During WWII, the city fell to Hitler's armies and plans were made to dissemble the monument and haul it back to Germany, before the Soviet Army triumphantly retook Novgorod in 1944.
Durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, la ciudad cayó ante las tropas de Hitler y se planificó esconder el monumento y transportarlo a Alemania, antes que la armada soviética triunfantemente retomara la ciudad en 1944,