Jun 06, 2024

First Ukranian Front - "Konev's Approach to Berlin" T-34-85 Soviet Tank Relic Art

This Fine Art Print by Artist Craig Tinder illustrates a T-34 of the Soviet Army from Ivan Konev's First Ukranian Front as they near the outskirts of Berlin in April 1945. This Limited Edition Canvas Print includes a fragment of brass shell casing from a T-34-85 from the First Ukranian Front near Berlin.

Artist, Craig Tinder, "Konev's Approach to Berlin" limited edition prints with T-34-85 Soviet Tank relic

Details About the RELIC:

Recovered just south of Berlin between Baruth and Zossen, Germany, this relic fragment was removed from an 85mm spent shell casing from a Soviet T-34-85. This shell was likely fired from one of Konev's 40 Soviet tanks of the 1st Ukrainian Front that fought its way through Germany's 9th Army on its way to the Berlin Reichstag in the spring of 1945.

Soviet T-34 85mm brass shell casing fragment

Internal view of Soviet T-34 fragment

Closer view of Soviet T-34 fragment

Soviet T-34 relic fragment mounted on canvas art piece

The Story Behind the Print:

On 22 April 1945, Soviet T-34 tanks of the 1st Ukrainian Front, under the command of Marshal Ivan Konev, reached the southern outskirts of Berlin, closing in on the city’s defenses. Konev’s forces were part of the final Soviet push to capture the German capital, with orders from Stalin to take Berlin as quickly as possible. Stalin intended the city’s fall to coincide with Lenin’s birthday, marking a symbolic end to the war. However, despite their rapid advance, Soviet forces were still locked in fierce fighting on the periphery of Berlin, battling German defenders to cross critical defensive lines.

Soviet T-34 tanks enter the outskirts of Berlin - 1945

The 1st Ukrainian Front was one of the most formidable Soviet armies in this final phase of the war. Having already played a decisive role in smashing through the German 9th Army’s defenses, Konev’s troops aimed to encircle Berlin from the south, complementing the northern advance by Marshal Zhukov’s 1st Belorussian Front. By the end of the day on 22 April, Soviet forces had breached the Teltow Canal, penetrating Berlin’s inner defenses and bringing the war ever closer to the streets of the city.

Soviet troops catch a ride on T-34 tank

Although Stalin's plan for Berlin to fall on Lenin's birthday was not fully realized, the progress made by Konev’s forces on this day marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. The fight for Berlin would continue for several more days, with Soviet troops encircling the capital from multiple directions, leading to the final collapse of German resistance in the city. The fall of Berlin would officially bring the war in Europe to a close, but the significance of 22 April remains a testament to the relentless Soviet drive to victory.