In August 1941, Anna Ivanovna Zelenova was appointed director of the Pavlovsk Palace Museum, facing the challenging task of preserving cultural heritage amid the looming war. With the onset of hostilities, Zelenova organized the evacuation of the most valuable exhibits, while those items that could not be transported were hidden in the palace's secret compartments and buried in the park. This decision was crucial in preserving part of the collection, despite subsequent destruction.

In September 1941, Pavlovsk was occupied, marking the beginning of a long period of enemy control that lasted 861 days. During this time, the palace and park ensemble suffered significant destruction: the palace was burned, the park was cut down, and many collections were lost. In January 1944, a fire destroyed the roof and much of the palace's artistic decoration. In the Greek Hall, the ceilings collapsed, the colonnade burned down, and a plaster sculpture was lost. In other halls, the fire destroyed paintings and decorative elements, leaving only ruins behind.

After Pavlovsk was liberated in January 1944, Zelenova returned to the devastated palace. Despite its desperate state, she did not lose faith in the possibility of restoration. Opposing the conclusions of commissions about the impossibility of restoration, Zelenova initiated the conservation of the remaining decorative elements and organized the work of restorers. Her efforts laid the foundation for the revival of the palace and park ensemble.

In 1955, restoration work on the murals began under the guidance of artist Alexander Treskin. His team faced the task of recreating over 30 lost interiors. By 1957, the first halls reopened to visitors, and by 1970, the main stage of the restoration of the interiors of the Pavlovsk Palace was completed. These efforts became a symbol of revival and preservation of cultural heritage, demonstrating the spirit and dedication of those who devoted themselves to restoring historical memory.