PANFILOV Ivan Vasilievich(01/01/1893, Petrovsk, Saratov province - 11/18/1941, died near the village of Gusenevo, Volokolamsk district, Moscow region), Soviet military leader, major general (1940). Hero Soviet Union(12.4.1942). Born into the family of a small office worker. From 1905 he worked for hire. In October 1915 he was drafted into military service and enlisted as a private in the 168th reserve battalion, where he graduated from the training team. Member of the First World War. As part of the 638th Oltinsky Infantry Regiment, he fought on the Southwestern Front: senior non-commissioned officer, sergeant major. In February 1918 he was demobilized.

In October 1918 he voluntarily joined the Red Army and was appointed platoon commander in the 1st Saratov Soviet Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division. Member of the Civil War. As part of the regiment, he participated in the suppression of the rebellion Czechoslovak Corps, in battles with the Ural White Cossacks in the Volga region and on the Ural front. Since March 1919, as part of the 20th Penza Rifle Division, he fought with the troops of Admiral A.V. Kolchak, participated in the Ufa operation. From August 1919 he fought with the regiment on Southeast Front near Tsaritsyn. In March 1920, he fell ill with typhus, upon recovery in April, he was sent to the Polish Front, where he fought as a platoon commander as part of the 100th infantry regiment... At the end of the war, from September 1920, commanding a platoon and a company, he fought against banditry in Ukraine. In March 1921 he was appointed platoon commander of the 183rd separate border battalion. In December of the same year, he was sent to study at the Kiev Higher United School, after which he was assigned to the 52nd Yaroslavl rifle regiment: platoon commander, assistant commander and company commander. In April 1924 he was transferred to Turkestan to the 1st Turkestan Rifle Regiment: company commander, assistant battalion commander, head of the regimental school. Since May 1925, he was a company commander and head of the Khorog border post as part of the Pamir detachment. In August - October 1926, he served as the commander of this detachment. In August 1927 he was transferred to the 4th Turkestan Rifle Regiment as head of the regimental school, from April 1928 he commanded a battalion in the 6th Turkestan Rifle Regiment of the Central Asian Military District. In March - June 1929 he took part in battles with the Basmachi. From March 1931, commander and commissar of the 8th separate rifle battalion of local troops, from December 1932, commanded the 9th mountain rifle regiment. In January 1936, Panfilov was awarded military rank colonel. In July 1937 he was transferred to the headquarters of the Central Asian Military District, head of the apartment-maintenance department. In October 1938 he was appointed military commissar of the Kirghiz SSR. In January 1939 he was promoted to the rank of brigade commander, and in June 1940 he was promoted to major general.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War Major General I.V. Panfilov in the same position. On July 12, 1941, he was appointed commander of the 316th Infantry Division, which was in formation. During the days of the defense of Moscow, the division under his command as part of the 16th Army Western front defended itself in the Volokolamsk direction, successfully repelling all attacks numerically superior to the enemy's forces. For exemplary performance of the command's combat missions and the valor and courage shown at the same time, the division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner on November 17, 1941, and the next day, November 18, it was transformed into the 8th Guards Division. On the same day, Major General I.V. Panfilov died in a battle near the village. Gusenevo. He was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and his name was given to the division.

He was awarded the Order of Lenin, 2 Orders of the Red Banner, medals, as well as award weapons.

Ivan Vasilyevich Panfilov was born on January 1, 1893 in the Saratov province in the family of an office worker in the city of Petrovsk. In 1915 he was drafted into the tsarist army and took part in the First World War. October revolution Panfilov accepted it positively and already in 1918 volunteered to serve in the Red Army. He is enlisted in the Saratov Infantry Regiment of the famous Chapaevskaya Division. During these terrible years of the Civil War, Panfilov took an active part in hostilities. He commanded a platoon and a company, fights against the white detachments of Generals Dutov, Kolchak, Denikin and also the White Poles. After the end of the war in 1923, Panfilov studied at the Kiev military school and was assigned to the Central Asian Military District, where he served for more than seventeen years. During this time, he takes an active part in the fight against the Central Asian Basmachs, commands a battalion and a regiment, where he becomes not only an experienced military man, but also a knowledgeable leader.

In 1937, Ivan Vasilyevich was appointed head of the headquarters of the Central Asian Military District, and a year later he became the Military Commissar of the Kirghiz SSR. For military distinctions and heroism shown during and after the Civil War, Panfilov was awarded two Orders of the Red Banner and the medal "20 years of the Red Army", and in June 1940 he was given the rank of Major General.

From the very first days of the Great Patriotic War, he was part of active army... Ivan Vasilyevich personally occupies the formation of the 316th Infantry Division, which he himself commanded on the North-Western and Western Fronts. It was his famous division in October-November 1941 near the capital Moscow, on the Volokolamsk direction, that fought heavy defensive battles with superior enemy forces.

Panfilov for the first time widely uses a system of echeloned artillery anti-tank defense, creates and skillfully uses mobile obstacle detachments in battle. In the incessant battles on the approaches to Moscow, units of the division of General Panfilov not only held their positions, but were also able to stall the offensive of two tank and one infantry divisions of the fascists, destroying a lot of enemy forces and weapons.

For the successful course of these battles and for the massive heroism of the personnel, the 316th division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner on November 17, 1941, and the next day it was reorganized into the 8th Guards Rifle Division. Later she receives an honorary title - Panfilov's division, in honor of the commander, but this happens after the death of Ivan Vasilyevich.

On November 19, 1941, the fearless commander, Major General Ivan Vasilyevich Panfilov, is killed in battle by fragments of a German mortar mine near the village of Gusenevo, Volokolamsk District, Moscow Region. He was buried in Moscow at the Novodevichy cemetery.

In April 1942, Panfilov was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. In the village of Gusenevo, a monument was erected at the site of the death of the general. The city of Zharkent and one village in Kazakhstan and one village in Kyrgyzstan were named after him. The name of Panfilov is borne by the streets of many cities and villages of Russia and the former USSR, steamships, factories, factories. Also, the name of the hero was given to many schools in Central Asia.

Battles and victories

Outstanding Soviet military leader, major general, Hero of the Soviet Union (1942, posthumously).

He became famous during the battles for Moscow in the fall of 1941 in the Volokolamsk region. Showing personal courage and heroism, Panfilov skillfully organized the resistance of the 316th Infantry Division units to the Wehrmacht's offensive in the Volokolamsk direction. Panfilov's soldiers stood to death against the superior forces of the enemy, holding their positions.

It was in these bloody battles for Volokolamsk and east of it that Panfilov's division forever covered itself with glory. She was called that in the army, and the soldiers of the 316th said about themselves: "We are Panfilov's men!" Happy is the general who has earned love and faith so simply expressed, but indelible in their hearts, among the masses of soldiers.

K.K. Rokossovsky

Ivan Vasilievich Panfilov was born in Petrovsk (now Saratov region) in 1893. Already in 1905 he was forced to start working for hire. The death of his mother and the low income of his father (office worker) did not allow him to graduate from the 4-grade city school.

