Sapun-Gora. Sapun-Gora, Sevastopol. Combat on Sapun Mountain

The Crimean peninsula has a long and interesting history. Sevastopol, a native Russian city, has survived many heroic pages during its existence. Not far from the city is Sapun-Gora, with which glorious events of the Great Patriotic War are associated, on it stands the 28-meter obelisk of Glory with the museum and the diorama of the battles of the spring of 1944. From this place you can enjoy stunning views of the surroundings.

Elevation near Sevastopol

From the north-east to the south-west stretched the mountains of the Crimean peninsula, comprising three ridges. The outermost of them begins with a hill near Sevastopol and is called Sapun-Gora, in Tatar - "soap". From it the hill extends to the city of Stary Krym and is a natural rampart protecting the coast of the peninsula. It was these geographical features that contributed to the creation of good conditions for the defense of naval bases from the land.

This height was the key in the battles for the city of Sevastopol in the Crimean War and World War II. Only a few minutes of climbing by car - a height of 231 meters above sea level, but this hill provides dominance over the southern side of the city and viewing the road from Yalta to Sevastopol.

Today this place is actively visited by tourists. For them, a special advantage is that the Crimea, Sapun-Gora and other attractions give the opportunity to combine active leisure in beautiful nature, aesthetic enjoyment of stunning views with cognitive excursions and a touch to history.

The Great Patriotic War

In 1941-1942, with great losses, German troops managed to capture Sevastopol after a 250-day siege. The main battles took place at Sapun Gore, where many German soldiers died. The soldiers of the Fifty-first and Maritime armies retreated to Chersonesos, but they knew that they would return to these places. I had to wait almost two years. In 1944, Soviet troops knocked the Nazis from their native land, and they were to liberate the Crimea. Again, the summit in front of Sevastopol was used, but already an enemy, as a natural basis for creating a three-echelon line of fortifications. Here the most fierce battles unfolded, which determined the success of the entire offensive operation and the complete liberation of the peninsula.

Hopes of the enemy

After 1943, the strategic initiative in the Great War took the side of the Soviet Union. In March 1944, Soviet troops appeared on some sections of the border. All this meant that the liberation of our native land is nearing. But the resistance of the enemy became even more fierce. German bases in the Crimea were blocked, but continued to fight. Hitler believed that their abandonment would entail the withdrawal of the Balkan allies from the war , which could not be tolerated. The Germans in the Crimea, in fact, were doomed to defeat, but their task was, as much as possible, to restrain the forces of the Soviet armies. For this purpose, Sapun-Gora was fortified with three lines of defense. They were equipped with an extended band of trenches, long-term firing points of various types, both earthen and reinforced concrete. It was extremely difficult to take the height by storm. But the domestic troops have acquired a rich experience of fighting, have taken not one height, the command prepared the penultimate battle of the offensive operation for the Crimea.

Preparing for the assault

With the progress of the Soviet troops, it was not possible to take a natural barrier with the enemy that had become stronger on it. Therefore, almost a month's preparation for the assault began. The command planned to begin May 5 offensive secondary forces through the Mikenseev Upland and reach the city from the north. This maneuver was supposed to have a predominantly distracting character.

After a day the main forces will begin the offensive from the left flank. Their goal will be Sapun-Gora, Sevastopol from the south. A few weeks left to train troops. The recruits were dispersed among the experienced soldiers and trained to take the fortifications created here for training. Suvorov's science of winning was useful in full measure: ingenuity, eye-sight, roundabout maneuvers and cautious actions without unnecessary risk. Particularly taught soldiers to see the battlefield, to distinguish the fortifications of the enemy and take them purposefully. These days I had to work and intelligence. Thanks to her efforts, several enemy firing points revealed themselves before the main offensive, and the "tongues" they took gave full distribution in terms of equipment and number of troops.

The battle for Sapun Mountain

At 9 am on May 7, 1944, a powerful artillery preparation began, which was to precede the offensive of Soviet troops. Aviation and Katyushas exploded the ground with their volleys, covering the enemy's firing points. Within an hour the noise of the fire did not cease, all that could be done to facilitate the offensive was done. At 10 o'clock 30 minutes the red rocket gave a signal to the infantry on the front edge of the enemy fortifications. And, although the fighters were exceptionally well coordinated, the six-tier defense of the enemy with minefields, barbed wire and hidden fire points did not allow them to immediately capture the front fortifications.

An hour later, the movement stopped, sappers under the enemy's fire managed to make several passes through the wire and the minefields of the Germans. Soviet soldiers moved into the trenches of the enemy, but were repulsed. Another half hour of trenches passed several times from hand to hand, until finally, on one of the flanks, our soldiers did not capture the front line of the defense of the fascists.

Ahead was a steep climb. Sapun-Gora moaned from the explosions of mines and grenades, machine-gun fire. And in this mash, step by step, clinging to every stone, a Russian soldier advanced. By 14 o'clock the first position of the German defense was captured along the perimeter of the entire height. This advance made in formal terms only 50-100 meters. But in less than an hour the second line of defense was broken.

Sapun-Gora is taken

There was so little to the top, but that did not mean very much. If you stop the advance, then with a high degree of probability, all our troops will simply roll down. It is impossible to stop. Overcoming enemy fire, using the skill acquired in training, the soldiers moved forward. At the very top was a sacrament, which was no longer seen by observers from the command post. Only explosions of grenades and machine gun turn. Soon the hand-to-hand fight began. The artillery ran out of shells, the aviation - a stock of bombs. By 20 o'clock on the crest of the long-awaited red flags were waning, the battle on Sapun-Gore was coming to an end along with such a heavy, tense and long day.

