Berlin's Hated WW2 Memorial

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The Soviet War Memorial stands in Berlin's Tiergarten, commemorating 5000 soldiers from the 1st Ukrainian and 1st Byelorussian Fronts killed capturing central Berlin, part of the wider 80,000 soldiers who died in the Berlin battle. Discover why it was built, what it represents, and why Berliners have had a difficult relationship with it since 1945.
Dr. Mark Felton FRHistS, FRSA is a well-known British historian, the author of 22 non-fiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books have formed the background to several TV and radio documentaries. More information about Mark can be found at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Fe...
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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
Credits: US National Archives; Library of Congress; astveten

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

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[@Mr_Fancypants]

No thank you.

[@stuartpenman6387]

you are getting better at the subtle anti-Russian propaganda , the M.O.D will be impressed

[@balabanasireti]

@@Mr_Fancypants No one cares

[@balabanasireti]

@@stuartpenman6387 Cry less, bot

[@stuartpenman6387]

@@balabanasireti LOL thanks for the laugh kid

[@Station7Jason]

I’ve spent the last 47 years studying WW2 and I can confidently say I still don’t know half as much as Dr. Felton, a true scholar.

[@projektkobra2247]

I as well....and if theres one thing Ive learned beyond all doubt, is that you can NEVER know all there is to know about WW2.

[@heyhoe168]

@@projektkobra2247 yes. Also WW2 in fact is a tiny faction of the XX century history.

[@timturple7880]

Check out Third Reich in ruins lads

[@sakabula2357]

@@timturple7880 on YT?

[@RaiderLeo69]

A gentleman and a scholar 🧐!!!

[@ricahrdb]

The 1990 treaty apparently also includes a provision that arranges for the protection of German war graves in Russia. This may explain the German governments reluctance to change anything about this memorial or any other former Soviet Union memorial. edit: changed "Russian memorial" to "Soviet Union memorial". Thanks Marat.

[@Caldera01]

Finally a resonable answer as to why this should remain. Has Russia upheld their end of the agreement?

[@jakekaywell5972]

@@Caldera01 To my knowledge, yes. An example is the Sologubovka Cemetery 43 miles southeast of St. Petersburg.

[@raysmalley4725]

Pretty simple, seems like it should have been part of Marks narrative.

[@91Redmist]

Now the whole thing makes sense to me. Reciprocity.

[@stefanstruger9949]

its also the right thing to do.

[@predragmanov6341]

Ukrainian, Belorussian etc. Fronts are just names. They consisted of people ethnicities and nationalities from all over USSR. It didnt mean that the soldiers from the Ukrainian front were only Ukrainian. Just in case if some people didn't know that, , which I highly doubt.

[@KLblk88]

So, did he say such a bullshit in his video?

[@Sisko526]

@@KLblk88 well this memorial is not hated so yeah the entire take is bullshit lol, most people here dont really know it exists because its the smallest one in the city and the one in treptower park is far more known and also a popular place to drink a beer enjoy the landscape or do some cardio training the one in the tiergarten is something rarely any one from berlin actually stumbles across because its a tourist area and apartments in the area are usually secondary homes to diplomats or rich people from all over the world

[@yam2050]

​@@Sisko526learned something new today.

[@sazero01]

это значило местоположение фронта, в смысле просто названия?

[@guldanjeraxus20]

​@@sazero01по его мнению солдаты армии Юг были коренными жителями Мюнхена)

[@jasonkinzie8835]

When I was in Berlin in 2011 I got lost and happened upon this memorial. It was surreal!

[@seanmcmanus2777]

Same

[@perspectiveflip]

We have much more where that came from

[@36erjunge]

bro how can u get lost its right next to Brandenburg gate xdd also east germany has a socialist history, you find such memorials in every town.

[@bilboriches7216]

The tomb of the unnamed grapist. Sounds about right.

[@edguse5711]

@@bilboriches7216there is some grape juice for you too

[@darkguard2986]

I think the T34/76 are veterans of the Battle of Berlin. One of the two tanks received two armor-piercing hits next to the bow machine gun and a presumed one hit by a Panzerfaust on the turret.

[@richardc-ex7rt]

I can’t remember seeing damage when I visited the big memorial just down from the Brandenburg gate. Did they repair them?

[@leemichael2154]

Presumably by a teenage boy who had grown up knowing nothing but the Nazi's bullshit

[@darkguard2986]

@@richardc-ex7rt It's the tank on the left, turret number 200. I don't think the damage has been repaired.

[@geemanbmw]

I wouldn't repair it, it would take away the authenticity.

[@wadejustanamerican1201]

Thanks for the information!

[@nikolaysokolnikov2677]

I don't think saying that the Ukranian Front consisted of ukranians is exactly accurate. Soviet fronts were mainly named after the locations where they were originally formed, not the ethnicity of its soldiers. So it was formed not only from the conscripts of Ukraine (which was only like a half ethnically ukranian at the time) but also from old allready formed and reformed divisions that happend to be there at the time.

[@Random-me6br]

Yeah, my great grandfather was mobilized from Central Asia and his division was part of 2 Ukrainian Front.

[@kirillsushkov1511]

Sadly nobody cares. For example, there is 4 ukranian fronts, but no Russian, however most soldiers in Red Army were ethnicly Russians.

[@dvchel]

Very true. There were special Red Army Battallions and Regiments etc. that were mainly about 80-100% composed of certain ethnic groups, such as Azeri's, Jews, Latvians, Yakutsk etc. The Fronts were composed of everything, of all Soviet nationalities and even continental Europe, like a French air brigade.

[@somebuddy8940]

I am pretty sure the production group knew about it, but these days they give you information like that. German WW2 "media manager" would be proud of it.

[@0bserver416]

Exactly, there were Belarusian Front also. This doesn't it was consisted mainly from ethnic Belarusians. The name was based on the location it based and fought further. But somehow these days, they try to twist the history.

[@strateg1]

The site for this memorial was not chosen randomly, as it was meant to be the main reference point from where all roads would start their path across the Third Reich, similar to the Column in Rome in the Forum, which designated the end/starting point of all roads in the Roman Empire. It's been a while since I read the memoirs of Albert Speer " Inside the Third Reich", where he describes in detail. I recommend this book to everyone who is interested in this topic. Overall, there are 3 Soviet Memorials with soldier burials in Berlin. This one in Tiergarten, another one in Treptower Park (The largest one), and in Pankow.

[@davidr7872]

Read Albert Speer with caution. The two books, including his autobiography are self serving and not fully truthful. He most definitely knew of the death camps and the fate of European Jews and was responsible for the deaths of slave laborers in his factories. He deserved the death penalty at Nuremberg as much as anyone who received it.

[@Wilhelm322]

The Memorial was mostly Chosen Because the Fact that where it now stands used to stand Berlin’s most important Street the Siegesalle. The Siegesalle was a road in a Park which Honoured important Historical German Figures like Immanuel Kant, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Beethoven, Johan Sebastian Bach, Wilhelm I, Frederick the Great, Wilhelm II, Otto Von Bismarck etc. The Siegesalle and the Park it stood in was Burned down in the Bombing Raids over Berlin but the Statues luckily survived the Bombings, Though when the Soviets took Berlin they Destroyed the Siegesalle severally Damaging many of the Statues and nearly completely Destroying others, the Soviets then Erected the Tomb of the Unknown Rapist on the Place where the Siegesalle once lay, the Siegesalle stretched all the Way to Siegessäule and the Reichstag now there is a Road that runs exactly where the Siegesalle once lay. The Soviets placed the Memorial there to stop the Germans from ever rebuilding the Siegesalle.

[@mikejames5743]

all should be pissed on and defaced with appropriate graffiti lmao

[@Wilhelm322]

@@mikejames5743 Agreed

[@predragkardashian3730]

​@@Wilhelm322 guess every nation has their "unknown rapist"...

[@memesouls8653]

I love how since the very beginning when this channel was up and coming this man has not changed his format. I like it when KZbinrs stick to what made them popular instead of trying to conform to trends and what not.

