What is the name of the former city of Stalingrad? What is the name of the city of Stalingrad now? History of Stalingrad

The city of Stalingrad (until 1925 - Tsaritsyn, from 1961 - Volgograd), a regional center in the Russian Federation. Located along the right bank of the Volga River, at the confluence of the Tsarina River. The population in 1939 was 445 thousand people (in 1983 - 962 thousand people). A large industrial, transport and cultural center of the Lower Volga region. By 1941, over 200 industrial enterprises operated in the city, including the largest - the Stalingrad Tractor Plant, the Red October metallurgical plant, and the Barrikady machine-building plant. Since the beginning of the war, industry switched to the production of military products. In October 1941, construction of defensive lines began. On October 23, the City Defense Committee was formed, headed by the 1st Secretary of the Regional and City Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) A. S. Chuyanov; A militia corps was formed from the working people of the city and region.

In the summer of 1942, with the beginning of the offensive of fascist German troops on the left flank of the Soviet-German front (Donbass operation of 1942), Stalingrad became a front-line city (martial law was introduced on July 14). The city suffered its first massive raid by fascist German aviation on the night of April 23, then the raids became systematic. On July 12, the Stalingrad Front was created, and the Stalingrad Air Defense Corps Region became part of it. On July 17, the Battle of Stalingrad 1942-43 began. In August, fighting broke out on the outer defensive perimeter. On August 23, Nazi troops broke through to the Volga north of Stalingrad. Workers, city police, units of the NKVD troops, sailors of the Volga military flotilla, and cadets of military schools stood up to defend the city. On the same day, Nazi aviation subjected the city to a barbaric bombardment, carrying out about two thousand sorties (90 planes were shot down - check!); over 40 thousand inhabitants, over 150 thousand people died. wounded, massive fires began, burning oil flowed from the destroyed oil storage facilities in the northern part of the city into the Volga (flame height 200 m), setting fire to steamships, barges, and piers. In difficult conditions, the population and enterprises were evacuated; several special crossings across the Volga were built (up to 300 thousand people were evacuated in August - September). Vessels from the military flotilla, Nizhnevolzhsky Shipping Company and Volgotanker took part in supplying troops and fighting. On August 25, a state of siege was introduced in Stalingrad. On September 12, Nazi troops approached the city from the west and southwest, and fierce street fighting began. On October 15, the enemy reached the Volga in the area of the tractor plant, and on November 11, south of the Barrikady plant. Soviet troops (62nd and 64th armies) heroically held positions in the city along the banks of the Volga and part of the dominant heights of Mamayev Kurgan. Throughout the Battle of Stalingrad in the southern part of the city, held by Soviet troops, the repair of tanks at the shipyard did not stop, and the Stalingrad State District Power Plant provided electricity. On November 19, 1942, the Soviet counteroffensive began near Stalingrad. In January 1943, the Nazi troops stationed in the city were defeated. On January 31, the commander of the 6th German Army, Field Marshal F. Paulus, who was with his headquarters in the basement of the Central Department Store (there is a memorial plaque on the building), surrendered. On February 2, the last Nazi units capitulated.

During the 143-day battles, Nazi aviation dropped about 1 million bombs weighing 100 thousand tons on Stalingrad (5 times more than on London during the entire war). In total, Nazi troops rained down more than 3 million bombs, mines and artillery shells on the city. About 42 thousand buildings (85% of the housing stock), all cultural and everyday institutions, industrial buildings were destroyed. enterprises, municipal facilities.

In April and May 1943, the State Defense Committee made decisions to restore the tractor plant, the Barrikady and Red October plants. By decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR (May 1943), the restoration of the city began, in which the whole country participated and during which the Cherkasovsky movement was born. By May, the city's population reached 107 thousand people (32 thousand people in February), by September 1 - over 210 thousand. In 1943, 80 thousand workers and specialists arrived at the factories and construction sites of Stalingrad. Over 1.5 million bombs, mines, and shells were neutralized in the city. By May 1945, about 90% of production capacity had been restored. In April 1945, a General Plan for the Restoration of the City was developed (architect K. S. Alabyan). In August 1945, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR adopted a resolution "On strengthening housing construction and restoring the center of Stalingrad", and a special central administration was created under the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR - Glavstalingradstroy. In 1940-50 the city has been completely restored. In 1949, the city's industry reached pre-war levels.

