[The content of this article is based on authoritative historical data, and there are citations at the end of the article, please be aware.] 】
Early one morning in 1955, Smirnov received a phone call, and the voice on the other end of the phone seemed a little hesitant and expectant. The other party claimed to be the heroic commander of the Brest Fortress that he had been looking for on the radio program - Pyotr Mikhailovich Gavrilov.
The story of the regimental commander, who fought valiantly in the Brest Fortress on the western border of the Soviet Union, has lived in silence for more than a decade since the war, and it seems that time has drowned him out. But when the eyes of the entire Soviet Union refocused on the hero on a radio program, Gavrilov's fortunes changed dramatically.
The Loss and Search of Heroes
Major Pyotr Mikhailovich Gavrilov served as the regimental commander of the Brest Fortress in World War II. On June 22, 1941, the fortress on the Soviet-German border became the first target of the German blitzkrieg. The fortifications of the Brest Fortress consisted of masonry structures built in the 19th century, including the central fortress and three outer fortifications.
At 3:15 a.m. on June 22, 1941, the Germans launched a surprise attack on the fortress. Despite the insufficient number of defenders, they took advantage of the structural advantages of the fortress and organized an effective defense in various fortresses and underground fortifications. The German 45th Infantry Division planned to capture the fortress in just a few hours, but met with fierce resistance.
The 400 defenders, commanded by Major Gavrilov, put up a stubborn resistance under heavy encirclement and heavy artillery fire. The defense of the fortress occupies an important place in the military history of the USSR. Despite the fact that the Soviets were inferior in equipment and numbers to the Germans, the defenders of the Brest Fortress managed to slow down the German offensive by taking advantage of their strong fortifications and terrain.
In this battle, the German 45th Infantry Division lost 281 soldiers and 21 officers in the first day of the attack, showing the determination and bravery of the Soviet defenders. The battle continued until June 30, 1941, and although the defenders of the Brest Fortress were gradually exhausted, their heroic resistance was widely praised in the Soviet Union.
It eventually took the Germans nearly eight days to take full control of the fort, far exceeding initial expectations. Major Gavrilov was captured until the last minute, and according to German post-war reports, he was in almost life-threatening condition, in ragged clothes, scrawny, unstudded, dusty, and extremely weak.
After the war, the resistance of the Brest Fortress became part of the anti-German propaganda of the USSR, symbolizing the indomitable spirit of the Soviet people. Despite the bravery of Major Gavrilov in the war, his fate after the war was full of ups and downs. His experience of being held captive made him suspicious and ostracized in post-war Soviet society.
In 1946, he was expelled from the party and rank, charged with "voluntary surrender", although this accusation was later not confirmed. After returning home after the war, Gavrilov faced great difficulties in life. He was placed in a village in the Tatar republics, where the local community treated him coldly.
Due to the trauma of the war and the rejection of society, he had to rely on odd jobs to make ends meet. He lived in very harsh conditions, living in rudimentary adobe houses, which often provided only the most basic shelter. Not only Gavrilov, but many survivors of the Brest Fortress faced a similar dilemma after the war.
For example, another surviving commander, Yefim Moiseevich Fomin, was also expelled from the party and was not rehabilitated until 1957. This reflects the general suspicion of the Soviet Union towards former prisoners of war after the war.
Hero's radio tracking
In 1955, the Soviet State Radio launched a radio series entitled "In Search of the Heroes of the Brest Fortress", which aimed to trace and honor the heroes who made outstanding contributions during the Soviet-German war, especially those who were fading in public memory.
The contributor to the program was the famous writer Sergei Smirnov, who on the radio gave a detailed account of the battles of the fortress and the heroes in it, in particular, Major Pyotr Mikhailovich Gavrilov. Smirnov used a large number of archival materials and wartime reports in the program, detailing Gavrilov's heroic performance in the Brest Fortress.
These descriptions are based not only on official wartime records, but also on translated material from German archives that were found in Soviet documents captured by the German army in March 1942. Through the interpretation of these materials, Smirnov described to the audience how Gavrilov commanded his troops to resist in almost impossible conditions.
In the program, Smirnov called on the audience to provide clues about Gavrilov's whereabouts. He mentions that, according to German records, Gavrilov was held in the Hamelburg prisoner of war camp and the Rasvenbrück concentration camp after his capture, but his whereabouts after the war are a mystery.