[@chrispbacon4701]

He's not popular, he's paid and has a specific function- to continously go on about muh ebil nazis while conveniently skipping over the savage and hellish conditions of people in communist countries, effectively whitewashing over 100 years of slavery and torture for hundreds of millions, but no just look at this small minority whose reports cant even be corroborated or proven and many came out and said they were lying in the first place- people will start to ask questions and Mark Felton will be deployed to tell people what to think. Fun fact- A group people who were supposedly rounded up, killed with cockroach poison and thrown into continuously burning ovens that don't break down with constant fuelling while the perpatrators fight a war on two fronts and somehow able to keep furnaces running, planes fuelled, ships topped up and the country running with a magical infinite fuel supply, and deciding not to use the tonnes of sarin gas (of which a single drop can kill 10 men in the room), or starving them to death because their leader one day woke up and decided he wanted to kill them for no reason whatsoever and make lampshades out of their skin and discombobulate them with electric floors submerged in water

[@ccf3294]

It hard to change perfection I guess

[@adamdodda3275]

cough cough oversimplified

[@HelalMoon235]

​@@adamdodda3275 coughing? You shall be taxed

[@johngdoty]

I was in Berlin right after the wall went down. Streets were being renamed and the telephone exchanges between East and West Berlin were still being connected. The main thing I noticed about the memorial was that it was just about the only thing that had not been spray painted with graffiti. There was so much graffiti, it looked as though some paint company had handed out thousands of cans of spray paint to everybody and told them to spray the city. The memorial was graffiti free.

[@fasces_stronksticks2939]

what a shame

[@cloroxbleach9222]

@@fasces_stronksticks2939 Just saying the Nazi German government pillaged and destroyed the Soviet states greater than the Soviets ever did to the Germans. Not saying it's a competition but to be fair it's either both sides deserve their memorials to be vandalized or we treat all memorials with respect.

[@ZarTomato]

thats a w

[@dougler500]

Probably out of the fear of Stasi bookmarking.

[@atransarcticfox]

@@dougler500 The Stasi literally didn't exist at that point, the GDR was defunct.

[@NOLAgenX]

I spent my teenage years in then West Berlin in the first half of the 80’s, as my father was in the USAF. It was possible to visit East Berlin as part of controlled groups, and one of the places was the large Soviet War Memorial that lies in the eastern part of current Berlin (am Treptower IIRC). So there are two Soviet War memorials that existed in Berlin in whole. There were also Soviet armed troops at Spandau Prison 3 months a year in West Berlin, since the 4 Allied powers rotated who guarded it. Additionally unarmed Soviets were occasionally seen in West Berlin as well. Legal spying. It applied to us also. It was called the Military Liaison Mission (MLM) and one of the members, Major Arthur Nicholson was shot and killed in East Germany. He lived just around the corner from me.

[@AN-nt3uv]

And still exist today, these days guarded by police to avoid any conflicts due to Russia‘s invasion into Ukraine. Still, one should not forget, that many who fought were from all former Soviet States, not Russia alone. But Russia tries to negate that.

[@AbuHajarAlBugatti]

@@AN-nt3uv instead our german monuments ripped teared down. Including the giant Kaiser Wilhelm Statue at the Cologne Rhine bridge is also coming down. Our own history is deleted

[@redred222]

@@AN-nt3uv it should be taken down for what russia did during the cold war and what they are doing now

[@ousarlxsfjsbvbg8588]

Was Nicholson killed for spying?

[@redred222]

@Stefanos Dimop the usa is the reason the soviets didnt take over the world while the rest of you was scared of the country we where willing to wipe the whole dictatorship off the planet, remember without the usa Europe would have either fallen to the germans or the soviet union

[@kentrosaurusboi3909]

Fun (or really not so fun) Fact: The location of the memorial is deliberate, it was built on the route of the former Siegesallee where the statues of German medieval and (modern) kings, rulers, and the like were built, going from the Tiergarten to the Konigsplatz in front of the Reichstag. With the monument in place, it was then impossible to rebuild the pathway.

[@HerrKendys_Kulturkanal]

Sucks..we should tear it down

[@Sargassian]

@@HerrKendys_Kulturkanal renting a large bulldozer should do the trick

[@greenbeepm]

Lmao, thats pretty funny. they did a tad bit of trolling with the architecture I suppose.

[@kentrosaurusboi3909]

@@quintisalive That definitely works, but if I had it as interesting, it would no longer carry the opinion possessed on the "obstruction" on what was Siegesallee. By including the phrase "not so fun", it clears up how I personally feel without me having to explicitly say it in the comment.

[@mr.crowgamer6250]

@@HerrKendys_Kulturkanal lol it’s still there you must be sad

[@d.d.5633]

I can’t thank you enough for not cropping the vintage video that you use in your content. I hate it when people do that.

[@kovesp1]

It should be mentioned that pre-unification there was nothing extraordinary in having Soviet soldiers in the British sector. The four power agreement stipulated that all had the right to this as well as running patrols through the other sectors. Around 1986 I saw American patrols driving through East Berlin as well as Soviet patrols in West. They all insisted on exercising this right upto the end of the occupation in the early 1990-s.

[@Narrowgaugefilms]

True: My uncle (Former USMC, WW2, Pacific) was visiting West Berlin pre-unification and a young woman saw the Marine Corps insignia on his cane. She was from the Soviet Army and she sat down next to him. They had a long, friendly talk about their respective military services.

[@3DArchery]

Those were not patrols. They were observers. The treaty you mentioned was not just for Berlin, but West Germany as well. When training at Graf and Hoenfels and such, we would see them from time to time. They had special license plates, that we had to learn.

[@kovesp1]

@@3DArchery What is the difference between 'patrol' and 'observer' in this context? I see them as synonyms.

[@chadwick8193]

I had this old teacher that was a retired Air Force Major, IIRC. He was stationed in West Germany, and I remember him saying that soldiers would still salute officers from the west, and vice versa.

[@damonmosier3651]

@@kovesp1 a patrol implies policing authority whereas an observer is not allowed to assert any authority. They are merely there to check in on the other side to make sure there are no shenanigans.

[@attilavidacs24]

Gallipoli in Turkey also has an Australian war memorial for when the Aussies landed in Gallipoli during WW1. There is a memorial service on ANAZAC day every year in Turkey that has now been going for over 100 years. The Turkish president Erdogan hates it and outright denounced it on camera.

[@39mdg92]

He's just a total bastard that wants to destroy every last bit of Attatürks legacy

[@rjames3981]

Amazing to think that UK PM Boris Johnson’s great grandfather Kemal Ali was a top politician and journalist who knew some of the Turkish commanders involved in defeating Winston Churchill’s plan.

[@chickensprint]

@@rjames3981 His name is supposed to be Boris Kemal

[@Alex462047]

Fortunately Ataturk was a much better statesman than Erdogan.

[@Yanate1991]

@Hold Fast good

[@basyapupkin3444]

1:33 "Thousand of ukranians from Ukranian Front" XD Let's not forget about thousands of Southernians from Southern Front and Normans from Northern Front. Also there were a lot of Stalingradians and Leningradians from corresponding fronts. Thank god for all Secondanians from Second Front.

[@Dr.Fiendish]

Just imagine how beautiful Berlin would be today if it were not for the war.

[@HSE331]

You can imagine how amazing Europe would be without both Brother Wars!

[@TUBESPECIFIC1]

I know. That's what I thought the whole week I spent there about 10 years ago. Frankfurt was another city heavily bombed out. I was stationed near Frankfurt in the 1990's with the US Army often going on Saturdays. The front of the Frankfurt main railway station survived which is Atlas holding the world. Frankfurt and Berlin were two of the grandest classical stone cities. Still really cool cities, but were ruined. The museums in Berlin were heavily bombed, but finally restored in the early 2000's though much of what used to be there is gone forever blowed to smithereens. You can see the fresh war damage on the Nefertiti head in Berlin like on it's right ear.

[@Mana-xd2tp]

Königsberg would still be a beautiful, thriving German city.

[@jpip1382]

@@HSE331exactly, how different would Europe be without two world wars?

[@bassmaster1231]

It would be beautiful no doubt but it also make you wonder? Would the EU exist would, would you still be able to freely travel Europe like today? Would France and Germany still be duking it out from time to time? Who knows!

