VVEDENSKOYE CEMETERY

Vvedenskoye cemetery had been founded in 1771. First Lutherans and Catholics were been buried there and that's why the cemetery was named Nemetskoe (German). In XIX century the remains of Peter I fellow-fighters generals Franz Lefort and Patrik Gordon were reburied there. The hero of the foreign campaign of Russian army of 1813-1814 the commander of Astrakhan cuirassier regiment the general-major (from 07.02.1814) Karl Gustavovich Stal, the publisher I.D.Sytin (famous for his publications dedicated to war of 1812), the paintists Appolinariy and Victor Vasnetsovs and other famous Russians were also buried there. During the WWII the French pilots of "Normandy-Neman" regiment that were heroically defending the sky of our country had been buried in the cemetery. In 50s their remains were taken to France but the memorials are there till now and are the place of meetings of veterans. Unfortunately a few know that other French soldiers that came to Russia with their Emperor were also buried on Vvedenskoye cemetery. Near the graves of pilots the simple but majestic memorial to the warriors of Grand Armee was installed at the place of the common grave of French died in Moscow in 1812. The memorial is tetrahedral stele on the pedestal with the cross above. On the front side is the sign of the Legion d'Honer and two plates. At the upper one "Militaires francais mort en 1812" is carved , and the lower informs that the memorial has been installed in 1889 at the 75th anniversary of war. There are the stones with the inscription "Militaires francais mort en 1812" at all four sides of the memorial. The fence of the memorial is the eight gun tubes dug into the ground and joined by chain. The territory of the memorials to the pilots of "Normandy-Neman" and warriors of Grand Armee is the part of the Republic of France.