Soviet-led forces liberate Bratislava 71 years ago today

Today the sounds of traffic and tourists fill the streets of the Slovak capital city, however in early April 71 years ago the soundtrack was very different. With the Second World War in its final throes at that time, Bratislava city had ground to a halt. The city's German occupiers were fighting in the streets with the fast-approaching Soviet-led forces, electricity and gas supplies had shut down, trains and buses stopped operating and residents had stopped working. With the help of Romanian troops, two days was all it took for the Red Army to gain control of Bratislava city with fighting taking place in pockets throughout the town. In an effort to slow the advancing Soviets, the retreating German troops had destroyed two bridges: Starý Most, which spanned the Danube River, and Marchegg Bridge, which spanned the Morava River; forming the border crossing between Austria and Slovakia. On the evening of April 4, 1945, the last gunshot was heard and Bratislava city fell under Soviet control. A commemorative event took place today to mark the 71st anniversary of the liberation of the city at Bratislava's Slavín Memorial attended by a selection of war veterans, Russian Ambassador to Slovakia Alexej Leonidovič Fedotov, and former Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič.