Today, everyone has the opportunity to look at how the Victory Banner over the Reichstag looked. Photos that were taken after planting, distributed in a fairly large amount. However, how this command was carried out and under whose guidance, few know in the modern world. Therefore, this issue should be covered in more detail, the debate on which continued for a rather long period of time. And so far there is no unequivocal opinion as to who exactly raised the symbol of Victory.
Historical background of attacks on the German capital
Three times our troops managed to gain a foothold in Berlin. For the first time this happened back in the years of the Seven Years War. At that time, the troops that attacked the capital of Prussia were commanded by Major General Totleben. The second time Berlin was taken during the war with Napoleon, namely in 1813. And in 1945, the capital of Germany was taken a third time by the Red Army.
When did you have to start the assault?
There were many doubts. Back in February, according to Marshal Chuikov, there was an opportunity to gain a foothold in the German capital. In addition, many thousands of human lives could be saved. However, Marshal Zhukov reasoned differently and canceled the attack. In this, he was guided by the fact that the soldiers were tired. And the rear did not have time to catch up by this time. The Americans, together with the British, decided to abandon the assault on Berlin, believing that the losses would be too big.
During the Berlin operation, about 352 thousand people were killed and wounded. The Polish army did not count about 2892 soldiers.
Two-way attack and commander inconsistency
Naturally, it was immediately clear that Berlin had practically no chance. But the commanders of the Soviet troops decided to start the assault. It was decided to attack immediately from two sides. Marshal Zhukov, who commanded the 1st Belorussian Front, attacked from the northeast. Marshal Konev, who led the 1st Ukrainian Front, launched an attack from the southwest.
The plan for encircling the city was rejected. Two marshals in everything tried to get ahead of each other. The essence of the original plan was that Konev attacked one half of the German capital, and Zhukov attacked the other.
On April 16, the attack of the Belarusian Front began. During her time at the Zeelovsky gate, about 80 thousand soldiers died. On the 1st Ukrainian Front, the crossing of the Spree River began on April 18. Marshal Konev gave the command about the attack of Berlin on April 20. Zhukov gave the exact same team on April 21, stressing that this must be done at all costs. Moreover, the success of the operation had to be reported immediately to Comrade Stalin himself.
Due to the inconsistency of the actions of the two armies, many soldiers died. It should be noted that such a "competition" was completed in favor of Marshal Zhukov.
Acknowledgments that were presented in advance
It was decided in advance to make a combat banner. But, after a little thought, they were made in the amount of nine pieces according to the number of divisions attacking the Reichstag. One of these banners was subsequently transferred under the command of Major General Shatilov to the 150th division, which fought in close proximity to the Reichstag. It was precisely this Victory Banner that later flew over the structure of the German Bundestag.
With the onset of April 30 at about three in the afternoon, an order from Zhukov was transmitted to Shatilov. He was completely secret. In it, the marshal declared gratitude to the troops who planted the Victory Banner. This was done in advance. But before the Reichstag still had to break through about 300 meters. And the fight had to be literally for every meter.
Plant the Banner at all costs!
On the first attempt, the attack failed. But it should be noted that Marshal Zhukov in his order highlighted the exact date. According to official paper, this was necessary to do on April 30 at 14.25.
Naturally, the order could not be violated. Therefore, Shatilov gave the command to hoist the Banner of Victory over the Reichstag at any cost, taking any measures. And if the flag itself cannot be hoisted, then at least raise a small flag above the entrance to the building. Maybe Shatilov was afraid that the commander of the 171st division of Negoda would get ahead of him. Thus, competition for Berlin took place between marshals, and for the Reichstag - between division commanders.
Trying to fulfill the order, the volunteers, taking home-made red flags, rushed to the main German building. It should be noted that in ordinary hostilities, it is first necessary to master the main point, and only then hoist the Victory Banner. But in this war, everything happened quite the opposite.
The 674th regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Plekhodanov received the corresponding task of hoisting the flag. When performing this operation, Lieutenant Koshkarbaev distinguished himself. In order to cope with the task, reconnaissance soldiers, led by senior lieutenant Sorokin, were given under his command.
The appearance of the first symbols of victory in a German building
And now, after 7 hours, the red Victory Banner (namely, its miniature copy) was fixed on the wall of the Reichstag. Needless to say, with what difficulty the soldiers overcame the last meters of the Royal Square! The movement was accompanied by a constant flurry of fire. However, they coped with their task. By the way, one of the soldiers, Bulatov, fastened the flag on the wall. At the same time, he stood on the shoulders of Lieutenant Koshkarbayev himself.
Thus, the fighters Koshkarbayev and Bulatov were the first to reach the main German building. It happened on April 30 at 18.30.
Skeptical attitude of the command to the championship of Koshkarbayev and Bulatov
The Reichstag and the battalion under the command of Neustroev, who was part of the 756th regiment of the same 150th division, attacked. Three times the assault failed. And only with the fourth attempt, the soldiers were able to reach the building. Three fighters made their way to the door - Major Sokolovsky and two privates. But there Koshkarbaev and Bulatov were already waiting for them.
There is such information, the essence of which is that the miniature Victory flag was fixed on the column by Private Peter Shcherbina. He picked him up from the hands of the Pyatnitsky, who was killed on the steps, who was a messenger of the battalion commander Neustroev. However, it is not known whether he became the first.
