6th Division of the People’s Militia of the Dzerzhinskiy District was Formed in This Building in 1941
The 6th Moscow Rifle Division of the People’s Militia of the Dzerzhinskiy district was formed from July 3 to July 6, 1941. It was formed at the Moscow Institute of Railway Transport Engineers (15, Obraztsova str.). Workers of the Borets machine-building plant, the Stankolit iron foundry, the Hard alloy Plant, the Krasniy Metallist plant, the hosiery factory named after Nogin, employees of the People’s Commissariat of Foreign Affairs and other enterprises and institutions, as well as many students, teachers and professors of the Moscow Institute of Transport Engineers (MIIT) joined the division. In total, about 8 thousand people from 170 enterprises and institutions became the volunteers of this division. One of the battalions of workers from Orekhovo-Zuyevo completely joined in the 6th Division of the People’s Militia of the Dzerzhinsky district of Moscow. After the formation the 6th Division of the People’s Militia became part of the troops of the Moscow Military District. Then the division was sent to build the Mozhaisk line of defence. July 19, 1941 the 10th tank Division of the 46th mechanized Corps of the enemy occupied Yelnya, and the 6th division of the People’s Militia found itself in the combat zone. A detachment of three hundred division fighters was engaged in battle with the advanced units of the enemy army. In mid-August, the 6th Division of the People’s Militia was withdrawn from the MVO and incorporated into the 24th Army, under the command of Major General K.I. Rakutin. On August 20, 1941, the division’s soldiers took the military oath. The division was presented with a battle banner with the inscription “6th Division of the People’s Militia”. On August 30, the 6th Division of the People’s Militia participated in the Yelnya offensive operation as part of the troops of the 24th Army. On September 6, 1941, after the liberation of Yelnya, parts of the division began to erect a defence line and were engaged in combat training. By the decision of the People’s Commissariat of Defence of the USSR of September 19, 1941, the 6th Moscow Rifle Division of the People’s Militia of the Dzerzhinsky district received the military number 160. A memorial plaque has been erected in memory of the formation of the 6th Division of the People’s Militia of the Dzerzhinsky district of Moscow.
Address: Moscow, Obraztsova str., 9, p. 9
