Verman (river)

The Verman (Верман, Vermanjoki) is a river in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. For much of the Arctic Campaign of World War II stretches of it formed the front line, and much fighting occurred there.

Course and description
The river is located in the southwestern part of Murmansk Oblast. It is called the Lower, Middle, and Upper Verman respectively in its lower, middle and upper reaches. Its source is on the southern slopes of Mount Repotunturi, 17 km northeast of the village of Alakurtti. From there the river flows eastward and then, skirting Pogranichnuju Hill, it turns south and empties into the southwestern part of Lake Tolvand. It is 38 km long, and has a drainage basin of 291 km2. It has a width of 20 –, a depth of up to 2 m, and a flow rate of 0.3 –.

The river flows through a hilly terrain covered with forests of pine, fir, and (in the upper reaches) birch, with the trees up to 12 – tall. In some places the river flows through swamps more than 2 m deep. The height of the surrounding hills reaches 400 – in the upper reaches and 320 m at the mouth. The highest hills on the Lower Verman are Vojta (409.4 m), Kruglaja (342 m), Pogranichnaja (366 m), Vojanvara (562 m), and Repotunturi (480 m).

There are heavy rapids in places. Immediately before the mouth is a 1 m waterfall. There are several small unnamed islands in the river, and several relatively small tributaries, not shown on most maps.

Settlements and transportation
There are a few small settlements on the river. In several places there are rail lines and roads, including some all–weather roads. The Murman Railway crosses the Verman just above the mouth. From the late 1940s until 1971 a railway station was located 1 mi east of the river. A small 18 m 8–ton capacity bridge is located at the mouth of the river, and just north of there the Alakurtti–Kandalaksha highway crosses the river. At this point there is also a 20 m 40–ton capacity wooden bridge. Several all–weather roads cross the river upstream, at fords. On the slopes of Pogranichnaja there is a ruined bridge.

The river in World War II
In the northernmost sector of the Continuation War, the part of the river in the area around Kandalaksha defined the front line from September 17, 1941 until September 1944. On both banks of the river there are numerous ruins of military installations, fortifications, trenches, and fences left over from this war.

On the left bank of the river near the highway bridge is a monument in the form of a black obelisk. The obelisk bears the inscription "Soviet soldiers – victors of the Verman Front" and displays the names of the dead and maps of military operations. A little east of the river on the road to Kandalaksha there is a mass grave.

Gallery

 * Remains of World War II bunkers on the Verman River line