The most famous historical monuments associated with the events of 1942-43: Mass graves with the Eternal Flame on the Square of Fallen Fighters and Mamayev Kurgan, where a memorial ensemble was built; Mass grave of soldiers of the 62nd Army; House of Soldiers' Glory ("Pavlov's House"); The front line of defense of the Soviet troops on November 19, 1942 was marked throughout the city by 17 tank towers on pedestals. In 1982, the Panorama Museum "Battle of Stalingrad" was opened. In December 1942, the medal “For the Defense of Stalingrad” was established, which was awarded to 750 thousand people. For the heroic struggle during the Civil War, the city was awarded the Honorary Revolutionary Red Banner of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (1919) and the Order of the Red Banner (1924). Since May 1, 1945, Stalingrad has been a hero city. In 1965 he was awarded the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

Tsaritsyn (1589-1925)

It is believed that Volgograd was founded in 1589. Then it had a different name - Tsaritsyn. Initially, Tsaritsyn was born as a fortress for the defense of the southern borders of Russian lands. The first stone structure appeared in 1664. Many times the fortress was attacked by rebellious peasants. In 1608, the first stone church was founded in the city - St. John the Baptist, which was destroyed in the late 30s of the 20th century and restored in the 90s of the same century in its original place.

Another interesting historical fact from the history of the city: Peter the Great visited here three times. According to one of the historical versions, Peter I himself composed the project for the Tsaritsyn fortress. The tsar gave the townspeople his cane and his cap, which are kept to this day in the regional museum of local lore.

As a result of the efforts of Catherine II in 1765, foreign colonists appeared in Tsaritsyn and Tsaritsyn district, who were granted a number of benefits. Thirty kilometers south of Tsaritsyn, at the mouth of the Sarpa River, Sarepta-on-Volga was founded by Herrnhuter Germans. In a short time, it turned into a rich colony, in which mustard production, manufacturing and other crafts were developed.

The construction of a railway line in the direction of Kalach-on-Don in 1862 and Gryazi in 1872 led to an economic boom and made Tsaritsyn a hub for transport links in areas near the Caspian and Black Seas, as well as the Caucasus and Central Russia.

By 1913, the district Tsaritsyn in terms of the number of inhabitants - 137 thousand, overtook many provincial cities. This was a period of explosive growth in the construction of residential, industrial, public and entertainment buildings, hospitals, schools, and hotels.

Stalingrad (1925-1961)

In the 30s of the 20th century, Stalingrad was one of the fastest growing cities in the country, with a population of about 480 thousand people. As a result of the implementation of the industrialization program of the USSR during the pre-war five-year plans, Stalingrad became a powerful industrial center of the country. In terms of total production volume, the city ranked second in the Volga region and fourth in the RSFSR. The city played a major role in the country's economy, and the prospects for its further development were also significant.

But everything was interrupted by the war. The Battle of Stalingrad was destined to become one of the most difficult pages in the history of the Great Patriotic War and one of the most significant. During the fighting, all areas of the city were completely destroyed, more than 90% of the entire housing stock was burned and destroyed. After the battle, the city looked like ruins, but despite everything, Stalingrad rose from the ruins.

After the end of the battle, at a meeting of the USSR Government, the question was raised about the inappropriateness of restoring the city. It was calculated that it was cheaper to build a new city than to try to rebuild a destroyed one. They proposed building Stalingrad 10 kilometers up the Volga, and making an open-air museum on the site of the former city. But Stalin ordered the restoration of the city at any cost. And already in March 1943, restoration work began in the city.

The architects sought to reflect the heroism of Stalingrad in the appearance of the buildings. Hence the monumentality and complexity of even ordinary residential buildings built in the fifties. The style, which flourished during the years of post-war construction, went down in history as Stalinist neoclassicism. The abundance and variety of architectural details and decorative elements creates a rich emotional background in perception.

On November 10, 1961, a Decree was adopted to rename the Stalingrad region to Volgograd and the city of Stalingrad to Volgograd. It’s interesting that the renaming options were different - Heroysk, Boygorodsk, Leningrad-on-Volga and even Khrushchevsk. In “Volgograd Pravda” dated November 15, 1961, an explanation is given for the new name: “The name of the city located near the mighty river and the name of the river near which the hero city stands must merge together.”

