45 years ago, on May 8, 1967, the Eternal Flame was lit at the Kremlin wall at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in memory of the heroes who fell during the Great Patriotic War.
The tradition of maintaining an eternal flame in special burners at monuments, memorial complexes, cemeteries, and graves dates back to the ancient cult of Vesta. Every year on March 1, the great priest lit a sacred fire in her temple at the main Roman Forum, which the Vestal priestesses had to maintain around the clock throughout the year.
In recent history, the eternal flame was first lit in Paris at the Arc de Triomphe at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in which the remains of a French soldier who died in the battles of the First World War were buried. The fire in the memorial appeared two years after its opening. In 1921, the French sculptor Grégoire Calvet put forward a proposal: to equip the monument with a special gas burner, which would allow illumination of the tomb at night. This idea was actively supported by journalist Gabriel Boissy in October 1923.
On November 11, 1923 at 18.00, French Minister of War Andre Maginot in a solemn ceremony lit the flame of the memorial flame for the first time. From this day on, the flame at the memorial is lit every day at 18.30, and veterans of the Second World War participate in the ceremony.
The tradition was adopted by many states, which created national and city monuments in memory of the soldiers who died in the First World War. The eternal flame was lit in Belgium, Portugal, Romania, and the Czech Republic in the 1930s and 1940s.
The first country to perpetuate the memory of those killed in World War II with a memorial fire was Poland. On May 8, 1946, the eternal flame was lit in Warsaw on Marshal Józef Pilsudski Square, at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, restored after the Nazi occupation. The honor of conducting this ceremony was given to the division general, the mayor of Warsaw, Marian Spychalski. A guard of honor from the Representative Battalion of the Polish Army was posted near the memorial.
In the German capital Berlin, an eternal flame burned for 20 years in the building of the former Neue Wache guardhouse. In 1969, on the 20th anniversary of the formation of the GDR, in the center of the hall of the “Memorial to the Victims of Militarism and Fascism” opened there, a glass prism with an eternal flame was installed, which was lit over the remains of an unknown victim of the concentration camps of the Second World War and an unknown German soldier. In 1991, the monument was transformed into the “Central Memorial to the Victims of Tyranny and War of the Federal Republic of Germany”, the eternal flame was dismantled, and an enlarged copy of the statue “Mother with a Dead Child” by Käthe Kollwitz was installed in its place.
The eternal flame in memory of those killed in World War II was lit in many countries in Europe, Asia, as well as in Canada and the USA.
In May 1975, in Rostov-on-Don, the eternal flame was lit at the Memorial to the Victims of Fascism, the largest burial site for Holocaust victims in modern Russia.
The tradition of lighting an eternal flame has also become widespread on the African continent. One of the oldest and most famous monuments, the “Pioneer Monument” (Voortrekker) in Pretoria was lit in 1938, it symbolizes the memory of the mass migration of Africans into the interior of the continent in 1835-1854, called the Great Trek (“Die Groot Trek”).
On August 1, 1964, the eternal flame was lit in Japan in Hiroshima at the Flame of Peace Monument in the Peace Memorial Park. According to the idea of the park's creators, this fire will burn until the complete destruction of nuclear weapons on the planet.
On September 14, 1984, with a torch lit from the flames of the Hiroshima memorial, Pope John Paul II opened the eternal flame, symbolizing humanity's hope for peace, in the Peace Garden in Toronto, Canada.
The first fire dedicated to the memory of a specific historical figure was lit in the United States in Dallas at Arlington Cemetery at the grave of US President John F. Kennedy at the request of his widow Jacqueline Kennedy on November 25, 1963.
One of the five eternal flames of Latin America is also lit in honor of a historical figure. In the capital of Nicaragua, Managua, on Revolution Square, a flame burns at the grave of Carlos Fonseca Amador, one of the founders and leaders of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (SFNL).
