What: the Battle of Gumbinnen military historical festival

Where: the Kaliningrad region, Chernyakhovsk, Gusev, Lermontovo village (Poselok Lermontovo) ofGusev Urban District

Date: August 23-24, 2014

The Battle of Gumbinnen is dedicated to the centenary of Russia's entry into the World War I and it will be held on the field near Lermontovo village (Poselok Lermontovo), where the rear of the German 8^th Army located during the war. The reconstruction of the battle will take place one hundred years after the heroic events that unfolded on the Eastern Front on August 20, 1914.

The victory at Gumbinnen had a great impact and influence on the entire course of the war and determined its outcome. Today, however, its significance is completely forgotten in our country. The mission of the festival is to make our contemporaries understand the importance of the feat of Russian soldiers. Their courage and heroism helped to save the independence of France and Russia.

The festival is organized by the Russian Military Historical Society, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Kaliningrad Region and the Administrations of Gusev Urban District and the Municipal District of Chernyakhovsk.

On August 23, during the festival in Chernyakhovsk, there will be reconstruction of the parade of the Russian Imperial Guards with the participation of the Baltic Fleet units. And in Gusev – the opening of the Bayonet Charge (by sculptor V. A. Surovtsev) and In Memory of the Forgotten War Which Turned the Course of History (by sculptor M. M. Chemiakin) monuments. The climax of the festival will be on August 24. It will involve the reconstruction of the Battle of Gumbinnen with artillery, cavalry, aircraft and pyrotechnics.

Preliminary program of the festival:

August 23 (Saturday)

11:00 - Reconstruction of the parade of the Russian Imperial Guards with the participation of the Baltic Fleet units on Lenin Square in Chernyakhovsk

12:00 - Official opening ceremony of the festival

13:00 -18:00 - Concert of masters of art on Lenin Square in Chernyakhovsk

August 24 (Sunday)

10:00 � Opening ceremony of the Bayonet Charge monument in Gusev

11:30 - Official opening ceremony of the In Memory of the Forgotten War Which Turned the Course of History monument in Gusev

11:00-14.00 � Interactive sites on the battlefield

14:00 -15:30 - Reconstruction of the Battle of Gumbinnen with artillery, cavalry, aircraft and pyrotechnics

15.30-18.00 � Participants' parade. Awards. Interactive sites on the battlefield. Concert program.

18.00 � Closing ceremony

From the history:

The Battle of Gumbinnen is a famous battle between Russian and German forces that ended with the victory of our troops and prevented the enemy from achieving the lightning-fast victory in the World War I.

By that time the German army had conquered Belgium, and then a deadly threat hung over Paris. Russian troops supported their allies, entering the battle against Germany on the Eastern Front. Rush, excitement and military skills the troops of the 1^st Russian Army under the command of Paul von Rennenkampf (or Pavel Karlovich Rennenkampf) showed in the battle against German 8^th Army, forced the enemy to retreat beyond the Vistula.

The rapid retreat of the Germans and the capture of their positions and territories by the Russians, completely messed up the plans of the German command to win the war quickly. Russian army managed to draw large enemy forces and that allowed the Anglo-French allies win the famous battle at the Marne River in the north of France. French marshal Ferdinand Foch said in 1918: "If France was not wiped off the map of Europe, we owe it first to Russia."

Festival official web pages:

Website:gumbinnen.histrf.ru

For cooperation and accreditation please contact

PR Director of the Battle of Gumbinnen Festival

Anastasiya Bobrovskikh:

8(926)342-70-47

pr@ratobor.com