Prokhorovskoye Field is called the third military field in Russia - after Kulikovsky and Borodino. On July 12, 1943, the largest tank battle of the Great Patriotic War took place near Prokhorovka. Patriotic War. The Nazis marched on Kursk, but were unable to advance further than Prokhorovka. According to various estimates, from 700 to 850 took part in the battle Soviet tanks, With German side- 300–350 tanks. Accounts of the death toll on July 12 vary widely. According to some estimates, in general, during the week of fighting from July 10, the Red Army lost about 20 thousand people killed and missing, and the Wehrmacht - up to 5 thousand.
Today Prokhorovka is a leisurely urban village in Belgorod region with a population of 9 thousand people. His whole life is tied to a tank battle 74 years ago. From there it is fueled, takes strength and freshness.
“We have this brand, our feature,” says Sergei Pavlenko, head of the House of Crafts and deputy of the village assembly. “People want entertainment, but we mourn all the time.” Nothing is forgotten, that's for sure. There are military-patriotic clubs, there is our young National Guard. There are cadet classes. We live on such a land, we need to know.
In Prokhorovka, everyone gets around on bicycles. In front of the House of Culture there is a deserted Glory Square, to the left of the two-story administration building there are busts of 19 holders of the Order of Glory and Heroes in a semicircle Soviet Union, behind them is an endless field. In May, of course, the traditional bustle begins: flowers are planted, borders are painted, commissions come from the city. Puzzled men in expensive suits and sunglasses walk quickly through the small village and have lunch at the Rainbow cafe. Rospechat sells stacks with the silhouette of a local belfry and the inscription “Third Military Field” (30 rubles).
Unlike many places that live in the memory of the war mainly only on May 9, Prokhorovka remains decorated until July 12, when they remember the tank battle that was fateful for the development of the war. Although this year will be calmer - it’s not an anniversary year.
Market
In the depths of the central market there is a small cramped sewing workshop. There's a rush here these days. It’s the turn of a 35-year-old woman in a tracksuit, she’s struggling to drag a baby stroller behind her.
“Look, there are some with coats of arms, some with stars,” the saleswoman shows the buttons.
“I’m still going to make shoulder straps for him!” Tell me, are we going to dress up? — she lisps to the tired boy. “The eldest one inherited the tunic, but for this one I’ll sew the uniform myself!”
The woman's name is Anna, she teaches technology at the gymnasium. Anna is picking up ribbons for the buttons. She makes orange and black brooches by hand at home.
— It used to be an innovation, but now it’s like an obligation. Everyone starts school a month before May. By order.
Brooches from St. George's ribbons trending here. Every passerby carries a fashionable patriotic accessory, decorated with rhinestones, ribbons or flowers.
Brooches with St. George's ribbon. Photo by the author Outside the Valentina clothing store stands its owner, also Valentina, she’s 50, wearing a knee-length polka dot dress, a crocheted cape on top, and fashionable sunglasses. She also sells handmade St. George brooches.
“My youngest is in the sixth grade, cadet,” she shares. - The oath was at such a serious level: there was dead silence in the hall, there was excitement among the parents, it was all so serious. And the priest was there, and there were from the military registration and enlistment office, and veterans, and from the police. Everyone has a uniform, everyone is a boss. Maybe this doesn’t exist anywhere else except our region! For us, Prokhorovskaya land is legendary - we were brought up as pioneers, and that’s how we raise our children! Previously, they celebrated shaky-shaky, but last time- oh how beautiful! And with accordions, and from the villages they came, and a large St. George's ribbon they carried a beautiful one.
Valentina would not trade Prokhorovka for anything, although she has traveled a lot around Europe.
- A few years ago difficult period I was in Prokhorovka - everyone was looking for where to work, they went to the city. Now factories and complexes are actively developing: Miratorg, Green Valley, Hochland. And things have improved - people are coming to live with us. It's easy to live here well. A first-born child in the city must be accompanied, but here everything is safe, the traffic police are on duty at every intersection, everyone knows each other. It will be difficult - move to Prokhorovka!
Valentina's house is called exemplary; she recently bought a one and a half meter tricolor for decoration. It is necessary to match the appearance of the village before the celebrations.
- Well, what do you want - how a bride is dressed up on her wedding day!
