Let's go to war

T34-76

Today's post is about monument that isn't described in any tourist books. If it is I will be greatly surprised. I would like to write about a tank that stands by main road in Gdansk - Victory Avenue, and is the best known tank in Gdansk.

The tank

Let me just say that this is a hands-on type of monument, I would even say all limbs-on type:) It took me few trips to take pictures of the tank without dangling kids of the barrel :) It doesn't take much for the adults either to let their imagination go to war and jump around the tank as if they were under attack. Believe me, if I had a kid with me today, I would "play war" too.

Wow, don't shoot :)

Don't get me wrong. The tank doesn't work. Although it still has engine inside, it lacks other components inside that are needed for driving (like driving wheel or equivalent:) Despite it being closed shut and completely not working I think it is nice to have it there.

Tank track

I mean, how many times have you seen a tank? How many times have you sat on one? How many times have you played war with one? How many cities in the world have tanks in their centres?

Hope on!

Apparently it isn't even an ordinary tank. I read that this is quite rare type of tank  - T 34-76 (most of them have been destroyed during war). It was build in 1941 in Stalingrad (today's Volgograd) or even further away past Ural Mountains and was equipped with F-34 barrel of 76,2 mm calibre.

Busy tank :)

The tank arrived in Gdynia on 27 of March 1945. According to sources this tank was the first one of allies tanks to arrive at Tricity. The tank driver was lieutenant Julian Miazga. Unfortunately the tank was bombarded soon after entering the city.

Unveiling of the tank, 1946

Lieutenant Miazga was the last one to drive the tank, as he drove it to the place of it's destiny in 1946 where in the first anniversary of the end of the war the tank was unveiled.

Happy anniversary, Tank :)