Red Army troops storm the Reichstag under fire in May 1945 — a historic image of final victory and sacrifice.
Photo Details
Location: Berlin, Germany
Date: May 1945
Photographer: Ivan Shagin
Assault on the Reichstag
This iconic photograph captures a Soviet assault group from the Red Army advancing toward the heavily damaged Reichstag, the symbolic heart of Nazi power, in the final days of the Battle of Berlin.
Shrouded in smoke and debris, the soldiers press forward under continuous enemy fire, one of them proudly carrying the Red Banner — a symbol of inevitable Soviet victory. The gaping wounds in the Reichstag's facade testify to the ferocity of the battle.
Shot by legendary war photographer Ivan Shagin, the image immortalizes the climactic moment before Soviet troops would raise their flag atop the ruins, marking the fall of Hitler's regime.
Sources
Ivan Shagin, war photography archives
Recommended reading
- Battle of Berlin Soviet assault photos
- Storming Reichstag April 1945
- Red Army final offensive WWII