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Volgograd, on the Volga River, is a phoenix of a city, rising from the ashes of the Second World War's most vicious battle to be reborn as an industrial powerhouse. In 1942, when the city was known a Stalingrad, it was virtually destroyed in a decisive battle of the war, during which German soldiers laid siege to the city during a four-month period. Hoping to choke off the Caspian Sea oil supply (crucial to the war effort), Hitler refused to allow his forces to retreat from the Volga port city. The Germans finally surrendered in February, 1943, but only after the battle had taken a terrible toll: A million Soviet soldiers and 200,000 German soldiers died, and hundreds of thousands more were wounded. Another 91,000 Germans were taken hostage, and few survived the experience. Little was left after the battle, but the "Hero City" was rebuilt, and today is home to the XXII Party Congress Hydroelectric Plant (imagine that name on a softball team shirt!) and other industrial enterprises. Volga river cruises stop here to allow visitors a chance toexplore the city's wealth of war-related museums and memorials. Founded in 1589 as a fortress guarding the Volga River, the city was known as Tsaritsyn until it was renamed Stalingrad in 1925. In 1951, it took on its present-day name of Volgograd, but remains a virtual remembrance of things lost, dotted with landmarks honoring the dead, from the Avenue of Heroes to the Fallen Warrior's Square. The most famous geographical attraction is Mamayev Hill, which saw the worst fighting of the battle. The hill is dotted with sculptures devoted to those who died, and toppedwith the magnificent rendering of "Mother Russia," at 52 meters high, the world's largest freestanding statue. To get a feel for the horrific struggle that took place there, visit The Panorama, which depicts the battle in all its bloody glory. The adjacent Museum of the Defense showcases artifacts of the conflict, including weapons and uniforms. A half-century has passed since the city was reconstructed, yet Volgograd still lives with the ghosts of its own death and rebirth.