The exhibition presents the full dress jacket that belonged to the Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel-General Nikanor Zahvataev, a participant of the first Victory Parade on Red Square, which took place on June 24, 1945.
In total, 35.000 people took part in the ceremonial procession dedicated to the victory ‘over German imperialism’. Marshal Georgy Zhukov inspected the parade, and Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky was appointed commander of the troops.
The festive parade started on June 24 at 10 a.m. It rained heavily during the event, and the temperature was below 15 degrees. Joseph Stalin, standing on the podium of the mausoleum, was wearing a raincoat and rubber boots. Marshals conducting the parade got wet. According to the memories of Rokossovsky’s great-granddaughter, the marshal’s ceremonial drape coat shrank after the rain and it was necessary to take the coat to pieces in order to take it off, and then it was resewn.
The Red Square was richly decorated with scarlet victory banners and flowers in honor of this great event. As well as the national emblems of the Union republics, the USSR national emblem was installed along the facades of GUM.
When the chimes struck 10 o’clock, Georgy Zhukov rode out of the gate on a white horse, accompanied by his adjutant. Opposite the mausoleum, Zhukov met with the commander of the parade, Rokossovsky, who reported that all participants were ready. After that, the detour of the troops began. Joseph Stalin, Vyacheslav Molotov, Mikhail Kalinin, Kliment Voroshilov, and other members of the Politburo watched the march from the podium. Zhukov congratulated the soldiers and officers ‘on the Great Victory over German Imperialism’ on behalf and by order of the Soviet Government and the CPSU (b). After the end of the speech, the orchestra performed the anthem of the USSR, and 50 volleys of artillery salute were fired from the Kremlin guns.
About 1,850 units of military equipment drove across Red Square. The aerial part of the parade had to be canceled due to non-flying weather. A mixed regiment of drummers, parts of the Moscow garrison, and an orchestra of 1,400 musicians also took part in the parade.
At the end of the procession, 200 banners of the defeated German troops were dropped to the Mausoleum foundation. The Victory Banner hung over the Reichstag, was brought from Berlin especially for the parade, but it wasn’t used for this purpose.
After the parade, the banners were sent to the Central Museum of the Armed Forces.
During the Soviet period, the Victory Parade was held only in the anniversary years of 1965, 1985 and 1990. Since 1995 the parade has been held annually.
In total, 35.000 people took part in the ceremonial procession dedicated to the victory ‘over German imperialism’. Marshal Georgy Zhukov inspected the parade, and Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky was appointed commander of the troops.
The festive parade started on June 24 at 10 a.m. It rained heavily during the event, and the temperature was below 15 degrees. Joseph Stalin, standing on the podium of the mausoleum, was wearing a raincoat and rubber boots. Marshals conducting the parade got wet. According to the memories of Rokossovsky’s great-granddaughter, the marshal’s ceremonial drape coat shrank after the rain and it was necessary to take the coat to pieces in order to take it off, and then it was resewn.
The Red Square was richly decorated with scarlet victory banners and flowers in honor of this great event. As well as the national emblems of the Union republics, the USSR national emblem was installed along the facades of GUM.
When the chimes struck 10 o’clock, Georgy Zhukov rode out of the gate on a white horse, accompanied by his adjutant. Opposite the mausoleum, Zhukov met with the commander of the parade, Rokossovsky, who reported that all participants were ready. After that, the detour of the troops began. Joseph Stalin, Vyacheslav Molotov, Mikhail Kalinin, Kliment Voroshilov, and other members of the Politburo watched the march from the podium. Zhukov congratulated the soldiers and officers ‘on the Great Victory over German Imperialism’ on behalf and by order of the Soviet Government and the CPSU (b). After the end of the speech, the orchestra performed the anthem of the USSR, and 50 volleys of artillery salute were fired from the Kremlin guns.
About 1,850 units of military equipment drove across Red Square. The aerial part of the parade had to be canceled due to non-flying weather. A mixed regiment of drummers, parts of the Moscow garrison, and an orchestra of 1,400 musicians also took part in the parade.
At the end of the procession, 200 banners of the defeated German troops were dropped to the Mausoleum foundation. The Victory Banner hung over the Reichstag, was brought from Berlin especially for the parade, but it wasn’t used for this purpose.
After the parade, the banners were sent to the Central Museum of the Armed Forces.
During the Soviet period, the Victory Parade was held only in the anniversary years of 1965, 1985 and 1990. Since 1995 the parade has been held annually.