[@TheLoxxxton]

I'm always amazed at how alliances change depending on the circumstances

[@redred222]

we never should have helped russia during the war we should have let germany and russia destroy each other

[@jerryjeromehawkins1712]

exactly. the Soviets talking about "Fascist Invaders" is the ultimate in hypocrisy seeing as how they along with Germany invaded Poland in 1939.

[@JoseFernandez-qt8hm]

it is called the "stately quadrille"...

[@RonanTOC]

The enemy of my enemy is my friend; as they say

[@Sh4d891]

Very cringe If you ask me

[@3DArchery]

Visited this while in the US Army in 1983 with the 509th Airborne. The Russians refused to change guards while we were there. Our guide had the buses leave and hide around the corner and once they started the changing, we rushed back and got to see it.

[@sgtmayhem7567]

I was with the 3/325 82nd Airborne in 1983, the 509th became the 4/325 and they rotated battalions. Thank you for your service brother.

[@jackthorton10]

Thank ya’ll for your service

[@waterheaterservices]

Comrade Poltburist Sanders would have loved that

[@DinoPimp]

That's what we call a pro gamer move. Also, I love your videos. You inspired me to get a recurve, and I've been shooting the heck out of it. I enjoy it more than my firearms.

[@3DArchery]

@@sgtmayhem7567 I was there when It switched from the 1/509th to the 4/325.

[@nev707]

The remains of Germans found in Russia today are placed in war cemeteries without incident in Russia. There is also a large memorial in Russia listing the names of Germans killed in and around Stalingrad. Best for both sides to respect each others war dead from that war.

[@user-xz8id3ob8x]

Погибших нацистов ты призываешь уважать?

[@TomOkkaTom]

I live in Berlin and I have never heard it called that until it spread in the last few weeks.

[@DimHoff]

It never was. Felton just playing in mainstream game.

[@TomOkkaTom]

@@DimHoff Well things change. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone knew it by this name in 10 years or so.

[@DimHoff]

@@TomOkkaTom nah. That toponyms are very long-timers. 10 years is a very small period

[@studiojakubka4753]

Ukrainien front was not composed by Ukrainians. It was called that for geographical reason but Mark knows it very well.

[@somebuddy8940]

Mark also knows, that million of raped German women is a propaganda myth too. Pecunia non olet.

[@jorgejustin461]

It mostly was, because most of the army aged men available right there where Ukrainian.

[@studiojakubka4753]

@@jorgejustin461 wow, this is BS not supported by any facts.

[@UHKBU3UTOP3]

@@jorgejustin461 you are not right. There were a lot of other nationalities. It's hard to explain to someone who doesn't live here, but the names of the fronts were chosen geographically.

[@sielentbrat4005]

Ukrainians were 2nd biggest nation in USSR, 28M people, 17% of all soviet population in 1939. And you say "was not composed by Ukrainians"? Yeah, I know, acording to modern official russian position, only russians defeted Reich. But leave that "position" for russian state TV, ok?

[@colonial6452]

When I was the management officer at the US Embassy Office in Berlin during the early 1990s, I had a chance to climb into a manhole in the Tiergarten and descend into both the autobahn and railway tunnels that are located under this monument. The Berlin city engineers were engaged on a program to rediscover the "lost" tunnels and bunkers under the city. It was an amazing experience.

[@iamthelazerviking23]

Having spent a lot of time in Berlin, this fascinates me on such a crazy level. Thank you for sharing!

[@NarraJoker12]

Suposedly, the two T-34 tanks were the first ones to enter Berlin (according to the tourist information displayed at the memorial)

[@Scherzkeks123]

yeah sure, as if those survived :-)

[@weisthor0815]

nonsense

[@romanicempirium3083]

there is also a story about how when the brave hyper muscled and chiseled red army soldiers entered the city they were met by a horde of pale sickly german super duper nazis who were beaten to death by the red army saviours bare hands,after which of course tens of thousands of blonde maidens cheered and greeted their liberators!

[@MONTANI12]

statement is sorta true, like most soviet tanks they were simply repaired and given to new crews, and of course countinusly rebuilt.@@Scherzkeks123

[@TSD4027]

That seems doubtful. There were very few T-34/76 left by the end of the war. The early T-34s were thoroughly obsolete by that point and its unlikely they would have been leading any charge.

[@alan2mcgee441]

I was living in Berlin for over 5 years with German girlfriend and nobody complained about the soviet monuments at all

[@wolfstahl728]

Should have

[@theodorekell]

@@wolfstahl728 no.

[@wolfstahl728]

@@theodorekell yes

[@romanicempirium3083]

I wonder why....

[@ShankarSivarajan]

It's probably illegal to.

[@ssnydess6787]

I flew Air Force cadets into Tegal (French airport) in Berlin in the mid eighties while the wall was still up and visited this memorial as well as the massive grave for the 5000 soviet casualties and the tomb of the unknown patriot. You should show these as well for historical perspective. Even in the eighties, the comparison between East and Western Berlin was stark with battle damage still prominent in the Soviet sector.

[@contingency9]

Correction, the unknown rapist. I've been there too. Whatever Russia touches turns to rumble and misery.

[@Acme1970]

I got that same impression too, the neighborhoods looked kinda run down and the some of the children had that street urchin look about them, one of them showed a little too much interest in my brothers camera and i had to warn him that the kid may try to grab it.

[@bluetrue6062]

I was in East Berlin January 1978. Yes, in East Berlin there was still battle damage visible. I was 300 meters or so from Hitler's bunker but could not see it. I would have been apprehended if I tried.

[@chetpomeroy1399]

@@bluetrue6062 Back in those days, I believe the _Fuhrerbunker_ was located in the Death Strip buried beneath a tall grassy knoll.

[@BigBodyBiggolo]

The difference between east and west was still apparent when i was there in 2010. Not as visible but there were far more deteriorated buildings and children playing in them during schooldays

[@VAMO_-tn9yv]

You can compare this monument with a Nazi war memorial. Both the Soviets and the Nazis were horrible. It would be better to turn that monument into a monument to all victims (civil and military) of the battle of berlin.

[@v1e1r1g1e1]

You've no idea how much the Hungarians hate the WWII memorial monument the Communists put up in Budapest.

[@fortunatoazzara]

By the way, Berlin was hit so hard by the war that it still has a lower population than it had in 1942.

[@skylercook1812]

was it the war, or was it the culling of people that lowered their population? lmao you make it seem like 35% of berlin wasnt removed by their own policies

[@devourous4622]

Yeah and Russia struggled for whole century because we aint had enough menpower for producing food and goods. People were dying from sicknesses and hunger, whole country was drank alcohol to numb the pain, many children were left without parents, many people became thieves and bandits to feed themselves and their kids and this hell lasted till 2000. This war took over 27 million lives of soviet people

[@hell_yeah0173]

And who's fault would that be? Oh I don't know, perhaps a man with a silly mustache and the entirety of Germany but that's just me.

[@endovelicvs]

@@hell_yeah0173 its allies fault

[@fortunatoazzara]

@@hell_yeah0173 i Just pointed out a fact, the bombings were justified

[@MVProfits]

I'm certainly not pro-Soviet by any stretch, but it's a rare decent thing that the memorial has been preserved (probably so the German memorials in Russia/ex-Soviet republics are too, but still). What always boggles my mind though, is seeing all the cities in complete ruins at the end of WW2 all fully rebuilt, and now with 2022 technology the tiniest of maintenance work take forever

[@visionist7]

They were rebuilt as cheaply as possible and decades later are ugly, architecturally irrelevant carbuncles which nobody would lament if they were destroyed in another war

[@SigurdGR]

@@visionist7 Unfortunately true.

[@shingshongshamalama]

The maintenance takes forever because taxes are being wasted on corporate subsidies instead of public works.

[@marco0445]

@@shingshongshamalama Hehe Andi Scheuer

[@astramilitarum876]

It took more then 6 years just to clear debries from the streets of my city. My grandfather said that they were helping workers removing those broken bricks after school for several years.

