Pavlov's House is one of the main attractions of modern Volgograd, a symbol of perseverance, courage and heroism Soviet people, manifested in days Battle of Stalingrad. This is a 4-story residential building located on Lenin Square (formerly 9th January Square), in which during the days of the Great Patriotic War a group of Soviet soldiers held the defense under the leadership of senior sergeant Yakov Fedotovich Pavlov, who took command of the squad after senior lieutenant Ivan Filippovich Afanasyev was wounded.
The history of the Pavlov House in Volgograd dates back to the 30s of the last century, when the House of the Regional Potrebsoyuz (at Penzenskaya Street, 61) was built in pre-war Stalingrad - one of the elite residential buildings, along with the House of NKVD Workers, the House of Signals, and the House of Railway Workers and other buildings for nomenklatura employees. Party workers and specialists settled here industrial enterprises. Next to the House of the Regional Potrebsoyuz there was its “twin brother” - the Zabolotny House, named after the war after the platoon commander, Lieutenant N. E. Zabolotny, who defended the building. Between these residential buildings there was a railway line leading to the Gerhardt mill.
During the days of the Battle of Stalingrad, the 42nd Guards Rifle Regiment of Colonel I.P. Elin held the defense on the January 9 Square. The commander of the 3rd battalion, Captain A.E. Zhukov, was tasked with conducting an operation to seize two residential buildings. For this purpose, two groups were created under the command of Sergeant Pavlov and Lieutenant Zabolotny, who successfully completed the task assigned to them.
The house, captured by Lieutenant Zabolotny’s fighters, could not withstand the enemy’s onslaught - the advancing German invaders blew up the building along with the Soviet soldiers defending it. Sergeant Pavlov’s group managed to survive, they held out in the House of the Regional Consumer Union for three days, after which reinforcements under the command of Lieutenant Afanasyev arrived to their aid, delivering ammunition and weapons. The building became one of the most important strongholds in the defense system of the 42nd Guards Rifle Regiment and the entire 13th Guards Rifle Division.
From memory German military leaders, German assault groups managed to break through to the first floor of Pavlov's House several times, but could not capture the entire building. Soviet chronicles contain information that the Germans, who organized attacks several times a day, did not make a single attempt to break into the building - each onslaught was successfully repulsed by Soviet soldiers who fought to the death. All this time, while the House of the Regional Consumer Union held the defense (from September 23 to November 25, 1942), there were civilians in the basement of the building who were not evacuated from Stalingrad.
Both Sergeant Pavlov and Lieutenant Afanasyev were wounded, but survived. Of the 31 defenders who defended Pavlov's House, only three soldiers died - mortar lieutenant A. N. Chernyshenko, privates I. Ya. Khait (Hait) and I. T. Svirin. At the beginning of this year, only one of the defenders of Pavlov’s House remained alive - PTR shooter Kamolzhon Torgunov, living in the village of Bordimkul (Uzbekistan, Namangan region, Turakurgan district). There is no exact information about German losses.
Pavlov's House is one of the first buildings restored in Stalingrad after the end of the Great Patriotic War. It was with the restoration of this building in the Soviet Union that the famous Cherkasov movement started, when volunteer brigades, on the initiative of a female worker kindergarten M.A. Cherkasova practically rebuilt objects destroyed during the Second World War. In 1943, 820 such brigades worked in the USSR, a year later there were already 1192, and by May 1945 - 1227.
The feat of the defenders of Pavlov’s House is immortalized on a memorial wall-monument, where the names of the heroes are listed and the inscription is engraved: “In this house, the feat of arms and labor merged together.”
Photos and videos of Pavlov's House are presented in our photo gallery:
Current address of Pavlov's House: Volgograd, Sovetskaya street, 39.
After the end of World War II, the building was not restored.
And now it is located on the territory of the Battle of Stalingrad Panorama Museum.
The mill was built at the beginning of the 20th century, or to be precise, in 1903 by the German Gerhardt. After the revolution of 1917, the building took the name of the secretary of the Communist Party and became known as the Grudinin Mill. Until the start of the war, a steam mill operated in the building. On September 14, 1942, the mill suffered significant losses: two high-explosive bombs completely broke the roof of the mill, killing several people. Some of the workers were evacuated from Stalingrad, while others remained to defend the access to the river from the enemy.