He began his military service in the tsarist army, where he was drafted in 1915. He entered the Russian-German front of the First World War with the rank of non-commissioned officer. Then he received the rank of sergeant major, became a company commander. In 1917, after February revolution, was elected a member of the regimental committee. In 1918 he voluntarily joined the Red Army. Participated in the civil war as part of the 25th Chapayevskaya rifle division. In 1920 he joined the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks. For heroism on the Polish front in 1921 he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

In his autobiography (1938) IV Panfilov pointed out: “He conducted agitation work at the front among the soldiers for the end of the fratricidal war, for the overthrow of the Kerensky government. He waged a direct armed struggle against the white armies and banditry. "

In 1923 he graduated from the Kiev Higher United School of the Red Army commanders. Then he was sent to the Turkestan Front, where he took an active part in the fight against the Basmachis. In 1927 - the head of the regimental school of the 4th Turkestan rifle regiment, from April 1928 he commanded rifle battalion... In 1929 he was awarded the second Order of the Red Banner for military distinctions. From December 1932 he commanded the 9th Red Banner Mountain Rifle Regiment. In 1937 he served as head of the headquarters of the Central Asian Military District, and in 1938 he was appointed to the post of military commissar of the Kirghiz SSR. In the same year there was awarded a medal"XX years of the Red Army". In January 1939 he was promoted to brigade commander (from 1940 - major general).

In June 1941, Panfilov was instructed to form the 316th Infantry Division in Alma-Ata. Residents of Alma-Ata, Dzhambul and South Kazakhstan regions, as well as residents of Kyrgyzstan (40% of Kazakhs, 30% of Russians, 30% of representatives of another 26 peoples of the USSR) were recruited into it. These were people from civilian life, for example, the famous political instructor Klochkov from May 1941 worked as a deputy manager of the trust of canteens and restaurants in Alma-Ata. At the end of August 1941, the division under the command of General Panfilov became part of the 52nd Army of the North-Western Front. During the transfer, near Borovichi, the division suffered the first losses, falling on the march under an air attack. At the training ground between Leningrad and Novgorod took place intensive training personnel. In September 1941, the division equipped a defense zone in the second echelon of the army.

From Panfilov's letter to his wife:

We have had the honorable task of keeping the enemy out of the heart of our Motherland - Moscow. The enemy will be defeated, and Hitler and his gang will be destroyed. There will be no mercy to the reptile for the tears of mothers, wives, children. "Death to Hitler!" - on every fighter's lips. Mura, stop. I hasten to put down the letter. Valya (eldest daughter, nurse. - Ed.) Is driving ahead, with a train. Her mood is vigorous, combative. How do you live there, like T-shirt? Take care of her. I kiss you hard. Folder that loves you ... Kisses. Your Vanya.

In connection with the autumn offensive of the Wehrmacht on Moscow, on October 5, 1941, Panfilov's division was transferred to the 5th Army, and then to the 16th Army, concentrated on the approaches to Moscow. Early October 316th rifle division held a 41-kilometer defense zone (from settlement Lvovo to the state farm Bolychevo) in the Volokolamsk direction.

“On the left flank, covering Volokolamsk from the west and south-west to the Ruza River, there was the 316th Infantry Division, which had arrived from the front-line reserve. It was commanded by General I.V. Panfilov, and S.A.Egorov was the commissar. We have not seen such a full-blooded rifle division - both in number and in support - for a long time, - recalled the commander of the 16th Army K.K. Rokossovsky. - Already on October 14, I met with General Panfilov at his command post, and we discussed the main issues related to the actions of his unit. The conversation with Ivan Vasilievich left a deep impression. I saw that I was dealing with an intelligent commander with serious knowledge and rich practical experience... His proposals were well substantiated. "

This is how K.K. Rokossovsky described Panfilov himself: “A simple open face, some even shyness at the beginning. At the same time, one felt seething energy and the ability to show iron will and perseverance in the right moment... The general spoke respectfully of his subordinates, it was evident that he knew each of them well.

It happens that you don't immediately understand a person - what he is capable of, what are his capabilities. General Panfilov was understandable and sympathetic to me, I somehow immediately became convinced of him - and I was not mistaken. "

Already from October 15, Panfilov's division took part in fierce battles with the enemy. Measures were needed that would help temper the units of the division that did not have combat experience, to convince the personnel of the strength of their weapons in the fight against the enemy.

“He spent most of his time in regiments and even in battalions, and in those that at that moment were experiencing the most fierce pressure from the enemy. This is not ostentatious reckless courage, - recalled S.I. Usanov, commissar of the artillery division of the 316th division. “On the one hand, the personal command experience of the divisional commander helped a lot to correct the situation in difficult areas, on the other hand, his appearance at a critical moment in the battle greatly raised the spirit of soldiers and officers.” The division had quite powerful artillery (207 guns), and Major General Panfilov, widely using the system of deeply echeloned artillery anti-tank defense, used mobile obstacle detachments in battle, which, despite the division's lack of combat experience, allowed it to successfully hold back the onslaught of enemy tank units. According to the recollections of fellow soldiers, Panfilov brilliantly knew how to motivate his soldiers, thereby increasing their stamina in battle. According to the recollections of the general's daughter, V.I. Panfilova, who served in the military battalion, the division commander was loved by all the soldiers, they called him "baty".

“The issuance of an order must be approached reasonably and creatively. The order after giving it becomes the personal fate of the subordinate, the executor. This is very, very serious, - recalled the words of Ivan Vasilyevich another colleague Baurzhan Momysh-uly. - Here I am a commander, one might say, all my life, but I have always considered and still consider: not troops for the commander, but the commander for the troops. One of the main tasks of the art of command is to hold the key to the hearts of the masses. The closer the commander is to the masses, the better and easier it is for him to work. "

On the initiative of the battalion commander of the 1073th regiment, Senior Lieutenant Momysh-Ula, detachments were created in the division's units, intended for bold and decisive attacks on the enemy's approach to the division's defense. The divisional commander approved this initiative and recommended that soldiers and officers be selected into the detachment not from one battalion, but from the entire regiment. The strongest and bravest soldiers and officers from each company were sent to the detachment. Fighting such detachments were given the opportunity to test the power of weapons, to recognize and see the enemy and make sure that with skillful and courageous actions he could be defeated.

The 316th division has many well-trained soldiers, and has an amazingly tenacious defense. Its weak point is a wide front of location.

