Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
⭐️ On this day in 1945, over 400 Soviet prisoners of war daringly escaped from #Mauthausen concentration camp in Upper Austria. This rebellion was among the biggest in World War II history.
The largest groups of prisoners at the camp were citizens of the USSR, Poland and Hungary. Soviet POWs who were earlier suspected of resistance activities, were held under the most unbearable conditions in Block 20. The prisoners were beaten, often to death, for the slightest infraction.
On the night of February 3, 1945, 419 prisoners of “Death Block” made an escape. All local units of the SA, the Wehrmacht, the Gendarmerie as well as groups of volunteers joined in their hunt. Overall, 300 escapees were caught and only 57 of them were returned alive to the camp where they were subsequently brutally tortured to death.
Former Mauthausen prisoner Nikolai Parshin wrote after the war, “The prisoners of Death Block stood up against their henchmen and escaped from the hell on earth the Nazis had made. They died with honour as warriors should. And they are not gone, they are heroes that will remain eternally alive. The memory of them will live on in our hearts forever.”
🕯 The total number of prisoners in Mauthausen was 335,000 of which 122,000 were either executed or worked, tortured or starved to death. Over 32,000 of the dead were citizens of our country.
Among those who were savagely tortured to death by the Nazis was Lieutenant General Dmitry Karbyshev. The Nazis did their worst to get him to become a collaborator, as he was an outstanding commander and an unrivalled expert in fortifications, but they failed. Dmitry Karbyhev was 64 when he died.
#Victory77 #WeRemember #FacesOfVictory
The largest groups of prisoners at the camp were citizens of the USSR, Poland and Hungary. Soviet POWs who were earlier suspected of resistance activities, were held under the most unbearable conditions in Block 20. The prisoners were beaten, often to death, for the slightest infraction.
On the night of February 3, 1945, 419 prisoners of “Death Block” made an escape. All local units of the SA, the Wehrmacht, the Gendarmerie as well as groups of volunteers joined in their hunt. Overall, 300 escapees were caught and only 57 of them were returned alive to the camp where they were subsequently brutally tortured to death.
Former Mauthausen prisoner Nikolai Parshin wrote after the war, “The prisoners of Death Block stood up against their henchmen and escaped from the hell on earth the Nazis had made. They died with honour as warriors should. And they are not gone, they are heroes that will remain eternally alive. The memory of them will live on in our hearts forever.”
🕯 The total number of prisoners in Mauthausen was 335,000 of which 122,000 were either executed or worked, tortured or starved to death. Over 32,000 of the dead were citizens of our country.
Among those who were savagely tortured to death by the Nazis was Lieutenant General Dmitry Karbyshev. The Nazis did their worst to get him to become a collaborator, as he was an outstanding commander and an unrivalled expert in fortifications, but they failed. Dmitry Karbyhev was 64 when he died.
#Victory77 #WeRemember #FacesOfVictory
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
🗓 On June 8, 1920 — 104 years ago — the most successful ace pilot of the Anti-Hitler Coalition, Three-time Hero of the Soviet Union and to Marshal of Air Forces Ivan Kozhedub was born.
⚔️ Ivan Kozhedub achieved his first aerial victory at the age of 23, on July 6, 1943, during the Battle of Kursk. During his 40th combat sortie at Kursk, he engaged in a battle 12 enemy aircraft and shot down a Junkers Ju-87 Stuka dive-bomber, followed by another Stuka on July 7. On July 9, 1943, Kozhedub destroyed two Messerschmitt Me-109 fighters.
On October 1-12, 1943, he shot down 14 German aircraft during dogfights over the Dnieper — a unique combat episode in the history of Soviet aviation.
In August 1944, Kozhedub was appointed Deputy Commander of the 176th Guards Fighter Aircraft Regiment and started flying a new Lavochkin La-7 fighter.
During the Great Patriotic War, Kozhedub flew 330 combat missions, engaged in 120 dogfights and shot down 62 enemy aircraft.
After the Victory, he continued to serve with the Soviet Air Force and commanded a fighter aircraft division during the Korean War. Kozhedub was promoted to Air Marshal ahead of the 40th anniversary of the Great Victory.
🎖 Three-time Hero of the Soviet Union, Ivan Kozhedub received two Orders of Lenin, seven Orders of the Red Banner, one Order of Alexander Nevsky, one Order of the Great Patriotic War 1st Class, two Orders for of the Red Star, Orders for Service in the Soviet Armed Forces 2nd and 3rd Class, and multiple medals.
#FacesOfVictory #WeRemember
⚔️ Ivan Kozhedub achieved his first aerial victory at the age of 23, on July 6, 1943, during the Battle of Kursk. During his 40th combat sortie at Kursk, he engaged in a battle 12 enemy aircraft and shot down a Junkers Ju-87 Stuka dive-bomber, followed by another Stuka on July 7. On July 9, 1943, Kozhedub destroyed two Messerschmitt Me-109 fighters.
On October 1-12, 1943, he shot down 14 German aircraft during dogfights over the Dnieper — a unique combat episode in the history of Soviet aviation.
In August 1944, Kozhedub was appointed Deputy Commander of the 176th Guards Fighter Aircraft Regiment and started flying a new Lavochkin La-7 fighter.
During the Great Patriotic War, Kozhedub flew 330 combat missions, engaged in 120 dogfights and shot down 62 enemy aircraft.
After the Victory, he continued to serve with the Soviet Air Force and commanded a fighter aircraft division during the Korean War. Kozhedub was promoted to Air Marshal ahead of the 40th anniversary of the Great Victory.
#FacesOfVictory #WeRemember
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