On July 7, 1989, Queen Elizabeth II lit the Fire of Hope at Frederick Banting Square in Ontario, Canada. This eternal flame, on the one hand, is a tribute to the memory of the Canadian physiologist who first received insulin, on the other hand, symbolizes the hope of humanity to defeat diabetes mellitus. The creators of the monument plan to extinguish the flame as soon as a cure for diabetes is invented.
In the countries formed after the collapse of the USSR, the eternal flame was extinguished at many monuments due to economic or political considerations.
In 1994, the eternal flame went out near the Monument to the Soldier-Liberator of Tallinn from the Nazi invaders (since 1995 - the Monument to the Fallen in World War II) in the capital of Estonia.
In many Russian cities, the eternal flame is lit irregularly - on days of remembrance and military holidays - May 9, June 22, days of remembrance of significant military operations.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
For the first time in the modern history of the world, the Eternal Flame was lit at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris, near the Arc de Triomphe. The fire appeared in the memorial two years after its grand opening, after which the French sculptor Gregoire Calvet proposed placing it in a special gas burner. With the help of this device, the flame truly became Eternal - now it illuminated the tomb not only during the day, but also at night.
Since 1923, the Eternal Flame at the French memorial has been lit daily and with the participation of World War II veterans.
The tradition of lighting the Eternal Flame was adopted by many states, which created city and national monuments in memory of those who died in the First World War. So, in the 1930-1940s, the Eternal Flame lit up in the Czech Republic, Romania, Portugal, Canada, the USA and Belgium. Then Poland lit it, thus perpetuating the memory of the fallen heroes of World War II, and in Berlin they went even further and installed a glass prism with a fire burning inside over the remains of an unknown German soldier and an unknown victim of concentration camps.
Eternal Flame in Russia
In Russia, the Eternal Flame was first lit in Leningrad in 1957 - it was lit at the monument to the “Fighters of the Revolution”, which is located on the Field of Mars. It was this flame that became the source from which military memorials began to be lit throughout Russia, in all Soviet hero cities and cities of military glory. Then the grand opening of the Eternal Flame took place on May 8, 1967 - it was lit at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin wall
Today, many Russian cities light the Eternal Flame only on memorable days and military holidays.
Currently, the lighting of the Eternal Flame in Russia is gradually fading away, since, given the need for urgent funding for many industries, paying for its maintenance seems like burning money. In addition, the Eternal Flame is a complex engineering structure that requires a constant supply of gas and safety, and is also dependent on temperature changes. An additional nail in the situation is the lack of a legislative framework to consolidate the status of the Eternal Flame and technical regulations for its maintenance. All these factors allow Russian gas companies to charge city authorities a lot of money for supplying gas and servicing the gas burner itself.
On May 8, 1967, the Eternal Flame was lit at the Kremlin wall at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in memory of the people who fell in the bloody struggle against fascism.
51 years ago, in May, a symbol of memory and tribute to those people who gave their lives in the fight against the German invaders lit up near the Kremlin wall.
Since then, the fire has burned continuously and constantly - reminding us of the price at which our ancestors gave us freedom. And even though dozens of veterans remain with us now, the memory of their feat will live forever.
However, few people know that the tradition of maintaining fire in special burners at various memorials, monuments and cemeteries originated in Ancient Rome. The symbol of fire was described in ancient myths, where both people and gods appeared. It is interesting that the initial possession of fire is attributed to women, and men received it later. This prescription is reflected in modern times - now a woman is considered the keeper of the family hearth (fire).
From the point of view of sacraments and symbolism, the “fire sign” also carries a lot within itself. Thus, earlier in mythological systems fire was classified as an object of purely religious relation, which was worshiped by people. Since ancient times, light has always carried the symbol of the “divine” and illuminated the human path. Moreover, the first people on earth considered the flame to be a manifestation of God himself, who was accessible to perception. At its core, fire has always been considered a symbol of purification, transformation and renewal of life, as well as the family (which gathers around its light and warmth) and patriotism.
