A saber is a bladed edged weapon intended for slashing or thrusting, which was primarily used by the cavalry, because it was relatively long and easy to strike with while on horseback.

The cavalry used sabers and shashkas in combat until the end of the Great Patriotic War. The saber is currently used as a ceremonial weapon during military parades. Sabers were kept in metal scabbards, which were sometimes coated with chrome or nickel.

The saber from the collection of the Lipetsk Regional Museum of Local Lore belonged to Major General Nikolay Nikolaevich Velikolepov (1902–1980), a native of the city of Lipetsk, a professional soldier, and a participant in the Great Patriotic War from its first to its last day.

As early as on June 22, Velikolepov became head of the intelligence department of the artillery headquarters of the Western Front. He took part in organizing defense near Minsk, Mogilev, and Smolensk. He was awarded his first order for the preparation and conduct of the first artillery offensive in the Volokolamsk region near Moscow.

In the final stage of the Great Patriotic War, Nikolay Nikolayevich commanded the 19th breakthrough division of the Reserve of the High Command. The Major of the Guard ended the war on May 8, 1945 in the Alps. Nikolay Velikolepov took part in the Victory Parade on June 24, 1945 on Red Square in Moscow as part of the 3rd Ukrainian Front.

Velikolepov was awarded the Orders of Lenin, three Red Banners, the 2nd class Order of Kutuzov, the 2nd class Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, and the Red Star, as well as the medals “For Moscow” and “For Victory over Germany”. After the war, he wrote the book “Fire for Victory”.

After Nikolay Nikolaevich died, his wife, Anna Davydovna Borodkina (Velikolepova), handed over a number of things to the Lipetsk Regional Museum of Local Lore. The donations included documents, photographs, albums, souvenirs, ceremonial clothes, weapons, including a saber in a scabbard with a dedicatory inscription: “To the Museum of Native Lipetsk. N. N. Velikolepov.” There are two more engravings on the hilt of the saber: “Guard Major N.N. Velikolepov” and “Moscow. 24.VI.1945”.

Полное наименование: Saber of Nikolay Nikolaevich Velikolepov
Дата создания: the 20th century
Место создания: the USSR
Техника: metal, wood, forging, engraving
Размеры: 100×10×1.5 cm

Nikolay Nikolaevich Velikolepov was born on December 20, 1902 in the provincial town of Lipetsk, Tambov province. He came from a family of educated and creative people. Among his ancestors were teachers, artists, and architects.

Nikolay Nikolaevich had an outstanding life and a military career that matched the fate of his family members. Velikolepov distinguished himself mostly during the Great Patriotic War. On the first day of war, Nikolay Nikolaevich was a major in the area of the city of Bialystok. And two days later he received a new appointment — he became the head of the intelligence department of the artillery headquarters of the Western Front.

At the first stage of the war, which was one of the most difficult and tragic ones for the Red Army, Nikolay Velikolepov had to solve the problems of anti-tank defense. In January 1942, he had an experience, which later became one of the most memorable for the future Major General of Artillery.

On January 11–12, he accompanied the head of the artillery of the front — General Ivan Pavlovich Kamera. Nikolay Nikolaevich was in the offensive zone of the tank group of General Mikhail Efimovich Katukov. There he came across a trophy — a Mauser, taken from a Nazi officer.

Upon returning to Ivan Pavlovich, Velikolepov reported on the completion of his mission and handed him the Mauser. The latter immediately returned the trophy with the words: “Great! I reward you with a Mauser. This is in addition to the order that you have recently received. You work in the intelligence and you will need it.” Indeed, according to Velikolepov, since then he has not parted with this weapon throughout the war. Later, when he was given a brand new Mauser in a holster with a commemorative inscription “N.N. Velikolepov. Vienna. April 13, 1945”, he could not leave his old “combat friend”, but began to use the new holster.

“After the war, I no longer had a cartridge left for the Mauser, but I kept the pistol as my dear military relic.” Nikolay Nikolayevich Velikolepov donated many personal items to the Lipetsk Regional Museum of Local Lore: captured edged weapons and firearms, documents and photographs. All of them occupy a special place in the permanent exhibition of the museum.

Полное наименование: Trophy Mauser of N. N. Velikolepov
Дата создания: the 20th century
Место создания: Germany
Техника: metal, wood, industrial production
Размеры: 9×28×3.5 cm