May 9. They won because they loved…

When at present time somebody, including domestic public figures, speak of all that the Victory of 1945 was achieved thanks to penal battalions and castigators from NKVD (People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs), they lie shamelessly. Because, if only they spoke at least any semblance of truth, we would not have such letters from the battlefield…

This correspondence was sent by Anatoly Zholnin to editorial office of “Bolshoi Novosibirsk”, the mother of this man had been living all evacuation in Siberia and his father was as reconnaissance man. Please, read these letters. Read them without any hurry and we will feel all the depth of human feelings. Read, and we understand, that the Victory was achieved thanks to hundred thousand such people and such loving couples. Because in such letters, the real history was written. Read and you will understand clearly that we are deceived impudently then they try to equalize Hitlerite Germany and the Soviet Union.

The time has come when it is necessary to leave alone the Victory. Let remain the one with the victors. … And only they, a little quantity of them that live beside us have right to judge as to the price of the victory not we have …

Glory to fallen heroes! Glory to the winners!

Anatoly Zholnin: I would like to supply some extracts from correspondence of my parents concerning the last months of the war. She with two children was evacuated in Siberian village that was near Uzhur in Krasnoyarsk Territory, he has come to Berlin from Moscow in the division intelligence, after he had been in 47-Army intelligence.

From George’s diary on July 23, 1944.

Yesterday, at 8 p.m. we left Gokovno (further south than North Luboml). At 11-20 p.m. we crossed the river Western Bug, across the old state border that was the area of Germany state interests, and, made camp in Zbarazh (16 km further south-east than Vladov). The troops have conducted a forced crossing Western Bug river at 6-00 p.m. on July, and today they are 30 km further north-east than that place, where they have conducted a forced crossing the river and as well as us. The liveliness was in the troops: it's no laughing matter, from ХХ up to 12-00 on 23 date  our troops passed with combat actions about 80 km. It is about per 20 km a day off the road. If there is a little delay the soldiers bear all unit transport, without waiting for the order. The population that in gala dresses meets troops with bread and salt.

From George’s letter.

“Witam”, honey Sashen’ka!!!

What is it? – You will think to yourself. Is it George’s joke or maybe something happened to him? Nothing did not happen to me, Sashen’ka. Just I wrote “how do you do” in Polish. It was the first word, with which we were greeted in Poland.  So, Sashen’ka we are already in Poland and beat Germans here, carrying out simultaneously two the following tasks: liberation of our Motherland from the German occupants with extermination of them and the second task is the liberation of the Polish people from the German yoke.

The population meets our soldiers friendly and with immense joy. They meet with bread and salt and try to do everything that is needed for the soldiers. Certainly, there are any people that look at us awry. But then - «there is a black sheep in every flock». All these people are the advocates of general Sosnovsky, about this person; I think you have read in newspapers.

The sentiment of all soldiers is cheerful and blithe exceptionally. Everyone pushes forward and once again forward. Sometimes they do such work, which at peacetime 20 persons did not do. Here, such work five persons carry out. Generally, everyone is consumed with desire as soon as possible to vanquish the enemy and to go back to its family and to start its peace work for the good of its favorite Motherland..

Since time when we had started to initiate the attack, we went far away westward and now we are near Warsaw. The enemy suffers defeat after defeat. Not really far back five salutes were for taken city.  Yesterday was the salute for Sedleс, carried by our troops, today there is salute for Kaunas. All that speaks that the hour of final requital with enemy is close and the hour, when we will wipe out the one finally, is not far. And consequently it is not far the day when we will meet again and I will be able to embrace you and children tightly as well as to kiss everyone.

How do I live and what is my mood? I live as usual. Now I am sitting at the table of on duty person and I am writing the letter to you. Now the time is three per Moscow time. It is dark outside it’s pitch-dark and it is heavy raining. Is mood? What mood can I have, when our troops have such successes? And indeed not only our troops have but all Red Army has. Certainly, the mood is good and cheerful. And I have only one wish to defeat the enemy as soon as possible and consequently to come across you.

