Liberation of Kerch by 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Division, April 1944

October 3, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

Soviet soldiers of the 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Division remove Nazi signage in Kerch, Crimea, during the liberation of the city, April 1944.

WWII photo of soldiers of the 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Division removing Nazi signage at the Engels Club in Kerch, Crimea, April 1944, during the city’s liberation.

This World War II photograph shows soldiers of the 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Division of the Red Army removing a Nazi sign from the Engels Club in Kerch, Crimea, in April 1944. During the German occupation, the club had been used as a prison camp for over 1,000 Soviet POWs.

Kerch Liberation and the Red Army Advance
Following the retreat of German forces from the Taman Peninsula on October 31, 1943, Soviet troops began crossing the Kerch Strait to reclaim occupied territories in Crimea. The city of Kerch was ultimately liberated on April 11, 1944, as a result of a coordinated amphibious operation by the Red Army.

Symbol of Resistance and Liberation
The photograph captures a powerful moment of symbolic victory: Soviet soldiers tearing down the signage of the occupying forces, representing the liberation of the city and the end of brutal oppression. It also emphasizes the determination and courage of the Tamanskaya Division, which played a key role in the operation.

Technical photo data:
📍 Location: Kerch, Crimea, USSR
📅 Date: April 1944
📝 Event: Liberation of Kerch by the 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Division
📷 Author: Yevgeny Khaldei
📝 Source: dialog-pokoleniy.ru