The exhibition of the Victory Museum includes the painting “The Victory Banner Over the Reichstag.” It was created by Igor Rubinsky, a talented veteran painter, and an honored artist of Russia. His works are displayed in museums in Russia and Central Asia, as well as private collections in the UK, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, France, and other countries. Igor Rubinsky fought in the Great Patriotic War. At first, he served in the people’s volunteer army and later joined the Main Political Directorate of the Northern Fleet.
The painter depicted one of the most emotional episodes of the Great Patriotic War. In 1945, the Soviet soldiers raised the Victory Banner over the Reichstag building. This event came to symbolize the decisive victory over Nazi Germany.
On April 29, 1945, the Red Army started preparing for an attack on the Reichstag, the seat of Germany’s parliament. The German troops defended the building fiercely. The windows were bricked up except for narrow gunports, and the walls were surrounded by ditches. Hitler’s forces kept fighting to the bitter end. At last, they fell after the third attempt to storm the building. In the early hours of May 1, 1945, the Soviet soldiers raised the Victory Banner over the Reichstag. After the overall surrender of Nazi Germany, the red banner was delivered to Moscow.
The banner was flying victoriously above the Reichstag and became a famous symbol. It was not the only flag to be hoisted on the building. During the attack, the Red Army soldiers set other red banners all over the Reichstag. When the attack was over, the flags were carefully cut into patches so that the soldiers could take these pieces home as a token of the great victory.
After the war, a photograph taken by the war correspondent Yevgeny Khaldei became famous around the world. On May 2, 1945, the Soviet troops successfully stormed the Reichstag building and captured Berlin. The photographer brought along a red banner that he intended to use in his pictures. After the end of the fighting within the city, Yevgeny Khaldei asked three soldiers who happened to be passing by to pose for a photoshoot. These soldiers were Alexey Kovalev, Abdulkhakim Ismailov, and Leonid Gorychev. They helped Khaldei to stage the legendary photos. In one of them, Alexey Kovalev hoisted the flying Victory Banner over the Reichstag. These pictures became a symbol of the great victory of the Soviet people.
The painter depicted one of the most emotional episodes of the Great Patriotic War. In 1945, the Soviet soldiers raised the Victory Banner over the Reichstag building. This event came to symbolize the decisive victory over Nazi Germany.
On April 29, 1945, the Red Army started preparing for an attack on the Reichstag, the seat of Germany’s parliament. The German troops defended the building fiercely. The windows were bricked up except for narrow gunports, and the walls were surrounded by ditches. Hitler’s forces kept fighting to the bitter end. At last, they fell after the third attempt to storm the building. In the early hours of May 1, 1945, the Soviet soldiers raised the Victory Banner over the Reichstag. After the overall surrender of Nazi Germany, the red banner was delivered to Moscow.
The banner was flying victoriously above the Reichstag and became a famous symbol. It was not the only flag to be hoisted on the building. During the attack, the Red Army soldiers set other red banners all over the Reichstag. When the attack was over, the flags were carefully cut into patches so that the soldiers could take these pieces home as a token of the great victory.
After the war, a photograph taken by the war correspondent Yevgeny Khaldei became famous around the world. On May 2, 1945, the Soviet troops successfully stormed the Reichstag building and captured Berlin. The photographer brought along a red banner that he intended to use in his pictures. After the end of the fighting within the city, Yevgeny Khaldei asked three soldiers who happened to be passing by to pose for a photoshoot. These soldiers were Alexey Kovalev, Abdulkhakim Ismailov, and Leonid Gorychev. They helped Khaldei to stage the legendary photos. In one of them, Alexey Kovalev hoisted the flying Victory Banner over the Reichstag. These pictures became a symbol of the great victory of the Soviet people.
