Women of liberated Europe through the eyes of Soviet soldiers and officers (1944-1945)
In the development of the topic and in addition to the article Elena Senyavskaya “The Red Army in Europe in 1945: Old and new stereotypes of perception in Russia and in the West”, posted on the 10 website in May of 2012, we bring to the attention of readers a new article by the same author, published in the journal “Scientific notes of Petrozavodsk State University”, May, 2012. No.3 (124). C. 13-19.
At the final stage of the Great Patriotic War, freeing Soviet territory occupied by the Germans and their satellites and pursuing a retreating enemy, the Red Army crossed the state border of the USSR. From that moment on, its victorious path began across Europe — both those that had languished under fascist occupation for six years, and those who acted as an ally of the Third Reich in this war, and on the territory of Hitler’s Germany itself. In the course of this advance to the West and the inevitable diverse contacts with the local population, the Soviet military personnel, who had never been outside their own country, received quite a few new, rather contradictory impressions about the representatives of other peoples and cultures, from which they later formed ethno-psychological stereotypes of their perception of Europeans . Among these impressions the most important place was occupied by the image of European women. Mentions, and even detailed stories about them are found in letters and diaries, in the pages of the memoirs of many participants in the war, where lyrical and cynical evaluations and intonations most often alternate.
The first European country to which the Red Army entered in August 1944 was Romania. In the “Notes on the War” by the poet-front-line soldier Boris Slutsky we find quite frank lines: “Sudden, almost pushed into the sea, Constanza opens. It almost coincides with the average dream of happiness and the "after the war." Restaurants Bathrooms. Beds with clean linen. Shop with reptile sellers. And - women, elegant urban women - girls of Europe - the first tribute we took from the vanquished ... "[1] Next, he describes his first impressions of the" abroad ":" European hairdressing salons, where they do not wash brushes, absence of a bath, washing from the pelvis, “where at first the dirt from the hands remains, and then the face is washed”, feather beds instead of blankets - out of disgust caused by life, immediate generalizations were made ... In Constanta, we first met brothels ... Our first enthusiasm for the fact of the existence of free love quickly passes. It affects not only the fear of infection and the high cost, but also the contempt for the very possibility of buying a person ... Many were proud of the type: the Romanian husband complains to the commandant that our officer did not pay his wife one and a half thousand lei. Everybody had a clear consciousness: “It is impossible with us” ... Probably, our soldiers will remember Romania as a country of syphilitics ... ”[2]. And he concludes that it was in Romania, this European backwater, that “our soldier most of all felt his elevation above Europe” [3].
Another Soviet officer, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Fedor Smolnikov 17 of September 1944 wrote in his diary his impressions of Bucharest: “The Ambasador Hotel, a restaurant, the lower floor. I see an idle audience walking, she has nothing to do, she is waiting. They look at me as unusual. “Russian officer !!!” I am very modestly dressed, more than modestly. Let be. We will still be in Budapest. This is as true as the fact that I am in Bucharest. First class restaurant. The audience is dressed up, the most beautiful Romanian eyes defiantly {Hereinafter highlighted by the author of the article}. We spend the night in a first-class hotel. Burlit metropolitan street. There is no music, the audience is waiting. The capital, damn it! I will not give in to advertising ... "[4]
In Hungary, the Soviet army was confronted not only with armed resistance, but also with insidious backstabs from the population, when they “killed drunks and stragglers alone in the farmsteads” and drowned them in silage pits. However, “women who were not as depraved as Romanians were inferior with shameful ease ... A little bit of love, a little bit of confusion, and most of all, of course, fear helped” [5]. To quote the words of a Hungarian lawyer, “It’s very good that Russians love children so much. It’s too bad that they love women so much ”, Boris Slutsky comments:“ He didn’t take into account that Hungarian women loved Russians too, that along with dark fear that spread matron knees and mothers of families, there was the tenderness of girls and the desperate tenderness of female soldiers who gave themselves in to the killers their husbands [6].
