Berlin’s Soviet War Memorial in Treptower Park
You don’t have to wander very far in Berlin to stumble upon Soviet-era buildings, relics, and memorials. Nestled in the middle of Treptower Park, you’ll find the truly larger-than-life Soviet War Memorial, a must-visit for history lovers or anyone in search of a quiet escape within the city.
Dedicated on May 8, 1949, exactly four years after the end of the Second World War, this memorial is also where 5,000 soldiers from the Red Army have been buried. 80,000 Soviet soliders were killed in the Battle of Berlin which lasted from April 16 – May 2, 1945.
Anyone I’ve spoken to who has visited the Soviet War Memorial, has always been impressed by its magnitude. It’s unlike anything they’ve ever seen before.
Entering the memorial from the north on Puschkinallee or the south on Straße am Treptower Park, you will be greeted by impressive symmetry each way you turn. A three meter high statue of Mother Russia grieving her fallen sons stands at the start of the memorial. Stretched out before you is a wide pathway, lined by beautiful weeping willows. As you walk, you begin to realize the immensity of what lies before you.
Reaching high up into the sky are two sculptures resembling flags that have been carved out of red granite on either side of the walkway. Kneeling before them are two stoic soldiers that you will pass just as the main memorial opens up. Take a moment to look out before you at the massive memorial, a quiet, peaceful, yet somber feeling in the air.
The five rectangular sections of lawn are symbolic representations of communal graves. On the perimeter of this area are 16 sarcophagi, eight on each side, symbolizing the 16 republics of the Soviet Union at the time. As you can see, the architect, Yakov S. Belopolski, designed a deeply symbolic memorial to honor the lives of the fallen during the Battle of Berlin.
Yet, the most impressive piece of the memorial, lies at the end. Upon a hill, on the opposite end of the vast promenade is the 12-meter high, larger than life bronze sculpture of a Soviet soldier. In one arm he holds a German child and in the other, a lowered sword over a shattered swastika, symbolizing the overthrow of National Socialism.
Inside, you’ll find a crypt with a painted mural of representatives from each of the Soviet republics shown honoring the deceased. As you turn back around, take a moment to appreciate the breathtaking view from here. I think sunset is one of the best times to visit the Soviet War Memorial as the glow of the setting sun cast upon the memorial is really something special to experience.
Treptower Park’s Soviet War Memorial is a powerful site worth visiting during your time in Berlin. It’s a place not only to commemorate the lives of those lost but to also reflect. It shows how a nation has accepted that its defeat was, in the end, for the greater good of all.
As an American now living in Berlin, I am especially fascinated by the history that can be found everywhere in this city. There’s so much to learn and memorials and monuments are an incredible way to discover the stories behind such significant events from the past.
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