For the first time, the eternal flame was lit in Paris at the Arc de Triomphe at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in which the remains of a Frenchman who died in the battles of the First World War were buried. The flame of memory has been burning in Paris since January 28, 1921. After this, the tradition of lighting a fire was borrowed by many states and countries. Thus, in the 1930s and 1940s, flames were lit in Belgium, Romania, Portugal and the Czech Republic in memory of the soldiers who died in the First World War.
The first “Eternal Flame” in the USSR was lit in the Tula region in the village of Pervomaisky on May 9, 1957 in memory of those who fell in the Great Patriotic War. However, the first Eternal Flame in the USSR at the state level appeared on November 6, 1957 on the Field of Mars in St. Petersburg.
There are currently three Eternal Flames burning in Moscow. The first was lit at the Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery on February 9, 1961 from the flames on the Field of Mars. The second is located near the Kremlin wall at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Heroes of the Soviet Union took part in the ceremony of lighting the fire at the Kremlin wall: A.P. Maresyev and G.F. Muslanov. Then Maresyev passed the torch with fire into the hands of the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee L.I. Brezhnev, who lit the fire at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The ashes of the unknown soldier were transferred from the mass grave at the 40th kilometer of the Leningrad highway in Zelenograd to the Alexander Garden on December 3, 1966. The third fire appeared on April 30, 2010 on Poklonnaya Hill.
At the moment, the Eternal Flame has been lit in many cities of Russia. And while the symbol of victory, heroism and perseverance will burn, we will remember the great feat of our grandfathers, great-grandfathers, and those who won this Victory over Nazism.
The eternal flame symbolizes the courage and bravery of the soldiers who gave their lives for a brave cause. When the Nazi occupiers violated the non-aggression pact and treacherously invaded the territory of the Soviet Union, everyone, young and old, contributed as best they could to the Great Victory. Most of the boys and girls volunteered to go to the front to beat the enemy; those who did not go to the front stood behind the machines, making shells and tanks for the Soviet army; these workers were mostly children.
The first days and months of the war were very difficult and tense. With incredible courage and bravery, the Soviet people defended their great Motherland. Volunteer partisan detachments were organized in the Belarusian forests, which through their actions tried to disrupt Adolf Hitler’s lightning-fast plan to seize the Soviet Union.
Opening of the first Eternal Flame of Glory
One of the first monuments to soldiers killed in battle was opened back in 1921. The memorial complex was built under the Arc de Triomphe in the French capital, Paris.
In the collapsed Soviet Union, in Moscow, in honor of the celebration of the Great Victory in 1955, the Eternal Flame was solemnly lit at the monument. However, it is difficult to call it “eternal”, since it was lit periodically, only a few times a year:
- to celebrate Victory Day;
- on the Day of the Armed Forces and the Navy, later, since 2013, on the Day of Defender of the Fatherland;
- on the Day of Liberation of Shchekino.
The truly Eternal Flame is considered to be the fire in St. Petersburg (formerly Leningrad), which was lit on November 6, 1957 on the Field of Mars.
Today there are only three such memorial complexes in the capital. The first Eternal Flame was lit on February 9, 1961. Over time, the gas pipeline supplying gas deteriorated, and starting in 2004, it was temporarily turned off while repairs were being carried out, and by 2010 it was turned on again.
Monuments and memorial complexes built in the 50-60s of the twentieth century have become fairly worn out by our time. Gas pipes leading to fire are especially affected. Therefore, the government annually allocates funds to reconstruct and replace pipes at many of the country's monuments as quickly as possible.
Photos of the memorial complex
The photo below shows the Eternal Flame at the Kremlin Wall, which was lit at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in 1967. The opening ceremony was chaired personally by Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev. In 2009, the fire was moved to Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill. In 2010, it was returned again to the Kremlin wall.
