Artifacts from triumphant past exhibited in the Archival Quadrangle
Victory Relics unveiled at the Archereal Court
Step back in time and witness history unfold at the Archereal Court, a notable Orthodox complex in Biysk, Russia. Beyond its religious roots, this site holds a significant connection to the momentous events of the Great Patriotic War.
For over seven decades, the First Military Town stood where the Archereal Court currently resides. The 586th Rifle Regiment, formed before the war, embarked on their odyssey to the frontlines from this very ground, as part of the 107th Rifle Division. Biysk volunteers too marched off to battle from the parade ground of the town.
From July 1941, the court's buildings housed one of the largest evacuation hospitals in Altai, No. 1513.
For several years now, the Archereal Court has been a bustling hub for festivities prior to Victory Day. As part of this year's "Victory May" program, scheduled for May 8 at 6 PM, guests can enjoy a concert and exhibition.
Don't miss the "Frontline Relics of Victory" exhibition, which is already open and will run until mid-July - registration is essential.
Tales from the Trenches: Letters, blood-stained overcoat, death notice
The exhibition dedicated to the Great Patriotic War is being presented for the fifth time in the museum's exhibition center. A joint project between School No. 4 named after Biangki and the Orthodox Museum of the History of the Altai Spiritual Mission of the Biysk Diocese, it features more than a hundred exhibits showcasing the war's past events. While some pieces are familiar, others are brand new relics brought to light.
Valiant Memories: Memorabilia on display at the Archbishops' Courtyard
One of the most poignant exhibits, present in the museum of School No. 4 for the past 15 years, is a frontline greatcoat of a school graduate, Georgii Andreyevich Dorovskikh. Filled with shrapnel, the blood-stained overcoat paints a powerful picture of the war and the slim line between life and death.
Georgii Andreyevich met his end just two months shy of his 101st birthday. A veteran soldier, he was a sapper, reached Berlin, and was wounded several times. The exhibit's very existence is testament to the man whovaliantly fought for his nation and, in his final act, handed over his frontline greatcoat to his alma mater.
The director of the Altai Spiritual Mission History Museum, Pavel Kovalenko, adds a personal touch to the exhibition, bringing a relic carefully preserved in his family: a death notice belonging to his great-grandfather, a native of Biysk, Fedor Ivanovich Vorobyev.
Cheap and Tough: Glass flasks on the battlefield
During the Great Patriotic War, our Akhtyrsky Glass Factory sent half a million glass flasks to the frontlines. One such flask is on display, with another from the Urshelsky Glass Factory joining it. These bulky, fragile containers, used to carry water and tea, were a popular alternative to aluminum canteens – despite being less durable and heavier, they were less expensive to produce.
Rarities from the Battlefield: Artefacts from the front
Under glass in the exhibition hall, you'll find bayonets from a Mosin rifle. This rifle, more than just a brand, symbolizes victory, the most mass-produced and longest-serving magazine rifle in history.
Malformed helmets are also on display, particularly interesting as they should be called "steel helmets." One such helmet, discovered by school No.4 searchers in the 1980s on one of the battlefields near Voronezh, can be found amidst the exhibits.
The exhibition includes triangular letters from the war - front letters, a miniature gift book published in Leningrad in 1943, authored by Joseph Stalin, "On the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union." It appears this little pocket book was given as a token of gratitude to officers of the Red Army during WWII.
Recent additions to the exhibition include original documents of journalist Vasily Belozertsev, gifted to the museum by the director of the Demidov Fund, Viktor Bulanichev. This folder contains letters of gratitude and photographs of the famous Biyachan front-line soldier.
Photographs make up the most significant portion of the displays. Under glass are "Soldiers of Victory" – images as captured by renowned Biyachan photographer Yuri Vерещагиn.
Another rare, photography-related artifact is a camera made in Germany in the 1930s. Once owned by Alexei Sisoev, a photographer in the political department of the 368th Rifle Division, he is considered the father of Soviet photography in Biysk.
Some exhibits come together in exhibition complexes, immersing visitors in the events of that time: 1941, as the military commissioner of Biysk signs up for war in his office, or the "Victorious May," showcasing a sculpture of a soldier and a front-line accordion. The accordion was donated to the museum a few years ago by Yuri Vерещагиn, and though the name of the Biysk resident who received it from commanders in Berlin on May 9 remains unknown, Pavel Kovalenko remains hopeful it will resonate with every visitor, from student to pensioner.
- The "Frontline Relics of Victory" exhibition, currently open at the Archereal Court, showcases over a hundred exhibits related to the Great Patriotic War, including a blood-stained overcoat from a school graduate, Georgii Andreyevich Dorovskikh.
- The 586th Rifle Regiment, formed before the Great Patriotic War, embarked on their odyssey to the frontlines from the parade ground of the First Military Town, which currently houses the Archereal Court.
- In addition to religious artifacts, the museum at School No. 4 in Biysk exhibits rarities from the battlefield, such as bayonets from a Mosin rifle and malformed helmets.
- Social media and entertainment platforms often feature posts about celebrities and pop-culture, but the "Frontline Relics of Victory" exhibition offers a different kind of story, presenting authentic artifacts from the Great Patriotic War.
- On May 8 at 6 PM, as part of the "Victory May" program, guests can enjoy a concert and exhibition at the Archereal Court, providing an opportunity to learn about and reflect on the events of the Great Patriotic War.
