This two-part Soviet postcard from 1973 depicts key memorial sites in Brest: the Monument to the Liberators on Freedom Square and the Eternal Flame at the Brest Fortress-Hero Memorial Complex.
What is shown on the postcard
The left panel shows the dark granite obelisk of the Monument to the Liberators on Freedom Square, surrounded by trees. The right panel depicts the Eternal Flame of the Brest Fortress against a backdrop of brick ruins, guarded by two Young Pioneers in red caps and ties (Post No. 1), with floral wreaths in the foreground.
Historical note
The Monument to the Liberators on Freedom Square was erected in 1965 to honor the soldiers of the 1st Belorussian Front who liberated Brest in July 1944. The Brest Fortress memorial complex, featuring the Eternal Flame, was officially opened on September 25, 1971. The youth honorary guard (Post No. 1) at the Eternal Flame was established in March 1972.
Present day
Both locations are well-preserved and continue to serve as major commemorative sites. The Eternal Flame inside the Brest Fortress is the focal point of memorial ceremonies, and the honorary Post No. 1 youth guard is still active today, making it one of the longest-running ceremonial school guards in the post-Soviet space.
Location (map)
Address: Brest Fortress-Hero Memorial Complex, Brest, Belarus
Coordinates: 52.082700, 23.655500
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: Coordinates of the Eternal Flame in the Brest Fortress-Hero Memorial Complex.
Questions and answers
- Which sites are depicted on this postcard? The postcard shows two prominent memorial sites in Brest: the Monument to the Liberators on Freedom Square (left) and the Eternal Flame in the Brest Fortress (right).
- Who is standing in the honorary guard at the Eternal Flame? Two Young Pioneers are standing guard; they are members of the youth Post No. 1, established at the Brest Fortress in March 1972.
- When were these memorial sites opened? The Monument to the Liberators on Freedom Square was erected in 1965, while the Brest Fortress memorial complex with the Eternal Flame was opened in September 1971.
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Brest from 1973.
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