August 2, 1944

From Sasha’s letter. Received on August 15, 1944

Gora, honey, the last newspapers bring us a lot of joyful information. The successes of Red Army Успехи send for us firmness in close war finishing and we all are waiting for this event with high impatience. So then we meet those who have not been seen for three years and whom we yearn to see.

…After all the war has not finished yet and it is not clear how long it will be. And how it bothered us and I think you in a greater degree. But nothing we can do with it, we will be waiting for both the war end and our meeting forbearingly, my beloved. And the meeting will be, the one must be. Is it true, in fact, Gorochka?

From Sasha’s letter. Received on August 20, 1944.

Good day Gora!!!

Gora, today, i.e. on. August 4, I received the letter from you, датированное on July 20. I have not received anything from you for a long time – about twenty day, so this letter was for me the great joy especially. I am not offended at you that you did not send me the letters for a long time. Because I have received the letters: No.23 and No.25 and No.24 I have not received. If I received the one in time, we would not have such big pause. When I read through your letter I felt that you have excellence mood. I am happy about it. Your mood is raised by successful advancement of Red Army units. We are enjoyed by these successes as well. They enjoy us very much. If only you saw how with impatience we are waiting for our postman with fresh newspaper. It is pity that our radio is out of the order – no power.

…Today I have received son’s remark: “Why are you smiling all day?”

From George’s letter on January 4, 1945.

So, Sashen’ka the 1945 has come. It is the 4-th New Year that we meet far from each other. And 1945 I meet far from our near and dear Motherland. But nothing Sashen’ka, I hope as well others that this year will be the last year of our separation. In this year, we will defeat enemy finally and at last after so many years of separation we will meet again.

The New Year I have not met, because I was on duty from December 31 up to January 1 and I visited the evening at time of orders awarding.  Then I went to duty room, where I spent whole day, receiving greetings telegrams and sending them to the evening. Generally the evening passed not bad and the one was cheery with the fact that the captured was taken on the night of January 1. We all were picked up by this event.

From the George’s diary.

January 4, 1945. The fourth New Year I meet far from my family and 1945-th I meet even far from the Motherland. We all understand that it will the last year, the  year of final crushing defeat of enemy, the year of our back to both Motherland and our families. 

January18, 1945. It is the 4-th day of our military advance starting. We have overrun the enemy defenses in interfluve, defeated 73 infantry division, cut across a river Vistula. Now the troops are 40 km further west than Warsaw. Yesterday was order of the commander in Chief, where we were pointed out, because our army took the one in practice.

January 11, I left for the readiness inspection of the military commands for the offensive operation. I visited Bykov and 143-rd rifle division. Then everything had implied that soon the offensive will begin. In division I stayed up to the evening of 14. On 14, the developing attack was, we had captured more than 50 captives successfully. On 14 as well, at 10 a.m. a neighbor from the right of 70 began the offensive. With prisoners snatch, the group that we were thinking of was confirmed. In the evening we reached the new place Dombkovcyna (further north-east than Yablochtsy-Leykosovo), it was the place where our headquarters had moved to, on January 13…January 15. At 10 a.m. the artillery preparation began, which with the general vallum had lasted for more than 3 hours. Our troops went into the offensive. The units of 73 rifle division were smashed in the first field and by the evening and it was cleaned from the enemy and more than 600 captives were captured with great quantities of trophies.

On the left flank of the Belarus Front the units of 6X and the 8^th guard armies started their offensive with the great success.

From George’s letter:

Hello honey Sashen’ka!!!

Hello and the best wishes to you in your work and life!

Thank you for your greetings with New Year of 1945. I, same as you, hope that New year of 1946 we will meet together in the bosom of our family.

Honey Sashen’ka, I know that you are waiting for my letter impatiently, when it still hadn’t arrived. It happened that way that I write to you with big delay. The most important thing is that the scenario changed. Concerning it you had already found out from newspapers and my messages won’t be new for you.

