Monument to the Militia of the Proletarsky district – Moscow

Posted on 27/08/2025 by Michael

Monument to the Militia of Proletarsky district

Monument to the Militia of the Proletarsky district – Moscow

Turning right just a few minutes walk from the street entrance to the Avtozavodskaya Metro station (the one that has some of the most impressive mosaics at platform level in the whole of the Moscow Metro system) is another impressive piece of art work from the Socialist period. This is the Monument to the Militia of the Proletarsky district which stands in the square at the beginning of the wide Avtozavodskaya Avenue.

It was inaugurated on 6 May 1980 and is dedicated to the inhabitants of the Proletarsky district of Moscow who died on all fronts during the Great Patriotic War.

The team that created the monument were; sculptors Fedor Dmitrievitch Fiveysky and Nina Grigorievna Skrynnikova; architect PPI Studenikin; engineer B Dubovoy.

The principal theme of the monument is the unity of the battle front and the home front.

We are presented by a symbolic banner of victory with a central flag pole and the banner fluttering in the wind. Towards the base of the mast are the numbers – in relief – 1941 and 1945 (the duration of the Great Patriotic War) with a small, polished, copper star between the two numbers. On the side facing towards the Metro station, considered to be the front of the monument, on the right, is a group of the armed, civilian militia marching towards the conflict. On the left are uniformed Red Army soldiers, gesturing and looking in different directions. All the individuals are male – there’s no female presence on the sculpture.

At the rear the emphasis is on the home front. Notice the apartment buildings, in the centre on the left hand side, which are surrounded by anti-aircraft guns. Barrage balloons are in the sky and at the back smoke is billowing out of factory chimneys. Rows of trucks are coming off the production line, destined for the front, and shells, ammunition and weapons are also shown as products of the factories. On the extreme left, on the edge, can be made out anti-tank defences which also constitute the monument at the point on the outskirts of Moscow where the Nazi attack was halted. (This is on the way to the present Sheremetyevo airport.)

High up, above the inscription, is a large Star, indicating this is a Socialist Moscow that is fighting and being defended by the Red Army and its people.

The inscription reads, in Russian;

Подвиг пролетариев, павших за свободу и независимость Родины, навсегда останется в памяти народа. Вечная слава героям

which translates as;

The exploit of the proletarians who have fallen for the freedom and independence of the homeland will forever remain in the memory of the people. Eternal glory to the heroes.

At the base of the mast, at the back, are the names of the sculptural/architectural team of the creators of the monument.

The sculpture is 15 metres high and the design is of copper sheeting forged on a steel framework. The whole structure rests on a stepped, polished, red granite base.

During the May 9th holiday this monument is the site of various celebratory events by both civilian and military organisations – the aftermath of one such which can be seen in some of the photographs.

(If you were to turn left from the entrance of Avtozavodskaya Metro station, go to the next junction and cross the road you will find yourself next to ‘VI Lenin amongst the fir trees’ at Avtozavodskaya Street, 23.)

Location;

Avtozavodskaya Square.

GPS;

55.70753 N

37.65856 E

How to get there;

Just a short walk from the entrance of Avtozavodskaya Metro station, on Line 2.

More on the USSR

Monument to the militia in the Proletarsky district - Moscow

Central Museum of the Armed Forces of the USSR/Central Armed Forces Museum – Moscow

Posted on 29/06/2025 by Michael

Glory to the Soviet Union!

Central Museum of the Armed Forces of the USSR/Central Armed Forces Museum – Moscow

The main reason I wanted to go to the Central Museum of the Armed Forces of the USSR/Central Armed Forces Museum in Moscow was because I had learnt that it was there that the Nazi banners that had been thrown into the mud at the base of the Lenin Mausoleum (with Comrade Stalin accepting them on behalf of the Soviet people) on the first Victory Day on May 9th, 1945, were presently on display.

