Penza, 8 May 2015. PenzaNews. An opening ceremony of a memorial plaque “They Have Not Returned To Editorial Office” dedicated to the journalists who lost their lives in the Second World War frontlines was held in the “Penzenskaya Pravda” newspaper editorial office on Friday, May 8.

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It involved Sergei Pulikovsky, deputy chairman of the regional government, Alexander Elatontsev, head of Internal Policy and Mass Communications Department of the Penza region, and veteran journalists.
The memorial plaque immortalizes the names of Mikhail Antonovich, Valentina Vergilyeva, Ivan Klimov, Nikolai Kuznetsov, Sergei Gerasimov, Mikhail Karepov and Mikhail Simaev, workers of “Stalinskoe Znamya” [Stalin’s Banner] wallpaper.

The journalists were on the frontlines from the first days of the war, but few carried weapons, said Sergei Pulikovsky.

“The sought to tell the truth, to show all the heroic deeds, daily routine and activities of our troops. And, of course, they furthered the victory by working behind the lines. They did all they could to bring the Victory Day closer. Lest we forget,” said the regional government deputy chairman and wished the living veteran journalists long and healthy lives.

The author of the memorial plaque is Alexei Bodnar, a Penza artist.