Victory Park
The Memorial of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 stretch-es over an area of 20 hectares on the highest elevation of the Poklonnaya Hill in the Viñtory Park. This architectural ensemble built in 1983-1995 includes a museum, several sculptural monuments, an open-air display and a church.
This picture I took in Victory Park during the Moscow by Night Tour with my clients from Ireland. This sign looked very attractive, so I decided to take a shot without tripod... You can see here the order of Victory in the middle, between years, watches and name of Moscow city on Russian...
On the 9th of May, 2006, we celebrate the 61st anniversary of World War II. The fighting of WWII in Europe ended on May 2nd, 1945. The surrender of German troops was signed on May 4th and 5th but officially the war ended at midnight on May 8th 1945. To remember this important event, it was created a national holiday called the Victory Day which is celebrated on May 9th in Russia and other countries. We paid for this Victory an enormous cost - 27 million human lives. This is a poem for you to help you to understand why we became winners, the poem in which Russian soldier is asking his beloved to wait for him in spite of all the hardships:
Wait for me, and I'll come back!
Wait with all you've got!
Wait, when dreary yellow rains
Tell you, you should not.
Wait when snow is falling fast,
Wait when summer's hot,
Wait when yesterdays are past,
Others are forgot.
Wait, when from that far-off place,
Letters don't arrive.
Wait, when those with whom you wait
Doubt if I'm alive.
Wait for me, and I'll come back!
Wait in patience yet
When they tell you off by heart
That you should forget.
Even when my dearest ones
Say that I am lost,
Even when my friends give up,
Sit and count the cost,
Drink a glass of bitter wine
To the fallen friend -
Wait! And do not drink with them!
Wait until the end!
Wait for me and I'll come back,
Dodging every fate!
"What a bit of luck!" they'll say,
Those that would not wait.
They will never understand
How amidst the strife,
By your waiting for me, dear,
You had saved my life.
Only you and I will know
How you got me through.
Simply - you knew how to wait -
No one else but you.
In the February 1942.. "Pravda" (popular newspaper in USSR) published a lyric which immediately won the heart of our troops. It was "Wait for me". Soldiers cut it out of the paper, copied it out as they sat in the trenches, learned it by heart and sent it back in letters to wives and girlfriends; it was found in the breast pockets of the killed and wounded. In the history of Russia poetry if would be hard to find a poem which had such an impact on the people as "Wait for me". It made the soviet officer and Russian poet Konstantin Simonov, who wrote this poem to to Valentina Serova, - famous throughout the world.
Victory Day
,
Konstantin Simonov
,
Wait for me
Note: These Moscow Photos are to help you familiarize yourself with Moscow's Sightseeing and my services. The photos in my albums are protected by international copyright law. You may keep my photos in your personal albums or, you may use these images as personal wallpaper on your computer, but, they are not for distribution (commercial or non-profit). If you would like to buy a specific photo, feel free to make your request via E-mail. I do hope you enjoy my work as photographer. Many of these photos were taken during excursions with my clients. You can find my pictures in Internet under nickname "ArtLook" (short from Arthur Lookyanov) at the follow websites:
Moscow, Russia 
Contact Info: Arthur Lookyanov