Soviet A visit to Belarus

[Bob]

[Bob]

Close up

[Bob]

heavy metal

[Bob]

A "smaller" group....

[Bob]

Something a bit larger

[Bob]

Lots of supporting material on this one

[Bob]

Translation?

[Bob]

[Bob]

[Bob]

ribbon bar with some interesting details...

[Bob]

wall of fame... now what's behind the closed door?

[Bob]

ANd some of the stuff standing outside

Tomorrow some more pics - from Brest

[Bob]

Nice monument (order of victory!) in central Minsk

[Bob]

Equally nice: the world famous Minsk Tractor Factory (Order of Lenin + October Revolution on the "front door")

Pics of Brest Fortress tomorrow.

[Guest Rick Research]

Post # 32 says

"General of the Army V. A. Penkovsky (1904-26 April 1969), from Mogilev, member of the CPSU. At the time of the White Russian operations, was Chief of Staff of the 8th Guards Army, which successfully broke through the enemy defenses northwest of Vitebsk."

I'm glad the signs are bilingual, because White Russian is as far off as Ukrainian is!

[Gaffken]

Were you the only visitor?

I was there, too, a couple of years back--definitely a world-class museum, though not oft seen by western eyes.

My favorite parts were the vehicle park outside (Bob's photo with the DC3), and the case full of MP44's and other German small arms piled on top of each other on the first floor

Man, I'd love to find out where they're storing the rest of that surplus...!

Gaffken

[922F]

Thanks for posting this fantastic material! When I visited a couple of years ago, unpleasant old ladies followed foreign visitors around to enforce a very strict no-photo policy. They were unbribable as someone else "discretely" followed to check on them. Was there still a book shop at the entrance?

[Bob]

Didn't see a book shop, only some items for sale at the cashier at entrance.

Forgot to post pics on Brest Fortress as wrap-up of my Belarussia impression - will follow later this week

[Stogieman]

Thanks Bob, a pretty fantastic glimpse. Did you guys notice the multiple documents for academy badges in there??

[zook]

Fantastic pics... thanks very much for sharing!...look forward to your additional pics!

Dan

[Megan]

A fine photo-tour, thanks.

Reminds me of a visit to the Central Museum of the Soviet Armed Forces in Moscow, January 1991. In those days, I didn't dare take a camera but had a sketchbook. And indeed there was a little old lady who followed me around... but after checking that there was nobody else there, she gave me a big hug - she was a covert Christian and had spotted my cross!

Had a long conversation with a Colonel from Georgia (the Russian one), who had brought his 2 teenage sons to see the displays of the battles that Dad had participated in when not much older than them. We mostly spoke French, as his English was even worse than my Russian!

Nothing much in the shop, but bought a fabulous book from a fellow in a subway nearby, who had a big cardboard box of copies... which he was selling for less than a pound sterling. It's Russian and Soviet Military Awards by V.A. Durov, fully illustrated in colour and based on the collection of the Order of Lenin State History Museum, although some of the items come from the Central Museum of the Soviet Armed Forces.

[Bob]

The main road to Brest Fortress - heros on the side.

And a nice train museum on side of the road (closed unfortunately so only pics from over the fence)

[Bob]

Not a busy day at Brest Fortress (although 100 times busier than when I was here several years ago). It was HOT!

Always take a pic of the overview sign:)

[Bob]

nice sound effects - the sound of plans, machine guns and bombs bursting as you walk through the entrance

and the view inside is immediately very "socialist realist" shall we say

[Bob]

More inside