In the post-war Stalingrad, the decision to keep the three buildings in the form of ruins as a monument showing how the ruined city looked in 1942-1943, was made. The first one is Gerhardt mill standing in the city center, which is the part of the Panorama Museum today. The second one is the building on Lyudnikov Island. The third one is the ruins of the central laboratory of the "Red October” factory.
The building of the factory laboratory was built during 1928-1930. At the beginning of the battle for the territory of the plant, in October 1942, the headquarters of the 120th Infantry Regiment of the 39th Guards Rifle Division was placed in the basement of laboratory. Artillery observation post was placed in the attic of the building.
For the first time the laboratory has become the epicenter of the fighting during the period from 15 to 25 October 1942. In those days, the 253rd Tarashchansky Infantry Regiment of the 45th Infantry Division soldiers fought fierce battles here.
For the second time battles for the central laboratory occurred in mid-December 1942. The lab building was converted by the Germans in the heavily fortified center of resistance, making the battle for the building showing in particular the famous phrase that the battles were fought for every house, for every room. The building passed from one side to the other several times. The inscription made with paint: "Heroes of Taraschantsky regiment fought to the death here" appeared on the south wall of the laboratory at the end of the Battle of Stalingrad. Today this inscription is repeated in the memorial plaque on the wall of this building. Fighting for the laboratory ended with its occupation by the Red Army on 25 December 1942. The very territory of the plant was fully freed by January 10, 1943.
