Rank: Red Army Soldier Branch of Service: Armored and Mechanized Troops The Great Patriotic War left its mark on the history of our family. Egor Baranov came to Berlin. He was drafted into the army in 1939, and war broke out on June 22, 1941. The Nazis attacked the Soviet Union. The war went on for four years, and he returned home six years later. He participated in the battles for the liberation of the city of Konigsberg, was wounded, and was in the hospital. After his recovery, he was awarded the Medal for the Liberation of Konigsberg. The Red Army was advancing on Berlin. This offensive began on 16 April 1945 on the Oder River. Yegor and other soldiers were ferrying equipment across the river. A lot of soldiers died in those battles. According to Yegor, the capture of Berlin was very difficult. Many of his fellow soldiers died during the assault, because the fascists fiercely resisted, not wanting to admit their defeat. But thanks to the fortitude and heroic courage of the Soviet soldiers, Berlin was encircled on April 24, 1945. And after hard fighting on May 2, the Victory Banner was hoisted on the Reichstag Bulding. Yegor participated in the fighting for Berlin, received a Medal for the Capture of Berlin. He like many soldiers, officers, and generals, went a long and a difficult military path. Many died, many went missing, many soldiers were left lying in a foreign land, many returned home crippled for life. Our grandfather, great-grandfather returned from the front alive, but very often was ill. The wounds were making themselves felt. He was cared for by his wife Efrosinya Baranova who during the war worked in the trenches near Leningrad and still had to take care of wounded soldiers. Despite the fact that these events took place before we were born, our families remember them. On Victory Day, we always visit the grave of our grandparents. Our house keeps the memory of them, their awards… We are very proud of our grandfather.