tower down and crashed to death. Whoever he is, this obscure hero, we did not know, did not give him to bury it, "said Sergey Kuvalin, who passed many German camps and fled from captivity at the end of the war.
In 1952, an inscription was found on the wall of the caasemate in the north-western part of the defensive barracks:
"I'm dying, but I do not give up! Goodbye homeland. 20 / VII-41. "
Unfortunately, the name of this hero also remains unknown ...
Path to immortality
Memorial complex "Brest Fortress Hero" in Belarus Lyudmila Ivanova / Interpress / Tass
Easy to defeat Poland, France, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, capturing hundreds of cities and fortresses, the Germans for the first time since the beginning of World War II collided with such a stubborn defense in a generally very minor reinforced point. For the first time they met with the army, whose soldiers, even aware of the hopelessness of their position, preferred death in battle.
Perhaps it is in Brest, losing soldiers and officers in the battles with the defenders of the fortress, the Germans began to understand that the war in Russia would not be a light walk, as the High Command promised them. And indeed, as the German army promotes to the east, the resistance of the Red Army increased, and in December 1941 for the first time since the beginning of the war, the Nazis suffered a major defeat near Moscow.
It would seem that the scale of the events in the walls of a small border fortress is incomparable with the grandiose battles of this war. However, it is there, at the walls of the Brest Fortress, the road of unparalleled courage began, the feat of the Soviet people who defended their fatherland, the road, which in the end and led us to victory.
Yuri Nikiforov,
Candidate of Historical Sciences
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