Music researcher Lev Danilevich in his book “Music of the Great Patriotic War Battlefields” wrote, “It was already after the war that I came across the information about an ensemble operating in Stalingrad. While studying some materials about the inspection of the Soviet military bands I learnt that the band’s conductor was Guard Senior Lieutenant Shustakov. Like many other military musicians, Shustakov’s men carried out various duties. They were defending the brigade banner, fighting back Nazis attacks, serving as corpsmen. For example, Raevskiy, one of the band’s musicians, rescued 52 soldiers from the battlefield, while musician Saveliev didn’t leave his post though being heavily wounded in both legs”.
But along with fighting the Nazis, the band also staged concerts. Musicians were performing for the wounded, for the soldiers and officers, and for the common Stalingrad people who either in trenches or nearly destroyed houses were vigorously resisting the enemy.
When Battle for Stalingrad was over and the city was freed the band along with other troops marched along the Square of the Fallen Defenders to honor the memory of all the heroes of that terrible war.