Tour around Almaty.

"My conversation with Ivan Vasilyevich convinced me that I was dealing with a sensible commander, one who possessed deep knowledge of military affairs and extensive practical command experience. His proposals were well-founded. He had a simple, open face - he was even a bit shy - yet one could sense a surging energy within him, along with the capacity to display an iron will and persistence when the situation demanded it. He spoke of his subordinates with respect; it was clear that he knew each of them very well. All of this left a very favorable impression on me - and I was not mistaken. I was also struck by the general’s wit.
Assessing the defensive sector stretching from Bolychevo toward the Ruza River - a position held by one of his regiments - he remarked:
'Well, it looks like we’ve settled in among the stakes.'
This perfectly captured the true state of the so-called 'fortified line': instead of actual fortifications, there were only the stakes that had been used to mark them out."

K. K. Rokossovsky. "Panfilov’s Headquarters, Village of Ryukhovskoye." ilitary-Historical Journal (Voenno-istoricheskiy zhurnal), 1966, No. 11, p. 48.

Recommended tour in Almaty.

A bust of Major General Ivan Vasilyevich Panfilov is located at an elevation of 814 m. a. s. l., on the southern side of the Park of the 28 Panfilov Guardsmen, at the intersection of Kazybek Bi Street and Dostyk Avenue, in the Medeu District of the city of Almaty.

Monument to I. V. The monument to Panfilov (1893–1941) was erected in 1968 in honor of the Hero of the Soviet Union, General Panfilov, who commanded the "Panfilov Division" - a unit formed in Kazakhstan during the Great Patriotic War. He served as the commander of the 316th Rifle Division (later redesignated the 8th Guards Rifle Division), which was formed in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and took part in the Battle of Moscow (1941-1942).
The monument, based on a model by sculptor B. A. Tulekov, features a bronze bust set atop a two-meter-high rectangular gray granite pedestal (designed by architect T. K. Basenov). The front of the pedestal bears the inscription: "Hero of the Soviet Union Ivan Vasilyevich Panfilov."
The monument stands 3.65 meters tall and is considered a work of art. It was originally installed in 1968 at the intersection of Panfilov and Vinogradov streets, but was later relocated in 1989 to the Memorial Park of the 28 Panfilov Guardsmen.
General Panfilov was killed in action on November 18, 1941, near the village of Gusenevo in the Moscow region. Near the Dubosekovo railway siding (near Volokolamsk) and the villages of Nelidovo and Petelino, soldiers from the division’s 1075th Regiment halted an advance of Nazi tanks.
This feat has become the subject of legends and songs, such as the one containing the line:
"Near the village of Kryukovo, a platoon perishes..."
The remains of the soldiers were later moved to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Eternal Flame in Moscow. General Panfilov and his 28 Guardsmen - the "Panfilovites" - were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. In the memorial park, 28 cenotaphs are arranged along the main avenue, situated between the busts of Panfilov and Momysh-uly.
However, the list of these heroes requires careful, balanced, and fair review; it currently omits two individuals - tank-destroyers Ivan Dobrobabin and Daniil Kozhubergenov. Amidst the redevelopment of Greater Almaty, the demolition of historic buildings, and the renaming of streets (such as Dubosekovskaya, 8th Guards Division, Krasnoarmeyskaya, and Maksimova streets), various commemorative plaques and markers - located at sites associated with the formation of the Panfilov Division (the Vernenskaya Fortress, monuments along the Almaty - Talgar road, and the division’s former headquarters at the Technical College of Communications and School No. 19) - have disappeared.
The same fate befell plaques on residential buildings - some since demolished - where these heroes had lived or from which they had been conscripted. Furthermore, the town of Panfilov in the Almaty region (known by that name from 1942 to 1992) was renamed Zharkent.
During the arduous years of the Great Patriotic War, a "Liberty"-class steamship was launched from an American shipyard in Baltimore. Upon its transfer to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program, the vessel was named "General Panfilov" in honor of the war hero.
In the 1970s, with the advancement of general-purpose dry-cargo vessels, a series of ships known as the "Heroes-Panfilovites" (Geroi Panfilovtsy) class was introduced; these vessels had a deadweight of 13,500 tons and a speed of 18 knots. I am "Ivan Shepetkov," I am "Nikolai Ananyev," I am "Pyotr Yemtsov".
It seemed as though these call signs - the names of Heroes of the Soviet Union - would echo forever amidst the daily routines and celebrations of life at sea. Lacking the protection that a museum might have provided, these "war heroes" were sent to the scrap heap.
Regrettably, the celebrated names of the Panfilov men were never bestowed upon other vessels or ships.