Representatives of the Moscow Veterans Society made a proposal to open a memorial on Poklonnaya Hill. The public warmly supported this initiative, because such monuments symbolize the eternal memory of fallen soldiers and teach modern youth not to forget the terrible pages of the history of their country.
The following remarkable and brave citizens were honored to light the Eternal Flame:
- Vladimir Dolgikh, participant in the fighting during the defense of Moscow, honorary citizen, chairman of the Council of War and Labor Veterans.
- Hero of Russia Colonel Vyacheslav Sivko.
- Representative of the public organization Nikolai Zimogorodov.
After the opening of the memorial complex, this place became the most visited in the Russian capital. Not only Moscow residents come here, but also numerous tourists who want to see the sights of the hero city.
Is the Eternal Flame necessary?
Modern youth are less and less interested in history and those distant, troubled days of the Great Patriotic War. There are fewer and fewer people left who passed through the fiery walls of hell in those years. But nevertheless, we must never forget about the feat that our fathers and grandfathers accomplished in the name of peace for future generations. One of these reminders are monuments and memorials with an eternal and unquenchable flame, reminiscent of the heroic deeds of soldiers on the battlefields.
When designing and restoring monuments, experts are thinking about how to make an Eternal Flame, but there are people and officials who are against this. They argue this by saying that extra material costs are needed for the installation and maintenance of gas exhaust pipes and burners. But it is very good that there are only a few such people, because the Eternal Flame symbolizes the eternal memory of the feat that people accomplished in the name of peace.
Where do veterans meet?
In many cities of the vast expanses of Russia, monuments and memorials with the Eternal Flame have been opened. These places have long become attractions and calling cards of cities; they attract many people of different ages, guests and tourists. For veterans, they serve as a meeting place and remembrance of distant war days and fallen comrades.
On the day of the celebration of the Great Victory over the Nazi occupiers, May 9, fresh flowers are brought to monuments and memorials and wreaths are laid. Here they very often set up a field kitchen for veterans with the mandatory one hundred grams of front-line food.
Eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
During the bloody battles, a huge number of soldiers and officers went missing. The remains of dead soldiers are still being found at former battlefields. During the defense of Moscow back in 1941, a huge number of workers and soldiers were killed; in their honor, the monument “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” was built in 1967. At its foot, pointed flames burst out from a bronze five-pointed star, symbolizing the unforgotten exploits of the heroes.
The Eternal Flame monument serves as a meeting place, because every day people bring fresh flowers to it, thereby honoring the memory of the soldiers who gave their lives for a bright future. It serves as a meeting place for students from Moscow (and not only) schools with war veterans. Each child then records what they see by creating a drawing. The eternal flame burns with a bright flame in young hearts.
Creating a drawing
How to draw the Eternal Flame? Before you start sketching, you need to look at it in person at least once. It is best to make a sketch without leaving the memorial, this way you can choose the most suitable angle. The monument should be photographed in order to complete the begun drawing at home.
On a piece of paper you need to sketch out the outline of the memorial. It is important to remember when creating a drawing: The eternal flame should not reach the edges of the sheet; two to three centimeters should be left. In this case, the image will turn out beautiful and voluminous. The sketch and the drawing itself should be done with a sharp pencil, drawing light lines.
Shutdown
The next step is to draw clearer outlines. Parents can give their children their advice on how to draw the Eternal Flame, but it is better to do it in the shape of a five-pointed star in the form of rays with all sides of the figure completed.
To add volume from each vertex of the star, we raise (lower) perpendicular lines relative to the entire picture and connect them with parallel lines. The final moment will be connecting the center of the star with its vertices. After this, you should proceed directly to drawing the flame. It is better not to paint the tongues of fire in a flashy bright red color, but to make them orange-red.
Finally, use an eraser to remove all auxiliary lines and color the picture using colored pencils or watercolors.
