Discover a lesser-told story from Berlin’s history at this unique memorial to fallen Soviet soldiers, set in the lush grounds of the Tiergarten.
The Soviet Memorial in the Tiergarten is a silent, stony tribute commemorating the Red Army’s march into Berlin at the end of World War II. Learn about the events of the Battle of Berlin, a violent historic episode that contrasts with the peaceful forest setting of the Tiergarten.
This memorial was erected in late 1945. Although it was located in West Berlin, it was guarded by Soviet guards from East Berlin for the duration of the Cold War.
Take some time to survey the imposing monument, which features a huge curved stoa and a 26-foot (8-metre) bronze statue depicting a cloaked soldier with a rifle. Read inscriptions on the columns listing the name of Soviet soldiers who didn’t survive the Battle of Berlin. Nearby are two real T-34 tanks, believed to be the first two that entered the city during its capture. Behind the monument are about 2,500 unmarked graves.
Today, the Soviet Memorial is a tourist attraction as well as a site of pilgrimage for war veterans. Memorial services are held here every year on V-E Day. In the 2010s, the memorial attracted controversy as readers of a tabloid newspaper petitioned to have the tanks removed in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
While the casual visitor may not stumble upon many traces of Soviet history in the city, Berlin does, in fact, have three Soviet memorials, all of which were erected after the war. Head to the southeast of the city to view a much larger Soviet memorial in Treptower Park.
The Soviet Memorial in the Tiergarten is just behind the Brandenburg Gate, about a minute away on foot. While you’re in the area, you may also want to see the gilded Siegessäule (Victory Column), which occupies a spot in the middle of the Tiergarten. Buses run through the Tiergarten and the park is also crisscrossed with numerous cycling and walking paths. Find the Soviet War Memorial monument at the east end of the park near the Brandenburg Gate.