Grigory Chukhrai in his memoirs described such a case in Hungary. Its part was housed in one place. The owners of the house, where he himself settled with the fighters, during the feast “under the influence of Russian vodka relaxed and confessed that they were hiding their daughter in the attic”. Soviet officers were indignant: “For whom do you take us? We are not fascists! ” “The hosts were ashamed, and soon a lean girl, named Marika, appeared at the table and eagerly began to eat. Then, having become accustomed, she began to flirt and even ask us questions ... By the end of the dinner, everyone was in a friendly mood and drank for “borotshaz” (friendship). Marika understood this toast too straightforward. When we went to bed, she appeared in my room in a single bottom shirt. As a Soviet officer, I immediately realized: a provocation was being prepared. “They expect me to be tempted by the charms of Marika, and they will make a fuss. But I will not give in to provocation, ”I thought. And the delights of Marika did not deceive me - I pointed out the door to her.
The next morning, the hostess, putting food on the table, rumbled with dishes. “Nervous. The provocation failed! ”I thought. I shared this thought with our Hungarian translator. He burst out laughing.
- No, this is not a provocation! You expressed a friendly disposition, and you neglected it. Now you are not considered to be a person in this house. You need to move to another apartment!
“Why did they hide their daughter in the attic?”
- They were afraid of violence. We have accepted that a girl, with the approval of her parents, can experience intimacy with many men before entering into marriage. We say: do not buy a cat in a tied bag ... "[7]
Young, physically healthy men had a natural craving for women. But the ease of European customs of someone from the Soviet fighters corrupted, and someone, on the contrary, convinced that the relationship should not be reduced to a simple physiology. Sergeant Alexander Rodin recorded his impressions of the visit - out of curiosity! - a brothel in Budapest, where its part stood for some time after the end of the war: “... After the departure, there was a disgusting, shameful sensation of lies and falsehood, there was no picture of the woman’s obvious, overt pretense ... It is interesting that such an unpleasant aftertaste Not only did I stay from visiting a brothel, a youngster who was also brought up on principles like “not to give a kiss without love, but also for the majority of our soldiers with whom I had to talk ... Around the same days I had to talk with one pretty madyarke (o and somehow I knew the Russian language). When I asked her if I liked it in Budapest, I answered that I liked it, only brothels confuse me. “But why?” The girl asked. Because it is unnatural, wildly, - I explained: - a woman takes the money and after that, immediately begins to “love!” The girl thought for a while, then nodded in agreement and said: “You're right: take the money forward ugly” ... »[8]
Other impressions left Poland. According to the testimony of the poet David Samoilov, “... in Poland they kept us in strictness. From the location sneak was difficult. And pranks were severely punished ”[9]. And he gives impressions of this country, where the beauty of Polish women acted as the only positive moment. “I can’t say that we liked Poland very much,” he wrote. - Then it did not meet me noble and knightly. On the contrary, everything was petty bourgeois, farmer - and concepts and interests. Yes, in Eastern Poland they also looked at us cautiously and half-hostilely, trying to tear as many as possible from the liberators. However, the women were comfortingly beautiful and flirtatious, they captivated us with a circling, cooing speech, where everything suddenly became clear, and they themselves were captivated by sometimes coarse masculine power or soldier's uniform. And the pale, emaciated former fans, gritting their teeth, went into the shadows before time ... ”[10].
But not all the estimates of Polish women looked so romantic. 22 in October 1944. Junior Lieutenant Vladimir Gelfand wrote in his diary: “In the distance loomed the city I left with the Polish name [Vladov], with beautiful Polish girls proud to disgust. ... They told me about Polish women: they lured our fighters and officers into their arms, and when they reached the bed, they cut off the penis with a razor, choked them by the throat, scratched their eyes. Crazy, wild, ugly females! You need to be careful with them and not be carried away by their beauty. And the Poles are beautiful, scum ”[11]. However, there are other moods in his notes. 24 of October, he fixes such a meeting: “Today, my companions to one of the villages were beautiful Polish girls. They complained about the lack of guys in Poland. They also called me "pan", but they were inviolable. I patted one of them gently on the shoulder, in response to her remark about men, and comforted me with the thought of the road open for her to Russia - there are many men there. She hurried to step aside, and answered my words that there would be men for her too. Say goodbye to shaking hands. So we did not agree, but glorious girls, even though they were there ”[12]. A month later, on November 22, he wrote down his impressions of the first large Polish city of Minsk-Mazowiecki, and among the descriptions of architectural beauty and the number of bicycles that struck him, all groups of the population devote a special place to the townspeople: women, as one, in white special hats, apparently from the wind put on, which make them look like forty and surprise with their novelty. Men in triangular hats, in hats - thick, neat, empty. How many of them! ... Painted sponges, failed eyebrows, primitiveness, excessive delicacy. Like this is not like the natural life of man. It seems that people themselves live and move on purpose just to be watched by others, and everyone will disappear when the last spectator leaves the city ... ”[13]
