Great Victory in persons: Hero of the Soviet Union Allaberdy Agaliyev
It happened in the very last days of the war. A column of Soviet troops walked along the spring road towards Berlin. There were only a few kilometers to the capital of Germany when a warfightter with red stars on its wings flew over the column. The soldiers lifted their heads, and saw that a small object fell out of the plane, over which the dome of a small parachute immediately opened.
The plane having shaken its wings as a farewell flew away, and solders from the nearby branch of the senior sergeant, Hero of the Soviet Union Allaberdy Agaliyev, were already hurrying to the place of landing. The soldiers brought the commander a find – a heavy envelope. Having the envelope opened, they found neither more nor less – a key to the Brandenburg Gate!
It is a real story. Soviet poet Yevgeni Dolmatovsky in his book titled Avtografy pobedy (Autographs of Victory) told about this amazing event.
Before the war, Allaberdy Agaliyev, a native of the village of Gerkes, Kara-Kalinsky district, worked as a foreman of a cotton-growing brigade. The team, which he led, had achieved very significant results, and Allaberdy was approved as a participant in the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition in Moscow, where he expected to be rewarded.
Unfortunately, Allaberdy had never had a chance to visit the Exhibition Center. The war destroyed all the peace plans: in the very first days of the war, he went to the front. Of course, he received the reward; however, it was not for valorous work, but for feats of arms.
Ex-cotton grower, and now a soldier has to undergo many severe trials along the front roads, to visit countries that he had never heard of before. He participated in fierce battles against the Nazis as part of the Western, Don, Voronezh, Stepnoy, second and third Ukrainian and first Belorussian fronts.
He defended Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, participated in the battles for Stalingrad, fought near Rostov, was wounded three times and returned to line of battle again. When the Soviet army pursued the Nazis in European countries, Agaliyev was among the first to force the Pilica River, south of Warsaw.
Here is what is written in his award files:
“In an offensive battle to break through a heavily fortified enemy defense on a bridgehead south of the city of Warsaw on January 14, 1945, comrade Agaliyev, acting as part of the forward detachment of a breakthrough to the enemy’s defensive fortification, located in front of the second line of enemy trenches, which conducted continuous all-round fire and had two machine guns, having thrown a bunch of grenades, he exploded the enemy’s defensive fortification and having entered the enemy’s trench, killed six German soldiers with fire from his submachine gun.
In further battles to force the Pilitsa River comrade Agaliyev, despite the enemy’s fierce shelling of approaches to the river, was one of the first to cross to the far bank, being an example for the staff of his rota, and in the ensuing battle on the right bank of the river, he destroyed the team of the enemy machine gun who was firing the river crossing, and, by this, he significantly contributed to the success of crossing the water line and the further possession of the village of Gurny that has been used by the enemy as a major foothold.
For the heroic deeds shown in battles to break through the enemy’s defense, and the successful attack of his units, he deserves the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the simultaneous award with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.
January 23, 1945”
By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on February 27, 1945, Corporal Agaliyev Allaberdy was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Having returned from the war, Allaberdy Agaliyev lived and worked in Ashgabat. He worked in the education sphere – for seventeen years, he has been working for vocational school No. 18 as Deputy Director on teaching and educational.
In 1972, Allaberdy Agaliyev died. After that, it was suggested to create a corner in the school in memory of a front-line soldier and teacher. Under the active support of the vocational school management, students started to collect everything related to the personality of Allaberdy Agaliyev. The students were greatly supported by the relatives of the hero. They provided students with photographs and copies of documents, manuscripts with memories. Some of the materials were provided by people who were close enough to him. It would be great to have a key to the Brandenburg Gate among exhibits as well!
The exposition has been enlarged with new exhibits, and soon it turned into a museum. Museum of the Hero. It played a huge role in the patriotic education of youth, in the formation of such fundamental indestructible concepts for men as duty, courage, honor, dignity.
