Menu
  • Abous us
  • Search database
  • Resources
  • Donate
  • Faq

 

US-Soviet Elbe River (East Meets West) Link-Up (69th Infantry Division) Memorial

<< Back to Strehla

Details:

Just south of the Elbe River Ferry (Strehla Fahrstelle) Monument


The memorial includes a large brass sculpture mounted to a river wall with a corresponding plaque, and three large information signs made form inscribed brass. A flagpole designed by a soldier of the 273rd Infantry Regiment  displaying the flags of the US, Russia and German, stands at the entrance to the memorial park.

 

From the 69th Infantry Division Association Website:

 

Kotzebue Patrol 11:30AM. At this farmhouse courtyard near Leckwitz, Germany stands 1st Lt. Albert L. Kotzebue, Co G 273rd Inf Rgt with one of his men, where at 11:30 AM, April 25, 1945 elements of his patrol met a lone Soviet cavalryman from Kazakhstan. 

 

See this website, Site Torgau for another East Meets West Memorial.

Monument Text:

The text on the plaque next to the sculpture is written in English, Russian and German. The English reads:

 

SPIRIT OF THE ELBE

 

IN RECOGNITION OF THE COOPERATION BY AMERICANS, SOVIET, AND

ALLIED ARMED FORCES DURING WORLD WAR II. THIS MARKER

SYMBOLIZES THE LINK UP OF SOVIET ANF AMERICAN ELEMENTS AT THE 

ELBE RIVER ON APRIL 25, 1945

 

IN TRIBUT TO THE PARTNERSHIP TO BATTLE AGAINST TRYANNY

 

The brass informational plaques are written in English, Russian and German.  The English reads:

 

TWO FIERY BILLOWS MOVING 

FROM THE EAST AND WEST JOINED

HERE SYMBOLIZING BY THAT EVENT

THE FINAL STAGE OF FIGHTING 

ACTIONS IN EUROPE IN 

WORLD WAR II

 

ON APRIL 25, 1945 AT 1:30PM

NEAR THE TOWN OF STREHLA, THE 

HISTORIC LINK-UP OF THE ALLIED

 

ARMIES  TOOK PLACE.

THE FIRST WERE THE RECONNAISSANCE GROUPSOF THE

 58TH GUARDS INFANTRY DIVISION OF THE 

RED ARMY AND THE  69TH DIVISION 

OF THE AMERICAN ARMY UNDER 

THE COMMAND OF LIEUTENANTS

 GRIGORY GOLOBORODKO AND 

ALBERT KOTZEBY

 

 

Commemorates:

People:

Albert Leon  Kotzebue

Units:

1st US Army

273rd Infantry Regiment, 69th Infantry Division

69th Infantry Division

Soviet Military Forces

Wars:

WWII

Other images :