In addition to the head of the region, the opening ceremony was attended by the General Director of PJSC MMK Pavel Shilyaev, the head of Magnitogorsk Sergey Berdnikov, the deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Vitaly Bakhmetyev and other officials. According to Alexei Teksler, the stele will become a symbol of the labor heroism of Magnitogorsk residents during the war years and a reminder to the younger generation of the feat of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Pavel Shilyaev, General Director of PJSC MMK, in turn, noted the importance of preserving the historical memory of the heroic past of our country. “Labor and valor are the main words with which Magnitogorsk has been associated from the very first years of its existence. Last year, Magnitogorsk was awarded the official title "City of Labor Valor" by presidential decree. In fact, immediately after the presidential decree, the laying of the first stone at the base of the stele, designed to perpetuate this event, followed. Today, on the Day of Metallurgist, we are solemnly opening this monument. Let me congratulate all Magnitogorsk citizens, metallurgists, our honored guests on this outstanding event in the history of our hometown, "said Pavel Shilyaev. ... Earlier, at the suggestion of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a law on cities of labor valor was adopted, and on July 2, 2020, during a meeting of the Russian Pobeda Organizing Committee, a decision was made to award this title to 20 Russian cities, including Magnitogorsk. In these cities, memorial steles should be installed with the image of the city's coat of arms and the text of the presidential decree. Magnitogorsk became the first city out of 20 where such a stele was installed.

To determine the location of the commemorative stele in Magnitogorsk, a popular vote was organized in the city of metallurgists, the winner of which was the "Glory of Magnitka" square opposite the Drama Theater. A.S. Pushkin. In this park there is already a stele with the Soviet awards of Magnitogorsk - the Orders of Lenin and the Red Banner of Labor.

The composition of the stele, symbolizing the labor feat of Magnitogorsk, consists of seven parts and resembles shell fragments. At the same time, in the park "Glory of Magnitka", the city authorities not only installed a stele, but also landscaped the territory. To this end, using modern solutions, we performed zoning, equipped recreation areas, installed new lighting, mounted a dry fountain with music and lighting.

The honorary title "City of Labor Valor" is awarded to cities whose residents have shown labor heroism and dedication in the production of military and civilian products at industrial enterprises during the Great Patriotic War.

The labor feat of Magnitogorsk residents during the war made a huge contribution to the Victory over Nazi Germany. Every third shell and the armor of every second Soviet tank in 1941-1945 was made from steel from the Magnitogorsk Metallurgical Plant. But MMK produced not only armor steel. The new-lathe and new-mechanical workshops produced shells and aerial bombs. In the forging shop, blanks for shells and mines were stamped. In the electrical repair shop, they launched the production of hand grenades, in the by-product coke - incendiary bottles and explosives. Armored caps for pillboxes and tank towers were cast in a shaped-roll-steel casting. The woodworking plant of Magnitostroya made boxes for shells, the artels of the city industrial complex made anti-tank mines and horseshoes for the cavalry. Sewing workshops sewed uniforms. The consumer goods shops were transferred to the production of trench furnaces. This is how Magnitka selflessly “forged” Victory, becoming a reliable production base for the whole country.

Information and Public Relations Department of PJSC MMK

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