Report to the commander of the German Army Group "Center" von Bock

“On the morning of November 16, enemy troops began to rapidly develop an offensive from the Volokolamsk region to Klin,” recalled Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov, “Fierce battles unfolded. The rifle divisions of the 16th Army fought especially stubbornly: the 316th General I.V. Panfilov. 78th General A.P. Beloborodov and the 18th General P.N. Chernyshev, a separate cadet regiment S.I. Mladentseva, 1st Guards, 23, 27, 28th separate tank brigades and the cavalry group of Major General L.M. Dovatora ... The battles that took place on November 16-18 were very difficult for us. The enemy, regardless of losses, climbed ahead, trying at any cost to break through to Moscow with his tank wedges. But the deeply echeloned artillery and anti-tank defense and well-organized interaction of all branches of the military did not allow the enemy to break through the battle formations of the 16th Army. Slowly, but in perfect order, this army was withdrawn to the lines prepared in advance and already occupied by artillery, where again its units fought stubbornly, repelling the attacks of the Nazis. "

Soldiers of the 4th company of the 2nd battalion of the 1075th rifle regiment of the 316th division, headed by political instructor V.G. Klochkov, who were on the defensive in the area of ​​the Dubosekovo junction, on November 16 stopped the advance of 50 enemy tanks for 4 hours, destroying 18 of them. It was this event that went down in history as the feat of 28 Panfilov heroes. The next day, the division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for exemplary performance of the command's combat missions and mass heroism.

Memorial complex "28 Panfilov Heroes" at the Dubosekovo junction

“Under the most difficult conditions of a combat situation, Comrade Panfilov always retained the leadership and command of the units. In continuous month-long battles on the approaches to Moscow, units of the division not only held their positions, but also with swift counterattacks defeated the 2nd tank, 29th motorized, 11th and 110th infantry divisions, destroying 9,000 enemy soldiers and officers, more than 80 tanks, a lot of guns, mortars and other weapons "(GK Zhukov).

K.K. Rokossovsky gave high performance I.V. Panfilov as a military leader: “The divisional commander controlled the troops confidently, firmly, and wisely. If it will be really difficult here, I thought, then Panfilov should be helped only by reinforcing him with fresh forces, and he can use them without prompting from above. "

Today, by order of the front, hundreds of fighters, division commanders have been awarded the orders of the Union. Two days ago I was awarded the third Order of the Red Banner ... I think soon my division should be guards, there are already three heroes. Our motto is to be all heroes.

On November 18, the 316th division was reorganized into the 8th Guards Rifle Division. The general did not live to see this glorious moment in just a few hours - on the same day, having received a mortal wound, I.V. Panfilov died near the village of Gusenevo (now the Volokolamsk district of the Moscow region).

Monument to I.V. Panfilov at the scene of his death in Gusenovo, Volokolamsk district of the Moscow region

From the memoirs of a major general tank troops M.E. Katukova:

“We warmly congratulated our comrades with whom we became close during these hot days. There was no time for solemn rallies: the division - now the 8th Guards Division - did not crawl out of the trenches, holding back the advancing enemy with the utmost effort. On the morning of November 18, two dozen tanks and motorized infantry chains again began to surround the village of Gusenevo. Here at that time there was Panfilov's command post - a hastily dug dugout next to a peasant hut. The Germans fired at the village with mortars, but the fire was indirect and ignored.

Panfilov received a group of Moscow correspondents. When he was informed of an enemy tank attack, he hurried out of the dugout into the street. Other members of the division's headquarters followed. Panfilov did not have time to climb the last step of the dugout when a mine crashed nearby. General Panfilov began to slowly sink to the ground. They picked him up in their arms. So, without regaining consciousness, he died in the arms of his comrades in arms. Examined the wound: it turned out that a tiny splinter pierced the temple.

According to the memoirs of M.E. Katukov, Panfilov's death shocked the tankers so much that in the next battle "like possessed they rushed towards Hitler's machines," causing the enemy to be confused for a while. Colonel-General of the Wehrmacht Erich Gepner, who faced the 8th Guards Division in the battles near Volokolamsk, in his reports to the commander of the "Center" group Fedor von Bock wrote about it as a "wild division" whose soldiers do not surrender and are not afraid of death The news of the death of Ivan Vasilyevich shocked both the division and the brigade, especially those who knew him well. It was a terrible loss for me. I managed to fall in love with the brave general and work with him. The only thing one cannot get used to in a war is the death of loved ones. "

I.V. Panfilov was buried with military honors in Moscow at the Novodevichy cemetery, a monument was erected over his grave.

On April 12, 1942, Major General I.V. Panfilov was posthumously awarded the Order of Lenin and was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union - for the skillful leadership of divisional units in battles on the outskirts of the city of Moscow and for his personal courage and heroism shown at the same time. At the place of death, in the village of Gusenevo, a monument to the general was also erected. His name has been immortalized in different parts Soviet Union, Panfilov streets appeared in Moscow, Alma-Ata, Bishkek, Perm, Lipetsk, Volokolamsk, Saratov, Yoshkar-Ola, Minsk, Omsk, Voronezh, Petrovsk and other cities. In Kazakhstan, the city of Zharkent in 1942-1991. in honor of the hero-commander he bore the name Panfilov, in Kyrgyzstan the Panfilov district of the Chui region was formed. Monument to I.V. Panfilov was erected in Bishkek, becoming the very first monument in the USSR, erected in honor of the hero of the Great Patriotic War.

Today we want to tell you about the life of the legendary military leader General Panfilov. His biography seems to be copied from the pages of an adventure novel or the film "Officers". The division commander, who was nicknamed Batey by the fighters for his paternal attitude towards the soldiers, formed and trained a division in Alma-Ata in 41, which played a decisive role in the battle for Moscow.

Vanya woke up early that day. Despite the fact that it was November outside, it was warm outside. A nimble 12-year-old boy loaded his simple belongings onto a cart and went with his uncle to long way, to the provincial city of Saratov. He left his father's house in the city of Petrovsk, on the banks of the Medveditsa River. The boy thought about his future. However, even in his wildest dreams, he could hardly have imagined that he would someday be a general, division commander and war hero. His surname will become a household name and will go down in history. Ivan's last name was not particularly remarkable - Panfilov ...

Future Major General, Hero of the Defense of Moscow Ivan Vasilievich Panfilov was born on January 1, 1893 in the family of a modest office worker Vasily Zakharovich Panfilov... The family always celebrated Vanyusha's birthday as solemnly as possible. His mother, Alexandra Stepanovna, cooked delicious pies, fried a goose. When Panfilov was in the first grade, my mother fell ill and soon died. The father had a hard time losing his wife. The family barely made ends meet, but Vasily Zakharovich managed to arrange Ivan in a city three-year school at public expense.

Vanya Panfilov studied well, loved the Russian language, arithmetic, history and geography. Only the Law of God was given to him hard. Despite his academic success, the boy was a real tomboy. Together with the neighbors' guys, they formed a gang, and Vanya became its leader. The townspeople called them "panfilats". Former teacher of the Petrovsky city primary school Nikolay Vlasov so then he remembered about his student:

“In 1902, on the initiative of the city's intelligentsia, the Society for Aid to Poor Students was created. It paid their tuition fees. Among these children I especially remember Vanya Panfilov - a black-haired, dark-skinned boy like a gypsy. Smart and lively, sometimes even some kind of desperate. If there was a fire in the city, his gang was right there. Panfilov and his friends could be met in the forest, on the river, at haymaking, at the harvest. During the railroad strike in 1905, panfilyats ran to the workers, were their messengers. "

In 1905, employees joined the railroad strike. Panfilov's father also refused to go to work until his salary was raised. Instead, the owner drove Vasily Zakharovich out of service, after which he fell seriously ill. The family was in poverty, and it was decided to send Ivan to Saratov, where his aunt promised to find a job for the teenager.

