Translated with AI
The victorious May of 1945 will forever be remembered in the history of the Soviet Union, which united 16 republics. Millions of Soviet people of several hundred nationalities united to break the neck of Hitler's fascism. They cleansed not only the USSR but also European countries of the brown plague. Nearly a million Soviet soldiers, including residents of Tajikistan, died a heroic death liberating these countries from fascism. The Great Patriotic War is a significant, truly fateful and historical date for the Tajik people.
There is no doubt, nor can there be the slightest doubt, that it was the Soviet Army, and with it the united Soviet people, that bore the brunt of the battle against Nazism, thereby making a decisive contribution to the defeat of the Third Reich. This fact has never caused any doubt among contemporaries, either in the countries of the anti-Hitler alliance or in defeated Germany.
300,000 residents of the country (which then had a population of 1.5 million) were drafted to serve in the Great Patriotic War. Of these, more than 90,000 Red Army soldiers and commanders, representing 34.5% of the total number of those drafted, did not return home, having given their lives.
During the Great Patriotic War, Tajikistan's workers also made an invaluable contribution to the defense fund. They contributed over one billion rubles! The Tajik SSR sent 1,015 tons of grain, 213 tons of meat, 2,014 tons of potatoes and vegetables, 458 tons of fruit, over 150 train cars of provisions, 532,000 sets of warm clothing, 123,800 sheepskins, 25,000 meters of fabric, and 993,400 kg of wool to the front.
In addition, industrial enterprises produced military clothing, ammunition, parachutes, etc. for the front. And 45,000 residents of Tajikistan were sent to factories in other regions of the USSR, from where many went to fight.
It should not be forgotten that during the war and after it, Tajikistan became a second home for residents of other republics evacuated from front-line zones.
Tajiks welcomed evacuees from besieged Leningrad, as well as Moscow, Kyiv, Minsk, and other settlements, particularly in the western regions of the Soviet Union. In total, Tajiks sheltered 100,000 people, including approximately 10,000 children! They found housing, food, clothing, and footwear for everyone.
In addition to civilians, wounded soldiers of all nationalities were evacuated to Tajikistan. By early 1942, nearly 30 evacuation hospitals had been established. The subtropical climate and the professionalism of the medical staff facilitated the rapid recovery of the soldiers and their return to the front.
The memory of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War is carefully preserved in villages and towns, with stories of Tajik heroism shared with the younger generation. Unfortunately, there has been a recent trend toward distorting history.
But on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory over fascism, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, set all the priorities very clearly: "We are proud that hundreds of thousands of Tajik envoys, the brave sons of Tajikistan, fought side by side with representatives of other nations and made a worthy contribution to ensuring victory."
54 residents of Tajikistan were awarded the highest title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and 15 became holders of the Order of Glory of three degrees!
For example, Pavlov's House has gone down in history as a symbol of the endurance and courage of Soviet soldiers during the Battle of Stalingrad. A group of soldiers led by Guards Sergeant Ya. F. Pavlov held the house in the city center for 58 days. Among the heroes was Akhmad Turdyev, a representative of the Tajik people, People's Commissar of Agriculture of the Tajik SSR, deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the first convocation, and Hero of the Soviet Union.
102,000 people were awarded the medal "For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945." About a thousand home front heroes received high government awards.
As of May 1, 2025, there are 17 Great Patriotic War veterans and 127 home front workers living in Tajikistan. The oldest veteran, Rashid Karimov from the city of Gissar, turned 112 in 2025. He claims to have been born on May 9, 1912.
