Russia Is Building A Theme Park Where Children Can Storm German Parliament Like In WWII

Any theme park tries to create a believable world for its visitors to explore and enjoy, but this theme park near Moscow, Russia is going to take it a whole lot further. There the visitors will be able to storm the Reichstag (the German parliament), just like the Soviet soldiers did in the closing days of the World War II. This recreation of one of the bloodiest battles of the WWII is going to be a part of the military-themed 'Patriot Park', where the Young Army (Yunarmiya, in Russian) of over 42,000 schoolchildren aged 10 years and up, are going to train. “We are building a replica of the Reichstag in Patriot Park. Not a full-sized one, but something that allows the Young Army to storm a specific target, not just any old place,” said Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu in a speech to the Duma. The Patriot Park is a massive complex 50 kilometers west of Moscow that opened two years ago. It now serves as a go-to destination for the rapidly-growing youth movement, which signs up its members directly through state schools and goes along with the "endless militarization" of children in Russia. The park is also open to ordinary paying visitors, and provides “greater immersion in the era.” The official said that, from this year, entire families will be able to spend an entire day 'serving' inside a submarine located on the grounds. (h/t: quartz)

The quiet opening of the Patriot Park in 2015

Image source: government.ru

Here are some historical photos of the atmosphere the creators will have to duplicate:

Photo by Yevgeny Khaldei