I write this letter not from that place, where we were before, but about 200 kilometers on the West. As far as you know from newspapers, our army went into the offensive across all Soviet-German fronts. Taking into account that during the first days we had the great successes too. We broke through the German defenses and took over Warsaw, whereof it was marked in the order of Commander-in-Chief and where we are also noticed as units of Perkhovic General. After crushing defeat of German units in the region of Modlin and Warsaw, and their extermination, we, with the speed of 30 kilometers a day, moved to the west. About it you had also read in newspapers.

Sashen’ka, you might want to ask me, what are successes? I answer. I had the experience of withdrawal of our units in 1942, when I was in Ukraine. I was both eyewitness and participant of offensive from Kovel to Warsaw. I know how the Germans were destroyed under Bobruisk, by eliminating the central group of German armies, as a result of which, all Byelorussia was liberated. But such offensive and retreat of German units, I did not see and also many others did not. The history of the Patriotic War doesn’t have any examples of such successes and what’s more, of such retreats and formed flights of “praised” Fritzes from “praised” and “undefeated” offensive German army.

Daily, over the radio from two to three orders of Commander in Chief are announced per one front and per second, about cities capturing of cities, large populated localities and defensive posts of German units. Before sitting and writing the letter to you, we were listening to one of today’s orders to Konev Marshall that his forces had captured a few cities and in the region of Breslau and they went to the Oder River. The fact is that this river is the border of Germany. As you can see, the successes are remarkable.

If you, Sashen’ka, could look at our soldiers at this moment. What the elevated mood they have get! Despite the fact that people are tired, 30 kilometers going a day with machineguns, rifles and so on – it’s not the same that walking in the park, despite that the soldiers don’t feel tired and rush forward closer to their goal to the den of the beast. They are with one task and thought to reach this den as fast as possible and to eliminate there the “wounded beast”.

That’s how, Sashen’ka, our things are here, and as you can see they aren’t bad.

From Sasha’s  letter on January 21, 1945.

Gora, when I was reading your letter, our son entered the room and asked me: “Our dad had sent the letter?” I had replied “Yes”.  He had stood and thought for a while and then asked me: “Is he writing that he is coming soon?” And I replied “Yes”.

Today, wounded in action senior lieutenant come to our village, the farther of Rudik’s friend. Rudik had visited them. Today he is talking of you all the day: What is our father? When will our father come? Etc.

From Sasha’s letter. Received on February 17, 1945.

Last days our radio brings very cheery news from the front as to the magnificent successes of the Red Army. About them, of course, you will find out before me. These news encourage faith in the soonest victory of the Red Army over enemy, and consequently near meeting. This information raises mood.

From George’s letter on January 24, 1945.

… We are now 220 km further west than Warsaw. As you can see, for a short period of time we had passed a big distance. This means that we are 220 kilometers closer to Berlin – to the den of the wounded beast. It means that we have a little time before that moment, when finally we will wipe out the fascist invaders. In other words, the day and hour of the final victory are close and so is our meeting. That’s how our things are here. You are quite aware of them yourself according to the orders of Supreme Commander and details of Sovinformburo.

I feel myself not bad. Mood is raised. Not only I have the raised mood, but also all our soldiers, officers and generals have the one. They all rush forward to the West.

I feel myself not bad, as a matter of fact, for the last few days I got sick. But raised mood and advancement forward, to the West proved themselves to be the best remedy than drugs, which are prescribed by doctors. We are always moving. Sleep over the night and then continue to move forward. Within a few days we will be in Bromberg region. Now it is 250-300 km left to Berlin  not 550km. So our meeting comes closer with every day.

From George’s diary.

January 24, 1945 we had driven over 90 km via Argenou (Gnevkovo) and stopped in Nischwitz (12 km further south than Bromberg (Bydgostia). Bronevo, gendarme administration. Bodies of the killed gendarmes and one woman it is the activities of tankers. There is a total chaos in the house and … Piano, the play of Lyamina on it – it is exclusive contrast.

On the way there are columns of the captive Germans, roads are filled with their bodies and broken apparatuses. Our war captives are all disabled, having a tired look, pale, overgrown with hair and aren’t like humans – only their shadow (the camp had 3000 of them). A column of the women – jewish up to 600 persons from Lvov, Kaunas, Vilnius. Most of them were destined to execution, but ours had saved them.

