on the day of voting on amendments to the Constitution in the regions of Russia will host the collection of signatures for the title of “City of labor valor”. The pretenders — industrial centers during the great Patriotic war she worked for the victory, helping the army with food and equipment. One of them – Novokuznetsk.
London — a city that literally did stronger Red Army, which gave the metal. Order to master the production of armor for the tanks arrived on “Kuznetsk metallurgical combine” on the second day of the war. Technology was not the equipment too, but after a month trial smelting and August 1 — armor.
Historian Peter Lizogub, says: “the beginning of the great Patriotic war Novokuznetsk already had powerful material resources, but the production of alloy steels, of which it was possible to make armor in KMK amounted to no more than 2 percent. In 1942 Kuznetsk metallurgists had achieved what Kuznetsk steel began to be leveled German, and later to surpass Krupp”.
“Days and nights at blast furnaces,…” — the words of the legendary song “Victory Day” is more about them, Novokuzneck, which no one has produced high-alloy steel in open-hearth furnaces. Soviet engineers and Steelworkers then, in the first months of the war, the problem was solved. Veteran of labour of the Kuznetsk metallurgical combine, distributors Alexander Shevlyakov recalls: “More than fifty thousand heavy tanks were made of Kuznetsk metal, more than 100 million tons of shells made of Kuznetsk metal, more than 45 thousand aircraft, which was used Kuznetsk metal”.
They were strong as steel, about which Vladimir Mayakovsky wrote: “I know the city will, I know the garden bloom when people in Soviet country is”. “The big men, three-class education. So the discipline was serious that we instantly learned and not a single gram of stepped back. Though today back in the League, and tomorrow even BAM, at least for the Virgin. We are ready!” says the veteran of work of the Kuznetsk metallurgical combine, steelworker Alexander Morozov.
Alexander Chulkov organized the all-Union competition for high-speed melting. Only excess metal in this steelmaker would be enough for dozens of tanks, tens of thousands of mortars, grenades million. A worker received a state prize and she bought the guns for the front.
Metallurgical plant, the appearance of which actually have modern Novokuznetsk, which made an unprecedented feat in the war years, and to this day a major enterprise. Having stood in the dashing 90’s, survived the reorganization, it develops, is in step with the times. And it is to this day the pride and hope of the city, his heart and his future.
