The City of Labor Merit

Aug 30, 2022

The grand opening of the City of Labor Merit Stella monument took place on the eve of Stupino’s 84th birthday. It is dedicated to the labor feat of the residents, who ensured continuous production of military and civilian products during the Great Patriotic War. The very same day the year before, on 10 September 2021, the President of Russia signed a relevant decree on awarding the honorary title to Stupino. The community of Stupino initiated the proposal of awarding this honorary title to the city, and 63,246 votes of residents were collected in support of this decision.

Stupino metallurgists made a titanic contribution to the common cause. Over a thousand workers of the plant joined the troops of the Soviet army on the first days of the war. In the fall of 1941, the enterprise was evacuated in an extremely short time, and as soon as the danger of the fascist troops approaching Moscow had passed, the plant was re-evacuated. In total, during the years of the Second World War, 126 echelons with products were produced at CMK, which were delivered directly to the front. Stupino metallurgists were the pioneers in mastering the method of continuous casting, rolling 900-kilogram ingots, and developed a new type of casting machine with high-intensity cooling. Early 1945, a work section for special alloys was deployed, where an industrial technology for producing titanium ingots and semi-finished products from it was developed. Mastering the production and the development of new technologies continued intensively in the postwar years.

It was Stupino Metallurgical Company that became a model of heroic labor during the Great Patriotic War, making a titanic contribution to the long-awaited Victory. Prototypes of historical photos of that heroic period are reflected on the Stella monument that adorned the center of the city.

The memorial complex includes a central Stella monument 26 meters high and two pylons 11 meters high each. The Stella monument reflects the wartime scenes: women, children and old people who stood at the machines replacing the men who had gone to the front; evacuation and re-evacuation of plant No. 150; construction of a defensive line along the Oka River by the residents of the city of Stupino; an aluminum ingot made for the first time in the country using the semi-continuous casting method; the Stalin Prize winners; the serving of the Red Challenge Banner of the State Defense Committee. The monument is made of architectural concrete, landscape and shade gardening of the surrounding area has been done.

The delegation of CMK took part in the solemn event. This event has become not only social, but also a truly family occasion for many employees of the enterprise: on this day, the successors of the company’s labor dynasties recalled the names of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, veterans commemorated those with whom they managed to serve and work shoulder to shoulder.

– During the war time, our young city of Stupino united to defend the Motherland. Some took up the weapons, others stood up to the machines. Stupino has become a city for the Victory. More than 80 years have passed since that time. Many things have changed, but, the main thing is that we continue to cherish the memory of the front-line and feat arms of Stupino residents and fifteen thousand dead heroes who defended the Motherland on the battlefields, – said the head of the urban district of Stupino Sergey Muzhalskikh.

The opening of the Stella monument was marked by the solemn laying of wreath and flowers at the memorial, accompanied by the honor guard. The event was closed with a performance of the symphony and brass bands of the Stupino Philharmonic Hall.

“The opening of the Stella monument is a first and foremost merit of all its residents. The community addressed to the President of Russia with a proposal to award an honorary title to the city of Stupino. In a relatively short time, more than 63 thousand signatures of residents were collected, who undoubtedly supported this undertaking, because the city did its best to help our country win the Great Patriotic War. It is honorable to open a Stella monument with you on the eve of City Day. Eternal memory to the heroes-winners! Nobody is forgotten, nothing is forgotten!” Igor Bryntsalov addressed the audience.