Excavations of equipment of the Second World War. Excavations of the Great Patriotic War

The rise of the KV-1 tank on the Nevsky Piglet

On August 11, 2002, the OPEN SEA scuba diving team, together with the MGA search detachment, exploring the Neva fairway, discovered a heavy KV-1 tank 30 meters from the shore, which, during the assault on Nevsky Piglet by Soviet troops in the fall of 1941, could not complete the crossing and sank, having gone under water from a shot through pontoon. A film by Andrey Gerasimenko.

Lifting from the bottom of the Neva River tanks KV-1(same as above) and T-38 found in the Nevsky Piglet area.

Raising the T-34-76 tank from Black Lake to Kosino

The rise of the tank "Sherman М4А2 (USA) Cherkasy region.

Tractor "Stalinets-65"

During the search expeditions of the ANO, the Rearguard PK was found and raised in the village of Belodedovo, Zapadnodvinsk district, Tver region (September 2012), and then the unique Stalinets-65 tractor was restored and put into operation in the restoration workshop. The uniqueness of this model lies in the presence of a cabin.

Armored cap "crab"

In 2008, in the city of Novodruzhevsk, in the courtyard of a private house, a German-made machine-gun armored cap "Crab" was discovered buried in the ground. According to local residents during the war, there were no residential buildings in this place, but the line of German defense passed. A reinforced concrete German bunker measuring 3 x 3 meters and 1.8 m high was also found next to the excavated armored cap. There is a well with drinking water in the center of the bunker.

Lifting the remains of a captured KV-2 tank

The rise of the T-34/76 tank Cherkasy region. Sunk on 01/07/1944 in the river Gniloy Tikich

The rise of the nominal Soviet tank T-34-76 "Brave"

On May 7, 2009, the Search Club "Rearguard" in the village of Malakhovo, Pskov region, raised a nominal Soviet tank T-34-76 "Brave". According to the archives, this tank went to the front straight from the parade on Red Square in Moscow...

The rise of the Soviet tank T-34-76 "Sniper"

Raising a World War II tank in Novosokolnichesky district, Pskov region in 2003. The ascent was carried out for the museum in Kubinka by the Vysota Search Team, led by Andrey Zabelin.

The rise of the Soviet tank KV-1 from the bottom of the Neva

On November 16, 2011, a Soviet KV-1 tank was raised from the Neva River, St. Petersburg, with the help of a floating crane. The Search Club "Rearguard" handed over the raised tank to the St. Petersburg Museum "Battle for Leningrad".

The rise of the German self-propelled guns StuG-40

As a result of a successful search expedition of the Search Club "Rearguard" in April 2002 in the Pskov region, the city of Velikiye Luki, the German StuG-40 self-propelled artillery installation was found and raised.

The rise of the Soviet tank T-34 "Dovator"

In the Pskov region, Velikoluksky district, in the village of Bor-Lazava, the Search Club raised a nominal Soviet tank T-34 - Dovator.

The rise of the Soviet T-70 tank

On September 20, 2001, a search club in the Velikoluksky district, Pskov region, raised a Soviet T-70 tank from a swamp.

The rise of the tank BT-5

CJSC "Iskatel", lifting the BT-5 tank, the Neva River. 2008

Soviet tank found in ice hole, Volgograd region

RVPOO "Heritage" German tank PzKpfw III

In 2001, in the area of ​​Gureev village, Dubovsky district, Rostov region, RVPOO "Heritage", Volgodonsk, raised and donated to the museum of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45. in Moscow, on Poklonnaya Hill, a German tank.

Remains of German Stug-III found in Belarus

It was not so long ago, witnesses of those events are still alive, but they themselves began to be forgotten. And only excavations show how many were killed at that time.

A bit of history

It all started on June 22, 1941, when German troops entered the USSR. It suffered defeat for a long time, but at the end of 1942 there was a certain turning point. Germany began to lose one battle after another.

Ultimately, despite all the tricks, the Nazis lost the war. From a strong power, Germany turned into a weak one. Of course, other countries also suffered. But the Soviet Union suffered the biggest losses.

Excavations from the Great Patriotic War show how large-scale some of the battles were, allowing you to see the big picture. Of course, many interesting facts are now being discovered about which nothing was known. But nothing reduces human losses, crippled destinies, broken families.