[@roccozocco9630]

A Memorial, as the name suggests, is there to remember the things of the past. It's not there to like them. If you remove the memorial, you remove the memory and with it the lessons of the past. In light of recent events one might argue if it is worth to remember soviet fallen Soldiers and the answer to that is yes. Why? Because the only thing we can draw from the past is a lesson. If we choose to forget then they truely died in vain.

[@larsord9139]

@roccozocco9630 So true , just look at all the Civil War memorials here in the US that have been torn down because of so called counter culture. History is history and it's purpose is to try and remind us to not repeat our past FU's. Notice the word "try". We may to try but we don't seem to do very well at it. Example: Many of our so called leaders seem to have no understanding of the history of the 1st half of the 20th century. And, because of that, we are doomed to repeat it.

[@brucenorman8904]

A few years ago I read about what was done in one former Warsaw Pact country. The took all the memorials commenoratio9n the USSR or Soviet Generals and placed all of them in a history park. However the memorials to the soviet Frontline soldiers were left alone and are maintained and honored.

[@mgonetwo]

Nice words!

[@Dfoskdty]

It's more than that, and you know it. it's a sign of dominance over the German people, a statue to remind them the fact their country was invaded and destroyed and the powers that did that can do it again. Imagine if the British conquered America and left it in ruins and then placed a statue of George the Third in Washington. This is basically that.

[@mgonetwo]

​@@Dfoskdty Soviets lived through horrors to stop the Nazis who claimed they are better than anybody and thus have the right to exterminate Slavs, Jews, and others. The monument is placed there saying "who the f are you?". Germans are not the first to come to Russia with a conquering mindset, yet they are the only ones coming not for the land, but for the fact of existence. Hence the result.

[@alvaropulido5245]

Dr. F is a real one! I’ve learnt so much mane its help me with the history part of my GED test. Keep up the good work sir

[@holgere.]

When I lived in Berlin I also heard talk that building material from Goering's demolished residence 'Karinhall', outside of Berlin was used for the memorial.

[@drschnaps8081]

I heard they used also materials from the New Kanzlerei

[@steffenrosmus9177]

Yep, parts of castle "Lüg ins Land" were used.

[@awr7169]

@@drschnaps8081 And parts of it were used for a subway ( U-Bahn) station.

[@drschnaps8081]

@@awr7169 yep you are right!! I saw the û-Bahn station

[@a3b36a04]

Interestingly it feels totally different from Russian Soviet war memorials except for surplus military equipment placed there. It's concept, shape and writings are like from different culture.

[@Graymenn]

like maybe a german culture?

[@fernandomarques5166]

Probably a conscious choice by the architect after taking reference from what was still around in the site's surroundings. We'll often do that, try and match architectural styles so a project doesnt feel like "it has been dropped by parachute" (aka sticking out like sore thumb).

[@Sgt_ioiwsl]

Mark himself said it was inspired by greece

[@sodinc]

Interesting. For me it looks like a pretty normal soviet memorial. One of the bigger ones

[@azgarogly]

@@fernandomarques5166 There is very much common between nazi Germany, Italian fascist and soviet monumental architecture. These are growing from the same roots culturally and are directed by similar ideology. All of them are gravitating to demonstration on strength, sturdiness, energy and heroic sacrifice. All of them are aesthetically based on antique elements reinterpreted by modern art of 1900-20s.

[@henningbartels6245]

The "Hated" in the titel is more like clickbaiting than anything else.

[@beefchops1400]

Memorials are a reminder of past atrocious mistakes and must remain as to make sure it never happens again for future generations knowledge!

[@ragingcamper3967]

Bot

[@natedowell1262]

@@ragingcamper3967 huh

[@decanus8831]

A memorial for rapists

[@olgerdtmagpier5527]

In Soviet terms "Ukrainian front" doesnt stands for Ukrainian fighters, it means "front, located on Ukraine"

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

4.5 million Ukrainians served in the four Ukrainian Fronts, the 1st fighting in the Battle of Berlin. In fact, in 1944, 40% of the Red Army were Ukrainians!

[@olgerdtmagpier5527]

@@MarkFeltonProductions Thats not exactly true. Eastern and southern part of modern Ukraine are vastly populated by ethnic Russians, speaking Russian language. Its obvious by Russian surnames. Even fighters of Ukrainian Armed Forces now in large numbers are ethnic Russians. Soviet Union tolerated all its nations and that wasnt a problem. By the way "Belorussian front" doesnt mean "front for belorussian fighters" also. It was just geographic location.

[@egorsedov3773]

@@MarkFeltonProductions Thats why it is called red army or soviet army and not russian army. Second major ethics in USSR's population there Ukranians, therefore it is logical that in the army they would also make quite a big chunk. However , as previous comentator mentioned, there are some blurred lines between actually defining ones nationality. Especially back then it was as hard to differentiate a Ukranian from Russian as differentiating an Austrian and German.

[@gozzy_gozzy4447]

@@olgerdtmagpier5527 Ethnic or non ethnic Russians. Looks more like the front was formed by people mostly living in Ukraine. same would be of a Belarusian front.

[@olgerdtmagpier5527]

@@gozzy_gozzy4447 USSR was a solid state and Red Army was filled by all nationalities of the Union in direct proportion. Thats why there were Russians, Ukrainians, Belaruses, Jews, Kazakhs, Yakuts, Adygs, Chechens, Tartars and many many others despite on which front they fought.

[@zobby2000]

Whether it’s true or not it’s an interesting story. My father served in the grenadier guards during his national service in 1953-54 and was stationed in Berlin. The story went that these two tanks were involved in the battle for Berlin and were knocked out and the crew killed. He claimed that the Russians filled both tanks with concrete with the crew interred in them before placing them on this memorial. I could imagine it’s true but have no evidence. Good story/ myth though.

[@simunooi5306]

I'd imagine the Soviets would have used the T34 85mm version that late in the war instead of the 76mm displayed.

[@w.p.958]

Probably would be worth investigating with ultrasound or some sort of imaging equipment. If anything, to prove it is rumor or truth.

[@_gungrave_6802]

@Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin Whether the concrete inside would crack or not is a tad irrelevant given the intended use of the tanks being turned into parts of a memorial.

[@pffpffovich2398]

@@simunooi5306 Well what's the point of keeping 34\76's in storage? They used everything that's old enough to be somewhat effective.

[@BoostedPastime]

Considering that many bodies were built into dams and walls as well as under rail road tracks this is not surprising.

[@PL-rf4hy]

If this doesn’t show us that history is complicated, I don’t know what does.

[@erichstocker4173]

Soviets did something similar in Vienna. The Austrians spent recently spent over a million euros to redo the monument. It maintenance was written into the State treaty giving Austria its independence in 1955.

[@Hereward47]

Insane

[@mgonetwo]

@@Hereward47 insane? Are you nuts?

[@iqmi_3]

​@@Hereward47Those people who are depicted in the monument saved Europe from nazism

[@lightcompanion9696]

​@@Hereward47 wtf. Why insane?

[@Nico-iv3wr]

I was visiting Vienna and I randomly ended up at this monument. It was truly fascinating. Also it had a Ukraine flag on the background, as it was 2022 when I visited it

[@slavvodkaman9359]

Hi Mark, I like your History channel, Your explanation is detailed and good

[@whoaitstiger]

I could not help but read this in Tommy Wiseau's voice. 🤦

[@liamcomam2787]

Don’t ask mark to talk about rape of Berlin or bombing of Dresden or any even which makes the Germans look like victims.

[@pasteurmagnumwhitpotatos180]

@@liamcomam2787 neat

[@whoaitstiger]

@@Administrator_O-5 TV channels still exist? 😲

[@jessecabassa]

@@liamcomam2787 as they say, "war is hell". A lot of tragedies that are not brought up enough.

[@tomduggan51]

Mark, Thanks very much for this interesting and informative feature. I live in Berlin myself and have visited the Memorial on several occasions. I too find it well-kept and very interesting-as is its companion memorial at Treptower Park. Compliments on your channel and work.

[@alanlashbrook6442]

I think it should have the materials they stole from the German People restored to their original form. Too bad more people weren't buried there. We fought the wrong side.

[@danielw5850]

It should've been moved, stone-by-stone, to Treptower Park, as part of the 1990 agreement.

