Innocent Victim or Hero? Pigeons, Propaganda and the Conduct of War in Rostov (November 1941)

The article examines a specific episode in Rostov during WWII, focusing on the alleged murder of Viktor Cherevichkin by the Wehrmacht for refusing to surrender his pigeons, as portrayed in Soviet propaganda. It analyses how the pigeon incident was depicted in Soviet propaganda after the city's liberation against the historical background of using pigeons for intelligence during wartime. Drawing on German and Soviet sources, the study critically reassesses the explanations provided by Soviet propaganda, presenting two conflicting versions of the event. The research challenges the accepted Soviet narrative, shedding light on the complexities of wartime propaganda.