Memorial and Mourning Day: 85 years since the beginning of the Great Patriotic War
June 22, 1941, has forever entered the history of our country as a Day of Remembrance and Mourning. It was on this day that the Great Patriotic War began. Brest became the first city to meet the invaders, and the Brest Fortress became a symbol of courage and perseverance. About the first hours of the Great Patriotic War — in the material of Izvestia.
Why did June 22 become one of the most tragic dates in history?
On June 22, 1941, at four o'clock in the morning, Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union. Thus began the bloodiest and most destructive war in the history of our country, affecting every Soviet family. Since 1992, this date has been celebrated in Russia as a Day of Remembrance and Mourning.
Vyacheslav Molotov, People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR
It took a long time for most of the population to learn about the outbreak of war. In the morning, Soviet citizens hurried about their business as usual, while the carefree graduates were preparing for university admissions, and the children were enjoying the first month of the holidays.
At 12:15 Moscow time, Vyacheslav Molotov, People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR, addressed Soviet citizens on the radio, announcing the outbreak of war. In his speech, he called the German attack "treachery unprecedented in the history of civilized nations" and called on the people to unite in the face of danger. The speech ended with the famous phrase: "Our cause is just. The enemy will be defeated. Victory will be ours." Back then, no one could have imagined that Victory would come only after 1,418 long and terrible days.
In three years, 10 months and 18 days of fierce battles, the Great Patriotic War claimed the lives of 27 million Soviet citizens.
How the Great Patriotic War began on June 22, 1941
By June 1941, it became clear that a military conflict between Germany and the USSR was inevitable. Despite the non-aggression pact signed in 1939, relations between the two countries were heating up.
The first reports of Germany's readiness to attack the Soviet Union began to arrive on June 21. The head of the Central Committee of the CPSU, Joseph Stalin, together with the head of the General Staff of the Red Army, Georgy Zhukov, and the People's Commissar of Defense, Semyon Timoshenko, drafted Directive No. 1, according to which the military was instructed to occupy firing points along the border and put guns on alert, but not to succumb to enemy provocations. However, by the time the document reached its addressees, some military units were already repelling enemy forces.
Germany launched its first strikes around 03:15 a.m. on June 22, 1941 in the western part of the USSR: Kiev, Sevastopol, Brest, Grodno, Vilnius and other cities of Ukraine, Belarus and the Baltic States. And soon the allies joined the onslaught of the enemy: Italy, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Finland.
What happened in the Brest fortress during the first hours of the attack
Brest became the first city to fight the German invaders. The fortress housed units of the 6th and 42nd Rifle divisions, border guards, NKVD troops, logistics services, a hospital, and families of the commanding staff. By the summer of 1941, the fortress was functioning mainly as a military camp. In total, there were at least 7 thousand military personnel in it, not counting their family members.
"The first hours of the defense of the Brest Fortress should be considered in the logic of the border battle on June 22, 1941. The fortress was located on the western border of the USSR and was one of the first to receive a blow from the Wehrmacht. Units of the 45th Infantry Division, reinforced with heavy artillery, mortars and special-power guns, operated against it. The German plan was based on surprise, a brief destructive fire raid and the rapid capture of the crossings over the Western Bug and Mukhavets. Some of the soldiers and commanders were killed or injured in the first few minutes," Alexander Fokin, PhD in History, associate professor at the Department of Social and Economic History of Russia at the Presidential Academy, told Izvestia.
No one expected the attack, so the garrison was taken by surprise. First of all, the fascists destroyed the water supply and warehouses with air attacks, and cut off communications. The Brest fortress was not ready for defense, much less a siege, and there were few supplies of provisions and equipment left.
"The Brest fortress had a powerful historical fortification heritage, but the garrison was not prepared for a long-term siege defense in the classical sense. The more significant the reaction of the defenders looks. After the first strike, pockets of resistance began to appear in different parts of the fortress. The soldiers took up positions in barracks, at gates, in basements, on ramparts, and at bridges. The German plan for the rapid disintegration of the will to resist was thwarted. Already in the first hours of the war, the Brest Fortress became a place of stubborn fighting," the historian noted.
