Alexei Berest

Alexei Prokofjewitsch Berest (Ukrainian Олексій Прокопович Берест; born March 8, 1921 in Gorjaistiwka, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine today, † November 3, 1970 in Rostov-on- Don, Russia today ) was a lieutenant in the Red Army.

Berest was one of the soldiers who were involved in the raising of the Soviet flag on the Reichstag building after the Battle of Berlin at the end of the Second World War. On the famous photo on the Reichstag in Berlin, May 2, 1945 Berest can not be seen. The trailing photo was taken only after other flags already blew over the Reichstag. Berest was in contrast to other participating soldiers for unknown reasons for his involvement in the Flaggenhissung at the Diet only awarded the masses awarded the Red Banner.

After the war he was interned three years in the Gulag. Berest in 1970 while trying to save a toddler from a track, hit by a moving train and died from the effects of the accident.

Only in May 2005, he was awarded the Hero of Ukraine.