Do we need such a memory? Disgrace in Yelets
I didn't think that the topic raised in the spring would have a continuation. Yes, there were criticisms then about Anapa and Crimea, but alas, I had to continue.
But now the focus was not on the south, but on the central part of Russia. More precisely - the Lipetsk region and the town of Yelets.
By the way, since 2007 it has been a city of military glory.
Yelets is one of the pearls of Russia along with the cities of the Golden Ring. In terms of age and beauty, well, it will not yield to anything.
During the Great Patriotic War, Yelets was captured by Nazi troops for 4 days. During the Yelets offensive operation, conducted by units of the Southwestern Front (commanded by Marshal S.K. Timoshenko), he was released on December 9, 1941. During the occupation of Orel, Yelets, which was part of the Oryol region, served as the regional center.
This is story.
The present day of Yelets is the lot of all small towns. That is, survival on a small budget.
In principle, a person from the outside can see that the city authorities are trying to do something: roads are being repaired, the center is in a very decent condition, and in general the town gives rise to ambiguous feelings. Especially when you realize that there was enough money for repairs, but not there.
Churches throughout the city are being renovated, it is noticeable. The frankly sad things are also striking, such as the ruins of the tobacco-makhorka factory of the merchant Zausailov.
Who from Soviet times does not remember the famous: "Cosmos Yelets - smoked and * you will not be well *". Although before the revolution, the makhorka from Yelets was very well known. Members of the imperial family gave their attention to the products of the Yeletsk factory.
The building looks so-so today. But this is a large building, and I agree that it should take a lot of time and money to turn it into a cultural and historical center.
By the way, as an option (well, let me be smart) is to combine in one building all the branches of the local history museum, which are scattered throughout the center. Visitors would be comfortable.
Moreover, the Yelets museums really have something to see. But this is a completely separate conversation.
But what I would like to talk about is the monument to the soldiers of the Great Patriotic War. And talk from the heart, because in Yelets even Anapa was surpassed in this regard. Although I thought that it could hardly be worse than in Anapa.
However, here ... judge for yourself.
Firstly, the presence on the pedestal itself tank The T-72, which, to put it mildly, is not close in historical terms, is already unpleasant. But if the T-72 was brought to such a state, I can imagine what the T-34 would look like.
Okay, in Voronezh there is also such a monument to the defenders of the Voronezh sky during the Great Patriotic War. MiG-21.
But what Kozhedub had at that time, he shared with the city. And thanks for that.
But to what extent must there be a lack of conscience to bring a monument to such a state? This pink pedestal evokes very bad analogies.
Yes, this is Kiev. Of course, Yelets is far from the capital of Ukraine, but nevertheless.
And in general, how appropriate is such a color in the design? I don’t know, maybe the pedestal once was of some other color, but now it looks just obscene.
Like a rusty tank and a grassy plinth. How can you place something in such a luxurious "place of memory"?
Well, only tightly blindfolded, not otherwise.
And here's a monument to a healthy city. Even not a city, an urban settlement, the population is three times less than Yelets. Ostrogozhsk, Voronezh region.
It is worth paying attention to the fact that the tank is painted in the "correct" color (which is a rarity today) and stands on a decent pedestal. And this is an urban settlement of 30 thousand people.
In general, it is a shame for Yelets. The case when a piece of power is not insulting, but painfully ashamed. You can babble as much as you like to all representatives of the Yelets authorities that the city's budget ...
What about the budget of conscience? Exhausted too?
Meanwhile, on the website of the city administration of Yelets (https://elets-adm.ru/) you can see this. On the home page.
Interestingly, someone contacted about this functionality?
And surely in the city administration there are members of the very “United Russia” that builds roads and churches, repairs everything and fights for the cost of the “borsch set”.
And what about the implementation of the provisions of the Constitution, for which our President Putin so advocated? And in which points were made about the protection of historical heritage and memory?
Of course, the Constitution is one thing, but the budget for the paint for the monument is quite another. And there is no need to compare one with the other.
And here we come to the most interesting.
We, representatives of Voennoye Obozreniye, a publication that has always stood on the real defense of our history, albeit in a word, but in a correct word, decided to try to rectify the situation.
Yes, often our readers in their comments ask the question: "Well, what exactly does the author offer?" Now is the moment when the author offers a very clear and sane plan.
Namely, paint the tank and the pedestal. Since the city has neither the strength nor the means.
We expect that this article will be seen not only by indifferent gentlemen from the administration (and they will definitely see it), but also by the residents of Yeltsk who care. We will help you see, yes. And our initiative will be supported from below and will help with its implementation.
We will purchase the required amount of paint, wash and clean the tank and paint it. The well-known Alex TV will participate in this issue as a technical consultant (and who knows tanks better than him?), So there is a certain confidence that everything will be as it should be.
This is our plan. All that remains is to find caring assistants in Yelets and do such a thing. But there is confidence that we can handle it.
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