On the morning of December 9, a bronze bust of the Hero of Labour of Russia, Hero of the DPR, People’s Artist of the Soviet Union Joseph Davydovich Kobzon was solemnly unveiled in Donetsk. According to the correspondent of the DPR official website, the bust of the outstanding Donbass native is installed on the Heroes Alley in the former Lenin Komsomol park in Donetsk. It is symbolic that this event took place on Homeland Heroes Day, which is annually celebrated in Russia.
“We all know that Joseph Davydovich was a man of outstanding talent, but his magnanimity was more noticeable to us. He was a man of no fear who turned his eye to us, his homeland, back in 2014, when it was very, very dangerous here. He would come and support us! He supported us morally by his creative activities – we remember his concerts under fire. All of this took place and will forever remain in our memory!
We remember his famous I’m in Love with You, Life (Ya lyublu tyebya, zhyzn) as this song became a motto for many and made it possible to face various difficult life situations. And his song The day of victory (Dyen Pobyedy) finds a special quivering response in our hearts, especially now.
Joseph Kobzon will stay with us forever! His creativity will always remain with us! He went down in history forever, and this is our countryman! Eternal glory to our great fellow countryman!” Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic Denis Pushilin said during today’s ceremony today.
A deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, coordinator of the Russia-Donbass Integration Committee Andrei Kozenko came to Donetsk to attend the unveiling of Joseph Kobzon’s bust.
“It is very touching to pay tribute to the legendary man Joseph Davydovich Kobzon. His creative activities were imbued with love for the Homeland, for his native land. I was lucky to get to know him шт a different way, as a politician. He understood as a politician where his native land was and that he should always be there for it – in the most challenging moments, the darkest hour of the Donetsk People’s Republic, of the entire Donbass. There is a very good song performed by Joseph Davydovich – As long as I can remember, I live! (Poka ya pomnyu, ya zhyvu!). Let us remember this man and live!” he said.
Then he read out a welcoming address from Joseph Kobzon’s widow Ninel Mikhailovna.
“I’d like to express my sincere gratitude for your quivering attitude to the memory of Joseph Davydovich and the installation of the bust. The mining region was dear to him since childhood: he respected miners, considering their work the most dangerous and difficult. He would visit his homeland with great joy. He loved Donetsk and always admired the beauty of the city of roses. In the days of terrible ordeal, Joseph Davydovich was there for his fellow countrymen, supported their fighting spirit and patriotic mood with their favorite songs,” the address reads.
Chairman of the DPR People’s Council Vladimir Bidyovka stressed that Joseph Kobzon was a remarkable personality.
“He became a legendary man not only because of his outstanding creativity, but because he was a man with a big heart. Having won popular love, he has not changed. He used his fame to help people! And when the war came to Donbass, Joseph Davydovich did not leave his homeland alone. Joseph Davydovich will always remain in our hearts as a remarkable person, the real son of his Homeland, the Hero of the Donetsk People’s Republic,” he said.
As DPR Minister of Culture Mikhail Zheltiakov noted today, all residents of our Republic remember that it was Joseph Kobzon to become the first famous artist to visit the DPR in the fall of 2014.
“He always remembered the place where he had been born, he was always proud to be the son of Donbass!” he stressed.
The the bust of Joseph Davydovich Kobzon having been unveiled to the sounds of the National Anthem of the DPR, leaders of the Republic, honoured guests, cadets of the Donetsk Combined Arms Command School, yunarmeites, cadets, and representatives of the public laid bouquets of fresh flowers in the memory of their distinguished compatriot.
The bust of Joseph Kobzon on the Alley of Heroes in Donetsk was made by order of Donbass native and philanthropist Vladimir Nekrasov, thanks to whom the bust of the First Head of the DPR, Alexander Zakharchenko, has been installed here this year.
The bust of Joseph Kobzon is made of bronze, and the pedestal is made of black Karelian granite. All the works to make the bust took place in Moscow for three months. The bust is 2.5 m high, on the pedestal there is a bronze plate with an inscription containing the first, patronymic and last name, years of life of the singer, political and public figure, Hero of the DPR Joseph Kobzon, along with the words he would often repeat during his visits to the DPR in the years of war: “I always carry in my heart a proud title – Donbass.”