Soviet Female Traffic Controller in Defeated Berlin, May 1945

August 14, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

In the ruins of Berlin, just hours after the guns fell silent, a young Soviet woman in uniform stands proudly at her post. She is a traffic controller of the Red Army’s road troops, guiding the movement of vehicles in the heart of the defeated Nazi capital.

Soviet female traffic controller of the Red Army directing vehicles in central Berlin, May 1, 1945

The photograph captures a beautiful Soviet female soldier from the Red Army’s road service — a traffic controller, or regulirovshchitsa — performing her duty amidst the wreckage of Berlin on May 1, 1945. Her presence symbolizes both the discipline of the Soviet military machine and the dawning of a new order after the collapse of the Third Reich.

The work of traffic controllers was crucial during wartime operations, especially in the chaotic final days of the Battle of Berlin. They directed columns of vehicles, troop movements, and supply convoys through damaged streets, ensuring that military traffic flowed without delays despite destroyed infrastructure.

This particular moment, immortalized by Soviet war photographer Yevgeny Tikhonov, reflects the human side of victory — where a young woman in uniform stands in stark contrast to the shattered city around her.

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