Articles
08.02.2021
Volgograd’s twin-cities: the honorary street of Port Said
<strong>When it comes to discussing how the town-twinning is reflected in Volgograd’s life, the first thing to come to mind is the names of the streets. One of the most famous such streets, due to its geographical location and a bus stop of the same name, is the Port Said Street. It is named after a city whose relations with Volgograd peaked in the middle of the 20th century.</strong><br /><br />
In 1956, during the Suez Crisis, that is – the war for the canal of the same name, Port Said found itself in the center of the armed conflict. The battle against the British and French troops, in which the Army of Egypt was ardently supported by the people’s militia and the city residents, only lasted for one day (due to the UN’s intervention, the conflicting parties had to stop the war), but had catastrophic consequences for the civil population and the city itself – which, despite everything, remained unconquered.
In the eyes of the whole world, the city turned into a symbol of struggle against the invaders. Port Said was even called “the Egyptian Stalingrad”.
Stalingrad residents, who vividly remembered the destruction and horrors of street fighting, saluted the courage of the foreign city port.
In December 1956, the Chair of Stalingrad City Executive Committee Mr. Dynkin sent to the Governor of Port Said a telegram, heartily congratulating the city’s residents on their liberation and wishing them the swiftest recovery from the war-induced wounds. In the next letter, he already suggested concrete help: “If our experience can in any way help you in the restoration of Port Said, we will gladly share with you our achievements in the peaceful construction.”
The first few telegrams were followed by an active correspondence. In 1957, the residents of Volgograd and Port Said released a joint appeal to the world nations calling upon them to prohibit all weapons of mass destruction.
It was in honor of the new friendship link that the street previously known as Kurskaya obtained a new title: on the 18th November 1957, Stalingrad City Council renamed it after the heroic Port Said.
Today, Port Said Street stretches almost from the Volga River and up to the Privolzhskaya Railroad. Going along it, pedestrians can admire the memorial to the first Tsaritsyn army governor, the historic synagogue building and Maxim Gorky Regional Library.
In the eyes of the whole world, the city turned into a symbol of struggle against the invaders. Port Said was even called “the Egyptian Stalingrad”.
Stalingrad residents, who vividly remembered the destruction and horrors of street fighting, saluted the courage of the foreign city port.
In December 1956, the Chair of Stalingrad City Executive Committee Mr. Dynkin sent to the Governor of Port Said a telegram, heartily congratulating the city’s residents on their liberation and wishing them the swiftest recovery from the war-induced wounds. In the next letter, he already suggested concrete help: “If our experience can in any way help you in the restoration of Port Said, we will gladly share with you our achievements in the peaceful construction.”
The first few telegrams were followed by an active correspondence. In 1957, the residents of Volgograd and Port Said released a joint appeal to the world nations calling upon them to prohibit all weapons of mass destruction.
It was in honor of the new friendship link that the street previously known as Kurskaya obtained a new title: on the 18th November 1957, Stalingrad City Council renamed it after the heroic Port Said.
Today, Port Said Street stretches almost from the Volga River and up to the Privolzhskaya Railroad. Going along it, pedestrians can admire the memorial to the first Tsaritsyn army governor, the historic synagogue building and Maxim Gorky Regional Library.