[@richardkroll2269]

Just visited it via Google Earth. Very impressive. Thanks

[@molon___labe]

As a young German man who lived near this memorial I think it's a disgrace to our people. A spit in the face to my ancestors who fought valiantly and died for Germany!

[@HungryLoki]

@@molon___labe Not really. The only thing that detracts from it is the Soviet Solder's penchant for rape and murder, but let's be real, the average german soldier back then was not that much better than the average soviet soldier.

[@derekgibson6191]

With every video I learn something new. They are very informative.

[@villegas24]

I lived in Berlin for a long time and there was no trace of hate directed towards this memorial. Any alleged hate is purely at the online keyboard warrior level.

[@anonymous-hz2un]

What direct hate do you expect exactly? The thing is under surveilance 24/7. Think, Ivan, think! 👉😬👈

[@villegas24]

@@anonymous-hz2un your name is Ivan? In that case , yes, try to think before commenting something so stupid.

[@anonymous-hz2un]

@@villegas24 what a sad attempt for a comeback. You aren't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, are you? 😂😂

[@wilhelmvillagracia9670]

Dr. Mark Felton, the man, the historian and the legend is back...to grace us with another history lesson.

[@kbanghart]

And we all know that I am the better historian

[@wilhelmvillagracia9670]

@@kbanghart lol 😆 😂 🤣

[@hector7187]

Thanks Mrs felton😅😅

[@gw7477]

Georgi Zhukov was right in 1945: "we liberated [Europe,] and they will never forgive us for this."

[@kpl455]

"liberated" yeah sure

[@jakekaywell5972]

@@kpl455 Yes, liberated. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

[@kpl455]

@@jakekaywell5972 I guess eastern Europe thinks differently about this

[@jakekaywell5972]

@@kpl455 Literally my whole family is from the Hungarian People's Republic and some lived during that time. Liberated is definitely the right word here.

[@corneliusmallard8132]

@@jakekaywell5972 Yea, right. I'm sure the innumerable scores who fled or died trying to flee from life behind the iron curtain would certainly have something to say about that.

[@heavierthanairfilms]

There remains a smaller but quite similar Soviet war memorial in Dresden, walking distance from the Bundeswehr Museum.

[@franzferdinand5810]

Hi Dr. Felton. Could you do a video on the memorial at Treptower Park. I visited a few times and keep being awestruck to find it in the middle of Berlin. Such a surreal site it is!

[@guyfaux5010]

I LOVE Berlin. My favorite city in all of Germany. Especially former East Berlin. It's like a time capsule. Plus, the world famous museum island is in the east. Hell, all of the former DDR is filled with historical treasures of Germany's rich history. Leipzig, Weimar, Dresden and Eisenach, just to name a few. There is so much more to Germany than World War 2 and the Cold War. You should travel there and see for yourself.

[@woodenseagull1899]

It's contaminated with evil....Germany is not for me. Too much of the "Dark side ". Dr Felton you are at the top of your game. You must ' live ' in the Archives.? Exceptional reaserch; I do wonder if you feel an unease when you visit?

[@willkrueger3857]

@@woodenseagull1899 Are you Jewish?

[@kievbutcher]

@@woodenseagull1899 mate it's been nearly a century, the country's moved on.

[@ronluckenbach9492]

did..and I agree..after the fall of the wall.. many East Germans missed their every day ‘things’ ..their pickles etc..lol and amazingly their simple and austere live style

[@hanswurst2110]

@@woodenseagull1899 being born in berlin: you will spend a tough time finding a more hospital and welcoming place than berlin. As a local I'm extremely annoyed by the place, but seriously.. No evil here. And it's quiet cheap. (Find a place where you get a beer for around 30 ct.) Atleast Berliners aren't capable of invading anyone die to hangover and big communities of our neighbouring countries :)

[@victortachiquin4965]

Me everytime that Mark Felton intro music hits: 🕺 🕺 🕺 🕺 🕺

[@MartinMartinm]

The zelensky dance?

[@larryg.9187]

In the early '70's I was stationed in Bamberg and did frequent border duty from another base in Colberg. Both in Bavaria. Drove border patrol in jeeps. And did overnight duty in a shack next to the border. Both parts, while watching the fenced & mined border, and its guard towers with armed East German guards. This, plus training constantly at a couple of NATO sites was my assignment as a member of the 2/2 Armored Cavalry Regiment's H Company as a gunner on an M60A1 Main Battle Tank ... .................. Toujours Pret ..................

[@gandalfsanft1107]

1:33 here i smell some sort of modern narrative ... its seems to be that important to talk about ukranians in that matter but in the same time not mentioning all other ethnicyties of wich the red army consisted and how many of them really died.... 4:22 same here ... for all the times i've visited Berlin never heard of such calling from elder locals ... doesnt mean it has never happened at that time , it certainly happened and in any war but like i mentioned before the stench of modern narrative, that "all russian and especially their history is about aggression and rape " and we should mention ukranians in all matters because they are "obviously" the victims in the modern conflict, is present. Lets not forget, that rus. and ukr. history share the same boat and amongst all the "raping soviets" were a lot ukranians too

[@ALFA-sm2nm]

he doesn't wanna piss off ukraine supporters lmao

[@johnecoapollo7]

I haven't heard people call it that so people probably don't call it that because I've obviously met every person in Berlin Solid argument my dude

[@ilyamilyaev701]

He is typical Anglo-american historian. It is impossible to finish "try not to lie for 5 minutes" challenge for him.

[@sethja8]

@@ilyamilyaev701 ah yes and certainly not a coping or seething take from ilya milyaev of which origin is totally indecipherable

[@ilyamilyaev701]

@@sethja8 It certainly doesn't look like you are seething at my comment, doesn't it? I might be hyperbolizing in my comment for humour but I am still not far from the truth about how popular Western historian operate. Tell me, were people who disliked Goebbels Nazi agitprop and expressed their disdain publicly just "coping and seething"?

[@ronanrogers4127]

Having lived in Berlin very recently (and 3 other German cities) the title is misleading - some people might hate the memorial but they are in the minority. Most people are somewhat indifferent, and a lot of people recognise this, and particularly Treptower Park, as important historical landmarks. Even in the former DDR there are dozens of monuments where major battles were fought and despite the region’s well known nationalist politics today there is little issue with these monuments. I’ve discussed this with my Ossie friends from different generations, and hatred is a word that’s too strong from my experience.

[@visionist7]

It's modest clickbait. The Dr is sadly not above such tactics which are mainly to draw in new viewers & grow his channel. Controversy helps videos get featured by the algorithm & clicks are king.

[@mikeonly8554]

They simply cannot be frankly with you! Imagine a german (nazi) monument with 2 panzers in your own city and country!

[@ldn5986]

Anglos will anglo

[@henningbartels6245]

Its clickbaiting, for sure. @Roman: I wonder, what "well known nationalist politics in the former DDR" would be? I don't see any other politics than in the rest of Germany there - mainly nationalist politicians are in no governing position.

[@sowie05355]

Well said. It's a memorial which reminds us of tragic historical events. The hate is conjured by the ignorant who have been brainwashed into believing false political narratives.

[@themastersergeant5619]

I actually visited this memorial a couple of weeks ago when I went to Europe on vacation. There was also a Ukraine war stand right across the street and lawn from the Reichstag when I was there.

[@bogjesrbin484]

Ukrainian neo nazis don’t like this monument

[@BenDover-pr9gy]

A good time to finally spit on it. Can't wait for my turn when I visit Berlin next summer.

[@dimbasz]

@@BenDover-pr9gy wow, what a bold move, you are a true fighter.

[@BenDover-pr9gy]

@@dimbasz what? How am I supposed to "fight the Monument"??? All I want to do is upkeep the tradition of what my grandmother would do whenever she passed by the memorial in Vienna - she was ra__d and lost her husband who died not in combat but as a POW in a soviet labour camp.

[@wills2140]

Ben Dover ,stooping to nationalist hate does not relieve any of the pain caused by WWII. Besides, grandfather would not be a POW if Germans were not in a war. There is a price to pay when you invade another country, a price the Russians are paying now for the terrible suffering caused by their invasion of Ukraine.