Volgograd today

Volgograd is a hero city with a rich historical past, and at the same time a developing industrial center of the region. It is an attractive tourist destination with unique historical monuments, nature, and architectural attractions. The population of the city is more than 1 million. The indigenous population is Russians; Armenians, Ukrainians, Tatars, Azerbaijanis and other national minorities also live here.

Eight administrative districts of the city stretch from north to south along the Volga: Traktorozavodsky, Krasnooktyabrsky, Central, Dzerzhinsky, Voroshilovsky, Sovetsky, Kirovsky, Krasnoarmeysky, the construction of which began in the form of worker settlements near industrial facilities.

The economy and industrial potential of the city plays an important role for the region and the country as a whole. The most developed industries are oil and metal refining, chemical and food industries, mechanical engineering and shipbuilding.

Volgograd is also a large educational center, with six universities and several specialized universities operating successfully. Students play a huge role in the development of the city. Every year, Volgograd students take part in various large-scale educational forums, for example, “Student Spring”, work as volunteers at socially significant events (including the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014), and form youth policy within the Youth Parliament.

Stalingrad is a famous hero city. Many domestic and foreign films have been made about the Battle of Stalingrad, and a huge number of streets and neighborhoods have been named. This article is dedicated to this city and the history of the formation of its modern name - Volgograd.

In Soviet times, it was often possible to find a city on the map of the fifteen republics under the name of some outstanding personality: a commander, politician, commander-in-chief. Stalingrad was no exception.

Stalingrad - origin of the name

In total, the city has had 3 names since its founding. The city was founded in 1589 as Tsaritsyn (next to the Tsaritsa River). Then, in 1925, the city received its second name - Stalingrad, in honor of Stalin, who led the defense of the city from the army of Ataman Krasnov.

Stalingrad - modern name

In 1961, 8 years after Stalin’s death, when the fervor of patriotism towards this person subsided, the city was renamed Volgograd. Back in the 18th century, the city was one of the main industrial cities in Russia, which it remains to this day.

Disputes on the topic of renaming Volgograd back to Stalingrad continue today. People who support the political left, mainly communists, socialists and many older people, believe that renaming the city is disrespectful to history and those people who died in the battle of Stalingrad.

This issue was considered at the highest echelons, at the state level. To reach a consensus, the government decided to retain the name Stalingrad only on specific dates that are directly related to the historical events of the city.

Days when Volgograd is officially called Stalingrad:

February 2. On this day, Soviet troops defeated the Nazis in the Battle of Stalingrad.
9th May. National Day of Victory over Nazi Germany and its allies.
22nd of June. Day of remembrance and mourning for those killed in World War II.
September 2. The day of the end of World War II.
August 23. Day of Remembrance of the inhabitants of Stalingrad killed by fascist bombings.
November 19. On this day, the defeat of the fascist army at Stalingrad began.

Stalingrad is a hero city located on the great Russian Volga River. For some, he is a symbol of the perseverance and dedication of the Russian people.

Some associate this name with the name of I.V. Stalin, a rather controversial figure in the history of the country. In this article we will tell you in detail what Stalingrad is now called and how to find it on the map.

Founding history

His story begins in 1589. The city occupied the island of Tsaritsyn, located at the confluence of the river of the same name into the Volga. Exactly Tsaritsa River this settlement owes its first name - Tsaritsyn. It has always had strategic importance in military conflicts and various unrest. At the time of its foundation, the fortress garrison fought off nomadic raids on river caravans in the area of the Volgodonsk Isthmus.

During the turbulent XVII-XVIII centuries. the city was sacked and burned several times. The Time of Troubles became for him the period of his first serious trials. The city, which supported the false rulers, was burned by government troops. It was rebuilt in 1615, not on the island, but on the banks of the Volga.

During numerous uprisings and peasant wars of this period, Tsaritsyn was at the epicenter of events. The last significant clash of this time was the defense of the city from the troops of Emelyan Pugachev. Tsaritsyn became the only settlement in the lower Volga that did not submit to Pugachev. For his brave actions, the commandant of the fortress was awarded the rank of general.