In Saratov, Ivan lived in the Glebuchev ravine, an area of ​​the urban poor. The boy was hired to work in the shop of a Saratov merchant Korotkova... All day he performed the duties of a handyman, and in the evenings he did housework in Korotkov's house. For three years, the greedy merchant did not pay the boy, and he actually worked for food. Having finally received a small amount, Vanya went home and bought gifts for his father, sister Lindens and younger brother Dima.

Unable to endure humiliation and nagging, Ivan Panfilov from his employer Korotkov went to the merchant's hardware store Sokolova... Sokolov treated his workers no better, but he paid his salary accurately and on time. However, after the unfair accusation of theft, Ivan again began to look for work. He got a job as a clerk in the shop of a merchant of the second guild Bogolyubova... Bogolyubov paid his workers a large salary, treated them humanely. The merchant appreciated honesty in them, and immediately noticed the young clerk.

Ivan worked all day in the store, serving customers. Since childhood, Panfilov loved flowers, and in his tiny closet he grew a small flower bed. During this time, his long-standing love for literature manifested itself. The guy read a variety of books all his free time. Among them came across works about military campaigns, life and victories of great commanders.

In 1914, the First World War... Crowded demonstrations took place in Saratov, at which speeches were made about duty and defense of the homeland. In September 1915, a summons came to the name of Panfilov. The shopkeeper tried to dissuade him from military service, having said that he can connect his connections and “smear” a valuable worker from the service. However, Ivan Vasilyevich did not even want to hear about it, and ran to the recruiting station.

In early October 1915, Ivan Panfilov went to the city of Insar, where he was enrolled in a training team. Here the young conscript underwent drill, learned to shoot, dig trenches and overcome obstacles. In the part, Ivan met his childhood friend - Vasily Melnikov, one of those "panfilats". Together they endured all the difficulties of learning. Ivan was eager to go to the front, but his superiors were in no hurry to part with him, making him an assistant in training recruits. Finally, in December 1916, Panfilov went to the front as part of the 638th Oltinsky regiment, which was part of the 7th Army of the Southwestern Front. This regiment participated in the legendary Brusilov Breakthrough, when Russian troops managed to crush the Austro-Hungarian defenses.

Ivan Panfilov rose to the rank of sergeant major and was appointed commander of a marching company. The soldier witnessed the rise in fighting spirit, and then its fall. The winter of 1917 was difficult. The troops lacked supplies. The soldiers were embittered by three years of hard war. The news of the overthrow of the tsar was greeted with delight in the barracks. The army was overwhelmed by revolutionary changes. Panfilov was elected to the regimental soldiers' committee. In February 1918, Ivan Vasilyevich returned to his native Volga region. He worked in the Military Department of the Saratov Workers' Council, which was involved in the formation of units of the Red Army. Shots rang out in the country civil war.

Soon Panfilov himself enlisted in the ranks of the Saratov regiment. He became part of the 25th Infantry Division, created Vasily Ivanovich Chapaev from scattered detachments of fighters for Soviet power... As part of the Chapaevsk division, Panfilov was baptized by fire in the battles for the Semiglavy Mur station. He showed himself excellently during the first campaign against Uralsk and was promoted to company commander.

Panfilov found his military specialty. It was intelligence. Ivan Vasilievich, being the commander of the reconnaissance squadron, made daring raids behind enemy lines. Once he was summoned by Chapaev himself and given a responsible task: to reconnoiter the situation in the area of ​​the village of Lyubitskoye. Panfilov successfully dealt with him and returned with valuable information that the White Guards were going to strike an unexpected blow. For Chapaev, such information was very valuable, and he singled out a young intelligence officer, entrusting him with the most dangerous missions. “A smart guy, reliable. I like his calmness and self-control in such a dangerous business. Panfilov is cautious, but brave, ”Chapaev said about his subordinate. Once the reconnaissance did not return from the raid for a long time. Vasily Ivanovich Chapaev was seriously worried about the fate of the scouts. He was very glad when Panfilov finally appeared at the door of the headquarters.

Co-workers spoke of Panfilov as an intelligent commander. He knew how to protect his scouts without risking the lives of soldiers. He took on the most dangerous tasks. After the liberation of Uralsk and the entire territory of Western Kazakhstan to the Caspian Sea from the White Guards, Panfilov, as part of the division, was transferred to the Dnieper, where there were battles with the Polish army. Even before that, he was presented to the Order of the Red Banner for heroism shown in battle (with his squadron he captured seven machine gunners and four machine guns), but he never received this first award. Here Panfilov again continued his service in intelligence. Many people remember Ivan Vasilyevich's daring operation, when he, disguised as an ordinary peasant, walked right under the nose of Polish army having reconnoitred her position. In the battles of Soldau, Panfilov's squadron played a decisive role, striking the enemy's rear. For this feat, he was nevertheless awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

The Red Army detachment led by Panfilov was sent to the Ukrainian city of Ovidipol to fight the assorted gangs. Here the commander met his love.

They met by chance. Panfilov knocked on the house to Maria Ivanovna to accommodate two of her fighters. The young girl, blushing, began to beg not to do this, referring to the fact that her father had left, and she was left in the house alone with her younger children. Ivan Vasilyevich, smiling politely, said that he would no longer bother them. The girl was surprised when, a few days later, on the porch of her house, she met the same stately mustachioed commander. He greeted Maria as with a longtime acquaintance.

So their friendship and love began. A couple walked around the city on warm summer nights. One evening a Red Army soldier brought a letter to the girl. At the end there were the following lines: “I am single, and I need a life friend like you. Therefore, please let me know how you feel about me. This is serious. I offer you my hand and heart. " Maria was embarrassed and refused to answer the letter. When they met again, they did not mention this episode. However, at the end of the conversation, Ivan Vasilyevich said:

“I am leaving on business for two or three weeks. Don't worry, Marusya, I will definitely come back. "

After a pause, Panfilov took her hands and added that when he returned, they would get married. And so it happened.

In October 1921, Panfilov was sent to improve his qualifications at the Kiev Military Unified School. According to the charter, it was supposed to come to study without a family, but Ivan Vasilyevich did not want to send his young wife away from him. The family settled right in the school building, in a gloomy isolation room, which for some time became their home. Maria Panfilova was enrolled in the school staff as a cleaning lady. For an additional fee, she and other spouses of the students washed the bachelors' linen.

Later school commissioner Alexander Vinokurov in his memoirs he wrote about Panfilov, describing him as a collected, energetic, restrained and reasonable student with a practical mind. Ivan Vasilievich studied excellently, took an active part in public life. For his combat experience, he enjoyed authority among the audience. Studying was easy for him, and he even managed to help his fellow students in the development of military science.

On May 7, 1923, the first child was born in the family of Ivan Vasilyevich and Maria Ivanovna - a daughter, Valentina. Panfilov was very happy, showed love for his daughter and always found time to tinker with her. After completing his studies, the officer was appointed company commander in the 52nd Infantry Regiment, stationed in Yaroslavl. A year later, the commander voluntarily signed up to take part in the fight against the Basmachi. The family moved again, this time to Central Asia.