Not only Polish city women, but also the villagers left a strong, though contradictory impression about themselves. “The poles who survived the horrors of war and German occupation were amazed,” recalled Alexander Rodin. - Sunday in the Polish village. Beautiful, elegant, in silk dresses and stockings, polka women, who on weekdays are ordinary peasant women, scoop up manure, barefoot, work tirelessly in the household. Older women also look fresh and young. Although there are black frames around the eyes ..."[14] Next, he quotes his diary entry from 5 November 1944 G.:" Sunday, the residents are all dressed up. Going to each other for a visit. Men in felt hats, ties, jumpers. Women in silk dresses, bright, unworn stockings. Rosy-cheeky girls - "little pancakes." Beautifully curled blond hairstyles ... The soldiers in the corner of the hut are also quickened. But who is sensitive, will notice that this is a painful revival. All raised laughed loudly to show that it doesn’t care for them, does not even hurt and is not jealous at all. And what are we, worse than them? God knows what kind of happiness this is - a peaceful life! You see, I didn’t see her at all! ”[15] His fellow soldier Sergeant Nikolai Nesterov wrote in his diary on the same day:“ Today is a day off, Poles, nicely dressed, gather in one hut and sit in pairs. Even somehow it does not feel like it. Wouldn't I have been able to sit like that? .. ”[16]
Where ruthless in their assessment of "European customs", resembling a "feast during the plague," the serviceman Galina Yartseva. 24 February 1945. She wrote to a friend from the front: “... If I had the opportunity, I could send wonderful packages of their trophy items. There is something. It would be our plowed and naked. What cities I saw, what men and women. And looking at them, you take possession of such evil, such hatred! They walk, love, live, and you go and release them. They laugh at the Russians - "Schwein!" Yes Yes! Bastards ... I do not love anyone except the USSR, except for those peoples who live with us. I do not believe in any friendship with the Poles and other Lithuanians ... ”[17].
In Austria, where Soviet troops burst in the spring of 1945, they were faced with a “total capitulation”: “Entire villages were led by white rags. Older women raised their hands up when they met a man in the Red Army uniform ”[18]. It is here, according to B. Slutsky, that the soldiers “seized upon the fair-haired women”. At the same time, “the Austrians were not overly resilient. The overwhelming majority of peasant girls married "spoiled". Soldiers, vacationers felt like Christ in his bosom. In Vienna, our guide, a bank official, was amazed at the Russians' perseverance and impatience. He believed that gallantry is enough to make the wreaths have everything that you want ”[19]. That is, it was not only in fear, but also in certain features of the national mentality and traditional behavior.
And finally, Germany. And the women of the enemy - mothers, wives, daughters, sisters of those who, from 1941-th to 1944-th year, sneered at the civilian population in the occupied territory of the USSR. How did the Soviet soldiers see them? The appearance of the Germans walking in the crowd of refugees is described in the diary of Vladimir Bogomolov: “Women, old and young, are wearing hats, a turban and just a canopy, like our women’s, in elegant coats with fur collars and in frayed, incomprehensible tailoring . Many women wear dark glasses in order not to squint from the bright May sun and thus protect their faces from wrinkles.... ”[20] Lev Kopelev recalled a meeting in Allenstein with evacuated berlinki:“ There are two women on the sidewalk. Intricate caps, one even with a veil. High-quality coats, and themselves smooth, sleek ”[21]. And he brought the soldiers' comments to them: "hens," "turkeys," "that would be so smooth ..."
How did the Germans behave when they met with Soviet troops? In the report of the deputy. Chief of the Main Political Directorate of the Red Army Shikin in the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) GF Alexandrov of 30 on April 1945 regarding the attitude of the civilian population of Berlin to the personnel of the Red Army said: “As soon as our units occupy a particular district of the city, the inhabitants gradually begin to take to the streets, almost all of them have white armbands on their sleeves. When meeting with our servicemen, many women raise their hands up, cry and shake with fear, but as soon as they are convinced that the soldiers and officers of the Red Army are not at all the way their fascist propaganda drew them, this fear quickly passes, more and more people take to the streets and offer their services, trying to emphasize their loyalty to the Red Army ”[22].
