Museum of the History of the Eltigen Landing

About museum

The Kerch-Eltigen amphibious operation in 1943 opened the way to the liberation of Crimea from the Nazi invaders. The first bridgehead was seized near the village of Eltigen. Historians and writers still debate the Soviet command's intent: whether this operation was a diversionary maneuver for the 56th Army or an attempt to isolate an 85,000-strong German grouping. The Germans were prepared for the landing, as the Kerch Strait was riddled with more than 6,000 mines. The bridgehead, called "Land of Fire", produced an unprecedented feat by the Soviet Army: they held it near Eltigen and repelled 19 attacks a day. In the settlement of Geroevskoye the Museum of the History of the Kerch-Eltigen Landing was opened to honor the memory of the heroes and the soldiers' deeds. On the adjacent grounds there is a weapons display, a motorboat, a metal naval flag and mass graves.