Among the museum’s exhibits, there is a model of the monument to the seaman Pyotr Koshka in Sevastopol, which was created by two brothers — the sculptors Iosif and Vasily Keyduks. The inscription on the metal plate reads, “To the great word-painter Sergey Nikolayevich Sergeyev-Tsensky from the seamen of the Black Sea on September 30, 1955.”
This is one of the models of the monument, made in preparation for the original bust. The sculptors relied on lithograph portraits that the painter Vasily Timm made of the sailor Koshka when the latter was alive. The Keyduk brothers strove to convey not only the likeness of the national hero but also his courage and wit. The monument was cast from two propellers of captured German submarines. The sculptors were given FED cameras for their achievement.
A monument to Pyotr Koshka was erected in Sevastopol. The bronze bust of the hero is on a granite pedestal, which features a plaque with an inscription that translates as “The Seaman Pyotr Markovich Koshka, Hero of the Defense of Sevastopol.” Below the plaque, there is a high relief depicting the medal “For the Defense of Sevastopol in 1854–1855”. The pedestal is flanked by two anchors and has stacked cannonballs at the base. The total height of the monument is 4.5 meters. Pyotr Koshka’s legendary name has gone down in history as a symbol of outstanding national character and an embodiment of the best qualities of a Russian soldier.
Pyotr Markovich Koshka was born in 1828 into a family of serf peasants. In 1849, he became a recruit and was to spend 25 years in military service. He served on the ships of the Black Sea Fleet. During the Defense of Sevastopol, he and other seamen were sent to land and fought with the battery of Lieutenant Aviv Perekomsky.
The seaman Pyotr Koshka participated in 18 sorties into the camp of the enemy. As a rule, he acted alone by sneaking into the enemy’s trenches, capturing enemy soldiers and even officers, and seizing weapons that his army lacked. The dangerous sorties left him wounded repeatedly.
For his participation in the Crimean War, Pyotr Koshka was awarded the Order of Saint George, 4th Class, and two medals — a silver one “For the Defense of Sevastopol in 1854–1855” and a bronze one “In Memory of the Crimean War of 1853–1856”.