The submissiveness and prudence of the German women made the greatest impression on the winners. In this regard, it is worthwhile to quote the story of the mortarist N. Orlov, who was shocked by the behavior of German women in 1945: “Nobody in the Minbat killed civilian Germans. Our special person was "Germanophil". If this happened, the reaction of the punitive organs to such an excess would be quick. About the abuse of German women. It seems to me that some, talking about such a phenomenon, "exaggerate" a little. I have another kind of example in mind. We went to some German city, settled in houses. “Frau”, years 45-ti, appears and asks “Hera the commandant”. They brought her to Marchenko. She claims to be responsible for the quarter, and 20 gathered German women for the sexual (!!!) service of Russian soldiers. Marchenko understood German, and Dolmany Borodov, who was standing next to me, I translated the meaning of what was said by a German. The reaction of our officers was angry and abusive. They drove the German, along with her ready-to-serve "squad." In general, the German submissiveness stunned us. Waited from the Germans guerrilla war, sabotage. But for this nation, order - “Ordnung” - is paramount. If you are a winner, then they are “on their hind legs”, moreover, deliberately and not under duress. This is the psychology ... ”[23].
A similar case is cited in his military notes by David Samoilov: “In Arendsfeld, where we had just settled down, there was a small crowd of women with children. They were led by a huge whiskered German woman of about fifty - Frau Friedrich. She stated that she was a representative of the civilian population and asked to register the remaining residents. We replied that this could be done as soon as the commandant’s office appeared.
“That is impossible,” said Frau Friedrich. - Here are women and children. They need to register.
The peaceful population confirmed it with tears and tears.
Not knowing what to do, I invited them to take the basement of the house where we were located. And they reassured went down to the basement and began to be placed there awaiting the authorities.
“Herr Commissioner,” Frau Friedrich told me complacently (I was wearing a leather jacket). “We understand that soldiers have small needs.” They are ready, - continued Frau Friedrich, - to give them a few younger women for ...
I did not continue the conversation with Frau Friedrich ”[24].
After talking with the residents of Berlin 2 in May 1945, Vladimir Bogomolov wrote in his diary: “We are entering one of the surviving houses. Everything is quiet, dead. Knocking, please open. It is heard that they are whispering in the corridor, deafly and excitedly talking. Finally the door opens. The women of the same age, confused in a close group, are frightened, bowing low and obsequiously. German women are afraid of us, they were told that Soviet soldiers, especially Asians, would rape and kill them ... Fear and hatred on their faces. But sometimes it seems that they like to be defeated - their behavior is so precautionary, their smiles and sweet words are so sweet. On these days, stories about how our soldier went into a German apartment, asked to get drunk, and the German, barely envied him, lay down on the sofa and took off her leotard [25].
“All Germans are depraved. They have nothing against sleeping with them "[26], - such an opinion was common in the Soviet troops and was supported not only by many illustrative examples, but also by their unpleasant consequences, which the military physicians soon discovered.
The Directive of the Military Council 1 of the Belarusian Front No. 00343 / Ш of 15 on April 1945 stated: “During the stay of the troops on the territory of the enemy, cases of venereal diseases among military men sharply increased. The study of the reasons for this situation shows that venereal diseases are widespread among Germans. The Germans before the retreat, as well as now, in the territory we occupied, took the path of artificially infecting syphilis and gonorrhea to German women in order to create large foci for the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among the soldiers of the Red Army»[27].
47 Military Council 26 of April 1945 reported that "... In March, the number of sexually transmitted diseases among military personnel increased compared with February of this year. four times. ... The female population of Germany in the surveyed areas is affected by 8-15%. There are cases when the enemy specifically left out sick women with venereal diseases of a German woman to infect soldiers ”[28].
To implement the Decree of the Military Council 1 of the Belarusian Front No. 056 of 18 on April 1945, for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases in the troops of the 33 Army, the following leaflet was issued:
“Comrades soldiers!
You are seduced by Germans, whose husbands went around all the brothels of Europe, became infected themselves and infected their German women.
In front of you are those Germans who were specially left by the enemies in order to spread venereal diseases and thereby incapacitate the soldiers of the Red Army.
We must understand that our victory over the enemy is near and that you will soon be able to return to your families.
What kind of eyes will the one who brings a contagious disease look into the eyes of his relatives?