In Promberg the battles still take place, in Panel the same is.

January 25, 1945. German captives were captured from the camp of the labor service No. 5/32. War prisoners are Italians and Czechs; they were building the ammunition depots in the woods further South than Bromberg.

January 27, 1945. Shubin, the post office building. We accommodated at the apartment of the postmaster.

January 29, 1945. We came to Germansdorf (14km further north-west than Nakel). We are 16 km away from German border. The troops are already on the German territory.

From George’s letter:

… Sasha, we are 16km away from German border that is the den of the fascist beast. The troops had gone over the line. Tomorrow we will be on the territory of German as well. As you can see, with every day we get closer to the ultimate goal – the defeat of fascist army and simultaneously to the end of the war, and consequently to our meeting. The one thing is left to give the final blow and hoist the banner of the Victory in Berlin. And our Red Army under the leadership of the Great Stalin will give this final blow and hoist the banner of the Victory in Berlin.

I feel myself not bad. And who feels bad this day?

I kiss you tightly, tightly, yours George.

Poland, January 30, 1945.

P.S. The next letter I will write from Germany.

From George’s letter:

Germany, February 1, 1945

Hello Sashen’ka! Greetings and I wish you the best to your work and life.

So, Sashen’ka, we are in Germany in the den of the wounded beast. At last the Germans began to experience the blows of our Red Army as well, aviation and artillery. Of course now they had stopped to talk about invincibility of German army, which repeatedly was beaten by Red Army and now completely, just being slaughtered across wide front of offensive of our troops.

Our mobile units are just 65-70 km away from Berlin. While about half month ago we were near Vistula in Warsaw region.

So, Sashen’ka, only one ultimate blow is left – as comrade Zhukov, the marshal of the Soviet Union, said – and the banner of the Victory will shine over Berlin.

I would like to end my short letter – the first news from Germany and I will be looking forward to your soonest reply from the distant Krasnoyarsk Territory.

See you soon Sashen’ka.

I kiss you tightly, tightly, yours George.

From George’s letters:

…Sasha, you wrote to me that the friend had visited your colleague, and it brought the depression on you. Honey Sashen’ka, we have been waiting for long, and we will be able to wait a little. It is not far the time when Germany will be totally vanquished. Everything is pointing on it, the offensive of our Red Army and the meeting of three country rulers, the Great Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt, on the meeting of which the question as to the Germany crushing defeat will be solved. After the war finishing we will meet again. The more joyful our meeting will be after long separation. So, Sashen’ka, we have to get a grip on ourselves and as you wrote to me, to wait for it patiently.
I feel myself good, live the same.

Good bye, Sashen’ka. I kiss you tightly, tightly.

Yours George.

.

Germany, February 8, 1945.

…Today we are far away from the place, where I wrote you my last letter. Not far from us the Oder river flows, where is the big German city Stettin is located, and on the south – Kustrin and further Frankfurt are. The Germans hold this critical line strongly. It is understood why, , as we are 70-80 kilometers away from the Berlin, and it means something for them. If you look at the map and remember the geography, you will also understand that they won’t success with holding near the Oder. The Red Army will take over the Berlin. And if Berlin is taken-over, it will be finish for them, because with us the allies will attack. That is why the Germans have nowhere to go. So the time when the enemy will be defeated is closer and closer and we all will get back to our superb motherland, and accordingly to our families.

Germany February 2, 1945

March 20, 1945 we have finished the enemy elimination operation by the east bank of the Oder river at the region of Altdomm (further south-east than Stettin). Today we are moving to the old place in Nordhausen, where we celebrated February, 23. We go back to the older borders to act in direction of Berlin.