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It is worth noting that the old mill in Volgograd is as close as possible to the river - it was this fact that forced Soviet soldiers to defend the building to the last. Subsequently, when German troops came close to the river, the mill was transformed into a defense point for the 42nd Guards Rifle Regiment of the 13th Guards Rifle Division.
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Having become an impregnable fortress for the enemy, the mill allowed the soldiers to recapture Pavlov’s house.
The house is located across the street from the mill. Pavlov's house was restored after the war.
And at the end of the war he looked like this.
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It looks like an ordinary four-story house in the central part of Volgograd.
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In pre-war times, when Lenin Square was called January 9th Square, and Volgograd was Stalingrad, Pavlov’s house was considered one of the most prestigious residential buildings in the city. Surrounded by the houses of Signalmen and NKVD workers, Pavlov’s house was located almost next to the Volga - there was even an asphalt road laid from the building to the river. The inhabitants of Pavlov's house were representatives of prestigious professions at that time - specialists from industrial enterprises and party leaders.
During the Battle of Stalingrad, Pavlov's house became the subject of fierce fighting. In mid-September 1942, it was decided to turn Pavlov’s house into a stronghold: the favorable location of the building made it possible to observe and shell the enemy-occupied city territory 1 km to the west and more than 2 km to the north and south. Sergeant Pavlov, together with a group of soldiers, entrenched himself in the house - since then, Pavlov’s house in Volgograd has taken his name. On the third day, reinforcements arrived at Pavlov’s house, delivering weapons, ammunition and machine guns to the soldiers. The defense of the house was improved by mining the approaches to the building: that is why the German assault groups could not capture the building for a long time. A trench was dug between Pavlov’s house in Stalingrad and the Mill building: from the basement of the house the garrison kept in touch with the command located in the Mill.
For 58 days, 25 people repelled the fierce attacks of the Nazis, holding enemy resistance to the last. What the German losses were is still unknown. But Chuikov at one time noted that The German army suffered several times more losses during the capture of Pavlov's house in Stalingrad than during the capture of Paris.
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After the restoration of the house, a colonnade and a memorial plaque appeared on the end of the building, which depicts a soldier who became collectively defense participants. The words “58 days on fire” are also inscribed on the board.
On the square in front of the museum stands military equipment. German and ours.
Here is an unrestored wrecked T-34 that took part in the battle.
After being hit by a German shell, the ammunition inside the tank was detonated. The explosion was monstrous. The thick armor was torn apart like an eggshell.
Monument to railway workers, representing a fragment of a military train.
BM-13 rocket launcher on the platform.
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Pavlov's house became one of the historical sites of the Battle of Stalingrad, which still causes controversy among modern historians.
During fierce fighting, the house withstood a considerable number of counterattacks from the Germans. For 58 days, a group of Soviet soldiers bravely held the defense, destroying more than a thousand enemy soldiers during this period. IN post-war years historians carefully tried to restore all the details, and the composition of the commanders who carried out the operation led to the first disagreements.
Who held the line
According to the official version, the operation was led by Ya.F. Pavlov, in principle, is associated with this fact and the name of the house, which he subsequently received. But there is another version, according to which Pavlov directly led the assault, and I. F. Afanasyev was then responsible for the defense. And this fact is confirmed by military reports, which became the source for reconstructing all the events of that period. According to his soldiers, Ivan Afanasyevich was a rather modest person, perhaps this pushed him into the background a little. After the war, Pavlov was awarded the title of Hero Soviet Union. Unlike him, Afanasiev was not awarded such an award.
Strategic importance of the house
An interesting fact for historians was that the Germans designated this house on the map as a fortress. And indeed the strategic importance of the house was very important - from here there was a wide view of the territory from where the Germans could break through to the Volga. Despite daily attacks from the enemy, our soldiers defended their positions, reliably closing the approaches from enemies. The Germans who took part in the assault could not understand how the people in Pavlov’s house could withstand their attacks without food or ammunition reinforcements. Subsequently, it turned out that all provisions and weapons were delivered through a special trench dug underground.
