Memorial sign in honor of the residents who fought in the 2nd Division of the People’s Militia of the Stalinskiy district of Moscow
In the first days of July 1941, during the most difficult initial period of the Great Patriotic War, in Moscow, in accordance with the resolution of the State Defence Committee of July 4, 1941 № GKO-10 «On the voluntary mobilization of workers in Moscow and the Moscow region in the Moscow People’s Militia», the People’s Militia Division was formed. The 2nd Moscow Division of the People’s Militia of the Stalinsky district was formed at school № 434 (36, Shcherbakovskaya Street). Major General V.R. Vashkevich was appointed as commander of the division. The composition of the division was mostly the volunteers of the Moscow Electric Plant named after Kuibyshev (transformer), MELZ and ATE 1plants, factories named after Shcherbakov, machine-building plants of the Stalinsky district. About 400 young lieutenants, prematurely promoted to commanders from the cadets of the second courses of military schools, formed the main composition of the commanders of companies and batteries, as well as their deputies; the missing contingent of commanders and the entire political staff was called up from the reserve. The division also included a battalion of the People’s militia (about 800 people) from the Balashikha district of the Moscow region. This battalion consisted of workers, engineering, technical and economic workers of the Balashikha and Reutov Сotton Factories, the Balashikha Cloth Factory, the Savva Spinning Factory, the Kuchinsky Brick Factory, students and teachers of Fur Institute, collective farmers. The 2nd Moscow Division of the People’s Militia of the Stalinsky district was transformed. It was transferred to the infantry division of personnel on September 26, 1941 with the assignment of a military number and renamed the 2nd Rifle Division. It was the part of the active army from July 31 to September 26, 1941. A memorial sign has been erected in honour of the residents of Moscow who fought in the 2nd Division of the People’s Militia of the Stalinsky district.
Address: Moscow, Shcherbakovskaya str., 48