…The story that was told to you by the wounded officer, who was in Poland, is not full. When we were at Poland, we were there in the role of the liberators and everyone met us with good spirit. Now when we are inside the den of German animal – Germany, we are considered as their enemies and they meet us as enemies. All of the locals were rushing to the West. Someone had success in that. Some part left and of course they treat us with hostility, though at the places where they live there are white flags string – the flags of capitulation. But it all, Sashen’ka, is not so dramatic. The only thing is left to do, to make the crashing hit, about which the Supreme commander, the marshal of the Soviet Union, the comrade Stalin talked in his order No. 5 and the end of Hitler’s Germany will be.  And together with it the end of the war will. There are preconditions for that, because almost all Eastern Prussia, excluding Koenigsberg, is cleared. Pomerania is also cleared. The troops of our valiant Red Army came to the Stettin bay and almost to Stettin. You know about it from the daily news of the Soviet Information Bureau. Thus and so, Sashen’ka the day when we will meet again is not far.   

A little about myself, I live as usual the work is going not too bad. For the last operation, i.e. for the time we had arrived by the Odera, I was awarded with the order of ”Patriotic war of the first rank”. Per it, you can judge about my work.

Germany March 6, 1945

From Sasha’s letters:

Gora it’s 15 days as I have not any letter from you. I tend to nerve pretty often. I had written to you already before that your letters as a medicine to me that affects my mood very good. When I receive letter, my mood is raised, good, and when I have the letters the one is opposite.  Especially now, when you are on the territory of the enemy. The danger is much great for you there than when you were here, back home.

The kids feel good. It’s warm weather now here, though not very, but the snow melts when the sun goes out. It’s hard to lure our son home. Gora, he got the habit, to put one hand behind the lapel of the jacket, and another one in the pocket of the pants, and to walk in this way around. Recently he saw in village a cigarettes holder. He bought the one, after that he went home and said, “I’ve bought the cigarettes holder, father will come, and he’ll need it. It costs 2 rubles. I have told the man that we will return him the money a little later.” And put it to the vault. I think that you know what it means. Gora, here the withdrawn persons are sent to their old living places. The echelon to the west is formed. But I’m still sitting.

Rima feels good. Now we have tests for the 3^rd quarter. Her results are on average level, she will write about this on her own. Today she can manage to write a letter and send it without my knowing about.

March 11, 1945.

…Gora, it is 10 p.m. now. Rudik is sleeping. Lying down on the bed, with his hands spreaded. Rimma is sitting next to me, solving tasks. Only you are not with us. Now Rimma tells, “What would you do, if the door would open? And father step in?” I would rush to the father right away. We got such dialogs pretty often. The kids start to image how they will meet father and so on.

The spring smell is in the air here. After that severe winter the warm days seem to be very joyful. But together with joy the spring brings additional troubles. No one of us has leather footwear. We will have to walk in felt boots across the mud. We can’t even think about the buying as the prices are creepy. The situation with the food got worse. But, that’s nothing, my dear Gora, we will overcome everything if only you would be fine, and my health wouldn’t give a pump.

March 14, 1945

George’s letters:

We are near Berlin. From the closest point to Berlin, on the straight, it’s only 60 kilometers. It is needed the last crushing hit, and we will be in Berlin. Our allies started to act and not too bad. Thus and so, the time when we together with the allies will crush down the fascist Germany, and with it,  the war that annoyed to everyone, will come to the end, and we will meet again Sashen’ka.

March 26, 1945 Germany

March 28, 1945, we completed the liquidation of the bridgehead reinforcement in Altknosstrienchen region. So the Germans were discarded from all their positions by the western bank of the Oder river.

From Sasha’s letters

… Thank you very much for the parcel. It made us all very happy. I have received on 2^nd the notice, and on 3^rd I went to Uzhur to receive the parcel. The kids were waiting for me all the day, and met me outside the village. We liked everything that was inside the parcel. I’ve fed the kids with sugar in plenty. Rimma says that she is full, and for Rudik it was not enough. He ate a lot, but still says “Mother, I would be able to eat much more.” But I was afraid to give more, as that could lead to trouble. But that’s nothing; he’ll get the chance to eat more. It is for 4 years for us.

April 3, 1945.

…The spring is kicking. The winter brought us a lot of snow, and left behind a lot of mud, that it’s impossible to walk around. The kids are in trouble, the son will get bored of sitting home, he’ll be saying “hey mom, let me to travel, I’ll be walking only by the dry places”. I’ll let him, and in ten minutes he will be like a little devil, all dirty and with wet legs, the galoshes are thin. Rimma is tidier. In generally we live on the average level.