Panfilov came to Ashgabat with his family. Coming out of the train carriage, they plunged into the thick eastern city... Hot weather, noisy crowds of tanned men in skullcaps and striped robes, women hiding from prying eyes in impenetrable stuffy veils. The family did not manage to settle in the new house when shots were heard in the street. Panfilov pushed his wife and daughter into the house and rushed to the headquarters. At that time, the Basmachi raids on the city took place regularly. Ivan Vasilievich, leading the detachment, took part in raids against the Basmachi. Often, in small groups, he defeated many times the outnumbered gangs. This service was dangerous, fighting often took place in narrow mountain gorges, which the Basmachi knew like the back of their hand.

Often the commander left the family for several days. Once, after another raid on the city, he did not appear in the house for six days. Panfilov's wife was afraid that she would never see her husband again, but Ivan Vasilyevich returned from the campaign tired and sad, mourning the losses in his detachment. During the service in Central Asia, the Panfilov family constantly roamed. Ashgabat, Tashkent, Khorog, Uch-Kurgan, Kokand, Osh, Fergana, Chardzhou, Frunze ... In many ways, the fate of Panfilov and his wife resembles the famous film "Officers". Maria Ivanovna, like a real officer's wife, endured all the hardships of such a life with dignity, raising children and providing home comfort.

The granddaughter of General Panfilov, director of the Military History Museum of the Army House, tells about this period in the life of Ivan Vasilyevich and his family.

- My mother, Panfilov's eldest daughter Valentina, remembered well how the family lived in Central Asia. She remembers swimming with other children in the river, burying eggs in the sand. When they came out of the water, the egg was already baked - such was the heat. My mother told me that my grandfather was hardly at home. He left early in the morning and returned in the evening. Once he did not come for a long time, and they brought his shot-through tunic into the house. Grandmother was afraid that he died, but Ivan Vasilyevich was only captured by the Basmachi, and soon he was released.

Alua Baikadamova says that her grandfather was a very calm and balanced person in the family. He treated his wife and children with great warmth, never raised his voices to them.

- Once my mother was guilty of something in front of him. The grandfather made a quiet remark to her, but my mother was very ashamed, and she began to cry. Ivan Vasilyevich never punished children.

Panfilov's wife Maria Ivanovna was distinguished by her ability to create comfort even in difficult field conditions. She equipped each new home. However, Maria Panfilova was not an ordinary housewife. While her husband was in the service, she was actively involved in social work.

After serving in Ashgabat, Panfilov was appointed to command a detachment at the high-altitude post of Khorog, located in the Pamir mountains, on the very border of the country. The area was considered very dangerous. Mountain gorges were teeming with Basmachs. Even the path to Khorog, which lies along winding mountain paths over a deep abyss, was considered difficult in itself. However, the commander's wife wished to follow him on this path. Together with two children, the eldest Valentina and the young Evgenia, in incredibly difficult conditions, she walked with the detachment to a distant mountain post.

The locals were very surprised when they saw the first woman of European appearance, who reached such a remote area. Soon Maria Ivanovna began educational and educational work among local women, she organized a drama club. Panfilov for his service in Khorog and a successful mission to protect the border received a commendation and a certificate of honor.

Ivan Vasilievich Panfilov grew up in the service. He was sent to Moscow, where, after refresher courses at the Frunze Academy, he received the rank of colonel and was assigned to the city of Chardzhou. Here he contributed to the construction of the railway.

Ivan Vasilyevich, in his free time from the service, was very fond of going out into nature. His passion was hunting and fishing. He enjoyed walking along mountain paths and meadows. During his service in the Kyrgyz SSR, he gave the family new impressions, having traveled with them around Lake Issyk-Kul. While on vacation in the Tamga sanatorium, Panfilov went on hikes with the children, making a fire and preparing food in a pot.

Alua Baikadamova, according to her mother's recollections, says that her grandfather knew how to cook quite well.

- Sometimes he cooked pilaf. In addition, he always brewed tea himself. He had his own method of making excellent tea. It was a whole ceremony.

While serving in Tashkent, Maria Ivanovna entered the industrial academy. When Panfilov received an appointment to the Kirghiz SSR, to the post of military commissar, he forbade his wife to drop out of school. Instead, he took five children with him to Frunze, taking care of them.

In the city of Frunze, modern Bishkek, Panfilov became the military commissar of the republic. For him, this position was not so high. After taking courses in Moscow, he was offered to stay at the General Staff. Panfilov refused, saying that he wanted to serve in the East. Perhaps the general was bribed by the hospitality and mentality of the inhabitants of the Central Asian republics. It is also possible that he wanted to stay away from Moscow and the state security agencies. The year was 1938. Quite recently, a wave of repression of officers swept across the country, which did not escape even members of the highest generals.

Despite the fact that Panfilov's position was considered almost retirement and was more suitable for an old warrior than for a young and ambitious commander, the general took up his duties with his characteristic energy. He personally visited most of the regional and district military registration and enlistment offices. He checked the situation on the ground and instructed to eliminate the deficiencies noticed. Panfilov did not shun the daily rough work. He listened carefully to the suggestions of his subordinates. The general periodically communicated with young conscripts and spoke to them. In addition to his main duties, he performed various cultural and educational work. Ivan Vasilyevich traveled around almost the entire republic, looking even into remote distant areas and winter quarters. Local shepherds, herders and herders were happy to receive him at home and knew that they could turn to the general with any need and problem that was soon resolved. Panfilov was keenly interested in the education of young people in the republic, their physical and cultural training.

In Frunze, the general, despite his high position, lived quite modestly. The family was accommodated in a state-owned apartment located in the building of the military registration and enlistment office. Panfilov and his wife did their best to create comfort. Soon the deserted and neglected courtyard in front of the military registration and enlistment office became a real garden. Ivan Vasilievich planted flowers and fruit trees near the house. The whole family took part in garbage collection, dismantling of an old barn, and equipping a volleyball court. Colleagues, a guest of the general, admired the cleanliness and neatness of his home.

“There were only two Persian carpets of value in the family. Panfilov was not in the habit of accumulating material values. Once, having come home, the general found that Maria Ivanovna had cut carpets to make rugs for the children. The grandfather did not scold her, - says Panfilov's granddaughter.

In May 1941, the general decided to take his family to rest. Together with his wife and two children, he went to a sanatorium in Sochi. After receiving medical procedures, Ivan Vasilyevich with his wife, daughter Maya and son Vladlen took walks on the sea on a boat or steamer. He drove the family in a car around the outskirts of the resort town. Panfilov was very fond of swimming and spent a lot of time in the water. Alua Baikadamova tells how suddenly this idyll was broken:

- Once a nurse handed Ivan Vasilyevich a telegram. It contained an order to urgently leave for Moscow. Together with their family, they boarded the train and spent several days on the road. The general understood that they were calling him for a reason, and was tense on the road. The train arrived in Moscow on June 22. Leaving the station, Panfilov and his family heard the news about the beginning of the war. After placing the children in a hotel, the general immediately went to the People's Commissariat of Defense.