Hero Cities
The inscription on the granite slab of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorial reads: “Your name is unknown, your feat is immortal.” In continuation of the historical ensemble, parallel to the Kremlin wall, urns with soil taken from the hero cities were installed: Minsk and Leningrad, Sevastopol and Kyiv, Kerch and Volgograd, Brest and Smolensk, Tula and Murmansk.
As you can see in the photo, the “Eternal Flame” is a monument that is always crowded with people. The flame burns constantly, and the top of the memorial ensemble is decorated with a soldier's helmet cast in bronze, a laurel branch and a battle flag. On May 9, Victory Day, thousands of people come to look at the Eternal Flame, as well as veterans who take a minute of silence to honor the memory of the fallen soldiers who showed extraordinary courage and fortitude in the struggle for freedom during the Great Patriotic War.
Craft for Victory Day
The “Eternal Flame” craft, made with your own hands, will be the most beautiful and expensive gift that a schoolchild can give to his grandparents who fought. On the eve of the holiday, at school and at home, adults should have a conversation with children about the heroic exploits of Soviet soldiers on the battlefields against the Nazi occupiers.
The craft is made from paper or other available materials. It should not be complicated so as not to discourage children from doing it. To make an Eternal Flame out of paper, a child will need perseverance, attentiveness, and the ability to use scissors and glue. Such crafts are best done by middle school students, fifth and sixth grade students. To make a gift you will need scissors, colored paper, glue, a simple pencil and a ruler. First you need to draw a star on the back of the colored paper, cut it out and glue the three-dimensional shape. You also need to do the same with the image of fire.
You can make an Eternal Flame with your own hands in an easier way. To do this, you will need the following ingredients: half a glass of flour, water and one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Ask your elders or try to knead the dough yourself. From it, like from plasticine, mold a cake and press it down with something flat, such as a saucer or plate. From the resulting cake, cut out a five-pointed star with a knife. Make five small fire holes in the middle. To make flames you will need red colored paper. On the back side you should draw a fire, then cut it out. There should be five flames. Having cut them out of paper, they need to be inserted into the holes made in the dough. The craft is ready, and you can give it to your grandparents!
The fire of Eternal Glory burns
Many representatives of the younger generation do not even know that their grandfathers and great-grandfathers once fought for the freedom of their Motherland. The primary task of teachers and parents is to work with children, aimed at ensuring that they do not lose the thin thread connecting the history of past glory and the realities of present life. Almost no one can answer the question of when the first Eternal Flame was lit; few can tell why it burns and what it symbolizes. Stories about war are an integral part in the upbringing and development of a child.
The eternal flame in Moscow and many cities in the vast expanses of the Motherland burns at the foot of memorial ensembles and monuments.
Memory is imperishable
In Cherkessk, during the celebration of Victory Day in 1967, a fire was solemnly lit at the memorial to the fallen liberating soldiers who gave their lives for the independence and freedom of Russia. From a conversation with the director of the local history center, S. Tverdokhlebov, it was possible to find out that he piece by piece collected information about the soldiers who died in the Great Patriotic War, defending the city of Cherkessk. Based on this material, a book was published and the memory of the heroes was immortalized in the form of a memorial complex with the Eternal Flame.
It is very important that the current generation never forgets about the terrible crimes against all humanity committed by the Nazi invaders, so that the horror of war that our grandfathers experienced is never repeated, especially since every year there are fewer and fewer living witnesses of those terrible and busy days.
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Slide captions:
Eternal Flame Compiled by: teacher-defectologist Kirchenkova E.A. Ryazan, 2015
The eternal flame is a constantly burning fire that burns in winter and summer, day and night. It symbolizes that the memory of the feat of the defenders of the Motherland will live forever.
On Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War (May 9), and on other days, they bring flowers to the Eternal Flame, come to stand, be silent, and bow to the memory of the heroes...
In the main city of our country - the city of Moscow - three Eternal Flames were installed in memory of those killed in the Great Patriotic War. One of them is located at the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” in the Alexander Garden (it is the main component of the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” complex).