This radio program caused a huge response throughout the Soviet Union. Many listeners wrote to the radio to share their experiences in the war or to provide clues. This not only helped to find Gavrilov, but also contributed to a collective review of the memory of the war in Soviet society.
The return and glory of the hero
His return received great attention from the Soviet government and the public, and the government responded swiftly by restoring his military and party status. At the beginning of 1956, the Soviet government officially restored Gavrilov's party membership and military rank, and returned various medals he received during the war, including the commemorative medal "Twenty years of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army".
This action is not only a personal restoration of Gavrilov, but also an affirmation of historical justice. His story and sacrifice were widely reported and became one of the symbols of the Soviet Union's resistance to Nazi German aggression. In the same year, Gavrilov was invited to the reunion of the defenders of the Brest Fortress in Moscow.
The gathering was not only a tribute to the survivors, but also a tribute to those comrades who died in battle. Gavrilov's return and the government's rapid response caused widespread public discussion, and many began to reassess other overlooked or misunderstood figures in the Soviet-German war.
The incident also reflected how the Soviet Union constructed a narrative of national heroism after the war by publicly correcting the wrongs of the past. In addition, Gavrilov's case prompted the Soviet government to reassess and revise its policy toward war veterans, especially those who had been captured by the Germans.
The Government has begun to pay more attention to the reinstatement and social adaptation of these people to ensure that they receive the respect and assistance they deserve.
The hero's later life
The change marked his transition from being a marginalized prisoner of war to a revered war hero. In the following years, Gavrilov became an active public figure. He was frequently invited to various meetings and commemorative events to tell about his experience of fighting in the Brest Fortress and how his troops held out in the face of desperation.
Gavrilov took an active part in the design and construction of monuments to the Brest Fortress. The monument was inaugurated in 1971 and became one of the most important war memorials in the Soviet Union. Gavrilov's proposal ensured that the monument accurately reflected the details of the battle and the spirit of heroism.
These speeches not only aroused great resonance in the Soviet Union, but also provided vivid teaching materials for strengthening patriotic education in the Soviet Union. In addition to sharing his experiences in public speaking, Gavrilov has been invited to give lectures at several schools and military academies to teach the younger generation the lessons of war and military strategies.
These activities deepened the public's understanding of the history of the war and strengthened the respect and remembrance of war heroes. Gavrilov is not only revered at home, his story has also attracted foreign attention. He was interviewed by a wide range of journalists, historians and filmmakers, and his life and combat experiences have been the subject of several documentaries and books.
These works further enhanced his image as a war hero and emphasized the importance of the Brest Fortress in the Soviet-German war.
The immortal legacy of the hero
The story of Pyotr Mikhailovich Gavrilov and his restoration of its historical status, as well as his public activities in his later years, had a profound impact on Soviet society. In 1965, the Brest Fortress was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the only time in the history of the USSR that this honor was awarded to a fortress.
This decision reflected the importance and remembrance of the Soviet Union's fight against Nazi Germany's aggression, and the Brest Fortress became a central part of the Soviet heroism narrative. Gavrilov himself was awarded the title "Hero of the Soviet Union" in January 1957 and was awarded the Order of Lenin and the medal "Golden Star".
These honors are not only a recognition of his personal courage and sacrifice, but also a symbol of the respect and value that the Soviet government and society place for those individuals who showed extraordinary bravery in the war. Gavrilov not only received widespread praise within the Soviet Union, but also strengthened the effect of Soviet propaganda in the international arena.
In addition, his life and accomplishments have been the inspiration for several films and literary works that have further expanded his influence as a war hero.
Gavrilov's final years were spent in Krasnodar, where he lived in a newly built apartment on Bright Street, which was renamed Gavrilov Street in honor of the Hero of the Soviet Union in 1980. His home became a place visited by many people, symbolizing the Soviet Union's respect and memory of its war heroes.
Gavrilov died on January 26, 1979, but his legacy and story continue to exert influence in Soviet society. His life and deeds were recorded in Soviet history books and widely taught in school education.
Gavrilov's story became an important part of the education of national heroism and patriotism in the Soviet Union and later in Russia, and continues to inspire generations of Russians.
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Resources:
From our editorial. Dictionary of Contemporary World Literature Classics[M]. 1991