On February 20, 2026, a presentation of a reprint edition of a chapter from the unique book From Stalingrad to Vienna: The Combat Path of the 4th Guards Army took place in Moscow at the Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH). The event, organized by the Russian-Austrian public forum Sochi Dialogue, brought together leading representatives of the academic, diplomatic, and public sectors.

The publication presented to the audience holds particular historical value. The work From Stalingrad to Vienna was first published in 1945. Its authors were not professional historians or war correspondents, but direct participants in the heroic events themselves—officers of the 4th Guards Army: Guards Major E.L. Manevich, Guards Captain I.K. Benediktov, and Guards Senior Lieutenant A.I. Terenozhkin. They followed the army’s combat path from the Battle of Stalingrad to the liberation of the Austrian capital. Their testimony represents a living voice of the era—an authentic historical document free from later ideological interpretations.

In the year marking the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, the Sochi Dialogue Forum initiated the republication of the chapter dedicated to the Vienna Strategic Offensive Operation. The book has been published in three languages, underscoring its significance as an instrument of international dialogue and shared memory of the events of the Second World War. Earlier, the presentation of the publication was successfully held at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Austria on April 13, 2025.

The event was opened by Maria Matveeva, Director of the Russian-Austrian public forum Sochi Dialogue, who acted as the moderator. Matveeva read out a welcoming address from Andrei Alexandrovich Fursenko, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation and Co-Chair of the Sochi Dialogue Forum. The address emphasized the importance of working with primary sources for contemporary humanities scholarship:

“May this publication, presented today within the walls of the Russian State University for the Humanities, contribute to further strengthening ties between Russia and Austria. May it become yet another brick in the foundation of our common future—built on respect for the past and a shared aspiration for peace.”

A welcoming address to the participants was delivered by the Rector of the Russian State University for the Humanities, Andrei Viktorovich Loginov. In his remarks, he described the presentation of the chapter from the book as an important step in reflecting on the shared history of Russia and Austria:

“The presentation of the chapter from the book From Stalingrad to Vienna serves as vivid confirmation that the liberation of the Austrian capital by the Red Army is not merely a page of foreign history, but an integral part of the great feat of the Soviet people. We view this memory as a living bridge between our countries, a foundation upon which modern mutual understanding is built,”
noted Andrei Loginov.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Dmitry Lyubinsky emphasized the special significance of republishing the book for shaping the historical consciousness of young people in Russia and Austria:

“The republication of this chapter is of great importance for educating the younger generation in Russia and Austria, as it is they who will build future communication between our countries.”

Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Konstantin Mogilevsky, taking the floor, shared a personal story: his grandfather served in the ranks of the Red Army, whose combat path is described in the presented book. Addressing the young participants of the presentation, he noted:

“I would like to address the younger generation and say that sometimes it is very important for your work to be expressed in a tangible result. This book is an example of such a result.”

Alexander Chubaryan, Scientific Director of the Institute of World History of the Russian Academy of Sciences, drew attention in his speech to conceptual changes in contemporary historical scholarship:

“Most books about the Great Patriotic War are devoted to the history of military operations. However, in historical scholarship—and particularly in military history—there has been a clear shift toward an anthropological approach, focusing on the history of everyday life. The book discussed today belongs to this category. It is a work about people and their attitudes toward war. It reflects new trends in the study of the Second World War.”

For his part, Andrei Sorokin, Scientific Director of the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History, addressed the topic of Austrian neutrality, emphasizing that academic and educational projects of this kind play an important role in understanding it. Austria’s neutral status, which emerged as a result of complex international compromises in 1955, cannot be properly understood without reference to the history of the Second World War and the liberation mission of the Red Army. Publications such as the presented chapter restore this status to its genuine historical dimension, contributing to a deeper understanding of the foundations of modern Russian-Austrian relations.

The speakers unanimously agreed that the significance of the Vienna operation extends far beyond a military triumph. The liberation of the Austrian capital not only accelerated the capitulation of Nazi Germany but also laid the groundwork for the subsequent revival of an independent Austrian republic, whose neutrality was enshrined in the State Treaty of 1955.

The event at RSUH clearly demonstrated that preserving historical truth today is not merely a matter of museum work but a living process. The dialogue between public officials, scholars, and representatives of civil society confirmed that interest in authentic testimonies of the war remains strong, and that the memory of the feat of the Soviet soldier continues to serve as a moral reference point for future generations.

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