How the defenders of the Brest Fortress held their own
The Germans planned to capture the fortress in a few hours, but the heroic defenders held their ground for a month. The fiercest fighting took place during the first week of the defense, until June 29. The defenders had to fight off up to eight attacks every day.
The suddenness of the attack did not allow the Red Army to organize centralized defensive actions. Many decisions were made instantly, during fights. The soldiers of the disparate units began to unite, and the defense was divided into several separate pockets.
"The defense of the Brest fortress had a focal character. There was no solid front line inside the fortress: the space was cut by fire, destruction, the actions of German assault groups and the loss of communication between units. Therefore, the fighting took place in separate units: in the Citadel, at the Terespolsky and Kholmsky gates, at the Kobrin and Volyn fortifications, in the Eastern Fort, in barracks, basements and casemates," Fokin explained.
According to the historian, the appearance of Order No. 1, which envisioned the creation of a single combat group, and the attempt to create a defense headquarters show the defenders' desire to move from scattered resistance to organized action. The names of Captain Ivan Zubachev, Regimental Commissar Yefim Fomin, Major Peter Gavrilov, Lieutenant Andrei Kizhevatov went down in history due to their command and personal responsibility. Each of these names is based on a real choice of a person in an extreme situation.
The strongest resistance to the enemy was provided by the heroes of the citadel, Kobrin and Volyn fortifications, where soldiers fought the Germans even in bayonet attacks. According to eyewitnesses, single gunfire from the fortress was heard until the beginning of August, but the heroic resistance of the defenders was nevertheless suppressed. However, the losses of the Wehrmacht turned out to be significant — 1,121 people killed and wounded. This amounted to 5% of all losses of the Nazi army in the first week of the war.
As a result of the resistance, 6-7 thousand people were captured by the Germans, 40 thousand civilians were killed by the Nazis, and Brest was almost completely destroyed.
Why the Brest Fortress has become a symbol of courage and perseverance
According to Alexander Fokin, the Brest Fortress has become a symbol of courage due to the combination of military and moral meaning. The military meaning is obvious: the German command planned a quick capture, but faced resistance that significantly exceeded its expectations. Operationally, the fortress could not stop the advance of Army Group Center, but the battle for it immediately showed the nature of the future war. The advance of the Wehrmacht on Soviet territory was accompanied by stubborn resistance from the first hours.
From a moral point of view, the defenders of the fortress showed incredible courage and fortitude. The Soviet soldiers were kept without water, food and medicine under continuous artillery shelling and airstrikes. They were cut off from the main forces, deprived of stable communications and supplies, surrounded by a superior enemy. At the same time, many continued to fight. Their actions were determined by their oath, camaraderie, military honor, and an understanding of their duty to their country.
This, according to historian Fokin, is what makes Brest's feat particularly significant: heroism manifested itself at the time of the most difficult beginning of the Great Patriotic War, when the outcome of the struggle was still unclear. The warriors stood to the last, preferring death to surrender. Even after the suppression of the main pockets, single soldiers continued their guerrilla struggle in the dungeons.
"The defenders' resilience is explained by a combination of several factors. The fortification structure of the fortress, even having lost its former military significance, provided shelters and allowed for the retention of individual buildings and underground rooms. There were commanders and political officers in the garrison who were able to take responsibility with the destroyed management system. The Soviet military culture was of great importance: oath, discipline, sense of duty, willingness to hold a position in the complete absence of a clear operational perspective," Fokin added.
The historian noted that the domestic side of the defense was no less important than the course of the battles. The main challenge for the defenders was not the continuous attacks of the invaders, but the lack of water.
"Thirst in the Brest Fortress has acquired the power of a historical symbol, as it conveys the physical price of perseverance. People fought in conditions of fire, smoke, lack of ammunition, severe wounds, and the inability to receive adequate medical care. Therefore, the defense of Brest is important as a military episode and as evidence of the highest human effort," he stressed.