Panfilov was sent to the capital of the Kazakh SSR to form a rifle division from the residents of Frunze and Alma-Ata. Having sent his family to Frunze, the general arrived in Alma-Ata. He went straight from the station to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan. I discussed in detail the issue of forming a division with the leadership of the republic. The general asked to select more young activists, communists and Komsomol members for it. He outlined his views on food supplies, the placement of personnel, the service of soldiers by the theatrical and musical groups of the republic. Panfilov approached the formation of the division very carefully, taking into account every detail.

In just a month, the general had to form a combat-ready unit from inexperienced recruits. He was personally involved in the selection of officers - from regiment commanders to platoon commanders. Panfilov got to know each of them, talked, talked about the responsibility for training personnel. Per short term he demanded from the commanders to improve the endurance, discipline and skills of the soldiers. Panfilov pointed to a special approach to the division, which will consist of young people of different nationalities.

A period of intense combat training of personnel began. It took place in the valley of the Talgar River in the gorges of the Zailiyskiy Alatau. Parts of the 316th Rifle Division carried out drill exercises day and night, made long marches, crossed rivers and climbed hills. In one camp, artillerymen, scouts, sappers, orderlies, signalmen lived and prepared for battle. They learned to fire rifles and machine guns, load and aim guns, throw grenades, dig trenches and dugouts, build bridges and mine fields.

The general quickly won the love and respect of the officers and soldiers of his division. He could communicate on an equal footing without obstacles with subordinates, talk with commanders and ordinary soldiers. Panfilov was very friendly and warm towards people, never raising his voice to his personnel. Soon, Panfilov's nickname - Batya - spread throughout the division. He received it back in the Civil War, for his paternal attitude towards soldiers. The commanders and privates of the division did not call him otherwise. Later, in 1945, when four years have passed since the death of the general, one of the Panfilov soldiers will write on the wall in Berlin: “We are Panfilovites. Thank you, Dad, for the boots. "

The general paid special attention to the nutrition, uniforms and equipment of his soldiers. Through the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan for the girls from the division, he was even able to obtain the issuance of women's underwear, stockings instead of footcloths, skirts instead of trousers. Women's uniforms were sewn at the factories of Alma-Ata by special order.

There were cases when the division commander personally observed the preparation of the formations. He often visited the shooting ranges, and when he saw mistakes, he took a rifle in his hands and showed how to hit the target. There was one more remarkable incident. The general arrived in the 4th company of the 2nd battalion of the 1075th rifle regiment. It is this compound that will fight at the Dubosekovo junction. Panfilov watched as the soldiers of the platoon lieutenant Shirmatova practiced bayonet fighting. It seemed to the general that they were not performing the techniques accurately enough. With his characteristic humor, he approached Shirmatov and said: "I'm waiting for the team, comrade of the platoon commander." The lieutenant was initially taken aback by this treatment, but soon, realizing the idea of ​​his commander, he began to give him commands. Panfilov energetically performed techniques with a bayonet, showing the soldiers how to do it by personal example.

Panfilov paid special attention to the preparation of soldiers for the defense against tank attacks. After his death, many books on the tactics and strategy of modern warfare were found in his personal library, including the works of such famous foreign commanders as the French Marshal Foch. In this literature, many theories have been presented about tank warfare. The general himself understood that the cavalry remained in the past, and a new war will determine the tanks. The soldiers were taught how to handle grenades and Molotov cocktails. The soldiers practiced stealthily approaching an armored vehicle and hitting it in vulnerable spots. Ivan Vasilyevich also came up with a special way to train personnel in the fight against "tank fear".

- Panfilov told the soldiers that a tank is essentially the same tractor, but with a cannon. On his order, collective farm tractors drove over the heads of the soldiers. Then they had to get out of the trench and iron the tractor with dummy grenades, says Alua Baikadamova.

It is known that the division trained special squads tank destroyers of 20-25 people each, who were trained and equipped to combat armored vehicles.

Shortly before the division's departure to the front, the general met with all his children, whom Panfilov's wife had sent from Frunze, where the family lived, to Alma-Ata. Later, Maria Ivanovna herself came to her husband with her eldest daughter Valentina. This was their last meeting. Valentina decided to enroll in the division and go to the front with her father. Ivan Vasilievich and Maria Ivanovna dissuaded the girl from this step for a long time, but she was adamant. Alua Bakhytzhanovna recalls that her mother told her about it:

- Mom knew how to shoot, she even had the "Voroshilovsky shooter" badge. She wrote to her father that she wanted to go to the front. In response, a telegram came to the name of my grandmother. In it, Panfilov asked Maria Ivanovna to dissuade her daughter from this decision, and if it still does not work out, he ordered her to be sent to him. The grandmother had not yet had time to read this letter, and the mother was already getting ready for the journey. In the division, she became a nurse.

Later, Maria Ivanovna will write a touching letter to her husband. In it, she will express her hope for a successful return from the war of her husband and daughter. They take the following lines for a living: “... This is a war, and it is not known how much it will part, and I gave you my word, no matter what happens to you, you will be wounded, whether you remain crippled, I will still meet you with the same love and respect and will always be with children. " At the same time, Maria did not exclude the possibility that she would never see her husband again: "Vanya, nevertheless, if you have to die for the Motherland, then die so that you can sing songs and add poems like about a glorious hero." Panfilov kept this letter with him in battles until his death.

On July 30, the fighters of the division took the oath. Among them were young Kazakhs Jumabay Kaydarov, Abdarakhman Altynbekov and Ishpay Isymov... They did not speak Russian and learned the words by heart. On August 18, 1941, the 316th Infantry Division arrived at the North-Western Front, in the vicinity of Novgorod, and was transferred to the disposal of the 52nd Army. Being part of the second echelon of defense, the soldiers continued their training. At the insistence of Panfilov, from time to time they participated in reconnaissance operations, making raids behind enemy lines. So the first baptism of fire was accepted by the platoon of Lieutenant Korolev. The scouts killed five Germans, captured a tongue and a light machine gun. Such daring sorties were periodically made by different parts of the division. Almost every one of them ended successfully.

The Panfilov division did not have a chance to fight at Leningrad. Soon she was transferred to the Moscow region and became part of the 16th Army of General Rokossovsky. The division covered Volokolamsk and occupied a 50-kilometer line of defense. October 14 Rokossovsky arrived at command post division and met Panfilov. The future marshal highly appreciated the experience and knowledge of Panfilov. He noted: "One senses in him ebullient energy and the ability to manifest an iron will."

Panfilov was faced with the task of organizing a reliable defense with a lack of anti-tank weapons and weapons. The 857th Artillery Regiment of Lieutenant Colonel was transferred to the division. G. F. Kurganova, which was divided into divisional divisions between the rifle units. Even anti-aircraft guns and Katyushas were used to counter the tanks. Ivan Vasilievich applied special tactics: the positions of the batteries were arranged in such a way that they could be turned 180 degrees and, in addition, thanks to cars and horses, they could be quickly transferred to the most dangerous sectors of the front.

