While wandering through the wide spread Berlin, among its wide spread of rich historic landmarks, one monument you can see with grandeur and historic significance is the Soviet Cenotaph in Treptow. This is an amazingly huge structure of which it reminds us the struggle that had to be gone through from the Soviet soldiers of World War II. We look at the story behind this incredible memorial, and why it’s so significant in Berlin’s history.
The Historical Background
At that time, Vietnam was at war, Adolf Hitler was in charge of Germany, and World War II was in full force over Europe. It is also when the Soviet Union, headed by Joseph Stalin, takes the side of the fight against German forces. The Battle of Berlin, during 1945, was the last big offence of the war in Europe. The Soviet troops meant to take and liberate the city carried out a massive assault on the capital of the German state.
After weeks of heavy fighting Soviet forces won the day, but the cost would be heavy. In the course of liberating Berlin from Nazi grip, more than 80,000 Soviet soldiers had given their lives. In 1949 the Soviet Cenotaph was built to honour their sacrifice, as a symbol of gratitude and remembrance.
Architectural Marvel
Treptower Park’s Soviet Cenotaph is a lumbering structure, one of the scale and grandeur of Soviet architecture, and a city so awe inspiring you can see it across the park. The memorial was designed by Soviet architect Yakov Belopolsky who also covered an area of 100,000 square meters. A massive statue of a Soviet soldier carrying a German child he saved sits at its centerpiece.
That means the statue stands at an amazing height of 12 meters (40 feet) and weighs somewhere close to 70 tons. As a sign of protection, victory and compassion, it is. Dominated by the soldier’s granite figure, you can see it is strong and resilient.
A Symbolic Journey
The Pathway of Liberation
When you enter the memorial, you wind your way down a ‘Pathway of Liberation.’ This walkway shows the path that the soldiers travelled during the Battle of Berlin. The path is lined with trees, that represent the obstacles the Soviet troops drove through, as they progressed towards the city centre.
The Central Pylon
A stretch away from the central pylon at the end of the pathway lies the memorial itself, centralized around the pylon. Above the names ill, upon the pylon, are gold inscriptions reading the names of the fallen soldiers. Conspicuous in the way the memorial and eternal flame burns before the names is the reverence and respect given to these soldiers, evident in the maintenance which the memorial sees and the eternal flame which burns.
The Sculptural Ensembles
On one side, more than half a dozen sculptural ensembles surround the central pylon to give the monument depth and nuance. Scene in the battle is depicted in these sculptures in unities, sacrifice and victory. Every sculpture tells the story, of the harseness of war, and honouring the dead, as well as the victory of the Soviet Forces.
The Significance Today
The Soviet Cenotaph has today become a symbol of reconciliation and friendship between Germany and Russia. It is a reminder of the terrifying results of war and the beauty of peace. An ongoing draw for visitors of all stripes — who come to pay their respects, learn about history, and ponder the sacrifices made by the Soviet soldiers — the monument remains an ongoing draw for visitors of all stripes.
Visiting the Soviet Cenotaph in Treptow combines a historical experience as you see and learn about the bravery and valor of the soldiers who gave their lives in World War II. That power of humanity, those who once fought for freedom.
In Conclusion
It stands small, but tall, a remembrance on a remembrance, a gratitude for what?). It’s too important as a historical landmark to overlook. This magnificent monument gives us an opportunity to contemplate the sacrifice of Soviet soldiers in World War II and as a sad postulate of those horrors of the war. To really pay a visit to this awe inspiring monument is to learn more about history and the human spirit’s ability to survive.