Rakhymzhan Koshkarbaev

Rakhymzhan Koshkarbaev (1924-1988) was a Kazakh soldier who became a symbol of bravery during World War II. He fought on the front lines from 1944 and was one of the first to raise the Soviet flag over the Reichstag in Berlin on April 30, 1945. His heroic act went largely unrecognized for many years until it was brought to light by fellow hero Bauyrzhan Momyshuly. Posthumously awarded the title of 'People's Hero of Kazakhstan' in 1999, Koshkarbaev's legacy is honored in Astana, where a street and a monument bear his name.