Photo by the author Museum
In 1992, on the initiative of the Belgorod public, they began to collect money for the construction of a temple in Prokhorovka in memory of those killed in the tank battle. In 1995, when the temple was opened, 7 thousand names were carved on the walls lined with marble. Soviet soldiers. Now there are more than 10 thousand of them. Latest names, carved below, differ in font.
Souvenir kiosk on Prokhorovsky Field. Photo by the author In front of the temple, a kiosk sells products from the local House of Crafts. Orange and black beaded baubles with the word “Victory”, flasks painted on military theme, traditional bereginiya dolls.
The saleswoman, Olga Vasilyevna, is a master herself, sewing patchwork bedspreads.
- But they were already sold out - I embroidered a star on them. We have to work on military topics; we can’t do without it. Patriotism - yes, but what can we do without it, excuse me? Look, America lives only on it. And Israel?
In 2010, a huge Museum of the Military Glory of the Third was built next to the temple. battlefield Russia.
The colossal building stands in a semicircle, in front of it is a sculpture depicting the collision of two tanks - “Battering Ram”. You can get inside the tank. The guides play the sounds of battle; on the floor there is a figure of a soldier clutching his head.
The tour is given to us by a newcomer - Yuri, a graduate of the Faculty of History and Philology of Belgorod State University.
— In 2010, when the museum opened, it was actually an event, I remember my impression, I was still in school then, it was something special! - Yura recalls with admiration.
You can’t surprise modern youth so easily; you have to resort to tricks: in one of the halls you can hold a Mosin rifle, a Mauser, or a Tokarev rifle. All real, demilitarized, wired to the table.
In the same room there is a T-34 tank, donated by the Museum of Armored Vehicles in Kubinka. “Everyone knows him from World of tanks, it helps us a lot, mutual language we find with children.”
There is even a separate office on the second floor - a play area. For just 100 rubles you can play a shooting game here, sometimes there are even tournaments. A tank simulator for four crew members is also installed there. A five-minute session costs 220 rubles, for children - 110.
But you can also ride on a real tank. In 2015, a tankodrome was opened behind the museum. The trip costs 3 thousand rubles.
Demonstration performances by special forces soldiers are held at the tankodrome.
“We are in our busiest season now,” says Yura. — We especially love dads. Especially the tipsy ones. The tipsy dad is the kindest, he is ready to ride a tank.
In January 2017, the museum complex in Prokhorovka expanded - the Museum of Armored Vehicles appeared. The museum's exhibition ranges from ancient chariots and Leonardo da Vinci's tank to models of tanks fighting in Syria.
Photo by the author — Everything was built quickly: Putin came to Prokhorovka, at a meeting of the Victory Committee, veterans came up with the initiative to create such a museum.
Yura enthusiastically says that he takes part in interactive patriotic programs museum.
— The funniest one is “B.” New Year step march”, I’m playing a German there. Children gather, Father Frost in a padded jacket, a hat with a red star, riding breeches and his corresponding Snow Maiden. Then two Germans jump out, steal the Snow Maiden and drop the map. The guys must use this map to find the Snow Maiden.
Porridge
In 1995, a belfry was opened near Prokhorovka at height 252. Anyone in the village proudly talks about the belfry: “This one is only in Poklonnaya Hill and with us."
Across the road is a field kitchen - a visiting branch of the Museum of Soldiers' Porridge. The Porridge Museum has to compete with the nearby cafes Blindazh (where artificial flowers in spent cartridges are on the tables) and Prival (Russian-style).
A motorcycle appears to be parked in front of the boiler shed, looking like it was from wartime. All the tourists are frantically taking pictures on it. Grown-up guys raise a roar, shouting that they are going to beat the Germans.
The motorcycle, to be honest, is not original - it was assembled from parts bought on Avito by Sergei Chursin. He owns both a field kitchen and a museum of soldiers' porridge.
Chursin was born and raised in Prokhorovka, fought in Grozny, in tank battalion. Today he is on adrenaline - he unveiled a monument to the cook near his Porridge Museum. Sergei finds out that I am a journalist, and without hesitation, he puts me in his jeep to quickly go look at the monument.
Monument to the cook. Photo by the author A couple of years ago he opened the Elite cafe, but quickly sensed the spirit of the times and retrained: he began buying field kitchens(on this moment There are 11 of them in the museum) and cook food only with them. Last year he set a record - he cooked 1945 liters of porridge (7070 servings). And for Belgorod City Day I prepared 31 types of porridge from 15 types of cereals.