Naturally, the command did not want to believe in the superiority of Koshkarbayev and Bulatov. At 19.00, all the other soldiers of the 150th division made their way to the Reichstag building. The front door was cracked. After a fierce firefight, the building came under the control of Soviet troops.
The battles for the Reichstag lasted a very long time
The fighting inside the building itself lasted for two days. The main SS troops were knocked out before May 1. However, some individual soldiers who sat in the basements resisted until May 2. For all these days, while the fighting was ongoing, about two and a half thousand enemy soldiers were killed and wounded. Captured managed to capture as many. Enormous assistance in the assault was able to provide infantry units. However, in addition to battles in the building itself, the war continued around it. Soviet troops smashed the Berlin group, which prevented the capture of the capital.
The appearance of the symbol of victory
The hoisting of the Banner of Victory over the Reichstag began after the attack of the building itself. First of all, Colonel Zinchenko, who led the 756th regiment, congratulated the soldier on the successful operation. It was he who issued the order for the delivery of the Banner from the headquarters. In addition, there is evidence that it was he who gave the command to choose two heroes who will raise the Victory flag. They became Egorov and Cantaria.
Somewhere at 21.30 they were able to get on the roof of the Reichstag. After that, they first fixed the banner on the pediment located above the main entrance. Then, having received the appropriate command, under constant fire and with the risk of escaping, Egorov and Kantaria climbed to the very top of the dome and hoisted the symbol of Victory on it. And this happened already at one in the morning, respectively, on May 1. This version is official.
So who was the first?
But, according to the historian Sychev, this version is incorrect. Examining archival materials and holding personal meetings with the soldiers who stormed the main German building, he found that there was another home-made Victory symbol that belonged to the Sorokin group. Thus, in his opinion, the Banner of Victory over the Reichstag was hoisted by Bulatov and Provators, who served in the 674th reconnaissance regiment. And it happened at seven in the evening. This fact was fully confirmed by archival documents of the 674th regiment.
It should be noted that there are some contradictions in the documents of the 756th regiment, which refers to the assault on the Reichstag and the banner that Egorov and Kantaria planted. For example, the date of hoisting is not always the same. It should be noted that the scouts commanded by Sorokin, immediately after the capture of the Reichstag, received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The feat of the group is covered in sufficient detail in the award sheets. However, the Hero Stars were never received by them. And all due to the fact that with Egorov was supposed to become a hero of Kantaria. No one else was needed to hoist the banner.
Thus, it turns out that the first banner was fixed above the pediment of the building by Provatorov and Bulatov. The operation to plant the Banner on the Reichstag dome was led by Alexey Berest. Egorov, Kantaria, respectively, carried out his orders. That flag, which was fixed on the wall by Koshkarbayev and Bulatov, was shot by the soldiers. The scraps from him were divided between them as a keepsake.
A large number of symbols of victory over the Reichstag
There is an opinion that the first Banner was hoisted by private Kazantsev. It must be understood that during the whole assault on the Reichstag, about 40 various banners were placed, among which were large banners and miniature flags. They could be seen almost everywhere. Windows, doors, roof, walls and columns - all were in the red symbols of Victory.
The confusion in this matter arose immediately for several reasons. On the one hand, the battles for the Reichstag lasted more than a day. In addition, German artillery succeeded in destroying banners several times at the expense of successfully sent shells. On the other hand, several groups received orders to hoist the flag above the building. And all the soldiers acted, not knowing that, besides them, the others were fulfilling this order. In order not to look for the only group that was the first to accomplish this goal, the command decided to put up one Banner, which summarizes all the other battle canvases.
It should be noted that Kazantsev went through the whole war. Naturally, he repeatedly went to the hospital. But, quickly recovering, he again returned to the line of attack. However, the irony of fate was such that the very next day after the raising of the Banner, Kazantsev was seriously injured and died on May 13.
It was not possible to bring the Banner along Red Square
Unfortunately, at the parade that went down in history, no one saw the symbol of Victory. The famous band was removed after the dress rehearsal. Preparations for the parade took place within a month. However, the heroes themselves were able to fly onto him at a time when only two days remained before him. The parade was held under the command of Rokossovsky. Marshal Zhukov accepted it.
Neustroyev, who was holding the Banner, Egorov and Kantaria, had to start the parade. The moment the march sounded, Neustroev was very upset. Due to wounds, he almost became disabled. Therefore, at one point he simply lost his foot and began to seed. It was because of this moment that it was decided by Zhukov that there should not be standard bearers in the parade.
The huge role of absolutely all participants in the war
In total, about 100 people received a reward for the capture of the Reichstag, as well as for planting the symbol of Victory. We can say that the symbol of Victory was erected by each individual soldier. And the young border guards who were killed at the very beginning of the war in the Brest Fortress, and the besieged Leningraders, and even the evacuated workers. All who survived, and all who could not see the Victory Parade, absolutely all took part not only in the Victory itself, but also in the planting of its symbol on the building of the German Bundestag.
To date, the home-made Victory Banner, a photo of which everyone can see, is located in a permanent storage in the Museum of the Armed Forces. And every year on Victory Day he is carried across Red Square.