Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev’s 100 years: Kazakh Hero Who First Mounted the Victory Banner Over Reichstag
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated citizens on Defenders of the Fatherland Day on May 7 and Victory Day on May 9. This year, annual additional payments provided to war participants on Victory Day amounted three million tenge (US$6,761.11) for each veteran. The head of state underscored the increasing importance of a robust, combat-ready army amid rising geostrategic turbulence.
On this occasion, the Kazakh leader initiated the amendments to the Law on State Awards. The respective directive was set forth at the 3rd National Qurultay “Adal adam – Adal enbek – Adal tabys” (Fair person – Fair work – Fair income) on March 15. The amendments provide for naming the Aibyn Order degrees after prominent war heroes: Sagadat Nurmagambetov, Baurzhan Momyshuly and Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev.
This year marks the 79th anniversary of the Great Victory over fascism. From the first days of the war, the territory of Kazakhstan was a venue for the construction of barracks and military units. During the war, 1,200,000 soldiers were called up for the army out of 6,200,000 Kazakh people, in addition to 178,000 soldiers already serving in the Red Army, including men and women.
For exploits in the Great Patriotic War, 100,000 Kazakhs were awarded medals, orders, and titles. Overall, 500 people were awarded the titles of Hero of the Soviet Union, 110 were awarded the Order of Glory of three degrees. Apart from soldiers, who were killed during the battles, servicemen, who died from wounds and diseases, 630,000 people disappeared and did not return from captivity.
One of the war heroes we are proud of and remember is Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev, who, together with Red Army soldier Georgy Bulatov, hoisted the Victory Banner over the Reichstag on April 30, 1945. In his book “The Storm”, Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev recalls an infallible wave of bullets and fire while heading towards the main building of the German capital. He wrote a sign on a flag he placed at the height of the second floor - “674 regiment, 1 battalion, Lieutenant Koshkarbayev, and Red Army soldier Bulatov”. Soviet history did not recognize the exploits of these young and dedicated soldiers, whom the regiment command presented with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The title of heroes was awarded to the Russian Mikhail Egorov and the Georgian Meliton Kantaria, who also raised the flag over the Reichstag, but only after the German surrender – on May 1, 1945. The Soviet officer and commander Bauyrzhan Momyshuly got acquainted with documents on the placement of the Victory flag in the Moscow archives, interceded for Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev, but these efforts were unsuccessful. Kazakh statesman and writer Kakimzhan Kazybayev found documents proving the heroic fact of that time and published them in foreign agencies.
On May 1, 1945, American The New York Times published an article “The Soviet flag flies over the Reichstag.” The text ends with the words that “Soviet troops, having captured Berlin, raised their flag in the Reichstag yesterday.” It is the confirmation of the feat on April 30, 1945, when the flag appeared in the Reichstag, raised by Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev and Georgy Bulatov.
Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev was awarded the title ”Khalyk Khaharmany” (People's Hero) on May 7, 1999. Eight years later, the Institute of Military History of the Russian Ministry of Defense officially confirmed this historical fact. The corresponding document was handed over by candidate of historical sciences Bulat Asanov as a gift to the Central Museum of Kazakhstan.
Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev was born on October 19, 1924, in the village of Taitobe, near the Kazakh capital of Astana. He had to grow up early - his mother died when he was four years old, and his father was repressed in 1937. At the age of 20, after graduating with honors from the general infantry school in the Kyrgyz capital, he went to war, after which he was awarded the Order of Red Banner, the Great Patriotic War 1 and 2 degrees, medal “For the capture of Berlin”. Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev died in 1988, but his name will forever remain immortal.
Attache Adil Makeyev