The monument to the cook in the museum courtyard looks like a dressed-up plastic mannequin, but it stands next to a real field kitchen.
— The head of the village asked me at the opening: “Why are you feeding buckwheat? He gave millet!” You know, I learned how to cook it and gave it to the authorities. But why did he fight then if it was still millet and not buckwheat? The meaning is lost if we live worse now!
According to Chursin’s idea, the cafe should have three halls - according to the number of “battlefields”. But only the 9th century hall on the second floor has been completed so far. The entire wall is filled with Prince Oleg feasting. A boar's snout hangs above the table - Chursin's pride, he shot it himself.
— I don’t want to focus only on the Great Patriotic War. Before this we had a lot of exploits, count how many generalissimos there are. And I want to pay tribute - to dig deeper.
In general, Chursin’s plans are broader than the museum’s framework. The All-Russian Porridge Festival on Tankman Day is his dream.
- Monitor Russia, where they are rich in what, gather everyone here and establish a sales market, bring producers and consumers together! One of the conditions for participation is to make porridge from your product.
Sergei intends to invite veterans from Chechnya and Afghanistan to the future festival, so that young people can “get in touch and raise their morale.” “There is someone to imitate, not Pepsi-Cola.”
Sergei’s mother is responsible for cooking porridge at the museum. Lidia Sergeevna was born and raised in Prokhorovka. She recalls with pleasure the stories of the war years that she was told as a child. For example, how my grandmother and daughter-in-law spent the whole night sewing mittens for prisoners in the village of Priznachnoye, who were then burned in the school building. One managed to escape, and his grandmother’s neighbor saved his life - she hid him under manure. He tells it like a distant fairy tale.
“And after the tank battle, all the women and children from the village of Prilesnoye came out to collect documents and took them to the military registration and enlistment office. In the village of Yamki, the trenches and potholes in the ground are still intact. I went to school, one of our boys blew himself up. Five years ago, a local grandmother decided to set fire to the garbage and took off along with the garbage in the Storozhevoy farm. There is a cemetery on this farm. Recently, Germans came to our cafe. They came because they found their ancestors there. It was our diggers who found the cartridges with names and contacted them. The whole bus. In the cafe we drank coffee, talked, warm friendly relations we have developed. Grandchildren, great-grandchildren - they are not to blame for anything. And the locals take care of the grave in Storozhevoye.
Sentry
The village of Storozhevoye (5-6 kilometers from Prokhorovka) still remembers July 12, 1943. Reminders of this day are often dug up in gardens.
At the entrance to Storozhevoye, the first house is an ordinary country house, painted sky blue. In front of the house on the embankment there is an old wooden sleigh. On the left is a construction trailer, also blue, with a silver-plated Lenin attached to it. And in front of the trailer, on a birch stump, like on a pedestal, is a bust of Vernadsky.
A man in his seventies comes out of the house, wearing a blue shirt, the top buttons undone so that a cross on his chest is visible.
— How did you “find” it? — he is surprised at the question about shells in the garden. - We’re still finding it!
Egor Gavrilovich Glazunov. Photo by the author He points to a concrete slab under the overhanging branches of a tree. On it, cartridges and shells of different colors are neatly arranged in rows.
- I call it a bridgehead. Echo of war. Live shells were also found. Miners come here every year. Why are you interested in war? But the world doesn't interest you? I am a supporter of talking about peace. War is anomalous phenomenon in the life of society.
He himself is an anomalous phenomenon. This is Yegor Gavrilovich Glazunov, a man who created a spontaneous museum of utensils in a small trailer, where he could only store garden supplies. He worked almost all his life as the chief ecologist of the Belgorod region. But now I'm back native land— ten years ago I bought a plot of land and settled here.
— In 2013, Putin was on the battlefield and promised that he would pass here. They tell us: let's put things in order. I paint the museum and write: “Museum of the creature.” I tend to be a little humorous. The district commission arrives: “Egor, who did you call creatures?” The search engines were waiting for Putin to go and talk to them. But he laid flowers and didn’t say a word.
Egor Gavrilovich was born in 1942 - across the field from here, in the village of Krasnoe, 6-7 kilometers.
- Actually, we are city dwellers. All my life in Belgorod. But I was drawn to my native land. This is the outskirts tank field was. There were so many crows here, they killed wolves, goats, and people. All the crows still live with us. They, apparently, according to that genetic memory, fly from there to the epicenter where the battle took place. They probably still remember it.