The memorial architectural ensemble “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” was opened on May 8, 1967. L.I. Brezhnev lights the Eternal Flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (1967)
Since 1997, State Post No. 1 has been transferred to the Eternal Flame from the Mausoleum, to which the honor guard of the Presidential Regiment takes over. The Honor Guard Post at the Eternal Flame in Moscow at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Post No. 1) is the main guard post in the Russian Federation. In accordance with the Decree of Russian President Boris Yeltsin (dated December 8, 1997), the Guard of Honor stands guard in the Alexander Garden near the Eternal Flame every day from 08.00 to 20.00. Post No. 1 Changing of the guard
There are many such graves on our land. These graves contain the remains of soldiers who died on the battlefield during the Great Patriotic War. Many soldiers died in that war. Not all of the dead could be identified, and not all of them had documents. The ashes of one of these soldiers are buried near the Kremlin wall in Moscow. Therefore, on the tombstone it is written: “Your name is unknown.” - Why do you think the grave is called the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? - What does the second part of the inscription mean: “Your feat is immortal”? - This inscription means that people will always remember: the soldiers buried here died defending the Motherland, their relatives and friends, their children and grandchildren.
Two other Eternal Flames in Moscow are installed on Poklonnaya Hill and Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery. Eternal Flame (Fire of Memory and Glory) on Poklonnaya Hill Eternal Flame at Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery
The eternal flame in memory of those killed in the Great Patriotic War burns in many cities of the former Soviet Union. The Eternal Flame on the Champ de Mars is the first Eternal Flame in the Soviet Union. All other eternal fires throughout the territory of our country were lit precisely from this fire. Eternal Flame on the Champ de Mars (St. Petersburg). Year of creation of the Eternal Flame on the Champ de Mars: 1956.
It is interesting that Post No. 1 in the city of Rostov-on-Don is one of the few, and perhaps the only place in Russia where high school students perform the guard of honor. The changing of the guards takes place every 15-20 minutes. The guards are dressed in full dress uniform and armed with machine guns. Schoolchildren study the charter, engage in marching, drill exercises and take a solemn oath. The post has been in effect since 1975. The Eternal Flame and Post No. 1 in Rostov-on-Don (are part of the memorial complex “Fallen Warriors”)
In our city (Ryazan) the Eternal Flame is located on Victory Square.
At the Eternal Flame, the tulips are drooping and looking at the ground. The ninth of May is the holiday of soldiers: So that you and I could live, they fought... Tulips are burning - flowers are like fires. The fire blazes at the mass graves, So that no one forgets the feat of the dead: The color is scarlet - the color of blood shed by war... But the fire is eternal - that means the hero is eternal! N. Samoniy Many poems, songs, and stories have been composed on the theme of the Eternal Flame.
Eternal flame Eternal flame. Alexander Garden. Eternal memory to the heroes. Who was he, the unknown soldier, Honored by the Great Country. Maybe he was still a young cadet, or a simple militiaman. Maybe he was killed because he did not kneel before the enemy. Maybe he went into the attack at full height, the bullet reached him at the end of his life. Or he was an unknown sailor, the one who died at the helm. Maybe he was a pilot, or maybe a tanker; It doesn't matter today. We will never read this sheet, That paper triangle. Eternal flame. Alexander Garden. Monument to thousands of lives. The eternal flame is the memory of soldiers who honestly served their homeland. Yu. Schmidt
On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War in 2005, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation issued a 10 ruble coin, on the reverse of which the Eternal Flame is depicted and the inscription “No one is forgotten, nothing is forgotten.”
The eternal flame remains, despite all political changes, a symbol of heroism, national independence and true love for the Motherland. We will disappear, our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will leave, and the Eternal Flame will burn. “Time changes - but our attitude towards our Victories does not change” (c)
Thank you for your attention!