How the Brest Hero Fortress Memorial complex appeared
The Brest Hero Fortress Memorial complex arose as a result of long-term memory work, Fokin explained. The expert noted that after the war, the history of defense was gradually restored. Many defenders died, some were captured, documents were lost, and evidence had to be collected bit by bit. Museum workers, search engines, veterans, writers, and researchers returned names, biographies, and circumstances of the battle to the public.
"A special place is occupied by the writer Sergey Smirnov (author of the books "In Search of the Heroes of the Brest Fortress" and "Brest Fortress". — Ed.). His work had literary, exploratory, and social significance. He searched for participants in the defense, collected evidence, and returned names and dignity to the defenders of the fortress. This was of great importance for the Soviet memory of the war, since the fate of people who survived encirclement or captivity remained painful for a long time. The Brest theme helped to show the feat of soldiers and commanders who found themselves in extremely difficult circumstances and remained faithful to their military duty," said Fokin.
Opening of the Brest Hero Fortress memorial, designed by sculptor A.P.Kibalnikov. Candidate member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus P.M.Masherov lights the Eternal Flame
In 1965, the Brest Fortress received the honorary title of "Hero Fortress". After that, work began on a large memorial ensemble. According to the historian, the architects and sculptors made a fundamental decision: to preserve the traces of the war. Ruins, broken bricks, traces of fire, destroyed barracks entered the memorial space as authentic evidence of defense.
"The complex, opened in 1971, has become one of the most expressive monuments of Soviet war memorial culture. His artistic language combines the documentality of a place and the monumentality of an image. The main monument "Courage", the bayonet obelisk, the Eternal Flame, the composition "Thirst", the Holm Gate, museum exhibitions and burials form an integral historical and memorial ensemble. It is addressed to the memory of the dead, to respect for the defenders of the Fatherland, to foster responsibility towards the past," Alexander Fokin summed up.
View of the square in front of the Main Entrance to the Brest Hero Fortress Memorial Complex. The main entrance was built in 1971
Today, search teams continue to work on the territory of the Brest Fortress and beyond. Isa Sardalov, a member of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation and chairman of the Council of the Regional Branch of the Search Movement of Russia in the Chechen Republic, explained to Izvestia that the main task of such detachments is to find out who was in the fortress at the time of the attack and took part in military operations.
"Thanks to the work we have done in recent years, the names of two of our compatriots have been placed on memorial plaques. These are Elmurzaev Elim and Esmurziev Bisultan from Ingushetia. And seven people were approved as participants in the defense of the Brest Fortress. And now we still have 11 people working. I think we'll be done with them in a year," the search engine shared.
He also spoke about the unusual finds in the archives. For example, in Germany, he managed to find many documents testifying to fierce battles on the territory of the Brest fortress and reflecting the feat of Soviet soldiers. In particular, the search engines got a copy of the personal file of the commander of the 45th Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht, General Fritz Schlieper, and some of his reports.
"There was one report, I also handed over the Brest Fortress. This is a 13-page report from the commander of the 45th Infantry Division, General Schlieper. It is addressed directly to the Fuhrer. General Schlieper writes that the soldiers of the Red Army are fighting bravely, courageously. And he gives the example of one of our Red Army soldiers. That is, in such a serious document, General Schlieper also allowed himself to reflect the spirit of the Red Army," Sardalov said proudly.
What commemorative events take place on the Day of Remembrance and Mourning
On June 22, memorial, educational and patriotic actions are taking place all over Russia. For example, during the All-Russian Candle of Memory campaign, participants simultaneously light a candle in memory of the victims of the Great Patriotic War. In 2026, the candle can also be placed virtually on the promotion's website.
Traditionally, a minute of silence is held in all regions. At this time, television and radio broadcasting is suspended, public transport and work at enterprises are stopped.
In Moscow, large-scale citywide actions "Memory Line" and "Memory Watch" are taking place on the Crimean Embankment and at the Eternal Flame near the Kremlin Wall, in which volunteers and citizens put up thousands of burning lamps and lay flowers.
Also on this day, volunteers are putting memorial plaques, mass graves and monuments to defenders of the Fatherland in order. Many cities offer free guided tours, theatrical performances, and meetings with veterans.
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