April 7, 1945

From the letter of Rimma’s daughter

Hello, my dear Father, with kind regards to you, your daughter Rimma. We have received the parcel; I really loved the picture and the figure. Father I have received a letter from you today and the greeting card I was very happy with it. Father, thank you for the second parcel, might be there is a dress for me or pants for Rudik as I have only one dress and he has only one pair of the pants. Father, mother had bought Rudik pants but he torn them right away, while riding and tumbling from the hill on them… Goodbye for now, I kiss you tightly, tightly- your daughter Rimma.

From Sasha’s letter

…Gora, it is so pleasure to look at the kids when they look so fresh and healthy, even though they have bad clothes. We have bought to the son the pants, be he already managed to torn them and there is nothing to stitch from. All pillowcases, curtains, sheets reupholstered. But that’s nothing, we can live without it, the most important thing is yours and ours health…. Gora, my dear Gora, sometimes I feel so lonely that I don’t know what to do with it. The spring demands its. I’m so tired of loneliness, I can’t even express it. Will the end be to that war or not? It’s been 4 years since the last time we saw each other.

April 11, 1945

From George’s diary:

April 13, 1945, Berlin (further north-west than Berwald). We received second sector near the region of the northern part of bridgehead further south than the Alt-Oder river. On 11 and 12 I was near the region of 77 rifle corps, where the mini-polygon was made for the training with the army and division commanders. On April 12, I attended the training, which was given by army commander.

April 14, 1945, the developing attack is. The one was successful. We have moved by 1-2,5 kilometers, extending by it the bridgehead. In some places we breached the first position and revealed the enemy groups.

April 16, 1945. Start of the offensive. Yesterday, at the night I with the commander left for the observation point.

At the 4:00 a.m. the artillery preparation of our neighbor from the left has begun (ZUA). At 4:50 a.m. with RP barrage the artillery preparations began, more accurately xxxxx AD that had lasted for 30 minutes without intermission with full tug. By the end the shoots became hollow-like, as the gun groups heated.

From Sasha’s letters

…The joyful announcement was made: “Our units stepped to the Germany, the Alliance units are 50 kilometers away from Berlin.” This was made through the radio. Our bookkeeper told me about it. This information filled my hard with great joy. The sooner this most disgusting war will over the better. I would like to see you as soon as possible. How I wish to live together. Because, all puppyhood was passed in loneliness. The kids don’t know their father enough.

We have already begun with the fieldworks. But the grief came into our village. We already have five cases of typhoid disease.

April 24, 1945

Gora let me to greet you with the 1-st May Day. I have no idea, how you spent it, but according to the messages from the Soviet Information Bureau, I assume that you spent this holiday at intense and hard combat levels. I spent it in the field. By the decision of the collective farm board on the 1^st May days everyone should go to the field works, to finish with the sowing time as soon as possible. I and my colleague were appointed to the tractor’s detachment. We were there for nothing, as we are not tractor-drivers. So we had to drive by the tractor across the field. Got ourselves very dirty and got back to home. I’ve papered the dinner and fed the kids. While they are sleeping, I’m writing this letter to you. As thus I spent my 1^st May.

Gora, the radio brought us happy news today. Our units took over the Reichstag. Dear my Gora, my heart is filled with joy excitement and together with it the worry about you is growing. My dear Gora, I want to meet with you so much. Rudik was talking about you all morning today. After sitting for the meal, I prepared 4 spoons. Rudik says, “The fourth is for Father”.

May 1, 1945

From George’s letter:

Dear Sashen’ka!

I have received the letter from you on March 14, 1945; you write that it is a spring in the air at your place. We have here a lot of trees with both blossomed buds and small leaves. First spring flowers shown up in the fields. It will be the fourth spring, Sashen’ka that we will spend far away from each other. I think it will be the last spring in such long-term separation from each other. Our allies come closer and closer to Berlin, and closer the final breakup and collapse of Germany is, and with it our meeting. But, that’s nothing, we were waiting for it a long time, we can wait a little bit more. My life is the same as my work, flows as usual, I have nothing new. We are all awaiting for the final kick to be released on the Fascist animal den – Berlin. And this time is close.