[@TheDanzomanzo]

The 'hate' is rather illogical, when you consider there are graves of foreign military the world over. 80,000 Germans in Normandy, 1500 Allies in Yokohama, and yes, the 5000 Soviets here. There are even 54,000 Germans buried in Sologubovka with an ongoing effort to recover bodies to lay to rest.

[@herbivorethecarnivore8447]

It's not about there being a foreign war grave, it's about hate for the red army and the USSR for their actions

[@SuperJohnny99999]

Graves and this are two different things. In my opinion these should be teared down.

[@oldegrunt]

Hate is illogical? When we visited Berlin in 2004, my wife and I stayed at an older woman's guest house. She got very emotional when my wife asked her how it was during the War, she lapsed into broken English trying to describe the Russian occupation as a teen aged girl. Somehow I don't think she had a positive reaction to her experiences then. Regardless of what her countrymen did in Russia, what was done to the civilians of Berlin by the victorious Russians wasn't something that made them happy to be "liberated".

[@simpsbelongtothegulags3702]

@@oldegrunt its not liberation its invasion

[@compatriot852]

A grave is different from a statue. The soviets built tons of these to immpose their authority over their conquests.

[@Rsama60]

The memorial is also a burial ground so leave it untouched. There are quite some cemeteries with fallen German soldier all over the former sovjet union. Those should not be touched either.

[@generationclash5004]

Please never change that intro music, Mr. Felton. Its perfect! On an unrelated note: I plan on buying your book The Fujita Plan as an early birthday gift!

[@eviltux65]

i hate it. it's way to loud

[@narcher91]

@@eviltux65 Me and my friend both love it too.

[@harridan.]

the intro music really fits Larry The #10 Downing Street Cat

[@paddington1670]

i hear they make speakers with volume control these days

[@visionist7]

I liked the other music he used in his older videos. It was less grand and more frantic

[@captainjoshuagleiberman2778]

Was in Berlin in 1990 after the fall of the Wall and was floored to see Soviet troops at the memorial. The statue on top was in much better shape then.

[@Wideoval73]

Once again an excellent video on a little known memorial.

[@NoirFan01]

Is the Soviet War Memorial in Treptow, Berlin, worth a video? It’s massive.

[@MrPanzerDragoon]

I've seen this memorial in person. It's a lonely memorial compared to the many tourists that flock to the Brandenburg Gate. Which is just a 10 minute walk away from this.

[@jakekaywell5972]

Shame. Regardless of who its remembering, I find this Soviet memorial much more tastefully designed.

[@uptoolate2793]

@@jakekaywell5972 Yeah, that's a reason to maintain it. Atheistics.

[@HighFlyingOwlOfMinerva]

Good. It's most likely unpopular for a reason - it's un-German. It's a miracle statues like this still exist in Europe at all, honestly.

[@calypso]

@@HighFlyingOwlOfMinerva lol what a clown

[@trentdawg2832]

I don’t think the German people give two fucks about the Soviet rapists…..

[@Acme1970]

When i was in Berlin with my brother & sister in 1987 i missed out on this memorial but i got to see the Soviet military cemetery with the big statue of the Russian soldier holding the child, i also remember some of the older people on the tour having a rather lively and often heated discussion with the East German tour guide who blamed the Soviet occupation on the western allies for not getting to Berlin first.

[@Muesli711]

Treptower Park

[@aleksazunjic9672]

Never occurred to him that avoiding war with USSR would also prevent said occupation 😁

[@timonsolus]

Irrelevant as the Western Allies and the Soviets had already reed on the occupation zones in Berlin and in Germany in September 1944, long before the Red Army reached Berlin. Look up the London Protocol of 1944. So it didn't matter who got to Berlin first, half of Berlin and half of Germany would be occupied by the Soviets anyway.

[@asscheeks3212]

@@aleksazunjic9672 "they DESERVED to be r@ped, I dont differienate from government and civvies"

[@Acme1970]

@@timonsolus Exactly, thats why Eisenhower decided against it, much to Montgomery's chagrin, he wanted to be the big hero that captured Berlin, plus can you imagine the Soviet anger if we snatched Berlin, their great prize right out from under them, WW3 would have started right there.

[@user-dt1cn2rh4k]

Мы их освободили, они нам это никогда не простят.

[@corpsenews]

Dr. Felton brings extremely unique stories

[@tinderbox218]

Shocking to see the extensive damage in those old films to what must have been a beautiful city before all the insanity.

[@jonathanscott7372]

You can still see some of the damage on the Brandenburg Gate.

[@MrSloika]

Um, people tend to forget the monstrous level of war crimes committed by Nazi Germany against the people of the USSR. Torture, rape, mass murder of civilians and POWs. All gleefully committed by German troops. Hitler openly and repeatedly stated that Germany's invasion of Russia was a war of conquest and extermination of the 'Untermenschen' of the East. Did the Russians retaliate? Yup. Can you blame them?

[@riograndedosulball248]

Most German cities used to be incredibly beautiful before, like Vienna and Prague. The War destroyed so much beautiful things... And modern architects made sure they wouldn't come back

[@Mcree114]

If one of the many coup attempts by the military against Hitler had worked then they could've surrendered far sooner and spared these cities from USAAF air superiority and before Soviet tank/artillery zergs even reached the border. In WWI the Kaiser was right to surrender when the Allies reached Germany's border as they were toast at that point and there was no sense in destroying Germany itself delaying the inevitable. Hitler and his loyal party members were madmen hellbent of taking Germany down with them and subjecting German citizens to merciless U.S carpet bombing and vengeful bloodlusted Soviet troops.

[@motmot8879]

@@riograndedosulball248 vienna and Prague aren't even German lol. ....

[@morrisbuschmeier2047]

In Vienna there is one Soviet monument. It's gold and the sodier is smiling. There's a joke, that he's the only one who stayed in Vienna (Russians occupied Austria until 1955)

[@kurtgodel5236]

The USSR, or "the Russians", occupied _a part_ of Austria until 1955.

[@PanaehaliTut]

My grandad was a part of pincer strike that moved around the city and captured center of Vienna in 1945. Original plan was to disrupt German command and destroy/capture local SS HQ. But after they found all the treasures from Vienna museums carefully packed and ready to be shipped to Nazi Germany mission was aborted. And they had to hold on around 10 days to prevent that from happening. Before main Russian forces could catch up.

[@stephengraham1153]

If you haven't watched it yet, get a copy of excellent movie " The Third Man" starring Orson Welles (amongst others). Ironically, an American was the baddie in the story.

[@TaronTT]

'occupied', LOL.

[@morrisbuschmeier2047]

Just like area from the Elbe to the Bug rivers and Baltic to Black seas beaches. Every European country with Soviet military bases was an occupied one with earlier exterminated elites and puppet governments installed. All this complicated machinery was greased with peoples' blood. So no "Lol".

[@weemonsterbtw]

This deserves a subscribe, Truly fascinating.

[@David-yo5ws]

Thank you Dr Felton. I saw this memorial in 2001 and now I know what is behind it. It certainly is impressive.

[@chulainn32]

I was at this memorial on my first visit to Berlin 15 years ago. I was genuinely baffled by it at the time. Very interesting to watch this today - like 100% of Mark Felton's content.

[@mbox314]

There is fort at sandy hook new jersey that has a memorial to foreign invaders. The British has a group of 13 men led by Lt Douglas Haliburton lost to exposure during the revolutionary War. A tomb and memorial was erected during the war and destroyed after the war (unclear if it was intentional or not) but the tomb was lost untill the early 1900's when it was found during construction tion of a rail line at the then fort Hancock seacoast defense fort. The hatred towards the British had cooled off and a new stone marker was erected at the site which still stands today.

[@mbox314]

@bruh bruhson nope, it was American territory, it just took a few years for them to figure that out.

[@Nerthos]

That is a completely different situation though. Colonists in what would later be USA were, except for a few colonies, British subjects fighting to secede. They were all the same nation then, until the war ended in their separation.