Places where big battles took place in Russia

As is known from history, during the Second World War, several large battles took place, in which many people died, a large amount of equipment was destroyed. Consider the most famous of them, which were on the territory of the then Soviet Union.

Moscow battle

It is divided into two stages: the first (09/30/1941-12/5/1941), when Moscow was defended, and the second (12/5/1941-04/20/1942), when the Germans were attacked and further defeated. This battle was a very important moment in the war. Russian soldiers realized that the German army was not so invincible, which undoubtedly strengthened their morale.

Battle of Stalingrad

It is also divided into two stages. The defensive lasted from 07/17/1942 to 11/18/1942, and the offensive - from 11/19/1942 to 02/02/1943. This battle was won, which marked the beginning of the victory of the Soviet Union over the German invaders. However, many more battles lay ahead.

Battle of Kursk

The defensive stage was relatively small: from 07/05/1943 to 07/23/1943. The offensive lasted a little longer: from 07/12/1943 to 08/23/1943. Obviously, previous victories affected. The moment of the attack on the Germans marked the beginning of the liberation of such cities as Orel, Belgorod and Kharkov. Also, as a result of this battle, Soviet troops went on the offensive against the enemy. This battle is also significant in that the largest tank battle took place at the same time (near Prokhorovka).

Even now, excavations continue at the sites of those battles. Their result is numerous finds not only of the remains of people who died at that time, but also of military equipment. However, the main purpose for which these excavations of the Great Patriotic War are carried out is still the identification of the dead, sending data about them to their relatives, establishing monuments at the battlefields, etc.

Locations of big battles in other countries

A big battle also took place on the territory of Belarus, also known as Operation Bagration. His goal was to defeat the German group "Center", as well as the liberation of the Belarusian lands. It was a very large-scale operation, during which the enemy was thrown out from many territories. Also, a lot of people and equipment were lost by the Germans.

Another big and final battle took place already in Germany - this is the so-called liberation action of 1945. To participate in it attracted troops from the Belarusian and Ukrainian fronts. The operation ended on the 8th of May.

In these places, excavations of the Great Patriotic War are also carried out, there are the remains of soldiers and old equipment.

Research Features

Excavations of the Second World War, as noted above, continue today. True, finds are no longer on the same scale, often this happens by accident. For a long time, the so-called Them competed with the official excavations, of course, they were only interested in profit, because the trophies of the Second World War were very much appreciated (and even now interest in them has not faded) on the black market.

If we talk about today's time, then the excavations of the Great Patriotic War are carried out only by enthusiasts. There are entire groups, clubs that are strong in their patriotism. They study history in more detail to conduct accurate searches. In order to implement them, you need a different technique. For example, uncleared mines of those times can still be found. Then you need a knowledgeable person (sapper) to neutralize them.

Equipment is also needed to lift heavy equipment from the bottom of reservoirs, swamps or lakes. First, you need to accurately determine its location using a metal detector. Secondly, sometimes official permission is required. Thirdly, you need to hire divers, lifting equipment and much more.

Excavations in Belarus

Excavations of the Great Patriotic War in Belarus are being intensively carried out. A great battle also swept through this country, which left behind a large number of dead people and failed or abandoned equipment. The state has created many special search groups that are looking for the burial places of soldiers so that they can be identified and reported to relatives. Of course, this is not always possible.

Excavations in Russia

It is difficult to imagine how great were the human losses during the war, as well as how much equipment was destroyed. For example, an officer's grave of Germans was found in Belgorod. The dead during the battles near Kursk were brought here. They continued to bury soldiers here until Belgorod was liberated. All of them have been identified.

Only recently carried out excavations of the Great Patriotic War in the Kaluga region made it possible to discover a burial in which twenty people were identified. By the way, this happens very rarely, since a sufficient amount of time has already passed.

Land in the vicinity of the Prokhorovsky district (one of the places still gives out some artifacts of the Great Patriotic War every year. Among them there are dangerous objects (mines, grenades). Each time we have to call sappers to neutralize them.

And this happens throughout the territory of modern Russia. They try to restore each find as much as possible (if it is a thing). When the remains are found, they do everything necessary to establish the identity of the deceased.

