World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseLocated just east of the Ural Mountains on the Miass River, the city of Chelyabinsk, Russia experienced rapid industrial growth during the 1930s during the First Five Year Plan. Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant was established in 1933, starting a rapid expansion of this former provincial town. By 1940, the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant had produced over 100,000 tractors, reflecting Chelyabinsk's industrial base and potentials for growth. In 1940, Chelyabinsk's heavy industries employed 25,000 workers. When Germany invaded the Soviet Union, seven other heavy industries were relocated to Chelyabinsk to escape German capture, including the Kirov Plant previously located in Leningrad, among others. The large combined industrial complex was officially named Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant No. 100, but it was frequently known by the nickname that the workers had given in, "Tankograd". By 1944, the complex housed 60,000 workers, more than doubling its pre-war population. Between 1941 and 1945, the Chelyabinsk complex produced 18,000 fighting vehicles of various types (KV-1, T-34, KV-85, IS, T-34/85, and SU-85), 48,500 tank diesel engines, 17 million rounds of ammunition of various types, among other war goods. The industrial complex at Chelyabinsk received various awards collectively for its efforts, including Order of Kutuzov 1st Class, Order of Lenin, Order of the Red Star, and others. After the war, war production ceased in 1946. The first civilian product, Stalinets-80 tractor, began production that year. In 1958, the complex was fully returned to Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant. Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant remains in operation today under control of the Uralvagonzavod holding group.

Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant Interactive Map

Photographs

Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant Timeline