Azerbaijan marks the 81st anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany

Today, Azerbaijan is marking the 81st anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

As reported by Caliber.Az, this commemoration is observed at the state level. The war affected almost every Azerbaijani family, while Baku’s oil played a crucial role in securing victory over fascism.

One in five residents of Azerbaijan took part in the war. With a population of 3.4 million in 1941, 681,000 people went to the front (including more than 10,000 women). They represented different nationalities; 250,000 of them were killed.

More than 400,000 soldiers and officers were awarded military orders and medals, 14 became full cavaliers of the Order of Glory, 123 were named Heroes of the Soviet Union, and 44 of these heroes were ethnic Azerbaijanis.

Thanks to the selfless work of Azerbaijani oil workers, a record oil production level in the country’s history was achieved in 1941 — 23.5 million tons of “black gold,” accounting for 71.4% of all oil produced in the Soviet Union. It can be stated with confidence that Baku oil was one of the key factors in the victory over fascism. It is worth noting that four out of every five aircraft, tanks, and vehicles ran on fuel produced in Baku.

More than 130 types of weapons and ammunition were produced in Baku. Around 70% of workers in factories and collective farms were women.

On the territory of Azerbaijan, 87 battalions and 1,123 self-defence units were created. The 77th, 223rd, 396th, 402nd, and 416th national rifle divisions were formed, fighting their way from the foothills of the Caucasus to the Baltics, Eastern Europe, and Berlin.

During the war, 440,000 wounded front-line soldiers were treated in hospitals across the country.