Zaitseva Gora, Kaluga region - and the monument rises, petrified

The Kaluga region, and earlier the province, is located to the south-west of Moscow. This explains that no conqueror, who was going to capture Moscow and the Motherland, did not pass these places. All enemies of Russia appeared, as a rule, from the west or south. It began in the 13th century, after the attack of the Tatar-Mongols. On the banks of the small river stood two troops: the Tatar and the Russian. The Tatars could not stand the confrontation and left without taking the fight. So Russia in the Kaluga fields forever freed from the yoke. But the attacks of the Crimean Tatars began. Then, along the old Kaluga road, the French marched on Moscow, and on it fled back in fear. The last battles took place during the test of the Patriotic War. The terrible beginning of the Great War is Zaitseva Mountain. Kaluga region, As always, stood at the center of military events.

The beginning of the tragedy

Near Zaitseva Mountain, our soldiers, ignoring the victims, tried to block the approaches to the Warsaw highway - the direct route to Moscow. Almost a year military operations were conducted. It was a very difficult time for our fighters, who were practically surrounded and cut off from the main forces. Zaitsev mountain is an elevation of 275.6 m. This is how it was called in the staff maps, when fierce, continuous fights were going on here. She promised every possible advantage to that of the opponents in whose hands she would be. Heavy fights saw Zaitsev Gore. All that the Kaluga region could help the Soviet Army.

Benefits of height

Zaitsev Gora blocked the way along the highway to Yukhnov.

It created a threat to the roads to Baryatin and Kirov and the Smolensk-Sukhinichi railway line.

Therefore, the enemy with fury held every settlement, located nearby, and lost, he tried to return. The center of resistance of the Germans is Zaitsev mountain. The Kaluga region collected all the forces to suppress their resistance.

Distribution of forces

Our soldiers in this sector of the front were more than twice as many, but the Germans had long-term field fortifications with minefields and trenches of a full profile in several rows and the air force that dominates the sky. It used to happen that in a few days of heavy fighting our regiments were deprived of half their numerical strength. The feat of the soldiers is Zaitsev Gora. The Kaluga region was already all occupied with enemies. Our people were in the ring.

In other words, each side made every effort to not lose operational advantages, and this led to new and new losses. But not every battle maimed the Hitler war machine.

The Tasks of the Soviet Army

Before the soldiers of the 50th Army there was a task, in cooperation with the units of the 49th Army, to liberate Yukhnov and move in the direction of Vyazma. The first part of this task was to clear the Warsaw highway from the river of Ressi to the village of Milyatino.

The 4th German Field Army operated on the Yukhnov sector. And the road Rosslavl - Kuzminki - Zaitseva Gora - Yukhnov connected this army with the rear. Each settlement on the approaches to the highway was adapted to a circular defense. The key to all the positions of the Germans on the highway was Zaitsev Gora. The Kaluga region, the history of fighting on its land Keep the memory of the beautiful people that we lost along the way.

At the end of winter, with a swift blow, knocking out the Germans from the village of Lensky, parts of the division rushed to the highway and found themselves surrounded. They fought for two weeks, receiving no support, deprived of supplies. The only thing left is to break through. And the battle was not yet one ahead. To the fierce resistance of the enemy was added the spring mudslide. Clayey soil is deformed. Movement on vehicles stopped. The Germans had at their disposal the Warsaw highway. On it day and night not only food and food were delivered, but army reserves also came up. Local skirmishes with the enemy could not solve the main task: to leave the encirclement as quickly as possible to the Vyazma area. And to cope with this task, it was necessary to take Zaitsev Mountain. And it was necessary to do this immediately, until the spring mudslide would not rip off any offensive.

Zaitseva Gora was entangled with wire barriers, strewn with artillery batteries, strewn with mines. No one expected a quick bloodless victory.

A decisive battle for height, not a battle, but one impetuous offensive. Sappers built snow shafts to protect themselves from enemy fire. Infantry equipped positions for machine guns. Hopes for tanks and artillery were not there - snow, soaked in water, made their approach impossible.

The morning of April 14 began with a massive bombing of our positions on Zaitsevaya Gora. From the air, cars with black crosses were bombed. Our units, advancing, defended themselves from tanks. The soldiers rushed under enemy tanks with bundles of grenades. Storming people moved by an avalanche. In the battle for Zaitsev Mountain heroism was massive. By the end of the day, a red banner rose above the height. The will to win triumphed.

Everlasting memory

At the top is the museum Zaitsev Gora. The Kaluga region carefully collects and stores all the relics found in the battlefields. The museum itself opened on May 9, 1972. The first visitors were veterans. Now the museum has large exhibition areas and five thousand exhibits.

Immediately after the expulsion of the fascists Zaitsev, Gora became a mass grave. "Those who are in the mountain, all strive for breakthroughs, clean air is so necessary for them! .." The monument over the mass grave is a monumental figure of a soldier. So the memorial complex was formed . Around are planted young trees - birch trees, fir-trees, hazel bushes, in which, in the spring, nightingales and roses are singing in every way. In the fields blossom cornflowers, chamomile. Swallows fly swiftly over the memorial, cuckoo cuckoo. Later, near the memorial, the Eternal Flame was lit. The mass graves on Zaitseva Hill are replenished with the remains of fighters found in the surrounding deciduous and spruce forests and marshes. Searches complicate the rainy climate of the region, the eternal lead clouds in the sky. Pogozhye days are rare.

"The mountain is still a mountain, but soldiers from under it do not get up alive. Mountain itself - shot through their chest. Flowers, like wounds, brightly baked, and, worshiping those flowers, do not tear them: they intertwined with a living wreath "(author of the poem V. Pukhov).