On Friday, May 6, the meeting dedicated to the 71st anniversary of the Victory at the Great Patriotic War took place at the Memorial sacred to the memory of those who died at the Great Patriotic War. Veterans of war and labour, SSU and SSMU staff and students, and honored guests came to the celebratory meeting.
SSU Veterans’ Council Chair Prof. D.A. Usanov opened the meeting. In his welcoming speech, he said that the annual meeting is a tribute to millions of our fellow citizens, warriors and homefront workers who won freedom and independence of our Motherland from fascism.
“These May days are special for us. They are full of special feelings and thoughts about the most difficult time in the history of our country, the heroic deed of our people and their victory over fascism”, started his speech SSU Rector A.N. Chumachenko. “On this day, we remember those who did not live to see the bright day of May 9, 1945. The war took millions of our fellow citizens. Among them are those whose names are eternalized on our memorial. Memories of them are kept in our hearts forever. More than 600 SSU students and workers went to the front in the beginning of the war. Many of them were awarded orders and medals for their bravery and courage. Their names are in our hearts”.
SSMU Rector V.M. Popkov congratulated everyone on the advancing holiday. “This holiday unites people of different generations and different political views. This is a special day full of happiness and memories of our people’s deeds”, said V.M. Popkov. “Hundreds of our fellow citizens fought at war, 47 thousands of Saratov people were awarded orders and medals. En eternal fire burns in their honor, their names are engraved in stone. Today we remember those who made a great contribution to the Great Victory”.
Russia Armed Forces veteran, Colonel D.N. Nikitenko talked about Russian people’s deed: “Today we talk about greatness of Russian warriors. 35 million of our fellow citizens participated in war action. 507 German divisions were defeated at the Soviet-German front. These were enemy forces we had to defeat. And our fathers, generation of 1942-1945, managed to do it thanks to their unity, friendship and cooperativeness”.
Institute of Philology and Journalism scientific advisor V.V. Prozorov shared his childhood memories of the 1940s. “I remember when my father left for the front, dark sky, slashed by projectors, how people ran to the shelter, when our neighbor came back from the front crippled. I also remember the brightest day of May 9, 1945. I thought of it as a birthday of all my dearest and nearest, my loved ones, as a holiday that lasted long and united people from all over the world. As long as memory of these events lives, live our people and our country”, told V.V. Prozorov.
On behalf of students of both universities, SSU Faculty of Pedagogical and Special Needs Education student Victor Fedorov took the word: “These events are long gone, there are three generation between now and then. More than 70 years separate us from the people to whom this memorial is dedicated. When we pass it, we are proud because we are a part of this university. During the war, our University worked for the front but stayed a sanctuary of science”.
The participants paid tribute to the memory of war participants and veterans during the minute of silence and then lay flowers to the Memorial sacred to the memory of those who died at the Great Patriotic War.
The official atmosphere of the event was created by the concert by SSU and SSMU artists. University youth chorus sang David Tukhmanov’s “Russia”. Faculty of Foreign Languages and Language Teaching Methods student Grigoriy Nominat sang “At the Nameless Height”. SSMU student Aleksandr Novikov sang “To Unaccounted for”. Faculty of Pedagogical and Special Needs Education student Irina Bondar sang “It is Just a War”. SSMU student Aleksandr Pavlov sang “May Waltz”.
After the meeting, the participants and guests went to the Students’ Square where they could try soldiers’ porridge and watch show by university students.