Can we, warriors of the heroic Red Army, be a source of contagious diseases in our country? NOT! For the moral character of the warrior of the Red Army must be as pure as the image of his Motherland and family! ”[29]
Practical Germans were most concerned with the question of food supply, for their sake they were ready for almost everything. So, a certain MD Calisturh, in a conversation with his colleagues on the attitude of the Red Army to the German population, said: “We can not hide the fact that I personally saw the poor attitude of individual Russian soldiers to our women, but I said that the war the main thing is that our soldiers and especially the SS men behaved much worse towards Russian women. - and immediately added without a transition: - I was very worried about the food issue ... ”[30].
Even in the memoirs of Lev Kopelev, with anger describing the facts of violence and looting of Soviet soldiers in East Prussia, there are lines reflecting the other side of the “relationship” with the local population: “They told about submissiveness, servility, ingratiating Germans: a loaf of bread and wives and daughters sell ”[31]. The squeamish tone that Kopelev conveys these "stories" implies their unreliability. However, they are confirmed by many sources.
Vladimir Gelfand described in his diary his wooing for a German girl (the record was made six months after the end of the war, 26 in October 1945, but still very characteristic): “I wanted to enjoy pretty caressing pretty Margot - only kisses and hugs were not enough. He expected more, but did not dare to demand and insist. The girl's mother was pleased with me. Still would! Candy and butter, sausage, expensive German cigarettes were brought to the altar of trust and location by my relatives. Already half of these products are enough to have the fullest reason and the right to do anything with a daughter in front of her mother, and she will not say anything against it. For food today is more expensive than even life, and even such a young and sweet sensual woman, like the tender beauty Margot ”[32].
An interesting diary entry was made by the Australian war correspondent Osmar White, who in 1944-1945. was in Europe in the ranks of the 3 of the American Army under the command of George Paton. Here is what he recorded in Berlin 1945 in May, literally a few days after the assault ended: “I walked around the night cabaret, starting with Femini near Potsdammerplatz. It was a warm and humid evening. The smell of sewage and rotting corpses stood in the air. The facade of "Femina" was covered with futuristic pictures of nudity and ads in four languages. The dance hall and restaurant were filled with Russian, British and American officers who accompanied the women (or who were hunting them). A bottle of wine cost 25 dollars, a horse-made hamburger and potatoes - 10 dollars, a pack of American cigarettes - breathtaking 20 dollars. The cheeks of the Berlin women were rouge, and their lips were painted so that it seemed that Hitler won the war. Many women were in silk stockings. The lady of the evening opened the concert in German, Russian, English and French. This triggered the barbate on the part of the captain of the Russian artillery, who was sitting next to me. He leaned toward me and said in decent English: “Such a quick transition from national to international! RAF bombs are excellent professors, aren’t they? ”[33]
The general impression of European women among Soviet servicemen is sleek and elegant (in comparison with war-weary compatriots in a half-starved rear, on lands liberated from occupation, and with front-girlfriends dressed in sweaters), accessible, self-serving, dispersed or cowardly submissive. The exception was the Yugoslav women and Bulgarians. Severe and ascetic Yugoslav partisans were perceived as comrades in arms and were considered inviolable. And given the severity of morals in the Yugoslav army, "the partisan girls probably looked at PPG [marching field wives] as creatures of a special, nasty sort" [34]. Boris Slutsky recalled the Bulgarian way: “... After the Ukrainian complacency, after the Romanian debauchery, the severe inaccessibility of the Bulgarian women struck our people. Almost no one boasted victories. It was the only country where officers were often accompanied by men at a party, almost never by women. Later, the Bulgarians were proud when they were told that the Russians were going to return to Bulgaria to get brides - the only ones in the world who remained clean and untouched ”[35].
A pleasant impression was left by the Czech beauties, who joyfully met the Soviet soldiers-liberators. Embarrassed tankers from oil-and-dust-covered combat vehicles decorated with wreaths and flowers said among themselves: “... Something like a bride's tank to clean it up. And their girls, know yourself, fasten. Good people. I have not seen such a spiritual people for a long time ... ”The friendliness and cordiality of the Czechs was sincere. “... If it were possible, I would have kissed all the soldiers and officers of the Red Army because they liberated my Prague,” a worker of the Prague tram said [36] to the common friendly and approving laughter, ” the Czech capital and the mood of the locals 11 May 1945 Boris Poleva.
