Memorial Complex of Glory - Tiraspol

The Glory Memorial appeared on the central square of Tiraspol near the Dniester River in 1972. The authors of the project were architects Garry Fаif and Leonid Fishbein. The memorial complex of Glory was opened on February 23, 1972, the day of the Soviet Army and Navy. Then a ceremonial reinternment took place: reburied were the remains of Soviet soldiers and officers – natives of Pridnestrovie- who fell on the fields of the Great Patriotic War, as well as the soldiers who died during the liberation of Pridnestrovie. The eternal flame at the grave of the Unknown Soldier was lit by a participant of the Iasi-Chisinau operation Mikhail Harin, Hero of the Soviet Union. It includes the inscription in Russian "Имя твое неизвестно. Подвиг твой бессмертен. Неизвестному солдату", translated in English as "Your name is unknown. Your feat is immortal. To the unknown soldier." This is a common dedication found at Soviet war memorials commemorating unidentified soldiers who died in World War II. Years later, the Memorial became the last resting place for those who died during the war in Afghanistan and during the fighting between Moldova and Pridnestrovie in 1990-1992. The names of 1252 reburied soldiers, including four heroes of the Soviet Union, are immortalized on marble slabs. The monument includes the inscription in Russian "1941–1945" and the following dedication: "Слава вам, храбрые! Слава бесстрашные! Вечную славу поёт вам народ: Доблестно жившие, Смерть сокрушившие, Память о вас никогда не умрёт." Translated in English as: "Glory to you, brave ones! Glory to you, fearless ones! Eternal glory sings to you, the people: You who lived with valor, Who shattered death, The memory of you will never die." The T-34-85 tank is placed on the memorial as a monument to fallen soldiers during the Great Patriotic War. As part of the 7th Guards Mechanized Corps, it participated in the liberation of Ukraine, Moldavia, Bulgaria and Hungary. During the Budapest Offensive, it was damaged at Lake Balaton, and in April 1945, the war machine was transported to Tiraspol. Under the tank the capsule is stored with the earth brought from Mamayev Kurgan of the Hero City of Volgograd (the former Stalingrad). The tank features a white script "за родину" - "For the Motherland". On the left of the complex stand two plaques commemorating Chernobyl, indicated by the radiation symbol. The first's inscription in Russian states "26 апреля 1986 года в 01 час 24 минуты на четвёртом энергоблоке Чернобыльской атомной электростанции, расположенной на правом берегу реки Припять, в 12 километрах от города Чернобыль Киевской области, произошла крупнейшая в истории мировой атомной энергетики авария. В результате ядерного взрыва и последовавшего пожара на энергоблоке и окружающей среде было выброшено более 190 тонн радиоактивных веществ. … В 2009 году в память об участниках ликвидации последствий аварии на Чернобыльской АЭС, в производственном объединении «Молдавизолит», изготовлявшем изделия для Семипалатинского полигона и других полигонов, а также в частях особого риска." Translated in English as: "On 26 April 1986 at 1:24 a.m. at the fourth power unit of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, located on the right bank of the Pripyat River, 12 kilometers from the city of Chernobyl, Kyiv region, the largest accident in the history of world nuclear power occurred. As a result of the nuclear explosion and subsequent fire at the power unit, more than 190 tons of radioactive substances were released into the environment. … In 2009, in memory of the participants in the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl NPP, at the “Moldavizolit” production association, which manufactured components for the Semipalatinsk test site and other test sites, as well as for units of special risk." The second plaque reads "Памятник установлен при поддержке Чрезвычайной государственной комиссии СССР по ликвидации последствий аварии на Чернобыльской АЭС, Правительства Республики Молдова, Союза «Чернобыль» Республики Молдова, Международного союза «Чернобыль», руководителей спецподразделений и союзов ветеранов. … Вечная благодарность и память людям, ценой жизни и здоровья участвовавшим в ликвидации катастрофы на Чернобыльской АЭС. Их подвиг навсегда останется в истории человечества." Translated in English as: "The monument was erected with the support of the Extraordinary State Commission of the USSR for the liquidation of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, the Government of the Republic of Moldova, the ‘Chernobyl’ Union of the Republic of Moldova, the International ‘Chernobyl’ Union, leaders of special units and veterans’ associations. … Eternal gratitude and memory to the people who, at the cost of their lives and health, took part in the liquidation of the catastrophe at the Chernobyl NPP. Their feat will forever remain in the history of humanity." At the end of 2000s the complex was largely reconstructed: a Wall of Memory was built on its territory with the names of all defenders of Pridnestrovie and civilians killed in 1990–1992. A sculpture of a Grieving Mother by V. Tkachenko was also installed here.