Russian girl gives flowers to the Hero of the Soviet Union, Guards Colonel of the Red Army Anatoly Afanasyev.
Anatoly Afanasyev leads the consolidated company of the 63rd Guards Rifle Division, during the parade on the Palace Square of Leningrad.
Colonel of the Red Army Anatoly Afanasyev history
After the end of the Great Patriotic War, a number of formations of the former Leningrad Front were located in the Baltic States. The State Defense Committee decided to return the Leningrad Guards Rifle Corps from them to Leningrad, consisting of the 45th, 63rd and 64th Guards Rifle Divisions.
From near Liepaja through the Pskov region, the corps made a long march to Leningrad. The last rest and overnight stay for the corps – in Krasnoe Selo and Pulkovo.
On the morning of July 8 (Sunday) 1945, the guardsmen solemnly entered Leningrad: from the Narva Gate the 45th Infantry Division, the Moscow Gate – the 63rd Infantry Division, from the Volodarsky Bridge – the 64th Infantry Division. Leningraders joyfully greeted the victorious warriors with bread and salt, gifts and flowers.
Temporary wooden triumphal arches were erected along the way of the guardsmen. The troops marched along Nevsky Prospekt to Palace Square, where a solemn meeting was held, which was opened by the chairman of the Leningrad City Council, PS Popkov.
Then the troops under the command of the commander of the corps of the Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General A.F. Shcheglov marched in a solemn march. At the parade, the standard of the Leningrad Front was carried, with which its units participated in the Victory Parade in Moscow.
Combat aircraft flew over the city and Palace Square, led by twice Hero of the Soviet Union P.A.Pokryshev. After the parade, festivities and festive fireworks took place.
Source: V. Nikitin “Unknown blockade. Leningrad 1941-1944: Photo Album”.
Source of information about the photo: Anatoly Afanasyev “Leningrad met us”.
Location: Leningrad, USSR
Photo Time: July 8, 1945
Photo by: David Trachtenberg