But in other countries through which the army of winners passed, the female part of the population did not arouse respect. “In Europe, women surrendered, changed before all ... - wrote B. Slutsky. - I was always shocked, confused, disoriented ease, shameful ease of love relationships. Decent women, of course, disinterested, resembled prostitutes - hastily accessibility, a desire to avoid intermediate stages, no interest in motives pushing a man to come closer to them. Like people who recognized three obscene words from the entire vocabulary of love lyrics, they reduced the whole thing to several gestures, causing resentment and contempt from the most yellow-headed of our officers ... not ethics, but fear of getting infected, fear of publicity before pregnancy ”were restraining impulses” [37], - and added that in the conditions of conquest, "universal depravity covered and hid particular female depravity, made it invisible and not shameful" [38].
However, among the motives that contributed to the spread of "international love", despite all the bans and harsh orders of the Soviet command, there were several more: women's curiosity towards the "exotic" lovers and the unprecedented Russian generosity to the object of their sympathies, distinguishing them favorably from the stingy European men.
Junior Lieutenant Daniel Zlatkin at the very end of the war was in Denmark, on the island of Borngolm. In his interview, he said that the interest of Russian men and European women to each other was mutual: “We didn’t see women, but it was necessary ... And when we arrived in Denmark ... it’s free, please. They wanted to test, test, try a Russian man, what it is, how it is, and it seemed to work out better than the Danes. Why? We were unselfish and kind ... I gave a box of chocolates at half the table, I gave 100 roses to an unfamiliar woman ... for my birthday ... "[39]
At the same time, few people thought about serious relations, about marriage, in view of the fact that the Soviet leadership clearly stated its position on this issue. The Decree of the Military Council of the 4 of the Ukrainian Front of 12 on April 1945 said: “1. Explain to all officers and all personnel of the front, that marriage with foreign women is illegal and is strictly prohibited. 2. About all cases of military servicemen’s marriage to foreigners, as well as about our people’s relations with hostile elements of foreign states, inform us immediately on command to bring those responsible to justice for the loss of vigilance and violation of Soviet laws ”[40]. A directive issued by 1 April 14, the Chief of the Political Directorate of the 1945 Belorussian Front, read: “According to the Chief of the NKO Department of Personnel, the Center continues to receive statements from officers of the current army with a request to authorize marriages with women of foreign countries (Polish, Bulgarian, Czech and etc.). Such facts should be considered as a dulling of vigilance and a dulling of patriotic feelings. Therefore, it is necessary in the political and educational work to draw attention to a deep explanation of the inadmissibility of such acts by the officers of the Red Army. Explain to all officers, who do not understand the futility of such marriages, the inexpediency of marrying foreign women, up to a direct prohibition, and not allowing a single case ”[41].
And women didn’t use their illusions about the intentions of their gentlemen. “At the beginning of 1945, even the most stupid Hungarian peasant women did not believe our promises. European women were already aware of the fact that they forbid us to marry foreign women, and suspected that there was a similar order also about a joint appearance in a restaurant, cinema, etc. This did not prevent them from loving our Lovelessers, but gave this love a purely “ouidum” [carnal] character ”[42],” wrote B. Slutsky.
In general, it should be recognized that the image of European women, formed by the soldiers of the Red Army in 1944-1945, with rare exceptions, turned out to be very far from the suffering figure with chained hands, looking hopefully from the Soviet poster "Europe will be free!" .
Notes
[1] Slutsky B. Notes on the war. Poems and ballads. SPb., 2000. C. 174.
[2] Ibid. S. 46-48.
[3] Ibid. S. 46-48.
[4] Smolnikov FM We are fighting! Diary of a front-line soldier. Letters from the front. M., 2000. C. 228-229.
[5] Slutsky B. Decree. cit. C. 110, 107.
[6] Ibid. S. 177.
[7] Chukhrai G. My war. M .: Algorithm, 2001. C. 258-259.
[8] Rodin A. Three thousand kilometers in the saddle. Diaries. M., 2000. C. 127.
[9] Samoilov D. People of one option. From the war notes // Aurora. 1990. No. 2. C. 67.
[10] Ibid. S. 70-71.
[11] Gelfand V.N. Blogs 1941-1946. http://militera.lib.ru/db/gelfand_vn/05.html
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Rodin A. Three thousand kilometers in the saddle. Diaries. M., 2000. C. 110.
[15] Ibid. S. 122-123.