From the second half of the 18th century, due to significantly expanded borders, the city became a quiet and peaceful settlement.

The 19th century becomes a time of active expansion and development for Tsaritsyn. A school, a pharmacy and a coffee shop are opening. Industrial enterprises appear. In the second half of the century the city became a major railway junction. The convenience of the location and developed infrastructure make it possible to open large industrial enterprises in it: a metallurgical and weapons factory, kerosene production.

The period of quiet life and development was stopped by the tragic events of the early 20th century. During the Civil War Tsaritsyn became a Bolshevik stronghold in the Volga region. He withstood 3 assaults by the White Guards. In these events, J.V. Stalin, commander of the North Caucasus Military District at that time, played an important role.

As a result of the fourth attempt, the settlement came under the control of the white army for a short time. At the beginning of 1920, Tsaritsyn finally became subordinate to the Red Army. These events caused a lot of grief to the residents of the city and significantly weakened its economy.

Following these tragic events, famine came to the settlement, which claimed the lives of several million people. Foreign charitable organizations provided assistance to the townspeople, and a good harvest and the end of the Civil War in 1923 marked the beginning of a new rise for the brave city on the Volga.

In the Soviet state there could not be a city with a name reminiscent of the country's tsarist past. It was decided to rename it. in honor of a man who distinguished himself during the defense of the city from White Guard detachments. It is under this name that the settlement on the Volga will become a world famous place.

The years 20–30 became a period of active development of industry and the social sphere for Stalingrad. Existing enterprises were restored and new ones were built: tractor and hardware plants, a shipyard. Urban public transport was actively developing, housing construction was underway, education and medicine were developing. Stalingrad grew and improved.

Trial by war

Peacetime for both the city and the entire country ended in 1941. The enterprises of Stalingrad completely switched to the production of military products. Women and children stood at the machines. And in July 1942, the war came directly to the Volga. On July 17, the bloody and heroic Battle of Stalingrad began, which claimed the lives of more than a million people - soldiers, women, children, old people.

During the air raids, most of the city areas were destroyed. But the Stalingrad residents, living in dugouts and fleeing from airstrikes in the basements, continued to build fortifications and go to work at the machines. For 200 long days, Soviet troops and residents of Stalingrad held back the Nazi army. The perseverance, courage, heroism and dedication of the Soviet people made it possible not only to defend the city, but also to encircle (November 1942), and then defeat (February 1943) the army of General Paulus.

The significance of this victory cannot be overestimated. At the cost of enormous human sacrifice, the Soviet Union turned the tide of events in World War II. The Nazi plans were destroyed. Their allies changed their minds, and many of them began to look for ways out of hostilities.

And Stalingrad lay in ruins. About 35 thousand inhabitants remained alive, although almost half a million people lived here before the war. A huge number of dead bodies of people and animals on the streets threatened a new disaster - an epidemic. But the heroic city began to recover.

In the relatively surviving area - the village of Beketovka - city services were located, medical institutions were deployed, public transport began to operate, and the most surviving buildings were repaired. But the war was not over yet, and the main resources were used to restore the defense industry.

Most of the Stalingrad factories resumed work in 1943, and in 1944, already assembled tanks and tractors rolled off the assembly line.

The 50s became a period of another active construction in Stalingrad. The housing stock was actively restored and public buildings were built. New streets and squares appeared. And in 1952, the Volgodonsk Canal named after I.V. Stalin was opened. A lot of objects in the city were dedicated to the “Leader of the Peoples”. But this was the case until 1953.

The city after the debunking of the cult of personality

After Stalin’s death, N.S. Khrushchev, who replaced him, began “debunking the cult of personality.” Monuments to Stalin were demolished, the names of objects named in his honor were changed. This phenomenon could not ignore the glorious Volga city. In 1961, Stalingrad was renamed Volgograd.

Volgograd was still actively developing and growing. In 1967, the Mamayev Kurgan memorial complex was built, supplemented in 1985 with the “Battle of Stalingrad” panorama. In the 60-80s, new industrial enterprises, educational and cultural institutions opened. A transport network was actively built: the Astrakhan Bridge, Volgograd metro stations, highways connecting the city with neighboring settlements.