The general preached the tactics that the best defense is an offensive. He advised the defending units to attack the enemy themselves as soon as possible. Heavy fighting began on 15 October. The Germans attacked units of the division not only in the center, but also on the flanks. At a critical moment, the enemy threw about one and a half hundred tanks against the left flank of the 316th. Panfilov saved the units from the encirclement by deploying a large number of anti-tank artillery there. The fighting continued.

On October 19, on the left flank of the defense of the 1075th Infantry Regiment, the enemy occupied several villages. The captain's battalion blocked the enemy's path to the village of Ostashevo Lysenko... He repulsed all the attacks of the Germans, being surrounded. Almost all the soldiers of the battalion were killed. For two days, Panfilov's division inflicted significant damage to the enemy. During the fighting, the battalion of the captain Molchanova, unexpectedly going over to the attack on the Germans who were pressing them, destroyed six tanks.

The onslaught intensified. The 316th division was opposed by three tank and one infantry divisions of the Germans. On October 25, they threw more than 120 tanks into battle and occupied the Volokolamsk station. Panfilov decided to keep the division and, avoiding encirclement and heavy losses, ordered the surrender of the city of Volokolamsk. Alua Bakhytzhanovna tells how he almost paid for this decision by the tribunal:

- Stalin and Zhukov were unhappy with the surrender of Volokolamsk. The commander of the 16th Army, Lieutenant General K. K. Rokossovsky, intervened in the situation, explaining the reasons for the retreat and saying: “I trust Panfilov. If he left Volokolamsk, then it means that it was necessary! " Panfilov always tried to protect the soldiers and did not throw them to a senseless death. He told them: "I don't need you to die heroically, I need you to stay alive!"

Panfilov supported good relationship with the commanders of the units that took up defenses in the neighborhood. He especially became friends with the brave horseman, the commander of the cavalry group, Major General Lev Dovator... Dovator jokingly invited Panfilov to the headquarters of his group to take a steam bath, they supported each other during attacks and defense. Ivan Vasilyevich was sincerely happy for his friend and envied him in a good way when the cavalrymen of Dovator were instructed to take part in the legendary historical parade on November 7, 1941.

The secret of Panfilov's division's success in repelling attacks from superior forces was largely due to the general's special tactics. V military history the term "Panfilov's Loop" was introduced - the concentration of troops at key points of the battle, strongholds in the most likely places for the passage of enemies. Ivan Vasilyevich preferred not to stretch his formations along the entire line of defense, but to create defense nodes in the most likely places of the enemy's strike.

In one of his last letters to his wife, the general noted the bravery and professionalism of his soldiers. In the letter, he expressed the hope that the division would soon earn the title of Guards. The general had no idea how soon this would happen ... The German offensive on Moscow continued. The Nazis gathered strength for the final decisive blow, which was to decide the fate of the capital. Later Zhukov in his memoirs, he admitted that November 16-18 were the most difficult days in the battle for Moscow. It was at this time that two tank and one infantry divisions of the Wehrmacht launched an offensive in the Volokolamsk direction. The 316th rifle division formed in Kazakhstan blocked their way to Moscow.

The division fighters in the course of these battles massively showed heroism. On the morning of November 16, the German attack fell on the position of the 1075th Infantry Regiment. The 1st battalion of the 1071th rifle regiment under the command of a senior lieutenant entered the battle Baurzhan Momyshuly... The position of the battalion of Momyshuly, which stood on the Volokolamskoe highway, was attacked by 14 tanks. One of the heights was occupied by a company of the lieutenant Kraeva... She repulsed three attacks, her soldiers knocked out three tanks. After the encirclement of Kraev, he made a daring and desperate step, raising the company to attack. Kraev, unexpectedly taken into the ring, went on the attack. The Germans did not expect this, and the Red Army managed to knock out three tanks and break out of the ring. Momyshuly's battalion repulsed tank attacks with cannon fire and grenades. Then he retreated to the reserve line at the railway crossing. The enemy, confident in the destruction of the unit and rushing into the attack, was met by machine gun fire. In this battle, Momyshuly's battalion destroyed 400 Germans, and the commander was able to break the ring and lead him out of the encirclement.

One of the brightest pages in the history of the 316th division was the battle at the Dubosekovo junction. The 4th company of the 2nd battalion of the 1075th rifle regiment on November 16 delayed the tank offensive. According to the memoirs of the commander of the 1075th Rifle Regiment, Colonel I. V. Kaprova, in the battalion's sector there were 10-12 tanks. The battalion fighters managed to knock out 5-6 tanks. Of the 120-140 soldiers of the 4th company, only 20-25 people survived the battle. This battle went down in history as the feat of 28 Panfilov heroes. General Panfilov was directly involved in these events. One of the surviving participants in the battle, Shemyakin, recalled:

- On November 15, we dug in at the Dubosekovo junction. In the evening Panfilov stopped by. He looked at our trenches and said that at the first airstrike he would cover us. He ordered a change of position. The soldiers, biting into the frozen ground with shovels, recalled him with strong words. The next morning, when the incoming enemy aircraft completely destroyed our first trenches, we began to thank Batya.

Panfilov constantly visited the defending units. He did not sleep for days, directing the actions of his division. On the morning of November 17, information reached him that for the bravery shown in the defense of Moscow, the division received the title of Guards, was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and was transformed into the 8th Guards Rifle Division. For the general, this was the fulfillment of his cherished dream. He was in excellent spirits. It was then that he had a chance to see his eldest daughter for the last time.

- Mom worked in an advanced first-aid post. Having left to check the sanitary condition of the fighters, she found herself not far from the division's command post and went to her father. Despite sleepless nights, he was clean-shaven and in good spirits. Panfilov invited her to his place and made tea. He told her about the state of the division and the heroic battles in which his soldiers distinguished themselves. Ivan Vasilievich hinted to his daughter that soon she would learn wonderful news from the newspapers. They called him, and after saying goodbye to his daughter, he ran away to personally lead one of the military operations, says Alua Baikadamova.

All night long the general was congratulated on the fact that his division had finally become the Guards division. On the morning of November 18, the general put himself in order and left the headquarters, accompanied by the chief of staff and the divisional commissar. On the way, they met a correspondent of the newspaper "Pravda" who had arrived at the unit. Mikhail Kalashnikov... He congratulated the general on the transformation of the division, took a photo of him and asked for an escort to be sent to the front line. After the departure of the journalist, Panfilov, together with the chief of artillery Markov and senior battalion commissar Routes went to the command post. On the way, he met a company of sappers. Stopping, Ivan Vasilyevich chastised their commander: “Under mortar fire is not the time to march in formation. Disperse the fighters. If a random projectile hits, it will cause a lot of trouble. " A cannonade of shots rang out over the village of Gusenevo, where the division's headquarters was located. The Germans broke through to the village and were now firing from mortars. Suddenly an explosion thundered very close to Panfilov. The General wilted. A tiny mine fragment hit him in the chest. The satellites picked up Panfilov. He was taken to the hospital, but it was too late ...