[16] Ibid. S. 123.
[17] Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. F. 372. Op. 6570. D; 76. L. 86.
[18] Slutsky B. Decree. cit. C. 125.
[19] Ibid. S. 127-128.
[20] Bogomolov V.O. Germany Berlin. Spring 1945 th // Bogomolov V.O. My life, did you dream of me? .. M .: Magazine "Our Contemporary", №№ 10-12, 2005, № 1, 2006. http://militera.lib.ru/prose/russian/bogomolov_vo/03.html
[21] Kopelev L. Keep forever. In 2 pr. Book 1: Parts of 1-4. M .: Terra, 2004. Ch. 11. http://lib.rus.ec/b/137774/read#t15
[22] Russian State Archive of Social and Political stories (further - RGASPI). F. 17. Op. 125. D. 321. L. 10-12.
[23] From N.Orlov's interview on the “I Remember” website. http://www.iremember.ru/minometchiki/orlov-naum-aronovich/stranitsa-6.html
[24] Samoilov D. Decree. cit. C. 88.
[25] Bogomolov V.O. My life, or you dreamed me? .. // Our contemporary. 2005. No. 10-12; 2006. No. 1. http://militera.lib.ru/prose/russian/bogomolov_vo/03.html
[26] From the Political Announcement on communicating directives to comrade personnel. Stalin No. 11072 from 20.04.1945 G. in the 185 Rifle Division. 26 April 1945 d. Cit. by: Bogomolov V.O. Decree. cit. http://militera.lib.ru/prose/russian/bogomolov_vo/02.html
[27] Cit. by: Bogomolov V.O. Decree. cit. http://militera.lib.ru/prose/russian/bogomolov_vo/02.html
[28] Ibid.
[29] Ibid.
[30] State Archive of the Russian Federation. F. p-xnumx. Op. 9401. D. 2. L.96.
[31] Kopelev L. Decree. cit. Ch. 12. http://lib.rus.ec/b/137774/read#t15
[32] Gelfand V.N. Decree. cit.
[33] White Osmar. Conquerors' Road: An Eyewitness Account of Germany 1945. Cambridge University Press, 2003 [1996]. XVII, 221 pp. http://www.argo.net.au/andre/osmarwhite.html
[34] Slutsky B. Decree. cit. C. 99.
[35] Ibid. S. 71.
[36] Field B. Liberation of Prague // From the Soviet Information Bureau ... Publicism and essays of the war years. 1941-1945. T. 2. 1943-1945. M .: Publisher APN, 1982. C. 439.
[37] Ibid. S. 177-178.
[38] Ibid. S. 180.
[39] From an interview with D.F. Zlatkin from 16 June 1997. // Personal archive.
[40] Cit. by: Bogomolov V.O. Decree. cit. http://militera.lib.ru/prose/russian/bogomolov_vo/04.html
[41] Ibid.
[42] Slutsky B. Decree. cit. C. 180-181.
At the final stage of the Great Patriotic War, freeing Soviet territory occupied by the Germans and their satellites and pursuing a retreating enemy, the Red Army crossed the state border of the USSR. From that moment on, its victorious path began across Europe — both those that had languished under fascist occupation for six years, and those who acted as an ally of the Third Reich in this war, and on the territory of Hitler’s Germany itself. In the course of this advance to the West and the inevitable diverse contacts with the local population, the Soviet military personnel, who had never been outside their own country, received quite a few new, rather contradictory impressions about the representatives of other peoples and cultures, from which they later formed ethno-psychological stereotypes of their perception of Europeans . Among these impressions the most important place was occupied by the image of European women. Mentions, and even detailed stories about them are found in letters and diaries, in the pages of the memoirs of many participants in the war, where lyrical and cynical evaluations and intonations most often alternate. The first European country to which the Red Army entered in August 1944 was Romania. In the “Notes on the War” by the poet-front-line soldier Boris Slutsky we find quite frank lines: “Sudden, almost pushed into the sea, Constanza opens. It almost coincides with the average dream of happiness and the "after the war." Restaurants Bathrooms. Beds with clean linen. Shop with reptile sellers. And - women, elegant urban women - girls of Europe - the first tribute we took from the vanquished ... "[1] Next, he describes his first impressions of the" abroad ":" European hairdressing salons, where they do not wash brushes, absence of a bath, washing from the pelvis, “where at first the dirt from the hands remains, and then the face is washed”, feather beds instead of blankets - out of disgust caused by life, immediate generalizations were made ... In Constanta, we first met brothels ... Our first enthusiasm for the fact of the existence of free love quickly passes. It affects not only the fear of infection and the high cost, but also the contempt for the very possibility of buying a person ... Many were proud of the type: the Romanian husband complains to the commandant that our officer did not pay his wife one and a half thousand lei. Everybody had a clear consciousness: “It is impossible with us” ... Probably, our soldiers will remember Romania as a country of syphilitics ... ”[2]. And he concludes that it was in Romania, this European backwater, that “our soldier most of all felt his elevation above Europe” [3].