Is Tolik Kuryshov a fictional character or a hero?
Also little known fact, which was discovered during the research, was the heroism of an 11-year-old boy who fought along with Pavlov’s men. Tolik Kuryshov helped the soldiers in every possible way, who, in turn, tried to protect him from danger. Despite the commander's ban, Tolik still managed to accomplish a real feat. Having penetrated one of the neighboring houses, he was able to obtain important documents for the army - the capture plan. After the war, Kuryshov did not advertise his feat in any way. We learned about this event from surviving documents. After a series of investigations, Anatoly Kuryshov was awarded the Order of the Red Star.
Where were the civilians?
Whether there was an evacuation or not - this issue also caused a lot of controversy. According to one version, there were civilians in the basement of the Pavlovsk house for all 58 days. Although there is theory that people were evacuated through dug trenches. Yet modern historians adhere to the official version. Many documents indicate that people really were in the basement all this time. Thanks to the heroism of our soldiers during these 58 days of civilians no harm done.
Today Pavlov's house has been completely restored and immortalized memorial wall. Based on the events related to the heroic defense of the legendary house, books have been written and even a film has been made, which has won many world awards.
In July 1942, the Germans reached Stalingrad. By capturing this city on the Volga River, they would be able to cut off oil supplies from the south destined for the armies in the north. After numerous artillery attacks and air raids, the Germans launched a ground assault against the Russians, who were noticeably outnumbered.
In September, several units of the 6th German Army approached the central part of the city three blocks from the Volga. There they were met by Sergeant Yakov Pavlov and his soldiers, who took up defensive positions in an apartment building.
Pavlov and his soldiers managed to hold back the Germans for two months until reinforcements arrived, which helped push them back fascist troops back.
Home takeover
September 27 to the detachment Soviet army, consisting of 30 people, was ordered to return a four-story residential building captured by the Germans with good review to a large square in the center of Stalingrad. Since the lieutenants and senior sergeants of the platoon had already either died or been wounded, the fighters were led into battle by 24-year-old junior sergeant Pavlov Yakov Fedotovich.
After a fierce battle in which 26 of the 30 men in his platoon were killed, Pavlov and three of his soldiers seized control of the house and began to fortify and organize the defense.
From the house there was an excellent view of almost a kilometer in three directions - east, north and south. There were 10 civilians hiding in the basements of the house, who had nowhere else to go.
Reinforcement and home defense
A few days later, another 26 Soviet soldiers, led by Lieutenant Ivan Afanasyev, who formally took command, finally reached Pavlov’s detachment. They brought with them the necessary provisions and weapons, including land mines, machine guns and PTRD-41. Four layers of barbed wire and minefields were installed on the approaches to the house, and heavy machine guns looked out onto the square from the windows of the house.
By that time, German infantry, supported by a tank platoon, attacked every day, sometimes several times a day, trying to dislodge the enemy from their positions. Pavlov realized that if you let the tanks come within 22 meters and then fire an anti-tank rifle from the roof, you could penetrate the top armor of the turret at its thinnest point, and the tank would not be able to raise the gun high enough to fire back. During this siege, Pavlov is believed to have destroyed nearly a dozen tanks with his anti-tank rifle.
Later, the Soviet defenders managed to dig a tunnel through the wall of the basement of the house and establish a communication trench with another post of Soviet soldiers. Thus, when the Soviet ships that survived the German artillery and air bombardment finally crossed the Volga, food, supplies and, most importantly, water began to flow into Stalingrad. Periodically, the fighters were visited by 19-year-old Anatoly Chekhov, who liked to conduct aimed fire from the roof of the house. was a real paradise for snipers - it is believed that about 3,000 Germans died from sniper bullets alone in Stalingrad. Chekhov alone accounted for 256 Germans.
Wall of Dead Germans
In the end, an aerial bomb destroyed one of the walls of the house, but Soviet soldiers continued to hold off the Germans. Every time the enemy crossed the square and tried to encircle them, Pavlov's platoon rained down such a barrage of machine-gun fire, mortar shells and 14.5 mm PTRD shots that the Germans had to retreat with serious losses.