[@Nerthos]

@свевский the trigger for the eastern front was Stalin breaking the agreement on how far down poland each side could go though, the USSR started that fight. Germany wanted to stall that as much as possible to win the western front first and would have never made the first move. They launched a full campaign as soon as Stalin broke the agreement because they couldn't afford a long, slow war, it was either topple moscow in the first advance or lose.

[@robertbrodie5183]

funny stationed near sandy hook before being assigned to berlin

[@plays4gamer883]

I don't know who you are, but I'd like to see a source for the assumed hatred for this statue. I'm not a Berliner, but I know that Berlins local politian held debates and demands to remove this monument or parts of it more than once. Last time was a few months after the current war, when CDU politicians made such demand, but the party in charge for such questions, Die Linke, denied it to obviously not insult the fight over fascism, other parties on both sides joined in: so I don't see how it can be called sheerly hated, if it holds such support and protest. But to appease you, I shall tell, that someone (maeby the government) put two roses through the tank barrels to protest the war, and they are permenat. In East Germany it was a tradition for school classes to take their children to the other greater Soviet war memorial in the Treptow Park: those who have lived in this tradition often remember it fondly, as giving them a sense of history (with natural outlines) - for our modern children there would be no damage done in reviving such traditions. I also heard that every year people gather by those memorial, you guessed it, on the 9th March - Victory Day. I'm not only speaking of Russians living in Germany, especially the elder ones who place pictures and flowers for their fallen soldiers, but also former soldiers of Nazi Germany to remember their time on the eastern flank and to honor those on whom they or their army committed horrible atrocities. These people are of course leaving us as time matches on, but I heard that their children, at least some of them, are continuing this practice. Thankfully someone who tries to preserve at least some kind of tradition in Germany. And lastly I've heard that the Russians are keeping quit a lot of WW2 museums in former Stalingrad, especially houses in which the last German soldiers barecated themselfs and tried to hold through the last intense fighting. These house are supposed to be untouched leftovers from those times.

[@plays4gamer883]

Here is one source to my claim in paragraph 3. It's in German only: Der Krieg in meines Vaters Bildern (der Freitag, Ausgabe 18/2022). Unfortunately it's lock behind an subscription.

[@robertbrodie5183]

having lived in berlin for 5 years and having had many berliner friends a universal distain and berliner humorous dislike of this memorial was very obvious

[@todortodorov940]

I live in Berlin not to far away from the statue. I don't like it. I don't like the faceless soldier looking down on me and projecting opression.

[@plays4gamer883]

Well, if you say so than I guess it's true. But exemptions still exist as I showed, even if they seem, as you say, outnumbered. One can also see it for himself, by checking in on May 9th at the sowjet memorials.

[@PsychoKillertheGame]

The attempt to compare a population's hatred with the actions of politicians is laughable. The politicians would do whatever they wanted and claim whichever they wanted to their bases and to be quite honest they don't care in any event.

[@MT-cd7cs]

I visit the monument and the ajoining Soviet cemetery hedges every time I’m in Berlin. I can’t help but get chills every time.

[@clavichord]

Apparently, since the invasion of Ukraine, it is now forbiden to fly the Russian flag in Berlin or anywhere in Germany. Correction: the Russian flag was banned, this year, during WWII commenorations in Berlin

[@downhill-dirtjump-owl1484]

Not true

[@A.K.4.7]

I Wonder if the US flagg was banned in Germany during US invasion of Iraq, or the French and Brittish flaggs during invasion of Libya.

[@horrifyinggelatinousblob]

@@downhill-dirtjump-owl1484 people have been arrested simply for displaying banners with Z on them.

[@clavichord]

@@downhill-dirtjump-owl1484 Correction: the Russian flag was banned in Berlin, this year, during WWII commemorations

[@humanbean392]

@@A.K.4.7 hypocrisy...But Now the pro ukraine crowd will call it 'whataboutism' it doesn't change the fact that they never cared for the civilians when those wars went on but expect the russians to over throw putin

[@Camm0Blue]

That has to be such an odd feeling having memorials to foreigners in your country.

[@kostam.1113]

Here in Serbia we have Yugoslav memorials, most of them have fallen to disrepair since there is no more Yugoslavia and no more Yugoslavs But in essence those are memorials to foreigners.

[@continentalgin]

It's unfortunate. An intentional insult to the people. It should be in Moscow.

[@riograndedosulball248]

@@kostam.1113 yeah, but it was a country that you were a part of (and towards the end, pretty much a Serbian-run country, nonetheless) the situation in Berlin is different

[@SparkyWaxAll]

Rapists and murderers; repeating in Ukraine

[@billy5179]

No it doesn't. These are memmorials of the men that freed us from Hitler and the Nazis. We in germany actually can apreciate that. And should!! Well, the educated part does at least.

[@2ndcomingofFritz]

I’ve been to this place… what captured my attention the most was the artillery pieces in front at the time (it was many years ago)

[@mitchrichards1532]

The Russians probably want those back now. lol

[@katiedid1851]

I learn a lot every time I tune in. Respect

[@Pablo668]

I've been there. Back in 1987. Seeing the wall, East and West Berlin, and Germany divided, it was quite sobering for a 17 year old.

[@yaninaovcharenko8219]

It is a common misconception that Ukrainians only served in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Ukrainian Fronts. They were all over RKKA, just like all other nationalities of the Soviet Union.

[@braxxian]

Indeed. However a quarter million Ukrainians also sided with Hitler when he invaded the USSR in 1941. That's why the Russian-Ukrainian relationship is always so strained and no doubt led to todays war.

[@tacomas9602]

​@@braxxian holy crap I didn't realize there were pro German Ukrainians back then! it's something I completely forgot about!

[@terryadavis3458]

@@tacomas9602 yeah thats because the soviets killed millions of Ukrainians

[@theteuton9904]

@@tacomas9602 Lots of Baltic men joined as well. Hell SS Charlemagne of France were some of the last defenders of the Reichstag. Lots of people joined up with the Reich because they were anti-communist. You can easily imagine some poor Ukrainian having family starve during the Holodomor and think these German guys must no be so bad. Not a good decision in hindsight but understandable at least.

[@pffpffovich2398]

@@braxxian Well they had only 1 choice really - die by starvation from idiotic collectivisation, or die fighting commies.

[@brendanoneill1466]

I love your videos. I always learn something, or get a different perspective on something that I knew a little bit about. Thanks for all the work and sharing.

[@pietervonck3264]

been there once with my fiancé, despite being in the center of Berlin, it has a strange atmosphere

[@thegunslinger1363]

I was at that memorial back in July. Berlin is an amazing city.

[@morgoli2916]

i was in berlin in july, and the city itself was very disgusting. Never seen such dirty and disgusting city. But the memorials and historical buildings were very beatiful.

[@hendrikschuch]

@@morgoli2916 aha

[@rwps3677]

Berlin is a shithole tbh

[@der7tezwerg921]

@@morgoli2916 Then you haven't seen many Cities, right !?

[@DirtMerchant693]

@@morgoli2916 it’s been 3 years since I’ve been, but I never remember being overtly dirty. I found cities in Italy to be the dirtiest. Regardless, they were all cleaner than some of the towns I’ve seen in America

[@josephosheavideos3992]

Once again, you have astonished me with information I did not know - particularly, about the continuous Soviet honor guard inside West Berlin.

[@inhocsignovinces1081]

As part of the USSR’s withdrawal, Helmut Kohl agreed in writing to maintain, protect Soviet war memorials. Now let’s talk about the Katyn Forest Massacre.

[@pekkamustonen6654]

Stalin statues, gobedlines and busts etc. are privately collected. Not so publicly displayed.

[@KevinThomas-ok2ev]

Been there many times in my travels thru Berlin. Always struck me as odd as well. I’ve heard Berliner’s refer to this as “The Monument to the Unknown Rapist.” That sounds more fitting to me.

[@BiesGorielyj]

RF admitted that long ago

[@wander67]

And how about we also talk about polish massacres of ukrainens? Or zaozolie? Or how poland was ready to ally with germany?

[@KevinThomas-ok2ev]

@@wander67. Are you suggesting that Russian troops weren’t responsible for countless rapes and other abuses of German civilians following the fall of Berlin? And what of Leningrad? A horrific siege with millions of deaths, but what does that have to do with Russian behavior in Berlin? This is all very well documented by survivors and eye witness. But I suppose Katyn never happened either, right?

