RP78MMK
Magnitogorskiy Metallurgicheskiy Kombinat (MMK)

The metallurgists of our country made a huge contribution to the victory in the Great Patriotic War. Assessing the contribution of the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) to the victory over fascism, the director of the plant G.I. Nosov said: "Every second T-34 tank, every third projectile fired at the enemy were made of Magnitogorsk metal ...". This is the result of the plant's work during the war years. And the beginning of the war brought to the fore many problems that required urgent solutions.

The main task was to urgently transfer the plant to the production of defense products. With the outbreak of war, trains with evacuated equipment began to arrive in the Urals from the front-line regions. 34 evacuated enterprises were located on the territory of MMK.

By the end of the third month of the war, MMK had already produced about 100 types of defense products: armor plate, cast armor turrets for KV tanks, hulls for bombs, mines and rockets, bandage and track strips for tanks, grooved springs and auto-rim for the automotive industry, and much more. other. Despite all the difficulties of wartime, the inhabitants of Magnitogorsk made a worthy contribution to the country's defense fund - about 40 million rubles. In addition, 37 wagons with gifts were sent from Magnitogorsk to the front.

MMK not only worked for defense, but also fought. About 7 thousand people left the plant for the front, more than 2 thousand died or went missing. Thirteen Magnitogorsk metallurgists performed a military feat at the front and were awarded the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union.

The American historian M. Werner wrote in his book "Eastern Front": "The whole world is witnessing the dramatic struggle of Magnitogorsk metal with the metal of all Europe, mobilized by Hitler to wage war in the East." And Magnitka won this fight. During the war years, the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works produced more metal than Italy, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Spain combined. During the war years, MMK gave the country 10 million 175 thousand tons of pig iron, 11 million 120 thousand tons of steel, 7 million 276 thousand tons of rolled products. If before the war the share of high-quality and alloyed metal at the plant was 12 percent, by the end of the war it was 83 percent. “Magnitogorsk defeated the Ruhr,” admitted in his book “Achtung, Panzern!” commander of the German tank army, General Heinz Guderian.

Assignment in 2015 Magnitogorsk with the title "City of Labor Valor and Glory" is intended to perpetuate the memory of the massive labor feat, heroism and courage of the townspeople, shown in the organization of defense industries, hospitals, and the formation of the material and technical base of the army. The position on the honorary title states that it is the highest form of recognition of the merits of citizens in achieving the Great Victory over fascism.

Magnitogorsk was chosen for the installation of the monument not by chance. It is difficult to overestimate the labor feat of the legendary Magnitka during the Great Patriotic War. Every third shell was made of Magnitogorsk steel, and every second tank was "dressed" in Magnitogorsk armor. Heroism in the rear is equated to a military feat: the greatest Victory was won only by the joint efforts of the rear and the front.

The monument to the "Rear Front" is a bronze two-figure composition, installed on an 18-meter hill. The worker is oriented to the east, to the MMK, and the warrior is oriented to the west, where the enemy was during the war years. The height of the monument is 16.5 meters. The sword is made of the metal of the anniversary 500-millionth ton of ore mined on Mount Magnitnaya. In front of the monument is a granite star in the form of a flower, in the center of which the Eternal Flame burns. A capsule with a letter of instruction to the inhabitants of 2029 is immured here.

Magnitogorsk, March 2021 Vladimir Kulikovskikh RX9AT