The post-Soviet life of Volgograd, like the whole country, began with a decline in all areas of industry and economy. Enterprises closed, residential and public construction stopped, and numerous scammers and dubious enterprises appeared.

With the beginning of the 2000s, life in Volgograd began to improve again. Frozen facilities were being completed, the transport network and public institutions were being developed. But even in this time of peace, Volgograd residents are tested for their fortitude and fortitude. The city has repeatedly become the target of terrorist attacks.

Modern disputes about the name of Volgograd

Now there is a debate about the need to return the city's historical name - Stalingrad. This idea has both supporters and opponents. This idea appeared not in Volgograd society, but in the circles of metropolitan politicians. About 30% of Volgograd residents support the initiative to return the name Stalingrad to the city. They justify their position with the following arguments:

the renaming is a tribute to the heroism of the people in the Battle of Stalingrad;
this will help raise the level of patriotism among young people in the first place;
it is by this name that the settlement is known all over the world;
Stalingrad and Stalin are not the same thing;
Volgograd needs to return its historical name.

Opponents of the renaming idea point to the fact that the historical name of the city on the Volga is Tsaritsyn - the name given to it at its founding. It is also noted that the majority of the country’s residents still associate the name Stalingrad with the name of I.V. Stalin, whose role in the history of the country is ambiguous. Renaming will require huge funds, which local authorities do not have at their disposal.

There is a third point of view. Many residents don’t care what name they live in. Volgograd residents want solutions to their pressing economic problems.

Local authorities eventually agreed and officially assigned the name Stalingrad to the city during the days reminiscent of difficult trials and heroic events:

February 2 - Military Glory Day;
February 23 - Defender of the Fatherland Day;
May 8 - Day of awarding the city the title of “hero city”;
May 9 - Victory Day;
June 22 - Day of Remembrance and Sorrow;
August 23 - Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Bombing of Stalingrad;
September 2 - Day of the end of the war;
November 19 - Day of the beginning of the defeat of Nazi troops at Stalingrad;
December 9 is Heroes Day.

It doesn’t matter what the brave city on the Volga was called: Tsaritsyn in the era of the monarchy, Stalingrad in the era of the emergence of Soviet power and the bloody World War, or Volgograd in modern times. The only important thing is that this city has always guarded the peace of the country and bravely resisted all troubles and challenges.

Video

From this video you will learn little-known historical facts about this famous city.

You can get acquainted with the history of Volgograd by watching this video.

This video will tell you about one of the most terrible and most famous periods in the life of Stalingrad.

You will learn about the world-famous Battle of Stalingrad from this video.

The second part of the video about the battles of Stalingrad.

This video talks about how Stalingrad was revived after the Great Patriotic War.

Volgograd or Stalingrad? The controversy continues to this day.

Volgograd is a city in the southeast of the European part of Russia, the administrative center of the Volgograd region. Hero City, site of the Battle of Stalingrad. On July 12, 2009, the city celebrates the 420th anniversary of its founding.

In 1961, the hero city from Stalingrad was renamed Volgogra.

In 2005, by the Law of the Volgograd Region, Volgograd was granted the status of an urban district. City Day is celebrated annually on the second Sunday of September.

Modern Volgograd covers an area of 56.5 thousand hectares. This territory is divided into 8 administrative districts: Traktorozavodsky, Krasnooktyabrsky, Central, Dzerzhinsky, Voroshilovsky, Sovetsky, Kirovsky and Krasnoarmeysky and several workers’ villages. According to the 2002 All-Russian Census, the city's population is just over 1 million people.

The city is a major industrial center. There are more than 160 large and medium-sized industrial enterprises serving such industries as electric power, fuel industry, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, chemical and petrochemical industries, mechanical engineering and metalworking, military-industrial complex, forestry, light and food industries.

The Volga-Don Shipping Canal passes through the city, making Volgograd a port of five seas.

The city has a developed infrastructure, which includes about 500 educational institutions, 102 medical institutions and 40 cultural organizations, etc.

The city has 11 stadiums, 250 halls, 260 facilities adapted for physical education and sports, 15 swimming pools, 114 sports grounds, football fields, and a football and athletics arena.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources