In 1976, a second Hero of Socialist Labor Star was added to Mikhail Kalashnikov’s numerous awards. According to the law, those who received this supreme civil award twice had to be honored with a bronze portrait sculpture in their homeland. Four years later, everything was ready for the solemn ceremony in the village of Kurya in the Altai Krai, and the famous arms engineer came to visit his homeland.
Altai has long been known as a Russian “power place”, and it left its trace in Mikhail Kalashnikov’s fate. He was born here. Only 8 children survived out of 17 born in his family, and even little Misha himself was once very close to death. His parents had already made a coffin for him, but he recovered. Here, he studied at school where he become interested in engineering. Later, during Dekulakization, he was sent to a remote village in the Tomsk region. He fled from there and covered hundreds of kilometers on foot to find his home, but found only ashes at the place where it stood.
Altai has long been known as a Russian “power place”, and it left its trace in Mikhail Kalashnikov’s fate. He was born here. Only 8 children survived out of 17 born in his family, and even little Misha himself was once very close to death. His parents had already made a coffin for him, but he recovered. Here, he studied at school where he become interested in engineering. Later, during Dekulakization, he was sent to a remote village in the Tomsk region. He fled from there and covered hundreds of kilometers on foot to find his home, but found only ashes at the place where it stood.