On my first visit to Moscow (way back in 1972) these banners were in a huge glass case which covered the whole floor of a room in what was then the Museum of the Revolution. This was up by Pushkin Square and close to the Izvestia offices. However, following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the chaos that followed in the 1990s anything which smacked of revolution was a no-no and that particular museum went through a number of manifestations. In the process much that had been on display pre-1990 disappeared and it is only relatively recently that some of it has begun to be, yet again, on display to the general public.

(What used to be the Museum of the Revolution is now called the Museum of the Modern History of Russia – Muzey Sovremennoy Istorii Rossii. Although there are some interesting and valuable artefacts which help in the telling of the history of the Soviet Union following the October Revolution it is generally a poor shadow of what it once was. The final section, ‘bringing things up to date’, is more like something you’d expect at an international exhibition than a museum.)

However, I think the Central Museum of the Armed Forces of the USSR/Central Armed Forces Museum has much more to offer than just the Nazi banners on the floor. There is a manner in which to display objects to show utter contempt for what they represent. From my memory that was achieved in the original location in the centre of the city but there’s less of that impression (to my mind) in their present location, even though they are still displayed in cases on the floor.

From my experience Russian museums are crammed full of artefacts. Sometimes so many that very soon you feel assaulted by so many different objects. That being the case the best approach is to ‘skim’ what you pass, taking more time on anything, perhaps more unusual, that might catch your eye.

The starting point in the first room is the War of Intervention or the Civil War. This was when the Red Army was formed, first out of Bolsheviks and irregulars who volunteered to defend the Revolution from the reactionaries, both national and international. However, within a very short time this army took on the aspects of a fully organised and structured army which eventually was able to defeat all attempts to strangle the Revolution from birth.

Later rooms go through the events of the Great Patriotic War and into later, sometimes not well chosen wars (such as that in Afghanistan) and through to the present with a small room dedicated to the Special Military Operation in the Ukraine.

In the slide show at the end of this post you will see that I have concentrated on the various banners and standards under which those fighting to defend the Revolution fought, as well as artistic representations of those battles and achievements. There’s a limited depiction of military hardware as, with a few exceptions, these are more or less generic and were used by all fighting forces in any particular epoch or conflict. I find what is unique to the Soviet Union (the way it presented itself; the battle of ideas through posters and other types of propaganda; and how the struggles were presented to the masses to be much more interesting.

In any visit to the museum here are a few suggestions of what to look out for;

the large bust of VI Lenin at the top of the stairs immediately facing the main entrance;
the whole wall covering mosaic on the wall on the first floor landing – depicting on the right the struggle to maintain the Revolution during the civil war into the 1920s and on the other the Great Patriotic War and the defeat of German invading Nazism;
the large painting in the second room (on the left had side on entering the room) which depicts the members of the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party at the time of the October Revolution. This is an unusual way to present the individuals who were the leading cadres of the Revolution. I foolishly didn’t take note of the artist or when the painting was created but note Trotsky skulking at the extreme left hand side;
the many banners, representing factories and places of work, of the volunteers who went to fight against the Whites and the fourteen, intervening imperialist powers;
the propaganda posters produced by both sides in the conflict;
the machine gun fitted to the back of a horse drawn buggy;
the various sculptures demonstrating the unity of the workers and the peasants;
the make-shift armoured vehicles;
the multi-ethnic and multi-national extent of the revolutionary forces;
the distinctive uniform of the first Red Army;
the ceramic vase with an image of Joseph Stalin, Mikhail Frunze and other civil war military commanders;
the huge, wooden fist with the words ‘пролстарский кулак врагм ссср’ which translates as ‘the proletarian kulak is an enemy of the USSR’;
the images of VI Lenin and JV Stalin on the banners of the Great Patriotic War;
the porcelain statue of an embrace and a kiss;
images of heroism;
‘the battle in the rear’;
the Nazi standards on the floor in the Victory Room;
the Iron Crosses;
the shattered eagle that used to stand on top of the Reichstag in Berlin;
Hitler’s personal standard;
the image of Marshal Zhukov riding his horse over the Nazi standards in Red Square on May 9th 1945;
the fine bust of JV Stalin, together with his military dress uniform;
the shattered remains of the U2 American spy plane;
the Red Army and and women flanking the main entrance to the museum;

among much more.