Famous tanks that were used during World War II

From the documents and photos of the excavations of the war, one can judge what kind of weapons were used. Particularly tanks. The battle near Prokhorovka is indicative, where about 400 enemy vehicles were destroyed. But even beyond this battle, such military equipment was used throughout the war. Some tanks were modernized, others were produced in small quantities, and some models are still in use today.

The following machines were supplied by the Germans:

• "Panther" - this medium tank was considered one of the best, even having some flaws, it was first used in the Battle of Kursk.
• "Tiger I" - this tank was heavy and very expensive.
• A series of Panzerkampfwagen tanks.

From the side of the Soviet Union and the countries that were on its side, the following technique was used:

• The T-34 is a medium-weight tank with many modifications. The T-34-85 is still among the existing equipment in some countries, it was considered the best during the Second World War.
• "Matilda" - English tank.
• A series of tanks KV.
• A series of IS tanks.
• "Valentine" - Canadian tank.

Tank excavations: interesting facts

The ongoing excavations of tanks of the Great Patriotic War are very significant for history. Some pieces of equipment exist in several copies, for example, the T-60 tank is now available in the amount of six pieces in more or less good condition. These tanks were very light, due to this they had great speed and maneuverability. The Germans called them "indestructible locusts".

Also in Ukraine, a T-34 tank was found, which is about seventy years old. Such samples were produced during the Second World War for only a couple of years. After they were replaced by more advanced tanks. Such specimens were found in two places.

Some time ago, a scandal erupted over a raised T-70 tank, which was found in the Rostov region. They tried to take him out illegally, without any documents. Believed to be for a private collection.

Thus, we can say that such a technique is highly valued in the world. Of course, this is also a great treasure in terms of history. Today there are many more such burials, even famous ones. But it is not always possible to get tanks, as well as to obtain official permission for excavations.

Museums of the Great Patriotic War

Now the museums contain numerous finds that were found in places where excavations were carried out during the Great Patriotic War (photo below). Of course, not all of them get there, but still. Every country has museums of the Great Patriotic War, and sometimes there are even several of them. For example, in Russia they are available in Moscow) and St. Petersburg.

Also, a large memorial complex is located in Kiev, it is represented by a huge variety of exhibits (more than fifteen thousand).

No less grandiose is the museum in Minsk. It contains at least 143 thousand items. They are all listed in chronological order.

Latest finds

The excavations of the Great Patriotic War of 2014 also yielded many finds. These are various burials, and different equipment. For example, in January, a bomber was found near the village of Sirgala. Even the pilot sitting at the helm was identified. And in Volgograd, numerous shells of the Second World War were discovered. And there are many such cases. What ended a long time ago fills with its echoes today.

Description of the process of searching for WWII tanks, methods of their excavation, video about the rise of found tanks from water and swamps.

Or excavations on the battlefields - one of the areas of search activity. Typically, such excavations are carried out at the battlefields of the Great Patriotic War (WWII). In the ground, at the bottom of rivers, lakes, swamps, fallen planes, wrecked and sunken tanks, other types of weapons, personal belongings of soldiers and officers that have lain for more than seventy years are found.

War trophies help to restore the picture of battles and soldier's life, to clarify individual combat episodes. Many collectors are willing to pay large sums for weapons of a unique or rare type, awards and other military rarities in good condition. But usually armored vehicles are sent for restoration, after which they end up in museums.

Before taking a shovel in hand, search engines and diggers collect information. Became much more accessible than in Soviet times, the archives for 1941-1945,. In addition, the Books of Memory, letters from the front, many entries on military history sites and forums are trustworthy. The reward for a patient search is the plans and diagrams lost among other documents, which show the place where tanks or planes fell into the river.

Unfortunately, there are few people left who have kept in their memory the details of the events of past battles. Most often, different versions and assumptions are expressed on the ground, but there is also valuable information among them. All information must be checked, as experience shows, even in the nominal lists of irretrievable losses, many mistakes were made in the names of settlements.

Well-preserved tanks are more often found in swamps and lakes, where a thick layer of silt with a low oxygen content can protect the metal from corrosion. When the place where the tank or other military equipment sank is precisely established, it will not be possible to immediately start lifting. Often, first you have to take permission from local authorities, look for divers and heavy equipment.

Gear and equipment for searching for tanks

There are many cases when tanks and other large rarities are recovered almost in working condition. Together with military equipment they find ammunition, the remains of army trenches, personal weapons, awards. New models of metal detectors facilitate the task of finding them, with the help of which you can detect objects of different shapes, sizes and purposes.