Germany, May 5, 1945.

From George’s letter:

Good day dear Sashen’ka!

Sasha, about month passed, since I had sent you the last letter. The situation was that I could get letters from you, but I couldn’t write you back. It was also my fault in that that is why I would like to ask you for apology for my long silence.

Now we are very far from the place where we were before. Though it was a short period, but a lot of changes were occurred at that time. We took over Berlin – where we took one of the main parts and have three honorary mentions from the Chief Commander the Marshal of the Soviet Union comrade Stalin and soon we will receive the fourth one for the Berlin take-over. Marshal Rokossovskiy was pushing the Germans to the north of us. You know about the general situation from the newspapers. Generally everything is going to the end, which already for Hitler Germany came on – Its collapse has begun. We are not far away from Elbe and, today-tomorrow will be there, when we will meet our allies. This is Sashen’ka, briefly, about what has recently happened. I feel myself not bad.

May 5, 1945. Brandenburg province of Germany.

From Sasha’s letter

Radio and newspapers almost daily provide us with cheerful news. News, which are the forerunners of the soon end of the war. Berlin taking over was a great gladness for all of us. Because during the long months the people were hopping to meet the moment, when we will hear about the Berlin take-over. It’s not the end of the war yet, but the one is not far from the Berlin take-over I was at home when I got this message. I was sitting at home and checking the notebooks. When I heard about it, my heart filled up with such happiness, that it did not allow me to work. My head was engaged with the thoughts of endless stream of about the war end, our meeting. We are finishing our studies on May, 18, but now we still have classes. Rima will be transferred to the 3^rd form.

Gora, the radio keeps up with giving us good news about the victory of the Red Army units. This news makes all of us very happy. They straighten our hope as to the soon victory of the Red Army, and consequently, for the soon meeting with our darlings, who we are waiting for almost four years persistently and insistently. By the actions of Red Army, we think that the war will be over pretty soon, maybe at May. It is opinion and desire of the most people. My dear Gora, we all are annoyed with this war, though you are annoyed with it much more.

My dear Gore, while I was writing this letter to you, our office pulled the flag in honor of the war end. My tears flow uncontrollably. The tears of big happiness were. The first, who heard this message, was our bookkeeper. He is invalid; he does not have a leg. This message flied over the village instantly. Everyone was crying from the happiness. I heard the yells, “The war is over”, but I didn’t believe in it, though I really wanted it. After the bookkeeper ran to me, yelling “Sasha, Sasha the war is over!!! Do you get me or not?” and he galloped further. Then I believed in it, and when my conscious got it, I started to cry. It was the first time in my life that I was crying from happiness. And Rudik asked me “now, will father come back soon?” Tomorrow or when?” what could I reply him? Of course, it will be soon. It will not be tomorrow, but soon. Am I right, my dear Gora? In addition the East keeps us worrying. Yes, Gora we experience such happiness. And you experience it even more.

From Sasha’s letter:

Hello my dear Gora!!! With kind regards from Sasha. Gora, I would like to congratulate you with the victory. The Victory is. The desired victory that we were waiting and fighting for, you at the front, we in the rear, and the some persons forfeited their lives for it. What is gladness!!!
My beloved Gora, I want to be with you so much. I don’t know that I would do with myself from happiness. But that’s nothing. We have waited for a long time. We can wait a little bit more. As for now, my dear Gora, good bye. I kiss you many, many times harder than ever before. Yours, Sasha

March 11, 1945

Sasha and George could meet only in two years. They born two more kids in the 50s and died at their time and they left behind seven grandchildren and a lot of great-grandchildren. They lived out good, happy and honest life.

At the center George Zholnin is. Next to him his army friends: on the right hand – Dmitry Veselov, the translator, on the left hand –Aleksey Dmitrievskiy, the commander of the reconnaissance company.