Rare archival photograph from May 9, 1945, provided directly from the personal collection of Colonel P. G. Mzhachikh, commander of the 88th Guards Heavy Tank Regiment, at the Reichstag in Berlin.
Colonel P. G. Mzhachikh at the Captured Reichstag (May 9, 1945)
This profoundly moving historical photograph, taken on May 9, 1945 (Victory Day) by military correspondent Kuramshin, captures Guards Colonel Pyotr Grigoryevich Mzhachikh, commander of the 88th Separate Guards Heavy Tank Regiment, resting among the shattered stone architectural elements before the facade of the Reichstag in Berlin.
This particular image holds exceptional provenance, having been preserved in the personal collection of Colonel Mzhachikh and shared directly by the veteran commander decades after the war.
Commanding Heavy Armor in the Heart of Berlin
As the commanding officer of an elite breakthrough unit armed with powerful 122mm-armed IS-2 heavy tanks, Colonel Mzhachikh directed pivotal armored support during the Battle of Berlin:
- Assaulting the Government Quarter: On April 30, 1945, Mzhachikh's heavy tanks crossed the Spree River over the Moltke Bridge under intense fire, establishing direct-fire positions on the Kronprinzenufer embankment.
- Direct Fire on the Reichstag: Operating in close coordination with infantry assault groups of the 79th Rifle Corps, the 88th Guards Heavy Tank Regiment fired point-blank into enemy firing points and barricades embedded within the Reichstag.
- An Authentic Historic Record: Although the physical print and original negative bear the visible scratches and emulsion wear of time, the photograph remains an invaluable, unedited primary document of the final moments of World War II in Europe.
Preserving Veterans' Legacy
Personal archival records provided by commanders like Pyotr Grigoryevich Mzhachikh offer an irreplaceable human connection to the history of the Red Army's armored forces, standing as a lasting tribute to the crews who fought from the banks of the Vistula to the center of Berlin.
📍 Location: Reichstag, Berlin, Germany
📅 Date: May 9, 1945
📷 Photographer: Kuramshin (Military Press Corps)
📰 Primary Source: Personal Archive of Guards Colonel P. G. Mzhachikh
Recommended reading:
- Guards Colonel P. G. Mzhachikh: Biography and combat path in the Red Army Armored Forces
- The 88th Guards Heavy Tank Regiment: Direct-fire artillery tactics at Königsplatz
- Preserving WWII Photographic Negatives: Emulsion decay and archival restoration
- The Fall of Berlin (1945): Eyewitness accounts of commanders at the Reichstag