By November, after numerous raids, Pavlov and his soldiers had to retreat between salvos and, they say, they literally raked away walls of German bodies so that they would not block their view.
By the way, on German maps Pavlov’s House was depicted as a fortress.
At one point, the Germans controlled 90% of the city and split the Soviet forces into three, leaving the Volga behind.
The history of the city also knew other heroic centers of resistance, for example, in the north, where the struggle for large factories lasted for several months.
Pavlov and his soldiers held the house for two months, until November 25, 1942, when the Red Army launched a counteroffensive.
Crucial moment
The Battle of Stalingrad lasted from July 1942 until February 1943, when German troops, surrounded on all sides, surrendered.
The Soviet army suffered enormous losses of 640,000 killed, missing or wounded soldiers and 40,000 civilians. 745,000 Germans were killed, missing or wounded; 91,000 were captured. Of the prisoners of war, only 6,000 returned to Germany.
One of the most powerful German armies was completely destroyed, and the Red Army, against all odds, proved that it could not only heroically defend itself, but also attack. This was the turning point of the Great Patriotic War and the entire
The further fate of Sergeant Pavlov
Sergeant Pavlov was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin, the Order October revolution, two Orders of the Red Star and other medals. The residential building he defended was renamed Pavlov's House.
The building was later restored, and now one of its walls is decorated with a monument made from the bricks of the original building. Pavlov's house is located in Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad). Yakov Pavlov was demobilized in 1946 with the rank of lieutenant and joined the Communist Party. He was elected three times as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR. Pavlov died on September 29, 1981.
Pavlov's house became one of the historical sites of the Battle of Stalingrad, which still causes controversy among modern historians.
During fierce fighting, the house withstood a considerable number of counterattacks from the Germans. For 58 days, a group of Soviet soldiers bravely held the defense, destroying more than a thousand enemy soldiers during this period. In the post-war years, historians carefully tried to restore all the details, and the composition of the commanders who carried out the operation led to the first disagreements.
Who held the line
According to the official version, the operation was led by Ya.F. Pavlov, in principle, is associated with this fact and the name of the house, which he subsequently received. But there is another version, according to which Pavlov directly led the assault, and I. F. Afanasyev was then responsible for the defense. And this fact is confirmed by military reports, which became the source for reconstructing all the events of that period. According to his soldiers, Ivan Afanasyevich was a rather modest person, perhaps this pushed him into the background a little. After the war, Pavlov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Unlike him, Afanasiev was not awarded such an award.
Strategic importance of the house
An interesting fact for historians was that the Germans designated this house on the map as a fortress. And indeed the strategic importance of the house was very important - from here there was a wide view of the territory from where the Germans could break through to the Volga. Despite daily attacks from the enemy, our soldiers defended their positions, reliably closing the approaches from enemies. The Germans who took part in the assault could not understand how the people in Pavlov’s house could withstand their attacks without food or ammunition reinforcements. Subsequently, it turned out that all provisions and weapons were delivered through a special trench dug underground.
Is Tolik Kuryshov a fictional character or a hero?
Also, a little-known fact that was discovered during the research was the heroism of an 11-year-old boy who fought alongside Pavlovians. Tolik Kuryshov helped the soldiers in every possible way, who, in turn, tried to protect him from danger. Despite the commander's ban, Tolik still managed to accomplish a real feat. Having penetrated one of the neighboring houses, he was able to obtain important documents for the army - the capture plan. After the war, Kuryshov did not advertise his feat in any way. We learned about this event from surviving documents. After a series of investigations, Anatoly Kuryshov was awarded the Order of the Red Star.
Where were the civilians?
Whether there was an evacuation or not - this issue also caused a lot of controversy. According to one version, there were civilians in the basement of the Pavlovsk house for all 58 days. Although there is theory that people were evacuated through dug trenches. Yet modern historians adhere to the official version. Many documents indicate that people really were in the basement all this time. Thanks to the heroism of our soldiers, no civilians were harmed during these 58 days.
Today Pavlov's house has been completely restored and immortalized with a memorial wall. Based on the events related to the heroic defense of the legendary house, books have been written and even a film has been made, which has won many world awards.