Named Родина-мать зовёт! Rodina-Mat’ zovyot!, translates as “The Motherland Calls” is the statue in Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd, Russia, commemorating the Battle of Stalingrad, with Nazi Germany. Ironically, Mamayaev Kurgan translates as “The Mound of Mamai”, where Mamai is the commander of the Blue Horde in 1380, a rocky period of the Golden Horde.
Today we commemorate the great victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany and its allies in the Battle of Stalingrad.
On February 2, 1943, German Fieldmarshal Wilhelm von Paulus surrendered to the Red Army Command with the remnants of the once so mighty 6th Army.
The Soviet ‘Operation Hurricane’ was thereby completed.
Small Commemorative Exhibition
At Beorn’s Beehive we keep a small exhibition, dedicated to this pivotal point not only in the course of the Great Patriotic War but in WWII as a whole.
The exhibition takes the perspective of ‘humans at war’. It includes several translations of Russian materials, military documents, eyewitness accounts of participants and reporting of war correspondent.
In addition, the exhibition presents a rare glimpse into the nazi-controlled media coverage of the Battle for Stalingrad, exemplified by authenticated newspaper clippings from then occupied Denmark.
It is interesting to see how the media back then turn to coping and then suddenly pivot as reality finally penetrate and puncture the arrogant nazi proclamations of ‘victory at Stalingrad’, of which the newspaper readers during the preceding six months had been fed a true abundance.
The historic material appeared in 1943 in an underground communist publication of 70 pages called “2 Years” (https://t.me/BeornAndTheShieldmaiden/5452). The book is made up of collected newspaper clippings and illegal caricatures. It covers the legal press in the period June 22, 1941 – June 22, 1943.
Full translation of “2 years” are available in Russian, English and modern Danish.
Radio Announcement on the Day of the Defeat of the Nazi Invaders at Stalingrad
Backup at Rumble
On February 2nd 1943, the voice of radio announcer Yuri Levitan was heard throughout the country, throughout the world:
Moscow is speaking! On this hour!
Our troops have completely finished the liquidation of the German-Fascist troops which were surrounded in the Stalingrad area!
Today, on the 2nd of February, the troops of the Don Front have completed the liquidation of the Nazi troops surrounded in the Stalingrad area.
Our troops broke the resistance of the enemy, surrounded north of Stalingrad, and forced him to lay down his arms. The last center of enemy resistance in the Stalingrad area was crushed.
On February 2nd 1943, the historic battle of Stalingrad ended with the complete victory of our troops.
Over the past two days, the number of prisoners has increased by 45 thousand, and in total, during the battles from January 10th to February 2nd, our troops captured 91 thousand German soldiers and officers.
Y. Levitan then proceeds listing the number of generals, officers, and soldiers taken prisoner, as well as giving an overview of the trophies, noting that the counting still continues.
He concludes with:
Such is the outcome of one of the largest battles in the history of wars!
The text that Yuri Levitan is reading can be found on pages 145 and 146 of the Journal of Combat Operations of the Front Troops, translated by us.
The unforgettable Soviet victory at Stalingrad that marked the turning point in the fatal confrontation on life and death between Humanity and the monstrosity of Fascism.
Eternal Glory and gratitude to the Heroes of the Red Army and the unbreakable Peoples of the Soviet Union. Deep bow!
No one is forgotten
Nothing is forgotten
Inspired by materials at the journal “Historian”
Video source by E.Davydov from YouTube
Our commemoration continues at “Beorn And The Shieldmaiden” Telegram channel!