Price: 1.50 euro
This pin is about the city of Krasnodon in the Ukraine. Shown on the pin is the monument “Heroes Of The Young Guard”.
Krasnodon was established in 1914 as the settlement of Sorokino. It soon became one of the centers of the coal mining industry of the Donbass region. By the Decision of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, on 28 October 1938 it was renamed to Krasnodon. The population of Krasnodol is about 44.000 (2019).
In 2016 the city was renamed Sorokyne as part of decommunization in Ukraine.
The Young Guard was an underground anti-fascist Komsomol organization. They were active during World War II, until January 1943.
They carried out several acts of sabotage and protest before being destroyed by German forces. Most members of the Young Guard, about 80 people, were tortured and then executed by the Germans.
The Germans knew about the existence of the underground and tried to discover its membership. Finally they succeeded in this, helped by treachery within the organization. Just 11 members managed to evade their pursuers.
All the arrested people were tortured. 71 of them, many of them still alive, were thrown into the 53 meter deep pit of Coal Mine Number 5 and some were shot. Just five days later, on 14 February 1943 Krasnodon was liberated by the Red Army.
After the war they recieved many tributes. Surviving members were highly decorated with medals, a book and film were made and many towns, settlements, streets of Soviet cities were also named after the organization and its members.
Even in St. Petersburg (former Leningrad) a monument was placed for the Young Guard.
What a story.
Ivan Turkenich leader of the Young Guard.
The Young Guard monument in Krasnodon nowadays.
Location of krasnodon in the Ukraine.
Coat of Arms of Krasnodon.