Here comes Glazunova genetic memory attracted. Mother went to this forest for wild pears and thorns - the only breadwinners. His father had gone missing and was probably still around.
The Glazunov Museum is an original phenomenon, spontaneous, sloppy, but attractive, like swap meet. It contains exhibits and hundred years of history. For example, a seine at the entrance.
“When we announced that we had created a public museum, the locals from other villages and towns carried it. From Kamchatka, Vladivostok, Kursk, and Moscow. At one time I supervised local history, tourism and museum affairs. And he accumulated something in his city - cups, spoons, bowls. All this rubbish was brought here. So this is the beginning of the museum! And we decided to expand.
Old film cameras, an Italian accordion trimmed with mother-of-pearl - it was played by a captured German. The patriarch’s appeal “to collect a penny for the construction of the Church of Peter and Paul,” history textbooks of the CPSU, on the walls - huge collection watches, samples of iron ore, nearby portraits of Che Guevara, Brezhnev, Andropov and an icon.
— There is a method - you need to polish and paint each exhibit. But it's not mine. We found a rusty one - it’s rusty and I’ll put it up! The head of the district and the governor repeatedly said: “Yes, Yegor, you are great, a patriot, continue your work.” They promised to give me a room, but I can’t wait.
They did arrange some things in Storozhevoy - the same mass grave.
— It was equipped by Baturin, a relative of Luzhkov. He had lands here. They built a fence, updated everything, and brought in artificial grass. On the one hand, they bribed the locals - gifts, sweets, and organized holidays. On the other hand, it’s not bad, they’ve decorated a mass grave!
— When we came for the holidays, everyone gathered in the hotel in luxurious rooms, drank tea and something stronger. He said: no, take me to Baba Olya, I’ll eat unpeeled potatoes there, she’ll give me a glass of moonshine. He met with her constantly. But he was gone too.
On the farm up the road (about three kilometers away) about 80 people live, including summer residents. And around Glazunov and his wife Lyudmila there are at most ten more houses. The store is closed, the nearest one is in Prokhorovka, 120 rubles by taxi. In winter, the ambulance does not always get there through drifts.
“Nature is returning to its wild state, this is not bad,” says Glazunov. — Farms are dying out. As an environmentalist, this pleases me. But traditions and ways of life are being lost. I still propose: let's create a museum under open air, like Borodino, Kulikovo. Why take it to the city? But here you can create an exhibition not just on a few meters, but on two or three hectares, restore it!
“They scattered everything; there was no complex as such.” The hotel was placed opposite the temple - such blasphemy,” complains Lyudmila.
We invite Glazunov and his wife to take a photo - the belfry is visible from their site. Lyudmila resists:
- Egor, take off this shirt, what will people think?
- Dying farm - dying people: just what we need! And if I shine my shoes, they won’t believe that we live like this.
“This time we will use especially a large number of artists, because the space itself - the field - requires large artistic forms"- said, introducing holiday program, head of the regional department of culture Sergey Kurgansky. – We decided to invite the joint choir of the Philharmonic and the joint orchestra – the symphony, folk instruments, concert brass bands. It’s completely new, something that hasn’t happened before – these 200 artists will become participants in the rally.”
According to Kurgansky’s idea, during the laying of flowers they will already be on stage to perform the famous “Adagio” by Tomaso Albinoni, which is usually heard in the recording. After the official opening of the rally and greetings from Presidential Envoy Alexander Beglov, a concert brass band will perform an abbreviated version of the anthem. Russian Federation, and at the end of the rally - its full version.
“If 200 people sing, it will really give you goosebumps,” suggests the author of the idea. “I think it will create a special mood and impression.”
The performance of the Philharmonic artists will make up the first part of the concert program. It will also include works that became laureates of the competition for the Prokhorovsky Field prize in the field musical art, for example, the composition “Three Fields of Russia” based on the verses of a Belgorod poet, a representative of the regional Public Chamber Vladimir Molchanov. It will be performed by four soloists, a choir and a joint orchestra.
After a short break the program will continue with performances creative teams Gubkinsky urban district and Belgorod district. Guests will also be able to visit the Victory Park and tank track, which were renovated last year.