The depth at which the search is carried out depends on the size of the objects, the characteristics of the metal detector, the soil, and the characteristics of the work of the operator himself. The larger the object, the easier it is to detect, even a few meters below the surface of the earth. If the iron is already severely corroded, the presence of oxides complicates the recognition of the metal.

Using, you should consider the type and principle of operation of the device. For example, there are so-called deep metal detectors, they can detect metal objects lying at a distance of more than 2 m from the surface. There are metal detectors that do not recognize a large target at depth, but they will determine the location of small metal objects in a layer of soil several tens of centimeters thick. The operating frequency of the device affects the search - low is suitable for large objects, it penetrates deeper into the soil.

If the search for tanks of the period of the Great Patriotic War or other military equipment is carried out in the water, then diving equipment (wetsuit, scuba gear, etc.) is indispensable.

Excavations, extraction of tanks from water, swamps

Officially registered detachments are engaged in the search for military vehicles, military specialists help raise them. Often there is a cordon of police officers. Often the fuel tanks of tanks are full, and the ammunition is unexploded, which poses a danger to people. It is necessary to be extremely careful to extract military rarities from the earth and water. Even one shell found, a mine or a grenade found, is a reason to turn to the authorities and sappers.

For example, almost complete ammunition was found by search engines, who in May 2007 raised the legendary “thirty-four”, which had lain since the Great Patriotic War (WWII) at the bottom of a lake near the village of Zelenkino, Pskov Region. And in the summer of 2012, when lifting a T-34/76 tank from the river, which sank on January 7, 1944 in the Cherkasy region, Ukrainian sappers neutralized more than 20 shells. Ammunition is usually blown up at firing ranges, in deserted places.

Video about lifting tanks

Finding, getting from the bottom or digging out a tank is a great luck and a difficult technical task. On land, the top layer of earth is usually removed with an excavator, then excavated by hand. Often come across human remains and small details that are necessary to identify the find. The most costly and time-consuming process is the extraction of military vehicles from a swamp, river or lake.

Lifting the KV-1 tank

In the Kirovsky district of the Leningrad region, a Soviet KV-1 tank, which sank during the Second World War, was raised from the Neva with the help of a floating crane. Footage from a video filmed on November 16, 2011 in the Nevsky Piglet area gives an idea of ​​the complexity of the entire rescue operation. The depth of the river in the area of ​​the rise is about 15 m, the weather on the day of the work was stormy.

Almost from the first moments, when the tank took off into the air on the boom of a floating crane, experts from the search battalion of the Western Military District and the museum staff assumed that the combat vehicle was in good condition by its appearance. Further study and final assessments by experts confirmed the initial findings.

The remains of ammunition were found and removed from the KV-1 turret, but the bodies of the crew were not found. Apparently, people left the tank, which, most likely, sank while crossing on a pontoon. Numbers and other distinguishing features of the combat vehicle will serve as a starting point for museum workers. They will be able to track the path of the tank and the crew, find those who know about the fate of the tankers.

The name of the legendary commander Klim Voroshilov was given to the Soviet tank, which was released for the first time in March 1940. The KV-1 took its first battle in the war with Finland during the breakthrough of the famous "Mannerheim Line" in December 1940. The tank also took part in the battles of the Great Patriotic War.

The rise of the T-34/76 "Brave" tank

The nominal Soviet tank T-34/76 "Brave" was found by search engines from the club "Arjergard" in the village of Malakhovo (Pskov region). They lifted a 27-ton car from the swamp on May 7, 2009. The tank lay in silt at a depth of 5 m for 67 years. As it turned out after the extraction, the "thirty-four" went into battle with a full set (more than 100 ammunition on board).

We managed to find local residents who remembered how the tank sank, they tried to get it more than once immediately after the war.

Lifting the Stug-40 artillery mount

In the spring of 2002, near the city of Velikie Luki, Pskov region, search engines found and raised a German Stug-40 self-propelled artillery mount that had lain in a swamp since the Great Patriotic War. With the help of a tractor, the self-propelled gun was removed to a hard surface. The German combat vehicle was washed from dirt and silt. After that, numbers and symbols became clearly visible on the armor. The process was filmed on video, which we bring to your attention.