Location;

Soviet Army Street, Moscow

GPS;

55.78503 N

36.61708 E

How to get there;

The museum is a little over a five minute walk from the Dostoyevskaya Metro station on the Line 10 (Green). Leave by the exit that leads to the Red Army Theatre. Go past the right hand side of the theatre and at the road junction/pedestrian crossing take the right, once on the other side go left and the museum is about 100 metres on the right.

Central Museum of the Armed Forces of the USSR/Central Armed Forces Museum

VI Lenin in Moscow

Posted on 20/05/2025 by Michael

VI Lenin in party mode

More on the USSR

VI Lenin in Stalingrad

VI Lenin in Moscow

Here is a selection of the statues, busts and bas reliefs of VI Lenin to be found in Moscow. All of the below are accessible to the public (although on one or two occasions a little bit of imagination might be required to get close). There are more. Of those some are in locations which are difficult to enter, e.g. military or other government buildings or property.

To the best of out knowledge all the location details are correct. Apologies for any errors. If there are errors please let us know so they can be corrected.

You will see there is scarce information about all of those listed. If anyone can fill in the gaps or direct us to a source which will allow that to happen it would be appreciated.

It is hoped that, at some time in the future, this list will be augmented. There are supposed to be close to 100 examples in the Moscow area but many are under threat if the locations where they are found undergo demolition or development.

VI Ulyanov (Lenin) – as a student

Lenin as a student

Location; Ogarodnaya Sloboda Lane

GPS; 55.76535 N 37.64162 E

Sculptors; V.E. Tsigal, P.I. Skokan

Year; 1970

Notes; In July 2008, the monument was overturned by a strong gust of wind and broke into several pieces. In 2009 the monument was restored and installed in its original place.

VI Lenin next to war memorial

Location; Perevedenovskaya Lane 13c6

GPS; 55.78009 N 37.64162 E

Sculptor/s; Sergey Dmitriyevich Merkurov

VI Lenin near Rimskaya and Ploschad Ilyich Metro stations

Location; Rogozhskaya Zastava Square

GPS; 55.74731 N 37.68190 E

Sculptor; G.A.Iokubonis

Architects; V.A.Chekanauskas, B. Belozersky

Year; 1967

VI Lenin being carried shoulder high by workers

Location; 1st Karacharovskaya Street 8c3

GPS; 55.73610 N 37,75598 E

VI Lenin in the garden at workers’ apartments

Location; Aviamotornaya Street 28/4

GPS; 55.74570 N 37.71874 E

A bust of VI Lenin in a small pedestrian square

Location; Alexandra Lukyanova Street 7

GPS; 55.76828 N 37.66438

VI Lenin in a residential street

Location; Burakova Street 8c10

GPS; 55.76178 N 37.73039 E

VI Lenin at school

Location; Perovskaya St 44a, School Building No 796

GPS; 55.75311 N 37.78205 E

Sculptors; I.I. Kozlovsky, A.R.Markin

Year; 1983

VI Lenin in a building site (at the time of the visit)

Location; Rabochaya Street 84c7

GPS; 55.73919 N 37.69611 E

Notes; The factory is in the process of being turned in offices/apartments. VI Lenin has survived (just) so far but whether his luck will continue to run is uncertain.

A bust of VI Lenin in the garden of a residential home for veterans

Location; Entuziastov Highway 88, Yablochkina House of Veterans

GPS; 55.76544 N 37.79635

Statue of VI Lenin at the VDNKh

VI Lenin at VDNKh

Location; In front of the main pavilion at the VDNKh park

GPS; 55.83109 N 37.62981 E

Sculptor; P.P.Yatsyno

Year; 1954

Blog post; Statue of VI Lenin at the VDNKh

Lenin and October Revolution Monument in the Kaluga Square

Lenin and October Revolution Monument

Location; In Kaluga Square (formerly October Square), at the junction of Lenin Prospekt and Krymsky Val, opposite the main entrance to Oktyabrskaya Metro station

GPS; 55.729466°N 37.613176°E

Sculptors; . E. Kerbel, V. A. Fedorov

Architects; G. V. Makarevich, B. A. Samsonov.

