Eternal glory to heroes is written here. This is the Gedenkstein für russische Kriegsopfer beim Sturm auf Berlin. It commemorates Soviet soldiers. They fell during the Battle of Berlin. This memorial stands as a testament to their sacrifice.
The Gedenkstein für russische Kriegsopfer beim Sturm auf Berlin is one of several war memorials in Berlin. The Soviet Union erected them. They honor their war dead. About 80000 soldiers of the Soviet Armed Forces died. This happened during the Battle of Berlin in April and May 1945.
This Gedenkstein für russische Kriegsopfer beim Sturm auf Berlin sits in the Großer Tiergarten. This is a large public park west of the city center. It is on the north side of the Straße des 17. Juni. This street runs east to west.
The memorial arose in 1945. This was just months after the city’s capture. Early photos show it amidst ruins. The Tiergarten was devastated by bombs. People stripped it of timber for firewood. Today, woodlands surround it.
Though in the British sector, all Allied Powers supported its construction. During the Cold War, Soviet honor guards watched over the memorial. They came from East Berlin. This was one of three spots in West Berlin where Soviet troops were permitted.
Stonework from the destroyed Reich Chancellery was used. The Gedenkstein für russische Kriegsopfer beim Sturm auf Berlin mirrors other Soviet World War II monuments. It features a curved stoa. A large Soviet soldier statue tops it. Landscaped gardens surround it. Two Red Army artillery pieces flank it. There are also two T-34 tanks. An outdoor museum displays construction photos. It guides visitors to other Berlin memorials.
The inscription reads: “Eternal glory to heroes.” They fell fighting German fascists. They fought for the Soviet Union’s freedom. The statue’s arm stretches over 2000 soldiers’ graves.
Architect Mikhail Gorvits designed the Gedenkstein für russische Kriegsopfer beim Sturm auf Berlin. Sculptors Vladimir Tsigal and Lev Kerbel created the soldier statue.
Today, the Gedenkstein für russische Kriegsopfer beim Sturm auf Berlin remains a site for remembrance. Wreath-laying ceremonies occur on VE Day. War veterans from former Soviet countries visit. Tourists frequent it. It’s closer to the city center than the Treptower Park memorial. The City of Berlin maintains it.
A sign explains that over 2000 Soviet soldiers are buried here. It stands along a major road. The Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate are visible. Marble from nearby destroyed buildings was used. Adolf Hitler planned Welthauptstadt Germania here. Columns bear names of fallen Heroes of the Soviet Union.
After the Berlin Wall rose, the Gedenkstein für russische Kriegsopfer beim Sturm auf Berlin symbolized communist presence. British soldiers protected it. In 1970, a neo-Nazi wounded a Soviet guard. In 2010, vandals wrote graffiti.
The German government protects the Gedenkstein für russische Kriegsopfer beim Sturm auf Berlin. It honors a treaty. This requires maintaining Soviet war memorials.
The Gedenkstein für russische Kriegsopfer beim Sturm auf Berlin is a powerful reminder. It marks a pivotal moment in history. It honors those who fought. It symbolizes the end of an era. It stands for peace.