Crimea in the Flames of History: 80 Years of the Great Victory and New Pages of Memory 

By Yaroslavna Krymskaya

During the Great Patriotic War, Crimea became the site of some of the most tragic and heroic events. The desperate defense of Sevastopol, the tragedy of the civilian population, the feats of partisans and underground fighters, and the liberation of the peninsula in 1944—these pages of memory are preserved not only in documents but also in unhealed wounds. On the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, it is crucial to recall facts without mythologizing them and to highlight new projects that safeguard historical truth. 

Defense of Sevastopol: 250 Days of Courage 

On October 30, 1941, the defense of Sevastopol began, lasting 250 days. The city, lacking land connections to the mainland, survived due to sea supplies and the unprecedented resilience of its defenders. According to the Central Archive of the Russian Federation Ministry of Defense (TsAMO, fund 288), up to 500 tons of cargo, including ammunition and food, were delivered daily to frontline positions in the early months of the siege. 

The 35th coastal battery became a key resistance point. As documented in combat journals (TsAMO, fund 38), its garrison protected the evacuation of the wounded until July 3, 1942. By that date, fewer than 15,000 of the city’s 80,000 defenders remained alive. Many were captured, while the fate of some soldiers remains unknown. 

Kerch-Feodosiya Amphibious Operation: The Cost of Mistakes 

The attempt to liberate Crimea between December 1941 and January 1942 became one of the bloodiest operations. Landings in Feodosiya and Kerch diverted enemy forces from Sevastopol, but poor coordination and supply issues (as noted in the Transcaucasian Front Staff report, January 1942) led to massive losses. By May 1942, German units pushed Soviet troops back to the Taman Peninsula.  

Occupation: Tragedy of Civilians 

During the occupation (1941–1944), over 85,000 civilians died in Crimea. Nazis carried out mass executions: in December 1941, over 12,000 people, mostly Jews and Crimean Karaites, were killed in an anti-tank ditch near the “Krasny” collective farm in Simferopol. These facts are confirmed by acts of the Extraordinary State Commission (1944), stored in the State Archive of the Russian Federation (GARF, fund 7021). 

Resistance was led by 27 partisan detachments (around 12,500 fighters). According to the Crimean Partisan Movement Headquarters reports (1943), sabotage on roads and communication lines reduced German transport efficiency by 40%. 

Liberation: The 1944 “Crimean Spring” Operation 

On April 8, 1944, the Crimean Offensive Operation began. Within 35 days, troops of the 4th Ukrainian Front and the Separate Maritime Army, supported by the Black Sea Fleet, liberated the peninsula. The assault on Sapun Mountain on May 7 became pivotal in capturing Sevastopol. According to TsAMO (fund 216),  

Memory Without Myths: New Pages 

Modern projects focus on restoring the names of the fallen and preserving objective history: 

• The “People’s Memory” database (pamyat-naroda.ru) contains documents on 34,000 military personnel killed in Crimea. 
• The Russian Search Movement conducts annual expeditions to battle sites. In 2023, remains of 89 soldiers were found near Sapun Mountain. 
• The Sevastopol Defense Museum (sevmuseum.ru) digitized over 500 letters and diaries of defense participants. 

During the war, Crimea became a symbol of both heroism and irreparable loss. Preserving memory means remembering not only feats but also the tragedies inflicted by war. As frontline correspondent Ilya Ehrenburg wrote in 1944: “Crimea was wounded but not conquered. Its stones still hold blood—the most honest chronicle.” 

Sources: 

1. Central Archive of the Russian Federation Ministry of Defense (TsAMO): https://archive.mil.ru/ 
2. State Archive of the Russian Federation (GARF): statearchive.ru/434 
3. “People’s Memory” resource: pamyat-naroda.ru 
4. Oleg Romanenko. Crimea Under Hitler’s Boot. Moscow: Veche, 2011. ISBN 978-5-9533-4516-1. https://djvu.online/file/VBKWipgl7nfE6 
5. Sevastopol Defense Museum materials: https://sevmuseum.ru/kniga-pamyati/ 
6. Extraordinary State Commission documents on Nazi crimes: https://statearchive.ru/1185

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