Abdulkhakim Ismailov

Abdulkhakim Isakovich Ismailov^[b] (Kumyk: Абдулгьаким Исакъны уланы Исмайиланы, Abdulhakim İsaqnı ulanı İsmayilanı; 1 July 1916 – 17 February 2010) was a Soviet soldier who was identified as one of the two men in the 1945 photograph Raising a Flag over the Reichstag, which was taken by Soviet war photographer Yevgeny Khaldei during the Battle in Berlin and which subsequently grew in prominence to symbolize the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany.^[1] Following Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, he took part in the Battle of Stalingrad and continued to fight on the Eastern Front until the end of World War II in Europe in May 1945.^[2] Despite sustaining severe injuries multiple times during the conflict, he regularly returned to active service and was highly decorated by the Soviet Union and later by the Russian Federation for his achievements.

Abdulkhakim Isakovich Ismailov
Native name	Абдулгьаким Исакъны уланы Исмайиланы
Born	(1916-07-01)1 July 1916 Aksay,[a] Terek Oblast, Russian Empire (now Russia)
Died	17 February 2010(2010-02-17) (aged 93) Chagarotar, Dagestan, Russia
Allegiance	Soviet Union
Branch	Red Army
Years of service	1939–1945
Rank	Sergeant
Known for	Raising a Flag over the Reichstag
Engagements	World War II Winter War Eastern Front
Awards	Hero of the Russian Federation (1996)

Early and later life

Ismailov was a Kumyk (a Turkic ethnicity) who hailed from present-day Dagestan. According to his own words,^{[citation needed]} he was born in Aksay village and not in his officially recorded birthplace of Chagarotar. He died in Chagarotar at the age of 93 on 17 February 2010.^[1]

Military career

He was severely wounded five times during World War II, including the Battle of Stalingrad, but constantly returned to the frontlines.^[1]

The iconic photograph Raising a Flag over the Reichstag has been compared to the picture of American Marines raising the US flag on Iwo Jima in the Pacific theater.^[1] Photographer Yevgeny Khaldei recruited three Soviet soldiers for the picture – Aleksei Kovalyev, a teenager, held the flag over the Reichstag, while Ismailov and Aleksei Goryachev also appeared hoisting the flag in the photograph.^[1] Ismailov's role in the photograph remained unknown until Kovalyev identified Ismailov in a 1995 television documentary.^[1] Ismailov was honored as a Hero of Russia in 1996.^[1]

In that image, Ismailov was shown as wearing two watches, which could imply he had looted at least one of them. To cover that embarrassing detail, the photo was edited.^[3][4]

Awards and decorations

	Hero of the Russian Federation (19 February 1996)
	Order of the Red Banner, twice (18 May 1945)
	Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class (11 March 1985)
	Order of Glory, 3rd class (8 March 1945)
	Medal "For Courage" (12 March 1944)
	Medal of Zhukov
	Medal "For the Liberation of Warsaw" (1945)
	Medal "For the Capture of Berlin" (1945)
	Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (1945)
	Jubilee Medal "Twenty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945" (1965)
	Jubilee Medal "Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (1975)
	Jubilee Medal "Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (1985)
	Jubilee Medal "50 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (1993)
	Jubilee Medal "60 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (2004)
	Jubilee Medal "In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin" (1969)
	Jubilee Medal "50 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" (1968)
	Jubilee Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" (1978)
	Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" (1988)

See also

• List of Heroes of the Russian Federation (I)
• Yevgeny Khaldei, a Soviet Ukrainian soldier who took the photograph featuring Ismailov
  • Aleksei Leontievich Kovalev, a Soviet Russian soldier who allegedly assisted with taking Khaldei's photograph
• Raqymjan Qoshqarbaev, a Soviet Kazakh soldier who was the among the first to plant a Soviet flag atop the Reichstag building
  • Mikhail Petrovich Minin, a Soviet Russian soldier who was with Qoshqarbaev at the Reichstag building
• Meliton Varlamis Kantaria, a Soviet Georgian soldier who is credited with planting a Soviet flag atop the Reichstag building
  • Alexei Prokopievich Berest, a Soviet Ukrainian soldier who is credited with planting a Soviet flag atop the Reichstag building with Kantaria
  • Mikhail Alekseyevich Yegorov, A Soviet Russian soldier who is credited with planting a Soviet flag atop the Reichstag building with Kantaria and Berest

Notes

1. A village in present-day Dagestan that was reportedly claimed by Ismailov as his place of birth.
2. Transliteration of Russian: Абдулхаким Исакович Исмаилов.