Geographic coordinates of bust of I. Panfilov: N43°15'26 E76°57'18

Village of Gusenevo, site where General I. Panfilov fell.

I first visited the site where General Panfilov fell back in 1975, accompanied by my mother, Valentina Ivanovna Panfilova. It was there that I saw, for the first time in my life, a dying village - most of its houses had windows boarded up with planks nailed in a crisscross pattern.
When our car arrived at the spot where the General had perished, there stood a small, standard-issue obelisk. A few of the village’s remaining residents approached us; upon learning that General Panfilov’s daughter had arrived, they embraced her and began asking about her life and family.
Unfortunately, cameras were a rarity in those days, so no photographs exist. Today, a large marble cross stands at the site - erected in 1991 by the residents of Gusenevo and veterans of the war in Afghanistan. The small houses of the past have since been replaced by grand private residences.
Yet, no matter when I visit, the site is always well-tended. Thank you so much for keeping the memory alive! The photograph of the original monument at the site of General Panfilov’s death is provided by the Nelidovo Museum.

Gusenevo, September 20, 2015.

Authority:
Aigul Baikadamova
https://www.facebook.com/ajgul.bajkadamova

November 13, 1941 – the final letter from Major General Ivan Vasilyevich Panfilov to his wife, Maria Ivanovna.

Five days later, on November 18, 1941, General Panfilov would fall near the division headquarters in the village of Gusenevo.
Greetings, my dear Murochka.
First of all, I hasten to share a joy with you. Mura, you have likely heard on the radio - and read in the newspapers - about the heroic deeds of our soldiers and commanders, and about our unit as a whole. The trust placed in me - to defend our beloved capital - is being fully justified.
You cannot imagine, Murochka, what fine soldiers and commanders I have; they are true patriots who fight like lions. In every one of their hearts burns a single resolve: to keep the enemy away from our capital and to ruthlessly destroy the scoundrels.
Death to fascism! Mura, today, by order of the Front, hundreds of soldiers and commanders in the division have been awarded orders of the Soviet Union. Two days ago, I received my third Order of the Red Banner. And this, Mura, is only the beginning.
I believe my division will soon be designated a "Guards" unit; we already have three Heroes [of the Soviet Union] in our ranks. Our motto is for everyone to be a hero. So long for now, Mura. Keep an eye on the newspapers - you will read about the exploits of the Bolsheviks.
Now, Murochka, how are you all living? How are things in Kyrgyzstan? How are the children doing with their studies? And, most importantly, how is my dear Makushechka? I miss you all terribly, but I believe the end of fascism is near; then, we shall return to building the great cause of Communism.
I. V. Panfilov
Valya is doing well; I suspect she, too, will soon be a recipient of an order. She has been admitted to the Party, and her work is highly valued.
Murochka, I have sent you 1,000 rubles.
Dearest Mura, you are quite stingy with your words - you hardly ever write! In all this time, I have received only one letter from you. Please write more often; you know how wonderful it is to receive news from home. Do write. I send a big kiss to you and the children - Zhenya, Viva, Galochka, and my dear Makochka. Give my regards to everyone.
Write to me at this address: Active Army, Division Headquarters.
Kisses, yours, I. Panfilov.
Regards from Valyushka.
Gusenevo, November 13, 1941.

Authority:
Aigul Baikadamova
https://www.facebook.com/ajgul.bajkadamova

Literature:
Panfilov monument. Encyclopedia "Almaty". Editor-in-chief R.N. Nurgaliev. Almaty, 1996. Mitko M. “Do not be silent, bell!”. “What They Didn't Talk About” Ed. E. Satybaldieva). Alma-Ata, publishing house Zhalyn, 1990. Matveeva L.A., Proskurin V.N. “Monument - a bust of I.V. Panfilov. " “Monuments of history and culture of Almaty”. Catalog of documents of the Office of Archives and Documentation and TsGA of Almaty. Almaty, Oner Publishing House, 2003. Proskurin V.N. "Transports-Almaty residents." The book "Alma-Ata courtyards." Almaty, 2002

Authority:
Vladimir Proskurin (Berlin.)

Photos by:
Alexander Petrov.