Visiting main Russian front battlefields?

[deadb_tch]

Hi everyone. I'm new for this forum. I've viewed travel section and noticed that there is no threads about visiting such great battlefields of Eastern front like Stalingrad (Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd), place of greates tank battle in WWII - Kurskaya Duga (near city of Kursk and city of Belgorod) etc. Is this a consequence of lack of interest of such visits or something else (like hard way to get in Russia)?

ps: sorry if my english is poor, my native is russian

[Slipdigit]

Lack of interest? No, there is strong interest. Mostly has to do with few to no Russians in the site and the past difficulty of outsiders visiting there.

Anything you have to offer is more than welcome, please feel free to contribute.

[deadb_tch]

Originally Posted by Slipdigit

Lack of interest? No, there is strong interest. Mostly has to do with few to no Russians in the site and the past difficulty of outsiders visiting there.

Anything you have to offer is more than welcome, please feel free to contribute.

Ok. Fortunately or not (hehe, future will show us ) - I was born and live in Russia. My city is Belgorod - place where is situated biggest diorama in Europe. It shows some moments of battle on Kurskaya Duga. Just imagine - area of curtain is 1005 square meters (length 67 meters, height 15 meters), in front plan of curtain placed a part of battlefield with total area of 500 square meters with real tanks, weapons, soldier figures and such stuff. Of course there is a museum around diorama (or correctly to say - diorama placed inside of museum) with some WWII expositions. Around museum itself is standing a number of tanks (T-34 offcourse), AT guns, self-propelled AT guns, "Kat'usha" etc. Offcourse there is excursion that will describe all historical moments around battle of Kurskaya Duga.
Not far away from my town is Kurkaya Duga with local museum with expositions of tanks, AT guns, shelters etc. Unfortunately that battlefield is now a place for growing crop and such things - this can be understand - no russians in that period can imagine that battlefield can be place for excursions . But - there are still things you have to see.
The list can be continued - Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd, places of heroic defence of city of Sevastopol etc. - there are many museums in Russia that shows us a real flow of history of that period.. And its places where you can touch a bit of history.
What i can offer to community of this forum.. That is the question (excuse me for such pathetic stuff). A few days or more i realized that i can arrange a tour for anyone interesting of such tour - its not a big problem. Main question - is there is interest of visiting that museums and places..

PS: Please, don't consider this like a form of publicity, its just a spoken thoughts.

[Paul Reed]

Please do tell us more. Many of us want to visit, but don't know where to start.

[deadb_tch]

Originally Posted by Paul Reed

Please do tell us more. Many of us want to visit, but don't know where to start.

I'll tell you more todays morning (moscow time now 0:37 - have to fall asleep). See ya.

[Slipdigit]

You can help those of us who cannot make the trip by posting pics.

[Owen]

Hello deadb_tch,
Welcome to our Forum.
I'd love to visit more Russian Front battlefields but with 3 small children it would be difficult.
I have been to Berlin, Vienna , Prague and Budapest so have seen some Eastern Front "battlefields".

[von Poop]

Welcome deadb_tch,
I promise you there are a fair few of us that are absolutely fascinated by what's still in, and on, the ground in your part of the world. We'd love to hear more or maybe get some help with finding good websites that we can at least look at the pictures. (The language & cyrillics can be a real barrier to us non-Russian speakers, though I've found 'танках' quite handy in the past ).

There are a few threads buried on here somewhere on Eastern Battlefield relics, these one's spring to mind:
Nevskij bridgehead
T34 Recovery
WW2 Tanks found in mud

Hope you enjoy yourself here.

Cheers.
Adam.

[freebird]

Well VP, if you're a tank fan(atic) like me then you are in luck. I have some good pics from my last trip, there is a good museum in Kiev, and another one near Sevastopol (plains of Balaklava - any Brits heard of that place before? )

This is from the Kiev war museum. There is a statue in front of the museum, a shot from inside, and something for you HEAVY METAL fans!! I'll post some more pic's & info later

[freebird]

Originally Posted by Slipdigit

You can help those of us who cannot make the trip by posting pics.

WWII too far back? maybe you would rather be driving one of THESE!