Spasskoye is a village in Mtsensk District of Oryol Oblast. Back in the 16th, Ivan the Terrible donated it to his henchman Ivan Lutovinov. There is an estate there called Spasskoye-Lutovinovo. Once it belonged to the mother of the famous Russian writer Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev. Now it houses a state memorial and a natural museum-reserve.
Turgenev spent his childhood in this estate, and regularly visited it on vacation coming from Moscow and Saint Petersburg. During his exile, the writer stayed in Spasskoye in accordance with the personal order of Nicholas I. When Turgenev left for France, the heirs took out all the furniture, and the house burned down. Later, the Soviet government nationalized the estate and allocated money for restoration. However, during the Great Patriotic War, the village of Spasskoye was occupied by the armed forces of Nazi Germany.
The enemies burned almost everything: the almshouse, the church gatehouse, and the manor buildings. The family vault and carriage house were badly damaged, and the pond dried up. In 1941, battles took place right on the territory of the museum-reserve. Fortunately, despite the severe damage, the wing of the house, where Turgenev had lived during his exile, survived.
Later on, a medical battalion (sanitary company of the 342nd Rifle division) was accommodated in the wing of the Turgenev estate, hence the burials of 1942–1943. Over time, the territory was cleared of mines and shells, the village and the estate were restored. The traces of the war have practically disappeared, but the memory of those, who sacrificed their lives defending this land, has been preserved.
For the first time, the issue of moving mass graves and creating a memorial in honor of the soldiers who died in Spasskoye arose in 1979. Five years later, a final decision was made. The burial list contains 99 names, all of which are carved on the marble slab of the memorial.
The artist Andrei Ilyich Kurnakov had prepared a meticulous design of every detail in his painting “Requiem in Spasskoye”. He chose the time of the year, which is associated with sadness and departure. For greater poignancy he added fluffy flakes of the first snow. Illuminated by the dim sun, the dark obelisk in the foreground is painted in gray and blue colors and therefore does not make the picture look cumbersome. The perspective leads into the distance, to the age-old oak, and creates a sense of depth. With his painting, the artist pays tribute to the sacred memory of the fallen soldiers.
Turgenev spent his childhood in this estate, and regularly visited it on vacation coming from Moscow and Saint Petersburg. During his exile, the writer stayed in Spasskoye in accordance with the personal order of Nicholas I. When Turgenev left for France, the heirs took out all the furniture, and the house burned down. Later, the Soviet government nationalized the estate and allocated money for restoration. However, during the Great Patriotic War, the village of Spasskoye was occupied by the armed forces of Nazi Germany.
The enemies burned almost everything: the almshouse, the church gatehouse, and the manor buildings. The family vault and carriage house were badly damaged, and the pond dried up. In 1941, battles took place right on the territory of the museum-reserve. Fortunately, despite the severe damage, the wing of the house, where Turgenev had lived during his exile, survived.
Later on, a medical battalion (sanitary company of the 342nd Rifle division) was accommodated in the wing of the Turgenev estate, hence the burials of 1942–1943. Over time, the territory was cleared of mines and shells, the village and the estate were restored. The traces of the war have practically disappeared, but the memory of those, who sacrificed their lives defending this land, has been preserved.
For the first time, the issue of moving mass graves and creating a memorial in honor of the soldiers who died in Spasskoye arose in 1979. Five years later, a final decision was made. The burial list contains 99 names, all of which are carved on the marble slab of the memorial.
The artist Andrei Ilyich Kurnakov had prepared a meticulous design of every detail in his painting “Requiem in Spasskoye”. He chose the time of the year, which is associated with sadness and departure. For greater poignancy he added fluffy flakes of the first snow. Illuminated by the dim sun, the dark obelisk in the foreground is painted in gray and blue colors and therefore does not make the picture look cumbersome. The perspective leads into the distance, to the age-old oak, and creates a sense of depth. With his painting, the artist pays tribute to the sacred memory of the fallen soldiers.