“At the tankodrome there will be a ceremonial display of equipment: from the Great Patriotic War, post-war, which was in service with the Soviet army, and modern. Two military rarities - a motorcycle and an armored car BA-64,” explained the director of the State Military Historical Museum-Reserve “Prokhorovskoe Field”, member of the Public Chamber of the Belgorod Region Natalya Ovcharova.
“I’m afraid to jinx it, but I foresee a bright emotional reaction to what we had in mind,” added Kurgansky.
According to the organizers, there will be no problems with parking spaces for guests and participants of the festival. Let us remind you that on July 12, car traffic on the Yakovlevo – Skorodnoye road section in the Zvonnitsa area will be blocked from 8:30 to 16:00.
And before you get acquainted with the holiday program, take a short test:
Program of the holiday “The Third Military Field of Russia”:
Until 10:30 – arrival of veterans, official delegation and honored guests.
11:00 – 11:30 – laying of flowers and ceremonial meeting
11:30 – 12:10 – concert of the Belgorod Philharmonic groups
12:30 – 14:30 – concert of creative groups of the Gubkinsky urban district and Belgorod region
Today is the 74th anniversary of Prokhorovsky tank battle. Not everyone knows and remembers this date, but its significance for national history, for our country it is difficult to overestimate. It was there that the turning point in the Great Patriotic War began, during the Battle of Prokhorov, one of the greatest tank battles in history.
In Belgorod this date is traditionally celebrated. " Commemorative events in honor of the tank battle near Prokhorovka are held annually. As a rule, several thousand people take part in them,” said the press service of the regional government. The theatrical event “The Third Military Field of Russia” is held in the village of Prokhorovka, Belgorod Region, annually, and attracts several thousand spectators.
The event begins with a ceremonial meeting and laying flowers at the monument Soviet soldiers who died in battles for their homeland during the Great Patriotic War. Next, guests of the holiday will enjoy a demonstration of armored vehicles and demonstration performances by military personnel. tank division, deployed in the city of Valuiki. In addition, the program includes a concert of creative groups from the Belgorod region, and a mobile selection point for citizens to serve under contract in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will also operate at the site.
It’s worth remembering on this day what exactly is wonderful Battle of Prokhorovka. The battle took place on July 12, 1943 near Prokhorovka, from the Soviet and German armies Up to 1.2 thousand tanks and self-propelled guns took part in it. Both sides suffered huge losses. In this battle Soviet troops lost 500 tanks out of 800, the Germans lost 300 tanks out of 400. Thus, the Soviet troops defeated the most powerful strike force the Germans, and the main enemy forces went on the defensive. Marshal Konev called this battle " swan song German tank forces."
Thus, the Battle of Prokhorov, like Battle of Kursk, became a victory not only of the will and military spirit of our then Soviet people, but also an unconditional victory martial art, as well as demonstrating technical superiority Soviet army. In the most difficult conditions, right in the middle of the bloodiest war in history, despite all the difficulties and the plight of the country, the USSR succeeded in as soon as possible not only to restore the military-industrial potential and the potential of the troops, undermined by the outbreak of war, but also to move forward and surpass their own achievements.
German tanks, considered unsurpassed and technologically advanced, suffered crushing defeat from our technology. Prokhorovskoe show the effectiveness of the Soviet military equipment compared to the most advanced examples of German at that time military industry. The equipment, which was assembled in the most difficult conditions, in evacuation, in three factory shifts, for which money was often collected “by the whole world,” was able to defeat the most powerful and invincible army on the planet, and crush it devastatingly.
Perhaps the parallels will seem somewhat strained and inappropriate, however, despite the difference in circumstances, the essence remains the same: today, in a complex international situation, in the conditions of the financial crisis and the pressure of economic sanctions, Russia was also able not only to restore the state of the economy that was destroyed in the nineties, and then partially undermined by crisis problems, but also to move forward. Including in the development of the military-industrial complex.
And today, like 70 years ago, the military-industrial complex is one of the leading sectors of our economy and industrial production. It is here that many of the most breakthrough and advanced technological solutions are implemented, scientific discoveries, are being tested innovative methods and approaches.
We are again demonstrating good results, because the products of the Russian defense industry are not only in demand within the country, and not only demonstrate their unconditional effectiveness in battle - for example, on the battlefields of the counter-terrorist operation in Syria. Our weapons are in deserved demand and popularity all over the world, and the military-industrial complex, thanks to the concluded international contracts, is the leading industry of our exports..