Year; 1985

Blog post; Lenin and October Revolution Monument in the Kaluga Square

Lenin and October Revolution Monument - Ploshchad Kaluzhskaya

Monument to VI Lenin on Tverskaya Square

VI Lenin – Tverskaya Square

Location; Tverskaya square

GPS; 55.76233°N 37.61146°E

Sculptor; Sergey Dmitriyevich Merkurov

Architect; I.A. Frantsuz

Year; 1938

Blog post; Monument to VI Lenin on Tverskaya Square

VI Lenin statue – Dekabrskaya Vosstanya Park

Location; At the far end of Dekabrskaya Vosstanya Park from the Ulitsa 1905 Goda Metro station.

GPS; 55.759523º N 37.558902º E

Sculptors; B.I. Dyuzhev, Yu.I. Goltsev

Year; 1963

Blog post; VI Lenin statue – Dekabrskaya Vosstanya Park

VI Lenin statue and assassination attempt memorial stone

Lenin – Ulitsa Pavlovskaya – 01

Location; In a small park at the junction of Ulitsa Pavlovskaya and Ulitsa Pavla Andreyeva.

GPS; 55.72087º N 37.62862º E

Sculptors; V.B.Topuridze, K.T.Topuridze

Year; 1967

Blog post; VI Lenin statue and assassination attempt memorial stone

Lenin - Assassination Attempt Stone - Ulitsa Pavlovskaya

Marble bust of VI Lenin

Bust of VI Lenin in Muzeon Park

Location; Muzeon Park

GPS; 55.73416 N 37.60677 E

Sculptor; A.A. Bichukov

Year; 1951

Blog post; Park of the Fallen/Muzeon Art Park

Standing, sandstone VI Lenin

Standing VI Lenin at Museon Park

Location; Muzeon Park

GPS; 55.73417 N 37.60683 E

Sculptor; V.D. Chazov

Blog post; Park of the Fallen/Muzeon Art Park

Young VI Ulyanov (Lenin)

Young VI Lenin at Muzeon Park

Location; Muzeon Park

GPS; 55.73417 N 37.60677 E

Sculptor; A.I.Toropygin

Blog Post; Park of the Fallen/Muzeon Art Park

VI Lenin standing, resting hand on pillar

VI Lenin – hand on pillar – Muzeon Park

Location; Muzeon Park

GPS; 55.73422 N 37.60671 E

Sculptor; I.A. Mendelevich

Blog Post; Park of the Fallen/Muzeon Art Park

VI Lenin standing, resting hand on pillar

Black, granite bust of VI Lenin

Black, granite bust of VI Lenin – Muzeon Park

Location; Muzeon Park

GPS; 55.73420 N 37.60681 E

Sculptor; Sergey Dmitriyevich Merkurov

Notes; Until the early 1990s, the bust stood near the building of the Belorussky railway station.

Blog post; Park of the Fallen/Muzeon Art Park

Small, marble bust of VI Lenin

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Location; Muzeon Park

GPS; 55.73422 N 37.60680 E

Sculptor; Z.M. Vilensky

Year; 1982

Blog post; Park of the Fallen/Muzeon Art Park

VI Lenin amongst the fir trees

Location; Avtozavodskaya Street, 23

GPS; 55.70402 N 37.63534 E

Sculptors; Yu.P.Pommer, A.A.Stempkovsky

Year; 1956

Bust of VI Lenin in residential park

Location; Gruzinsky Val Street, 26

GPS; 55.77416 N 37.58310 E

VI Lenin, standing with hand in his pocket

Location; Klimashkina Street, 22

GPS; 55.76838 N 37.56725 E

Notes; On June 7, 2016, the monument was thrown down from its pedestal and broken. Probable causes are vandalism or the action of squally winds. In November 2017, it was restored in its original form.