Arrival of the Victory Banner from Berlin at the Central Moscow Airfield on June 20, 1945, led by Captain Valentin Ivanovich Varennikov.
The Return of the Victory Banner
This historic photograph shows the Victory Banner arriving at the Central Moscow Airfield on June 20, 1945, after being transported from Berlin. The banner had been raised over the Reichstag during the final stages of the Battle of Berlin and became one of the principal symbols of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
Captain Valentin Varennikov
Leading the ceremonial column is Captain Valentin Ivanovich Varennikov. In the decades following the war, he rose through the ranks to become an Army General, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR, and was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.
From Berlin to Moscow
The transfer of the Victory Banner from Berlin to Moscow represented the formal conclusion of its wartime mission. Only a few weeks earlier, it had flown above the ruined Reichstag during the final assault on the German capital. Its arrival in Moscow preceded the Victory Parade held on Red Square on June 24, 1945, where the banner became one of the central ceremonial symbols.
Historical Significance
The photograph documents an important stage in the history of one of the most recognizable Soviet military symbols of the Second World War. Beyond recording the return of the banner itself, the image illustrates the transition from active military operations to the official commemorations that marked the end of the war in Europe.
Photo Details
- Location: Central Moscow Airfield, Moscow, USSR
- Date: June 20, 1945
- Photographer: Dmitry Chernov
Recommended Reading
- Victory Banner over the Reichstag
- Victory Parade in Moscow, June 24, 1945
- Battle of Berlin
- Valentin Ivanovich Varennikov