[@kimvibk9242]

Thanks, Mark - I will be going to Berlin later this year and I will pay a visit to this monument if I get the chance. I may not like what it represents, but it is a historic war memorial all the same, and I do appreciate history.

[@NiSiochainGanSaoirse]

Nor do we have to agree with the memorials political nuances, but the men who lay there are true heroes. "No greater love hath man than this, to lay down his life for his Brothers."

[@MrSlavaoat]

Thank you, Mark. Just wanted to say, that names of the Soviet fronts have nothing to do with the nationality of soldiers fighting there. It pinpoints geographical position of any particular front. In the final stages of the war the names of the fronts pretty much stayed the same as they were named while still inside the USSR borders. In the beginning of the war and later the names were often changed, new fronts would appear. So, Ukrainians were fighting everywhere, starting from polar regions and down to the Black Sea. There wasn't any consideration of soldier's nationality, it was random. If there was a new unit forming, very much depended on where it was formed. Naturally, most soldiers in this unit would be locals.

[@dirkvonriegen5267]

The special thing, which Mr. Felton will probably never understand, is that every Russian citizen may identify regionally by his ancestry, but will always say that he is a "Russian." So not only is his “Ukrainian front” wrong militarily, as well as culturally. Unfortunately, you can see that Mr. Felton from Russian society and Culture has very little idea, which is often the case with Anglo-Saxons...

[@edpzz]

This is a War Grave dedicated to the troops who fell in that location, no different to the German or British ones in France

[@MrMr-ws3tv]

The Germans or British didn't rape 2 million women in 2 week period.

[@mito88]

different in many aspects

[@NonStopEpik]

Not gonna tell us those aspects? I don’t see how it’s different at all.

[@mito88]

@@NonStopEpik the glorification and highly politicized nature of the Russian war memorial. The tanks on display are symbols of martial war and hinder reconciliation.

[@marcrchz]

No, this is different. This is not just a monument of people who have died. This is honouring these pigs that have given all these innocent people all this pain right at their doorstep.

[@kolper6799]

Maybe now Russia is not a global superstar who we all love, but men in ground dont know news. Men in ground only know how its important to remember, and never repeat.

[@earllutz2663]

Thank you for the history lesson.

[@toprope_]

2 million subs vid suggestion: if you feel comfortable telling your audience, I know we’d love to hear your/your family’s experience during WWII. My grandpa never talked about his service much, but I do know he was in one of the units that took over Hitler’s villa in Bavaria. His service was extended to the Pacific Theater due to being a part of supplies corps, but he came home after a few weeks once the bombs dropped. My grandpa was maybe my age or a little older when the atomic age started, and never spoke much of his experiences. WWII feels increasingly distant as time goes on. My Grandpa passed a few years ago, and with him one of the only WWII vets I knew personally. Hearing your family’s experience or even what got you so interested in this period of history would be a great video!

[@dixonpinfold2582]

In my view one should think long and hard before raising the subject of private or family matters with any stranger, and then not do it. Will he not say what he likes, when he likes, without any nudging? For my part, I like the creator-viewer arrangement on this channel as it is-fittingly impersonal, concerned only with things of historical significance.

[@tyson211]

@Cameron Montgomery I like your idea, sharing our grandparents experience in WWII is important since we’re the last generation that heard their stories firsthand. My grandfather was a pilot during the war and was about to be stationed at Pearl Harbor but it was attacked right before he was supposed to go.

[@jussim.konttinen4981]

Personally, my favorite monument is made in memory of fallen and perished Romanis (kaatuneiden romanien muistomerkki). Built in 2003 and located in Hietaniemi, Helsinki. Perished means those who were executed for desertion or deported to Stutthof concentration camp. Fallen means killed in action 1939-45. Both sides of the coin in one monument.

[@ehulbert5]

When I was there in 2013 someone had spray painted a large anarchist's circle A front and center on the memorial.

[@Hamishtarah]

In Alsace as well there are some upseting monuments. The Kleber Denkmal in Strasbourg, the Croix de Lorraine in Thann, the colonne Thurenne in Turckheim, etc.

[@rachelsombo9045]

are you alsacian ?

[@Hamishtarah]

@@rachelsombo9045 yes, I am.

[@signorpippistrello]

We also got a huge Soviet monument here in Vienna (on Schwarzenbergplatz, in case you wanna look it up). No tanks, but a golden helmet. Currently it has the Ukranian flag as background as the wall behind is privately owned.

[@Bahamut3525]

And it is also nicknamed "rapist tomb" by local Viennese.

[@signorpippistrello]

@@Bahamut3525 Yeah, Stalin really liked Vienna.

[@Bahamut3525]

@@signorpippistrello I mean it's one of the coolest cities in Europe if not the coolest IMO (lived about 8 years there).

[@markmitin7397]

@@Bahamut3525 Stalin also lived there for some time before the revolution with Trotsky

[@Dicka899]

@@Bahamut3525 sounds like the cope of a sore loser country

[@dazza9326]

I'm surprised it's still standing to be honest.

[@ME262MKI]

Unlike the commies, the west has a lot of patience regarding to them, that's why stills standing

[@dazza9326]

@@ME262MKI Too much.

[@georgeoswald4615]

it's a stain on european art and history

[@dazza9326]

@@georgeoswald4615 Both the Nazi's and Russians were arse holes. The Russians continue to be so....... Knock it down, it doesn't represent freedom anymore.

[@karim6085]

@@georgeoswald4615 don’t be silly

[@jasperwinehouse9456]

First of all the french had no right to a piece of berlin, and second of all the russian statue should be taken down how embarassing.

[@johncody2209]

No. The statue should be there until the Russians agree for it to be removed.

[@lemonacidrounds7293]

This is history! Shouldn't be getting hate!

[@davebeat]

The Soviet Victory memorial in Riga, Lativa is also hated. For Latvians it marks the beginning of 50 years of Soviet occupation rather that the victory over Germany which it is supposed to mark.

[@plazmica0323]

There is difference between victory memorials and fallen soldier cemetary memorials, people that freed and died doing so have nothing to do to post war politics and we should honour them.

[@davebeat]

@@plazmica0323 I agree, but the one I'm refering to is a victory monument not a monument to the fallen.

[@user-gh1vc9kb4e]

The plight of Latvia and the other Baltic countries shows how the Red Army did not actually bring "liberation" to the formerly Nazi-occupied regions.

[@WM-gf8zm]

​@@davebeat i can only imagine why is there more hate for those in one of countries with larger population of neo nazis or nazi sentimental numbers

[@zjeee]

@@WM-gf8zm The funny part is that there are more Nazis in Russia, the old heart of the USSR than anywhere else.

[@Bigsky1991]

I remember touring Berlin the first time after winning 3rd Combat Aviation "Soldier of the year" in 1981. Went up on the famous 5th Corp "Troop Train" back when the Army still had Trains. After getting settled in, I fell in with a small group of fellow EMs and we took an organized tour of East Berlin...a location I ended up visiting more than 30 times to include being there the week the week the Wall fell.. and my being the first US Army Officer ever to set foot inside an East German Grenztruppen guard tower...with active duty/armed guards still on duty! (I have a great video of this....) anyway...On my bus tour there was an Air Force LTC and his family. After initially seeing the Red Army memorial on the West side (above) which still had Red Army Soldiers guarding it. We then went into Treptow to see the massive Red Army memorial and cemetery. The East German tour guide was going on and on about "the great Patriotic War, Russian sacrifices, defeating Nazism ad nausem"...the Colonel turned around to us and said "it looks like a Communist plot to me boys"! We broke out laughing, and the tour guide almost had an aneurysm! Good times!

[@redsun2589]

Of course you were funny. Not your country fought in the hundredth terrible war in the history of mankind.

[@aznluvr7]

Now that's interesting! You make great documentaries, although you are a real mark for yourself with you glamour shot at the beginning and your face as an avatar.

[@BigT_04]

I have had the honor of seeing this memorial in person. Beautiful but also thought provoking