Counterattack of the enemy

Having lost their positions at the top of the mountain, the Germans were not ready to surrender the city. Hoping that the Soviet troops exhausted over the past day will not be able to repel new attacks, they prepared a counter-offensive on the morning of the next day. But our command over night managed to strengthen and replenish the advanced lines with new parts and accordingly prepare to repel the attack. Eleven new enemy offensives during the day were moved by our soldiers, survived and kept the defense of an important height. How many soldiers fell on these peaks during these two days! The capture of Sapun Mountain cost our troops the lives of 80,000 Soviet soldiers. The Germans lost 30 thousand. Well, those who go to the assault, always lose more. May 9, 1944 (is not it an interesting date?) Sevastopol was liberated from the German-fascist invaders.

Memory

These sacred places - Sapun-Gora, Sevastopol - will remain so forever for the sake of the sacrifice that was brought by thousands of soldiers who folded their heads for freedom from the German-fascist yoke. For ten years, apart from scarlet flaming poppies, nothing grew on top. The battles for the liberation of Europe continued, and the hydra of fascism was not destroyed, and two obelisks were erected on the slope of Sapun-Gory in honor of the soldiers of the Maritime Army and the 51st Army, who stormed the hill. In May 1945, a museum began to operate, in which the first exhibits appeared - witnesses to the great battles in these places. After 15 years, the museum was reconstructed, in its place was built a new building, which housed the battle diorama May 7, 1944. Twenty years after the fighting, the obelisk of the Primorsky Army was modernized and a modern memorial complex was laid.

Diorama "Sapun-Gora"

Everything is further from us years of terrible war. It's harder to imagine what happened on the battlefields in those distant times. Diorama, as a form of modern art, helps to plunge into the atmosphere of battle and feel, at least in part, the smell of gunpowder, fear and pain at the sight of dying comrades, the brutality of what is happening. The Diorama "Sapun-Gora, assault on May 7" is one of the largest of its kind in the world. Its size is twenty-five and a half meters by five and a half. With the help of technical means, pictorial techniques and the subject foreground, the effect of the spectator's presence during the battle is achieved, he witnesses the exploits captured by the painters. The creators of the diorama - artists of the studio MB Grekova Peter Maltsev, Georgy Marchenko, Nikolay Prisekin - conducted a large search and research work. Their work is not just an artistic fiction, it is the recording of real events according to the words and descriptions of eyewitnesses.

Park near the memorial of glory

After viewing the diorama, visitors go out onto the balcony and see the real place of the battle, guess the places shown by the artists. This further strengthens the received impressions of the image of the battle. Near the museum there is a park. His landing was an incredibly difficult job, because there was a stony soil prevailing there. It created an exhibition of military equipment from the times of the Great Patriotic War. Self-propelled guns, tanks, glorious combat Katyushas. Nearby are trophy German guns, which retained even their own color. Closer to the road, ship guns and other military equipment are on display. On some tourist sites in Crimea, the map "Sapun-Gora" shows all memorable places and the route of travel for tourists who prefer to explore all the sights on their own.

Temple-chapel

It so happened that each generation contributed to preserving and honoring the memory of the dead. Sapun-Gora - photos taken before 1995 and after, have changed thanks to the construction of a small chapel. Within a few months, this cult structure was erected. An angel with a cross on top of a truncated cone, an icon-mosaic at the entrance, an image of St. George the Victorious inside is a continuation of the traditions of Russian architecture combined with new modern trends. The chapel is an active temple in which services are performed in memory of the deceased soldiers - defenders of the Fatherland.

Celebrations at the memorial of memory

The last fifteen years there have been solemn events dedicated to the Day of the Great Victory and the liberation of the city of Sevastopol at the Sapun-Gora memorial. How to get there these days?

Veterans bring special cars, the reconstruction of military vehicles and motorcycles of the 40s. Others wishing to see these places can get there by routes Nos. 107 and 71. In addition to the usual festive regulations, an action "Banners of Glory" is held at the memorial, near the obelisk of the Primorsky Army. They solemnly carry out to the monument the banners of those military units and ships that defended Sevastopol in 1942 and liberated the city in the spring of 1944. At the foot of the obelisk, veterans lay flowers in memory of comrades who have not returned from the battle. In the afternoon on the slope of Sapun-Gora there are competitions on motocross.

Historical reconstruction

It is gratifying that young people also pay tribute to the heroic past. The reconstruction of the Sapun-Gory storm, conducted by youth public organizations and historical clubs of Sevastopol, has become traditional. On Sunday, the closest to the date of May 7, on the mountainside, grenades explode again, machine-guns are being scribbled, and Soviet soldiers go into hand-to-hand combat against the "Fritz" who have settled in the trenches. History comes to life. Every year, thousands of spectators gather here who are experiencing these memorable events and can personally see the heroism and courage of soldiers, who capture the height of a memorable spring of 1944. And, although the battle lasts only half an hour, it is enough to plunge into history and forever remember that our freedom and the peaceful sky are fully paid for by the blood of the great-grandfathers that drove it this land. Anyone can take part in the reconstruction. An important condition is the advance registration and self-provision of forms and attributes.