A 1960 Soviet color postcard featuring the “Mother Motherland” sculptural group at the Hill of Glory memorial complex in Lviv.
What is shown on the postcard
The postcard showcases a close-up of the bronze two-figure sculptural composition “Mother Motherland,” erected on a rectangular light stone pedestal. The sculpture depicts a grieving woman leaning over a wounded or fallen soldier. A decorative bronze cartouche featuring a relief wreath and Soviet symbols is affixed to the front face of the pedestal. The monument is surrounded by blooming red canna flowers, with dense crowns of deciduous trees and weeping willows visible in the background.
Historical note
The Hill of Glory memorial in Lviv was established shortly after World War II to bury Soviet soldiers. The design and landscaping of the park area took place during the late 1940s and 1950s. The bronze sculptural group “Mother Motherland” by sculptor Halyna Kalchenko was installed on the memorial grounds in 1957 as one of the central artistic elements, symbolizing grief for the fallen.
Present day
In the modern era, the Hill of Glory memorial complex in Lviv has undergone significant changes. As part of decommunization and derussification efforts in the 2020s, Soviet symbols, including specific elements of the sculptures and inscriptions, were dismantled. In 2022–2023, the process of exhuming and transferring the military graves to Mars Field at the Lychakiv Cemetery began.
Location (map)
Address: Pasichna St, Lviv, Ukraine
Coordinates: 49.838450, 24.055620
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: Coordinates of the Hill of Glory memorial complex in Lviv.
Questions and answers
- Where was the “Mother Motherland” sculpture located on the postcard? The sculptural group was located within the Hill of Glory memorial complex in Lviv.
- What year was this postcard published? This postcard was published in 1960.
- What has happened to the memorial in recent years? As part of decommunization, Soviet symbols were dismantled, and a process began to relocate the graves to Lychakiv Cemetery.
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Lviv from 1960.
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