Stalingrad: The feat of creation

Abstract

Based on archival documents introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, the process of postwar restoration of Stalingrad is discussed. During the Battle of Stalingrad, which became one of the key battles of the Second World War, Stalingrad suffered colossal destruction: not a single one of the 126 enterprises survived, while 48 factories were razed to the ground; the civilian population of the city was reduced to 1515 people. Already in December 1942 - January 1943, the city and oblast authorities decided to begin restoration. Although the fighting in the city was still ongoing, on April 4, 1943, a resolution of the State Defense Committee (GKO) was adopted On Priority Measures to Restore the Economy of Stalingrad and Stalingrad Oblast. The process of developing an urban planning concept and searching for an architectural and artistic solution was rather difficult. The best creative forces of the Soviet Union took part in this work: A.V. Shchusev, B.M. Iofan, K.S. Alabyan, E.V. Vuchetich, and others. The final project for the development of the center of Stalingrad was prepared by a group of the Academy of Architecture under the leadership of Alabyan in 1946; however, after the adoption in 1955 of the resolution of the CPSU Central Committee On the Elimination of Excesses in Design and Construction, this project was not implemented in full. An important milestone in the formation of the modern appearance of Stalingrad (Volgograd) was the construction of the memorial ensemble to the heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad on Mamayev Kurgan in 1959−1967 according to the design and under the direct supervision of the sculptor E.V. Vuchetich and engineer N.V. Nikitin.