Today, on February 8, the memorial sign dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Kursk from the fascist invaders appeared near the monument to doctors, which is installed opposite the main building of the Kursk State Medical University.
The solemn event was attended by foreign guests from the Medical Institute named after Dr. Chennai (India), representatives of the city administration and the regional Government, the Kursk Regional Duma, the City Assembly, the Council of Veterans of War and Labor, the regional trade union of healthcare workers, the university teaching staff, students, cadets of the Young Army National Movement of gymnasium No. 44.
– I am glad to see everyone gathered at this truly sacred site – the highest site in Kursk. The place where lieutenant colonel Stepan Nikolaevich Perekalsky died, – rector of KSMU, professor Viktor Anatolyevich Lazarenko emphasized in his speech. – Our city lived under occupation for 463 days, more than 3,000 citizens were tortured, died of diseases and starvation, and shot (in particular, there is a memorial plaque, on the walls of the university, dedicated to 25 citizens who were executed by the fascists these days). More than 10,000 people from Kursk were taken to Germany. More than 3,500 soldiers died during the liberation of Kursk from the Nazi invaders. Huge losses!
Rector of KSMU also noted that on February 8, 1943, the Germans weren’t going to surrender the city and held on until the last. There is a historical fact: fascist machine gunners, which the command simply chained to the beams of the building, were sitting on the main building’s roof of the university! A 30-degree frost and an abundance of snow added difficulties.
But nothing could stop our soldiers: the Kursk center was liberated on February 8, and the city was completely liberated on February 9. The University administration, the academic Council and students decided to install a memorial sign in honor of the 80th anniversary of this date – a triangular granite stone with words carved on it: “Dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Kursk from the Nazi invaders.”
A minute’s silence was announced by rector of the University and the chairman of the Kursk City Council of War and Labor Ivan Vasilyevich Malkov after the unveiling of the memorial sign, then the guests made their speeches.
– Today I am sincerely grateful to you, Viktor Anatolyevich, for this memory, for the patriotic education that you carry out within the walls of the Kursk State Medical University, – the first deputy chairman of the Kursk Regional Duma Nikolay Ivanovich Zherebilov said.
– Today our city welcomes guests, and citizens come out to the memorials, because historical memory has always been and will be the spiritual force of our people, – the deputy chairman of the Kursk City Assembly Alla Albertovna Chertova said. – We know our history and remember its lessons well, and also understand the meanings of our victories, especially in our current situation. I am grateful to the Kursk State Medical University administration for the fact that this significant day of February 8 is carved today on the memorial sign.
All guests laid flowers at the new monument when the solemn rally ended.