Yuri Shalabaev gave an open history lesson to the fifth-graders of School No. 126, from which he himself graduated.

      The head of Nizhny Novgorod, Yuri Shalabaev, held an open history lesson for fifth-graders at School No. 126 in the Avtozavod district, which he himself had graduated from. He presented a report to the students on the topic “Nizhny Novgorod — the flagship of domestic industry during the Great Patriotic War: a look to the future.” For the pupils it was their first lesson in the subject.

      As the mayor said, he conducted the patriotism lesson in the classes where his teacher of more than forty years’ experience, Natalya Alekseevna Uvarova, now teaches history.

      “The lesson was devoted to the life and labor feats of Gorky residents during the Great Patriotic War, thanks to which it became a City of Labor Valor. Informally, even during the war years our city was called the ‘Forge of Victory.’ During the war Gorky led in the production of cargo trucks, artillery mounts, tanks, submarines, radio equipment and aviation products. This was achieved by the unimaginable efforts of Gorky residents, including women and children. More than 22,000 senior pupils worked at Nizhny Novgorod factories. Although the city was in the rear, it was constantly subjected to enemy air raids. More than a thousand bombs were dropped on just one Gorky Automobile Plant, and that was only in 1943. But the plant was completely restored in 100 days and returned to production,” Yuri Shalabaev said, noting that children should know about the feats of their fellow countrymen, which were performed, including by adolescents.

      “You can watch heroism in films, read about it in textbooks, which of course will be remembered, but it is also very close at hand. It is the history of their grandmothers, grandfathers, great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers, who during the Great Patriotic War performed daily heroic labor feats,” the mayor emphasized.

      The fifth-graders were impressed by the mayor’s account of the feats of Nizhny Novgorod residents during the war. Some mentioned the around-the-clock operation of the city’s bathhouses, which helped mobilized men before they were sent to the front; others — the 100-day restoration of the plant; others noted that schools continued to operate during the war.

      “I was touched by the fact that people, forgetting about days off, worked 12-hour shifts. Teenagers worked as welders and fitters. They were very thin. I really liked the courage of the people. It’s important to know this, this is our city, we must know our traditions and be proud of them,” said fifth-grader Emilia.

      “I found the lesson interesting; the mayor said that in the autumn of 1941, 22 thousand pupils did not come to school because they went to work at factories and plants. I liked that the mayor came to us and told all this. It’s great that he graduated from our school,” added fifth-grader Valeria.

      “We must honor the memory of our ancestors. They were heroes,” said fifth-grader Evgeny.

      School No. 126 history teacher Natalya Uvarova notes that the study of history is a matter of state importance, and she cited another former pupil of hers who, having been to America with historical facts in hand, was able to convince local people that the victory over fascism was won by the Soviet Union. “The fifth-graders were lucky that the first history lesson in their lives was given by the head of the city. Moreover, this year they will begin to study a new subject, ‘Local History.’ This open lesson will be remembered by them for a long time. I enjoy interacting with the children and the eagerness of many of them to gain knowledge. They are motivated to study history. That is why almost every year we have a student who scores full marks in history, which is very difficult to pass,” Natalya Uvarova said, adding that she was pleased to see her pupil Yuri Shalabaev in the role of a teacher.

      As School No. 126 principal Galina Kholopenkova said, the school, which turns 90 this year, paid special attention during the 80th anniversary year of the Great Victory to stories about various aspects of life in Gorky during the war. “We touched on different moments of history, but for children Victory is always associated with the front and military actions; yet Victory is also forged in the rear. If the rear does not do everything it can, and even more, then victory at the front line may be in question. Therefore, today’s account by our alumnus Yuri Shalabaev, the head of such a large industrial city with a huge history, is very important for the children. These are impressions that will stay with them for life. Especially since all the enterprises talked about today are familiar to the children. They understand what is being discussed, particularly our Gorky Automobile Plant,” Galina Kholopenkova noted, adding that the school never ceased operation even for a day in its 90 years, and that during the war the headquarters of the 784th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment, which was responsible for protecting the city’s skies, including over Avtozavod, was housed within its walls.

      More news about the event:

      Yuri Shalabaev held a history lesson at School No. 126

      The head of Nizhny Novgorod, Yuri Shalabaev, held an open history lesson for fifth-graders at School No. 126 in Avtozavod, which he graduated from. 19:05 02.09.2025 IA Nizhny Now - Nizhny Novgorod

      Alumnus of School No. 126 Yuri Shalabaev held a history lesson for fifth-graders

      The head of Nizhny Novgorod visited School No. 126 with in-depth English studies in the Avtozavod district, which he graduated from. 18:08 02.09.2025 Nizhegorodskaya Pravda - Nizhny Novgorod

      Yuri Shalabaev held a history lesson in a Nizhny Novgorod school

      Photo: Telegram / Yuri Shalabaev

      The head of Nizhny Novgorod Yuri Shalabaev returned to his alma mater, School No. 126, and held a history lesson for fifth-graders. 17:33 02.09.2025 Online edition We Live in Nizhny - Nizhny Novgorod

      Yuri Shalabaev held an open history lesson for fifth-graders at School No. 126

      The students were impressed by the account.

      Photo: t.me/yuriy_shalabaev

      The head of Nizhny Novgorod Yuri Shalabaev held an open history lesson for fifth-graders at School No. 126, which he himself graduated from. 16:54 02.09.2025 Vremya N - Nizhny Novgorod

      Yuri Shalabaev held an open history lesson for fifth-graders at School No. 126, which he graduated from

      For the pupils it was their first lesson in the subject

      The head of Nizhny Novgorod Yuri Shalabaev held an open history lesson for fifth-graders at School No. 126 in Avtozavod, which he graduated from. 16:34 02.09.2025 City Day Newspaper. Nizhny Novgorod - Nizhny Novgorod

      Yuri Shalabaev held an open history lesson for fifth-graders at School No. 126, which he graduated from

      The head of Nizhny Novgorod Yuri Shalabaev held an open history lesson for fifth-graders at School No. 126, which he graduated from. 16:12 02.09.2025 Administration of Nizhny Novgorod - Nizhny Novgorod

      Regional news on the topic:

      A participant of the Great Patriotic War has died in Belogorsk

      The veteran was 101 years old. In Belogorsk on September 1 a participant of the Great Patriotic War, Pavel Goremykin, passed away at the age of 101. 09:05 02.09.2025 IA Port Amur - Blagoveshchensk

      II Regional children’s drawing and story contest “The War I Didn’t See”

      The contest is timed to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland and aims to acquaint children with the events of the Great... 18:08 01.09.2025 Children’s Library - Vologda

      Volgograd region schools began the academic year with “Lessons of Victory”

      The first bell in Volgograd region schools rang under the sign of the Great Victory

      Volgograd region schools began the academic year with “Lessons of Victory.” 13:25 01.09.2025 Komsomolskaya Pravda - Vologda

      Volgograd region schools began the academic year with “Lessons of Victory”

      The first bell in Volgograd region schools rang under the sign of the Great Victory

      Volgograd region schools began the academic year with “Lessons of Victory.” 11:57 01.09.2025 Komsomolskaya Pravda - Volgograd

      In memory of the Heroes from the Far East

      We continue a series of publications timed to the anniversary of the end of World War II about our fellow countrymen who took part in the defeat of the last ally of Nazi Germany — militarist Japan. 18:06 01.09.2025 Administration of Khabarovsk District - Khabarovsk