The eldest daughter of the general was the first to know about her father's death. She looked after the seriously wounded man and tried to calm him down. He told her that he was crying not because of his wounds, but because of the death of their Bati-commander. The girl could not believe in the death of her father for a long time until she personally saw his body. Panfilov's widow was grief-stricken. She was supported by numerous letters of condolences from colleagues and subordinates of the general. Despite the grief, Maria Ivanovna had enough strength to write letters to the divisional soldiers with a wish to continue fighting the enemy in order to be worthy of her fallen commander.

General Panfilov's body was taken to Moscow. The farewell ceremony took place in the Great Hall of the Central House of the Red Army. In the first guard of honor, along with three generals, stood the eldest daughter of Panfilov. The Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper published an article signed by Zhukov, Rokossovsky and other generals. It said: “Major General Panfilov was killed by the death of a hero. Guards Division lost her glorious commander. The Red Army lost an experienced and brave military leader. In the battles with the German invaders, his military talent served the Fatherland in no small measure. "

At the request of the Military Council of the Western Front and the Council of the 16th Army on November 23, 1941, five days after the death of the general, his division was named after Panfilov. The 8th Guards in the Red Army became the first named, since the time of the legendary Chapaevsk division. The Panfilov division continued to take part in the battles for Moscow, having distinguished itself in battles in the area of ​​the village of Kryukovo. In January-April 1942, the 8th Guards Rifle Division, together with other units, fought with the SS "Dead's Head" division and took part in the Demyansk operation. She completed her combat path in the Great Patriotic War on the Kurland Front, when attacking the city of Saldus in Latvia.

Panfilov was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery. In the same row with him, under a common monument, rests his friend General Dovator, who survived Panfilov for a couple of months. The pilot is buried here. Victor Talalikhin rammed into the Moscow sky by a German plane.

Maria Ivanovna Panfilova kept the memory of her husband until the end of her days, telling young people about the history of the Panfilov division and its commander. She wrote a biography of General Panfilov.

Alua Baikadamova told about the fate of Panfilov's children. Her mother, the eldest daughter of the general Valentine, remained in the Red Army until 44, was discharged after being wounded and sent to Kazakhstan. She worked in the Central Committee of the Komsomol of the Kazakh SSR. Later she married a famous composer, founder of choral singing in Kazakhstan Bakhytzhan Baikadamov... She worked as a draftsman in a leather haberdashery artel.

Panfilov's middle daughter, Evgeniya, became a famous ceramic sculptor. Her works won prizes at international exhibitions.

Younger daughters Galina and Mayan also went on a creative path, working as make-up and costume designers in various Moscow theaters.

General's only son Vladlen followed in his father's footsteps, becoming a military pilot. He completed his service with the rank of Air Colonel.

Now three granddaughters of Ivan Panfilov live in Almaty. Aigul Baikadamova an economist by profession, and teaches at various universities. Baldyrgan became a musician and composer, taught at the conservatory. by specialty mathematician. Now she is the director of the Military History Museum, the foundations of which were laid by her mother.

- I never could have imagined that I would continue my mother's work. This museum has a unique collection of exhibits related to the history of the Great Patriotic War and Kazakhstani heroes. Many exhibits were donated by the families of Kazakhstani front-line soldiers, as well as by participants in search expeditions to the sites of famous battles. The exposition presents a collection of banners, samples of weapons of those years. There is a headset with which the pilot flew Luhansk, and the banner found at the site of the ruins of the Brest Fortress.

Some time ago there was a question about the possible closure of the museum. Intervened in the situation Imangali Tasmagambetov, who took the post of Minister of Defense. Now the museum is a unique repository of artifacts from the life history of not only General Panfilov and the soldiers of his division, but also many Kazakhstanis who bravely fought on the fronts of the Great War.

P.S. We express our deep gratitude to Alua Bakhytzhanovna Baikadamova for her help in preparing the material.

Photo gallery

IMMORTAL FEAT

November 16, 1941 during the defense of Moscow from the fascist invaders in the battle at the Dubosekovo junction, 28 soldiers from the division of General Panfilov performed their immortal feat, destroying about two dozen German tanks and stopping the German offensive.

The Battle of Moscow became one of the decisive battles and the most important event the first year of the Great Patriotic War.

Ivan Vasilievich Panfilov - outstanding Soviet military leader, hero of the Soviet Union. Born on January 1, 1893 (n.s.) inthe city of Petrovsk, Saratov province.

In 1915, Panfilov was taken into the tsarist army, and almost immediately sent to the German front.

By 1917, Panfilov became the company commander, after the February events, the soldiers elected him a member of the regiment committee. His voluntary choice - to fight on the side of the Red Army during a civil confrontation, I.V. Panfilov made it in 1918.

After the civil war, he was sent to Central Asia, where he fought with the Basmachi.

By 1938, Ivan Vasilyevich became the military commissar of Kyrgyzstan, at next year receives the rank of brigade commander, a year later - major general.

With the beginning of World War II, Ivan Vasilyevich Panfilov was instructed to create the 316th rifle division in Alma-Ata.

By the end of August, the division under the command of Ivan Vasilyevich Panfilov joined the army of the North-Western Front.

In early October 1941, Panfilov's division near Moscow was entrusted with the defense of a wide strip of more than forty kilometers in length in the Volokolamsk direction. Fierce battles in these positions forever glorified the division, the name of the major general was made a household name, and his soldiers began to be called Panfilov.

Despite the fact that the fighters of the division were not previously tested in battles, their stamina and heroism amazed everyone - both our commanders and the Germans.

Ivan Vasilyevich raised the fighting spirit of the soldiers, constantly being in those parts of the division that experienced the fiercest pressure of the enemy. By personal example, Panfilov was able to show in his barely trained fighters that massive heroism, which made a decisive contribution to the victory Soviet people over fascism. Then Ivan Vasilyevich received from his soldiers a respectful and affectionate nickname "Dad". In response, he always said to everyone before the fight: "I don't need you to die, I need you to stay alive!"

Feat of 28 Panfilovites at the Dubosekovo junction

Panfilov's division on November 16, 1941 was attacked by two German tank divisions. At the same time, one division attacked the central part of the defense, and the other in the Dubosekovo area, where the 1075th Infantry Regiment held the defense. It was near Dubosekovo that the events that were later called "the feat of 28 Panfilov's men" unfolded.

Over the course of several November days, Panfilov's division accomplished the almost impossible. Having opposed significantly superior enemy forces, Panfilov's men stopped the attacks of 2 enemy tank and infantry divisions.

For unparalleled heroism, the division becomes the Guards and Red Banner. And on November 23 he received the honorary title of Panfilov.

Ivan Vasilyevich Panfilov himself, by that time, had already died. It happened November 18, 1941 near the village of Gusenevo. During the unintended shelling of the village by the Germans, the smallest mine fragment hit the head of the outstanding commander, who at that time, accompanied by Moscow correspondents, was examining the surroundings.

Major General Ivan Vasilyevich Panfilov was buried with honors at the Novodevichy cemetery. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded to him posthumously - in April 1942.