Liberation80: Over 5,200 Soldiers Buried at Military Cemetery in Sturovo

Sturovo, May 3 (TASR) - The Red Army military cemetery in Sturovo (Nitra region), despite its relatively small size, is one of the largest military cemeteries in Slovakia, with graves of 5,248 soldiers, who fell during the Second World War, while liberating Sturovo and the surrounding area. It's listed in the Slovak national cultural heritage register. Intense fighting took place around Sturovo in the spring of 1945, during which the town was liberated several times, only to be reoccupied by German forces. "The German military constructed defensive positions along the Hron River and desperately attempted to halt the advance of the Red Army. As a result, a large number of German and Soviet soldiers perished here, most of whose names remain unknown. There were also many civilian casualties," said Sturovo mayor Eugen Szabo. The Red Army military cemetery was established in 1947 and has undergone several reconstructions, including those in 1965, 1989-1994, when it took its current form. During the last major reconstruction, carried out in phases between 2007-2009, finishing work on the cemetery was done by students from Slovakia, Russia, and Belarus during the summer holidays. A five-metre-tall statue of a grieving mother was installed at the cemetery, created in 1987 by academic sculptor Emil Venkov. lin/mcs/am