Another Soviet officer, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Fedor Smolnikov 17 of September 1944 wrote in his diary his impressions of Bucharest: “The Ambasador Hotel, a restaurant, the lower floor. I see an idle audience walking, she has nothing to do, she is waiting. They look at me as unusual. “Russian officer !!!” I am very modestly dressed, more than modestly. Let be. We will still be in Budapest. This is as true as the fact that I am in Bucharest. First class restaurant. The audience is dressed up, the most beautiful Romanian eyes defiantly {Hereinafter highlighted by the author of the article}. We spend the night in a first-class hotel. Burlit metropolitan street. There is no music, the audience is waiting. The capital, damn it! I will not give in to advertising ... "[4]
In Hungary, the Soviet army was confronted not only with armed resistance, but also with insidious backstabs from the population, when they “killed drunks and stragglers alone in the farmsteads” and drowned them in silage pits. However, “women who were not as depraved as Romanians were inferior with shameful ease ... A little bit of love, a little bit of confusion, and most of all, of course, fear helped” [5]. To quote the words of a Hungarian lawyer, “It’s very good that Russians love children so much. It’s too bad that they love women so much ”, Boris Slutsky comments:“ He didn’t take into account that Hungarian women loved Russians too, that along with dark fear that spread matron knees and mothers of families, there was the tenderness of girls and the desperate tenderness of female soldiers who gave themselves in to the killers their husbands [6].
Grigory Chukhrai in his memoirs described such a case in Hungary. Its part was housed in one place. The owners of the house, where he himself settled with the fighters, during the feast “under the influence of Russian vodka relaxed and confessed that they were hiding their daughter in the attic”. Soviet officers were indignant: “For whom do you take us? We are not fascists! ” “The hosts were ashamed, and soon a lean girl, named Marika, appeared at the table and eagerly began to eat. Then, having become accustomed, she began to flirt and even ask us questions ... By the end of the dinner, everyone was in a friendly mood and drank for “borotshaz” (friendship). Marika understood this toast too straightforward. When we went to bed, she appeared in my room in a single bottom shirt. As a Soviet officer, I immediately realized: a provocation was being prepared. “They expect me to be tempted by the charms of Marika, and they will make a fuss. But I will not give in to provocation, ”I thought. And the delights of Marika did not deceive me - I pointed out the door to her.
The next morning, the hostess, putting food on the table, rumbled with dishes. “Nervous. The provocation failed! ”I thought. I shared this thought with our Hungarian translator. He burst out laughing.
- No, this is not a provocation! You expressed a friendly disposition, and you neglected it. Now you are not considered to be a person in this house. You need to move to another apartment!
“Why did they hide their daughter in the attic?”
- They were afraid of violence. We have accepted that a girl, with the approval of her parents, can experience intimacy with many men before entering into marriage. We say: do not buy a cat in a tied bag ... "[7]
Young, physically healthy men had a natural craving for women. But the ease of European customs of someone from the Soviet fighters corrupted, and someone, on the contrary, convinced that the relationship should not be reduced to a simple physiology. Sergeant Alexander Rodin recorded his impressions of the visit - out of curiosity! - a brothel in Budapest, where its part stood for some time after the end of the war: “... After the departure, there was a disgusting, shameful sensation of lies and falsehood, there was no picture of the woman’s obvious, overt pretense ... It is interesting that such an unpleasant aftertaste Not only did I stay from visiting a brothel, a youngster who was also brought up on principles like “not to give a kiss without love, but also for the majority of our soldiers with whom I had to talk ... Around the same days I had to talk with one pretty madyarke (o and somehow I knew the Russian language). When I asked her if I liked it in Budapest, I answered that I liked it, only brothels confuse me. “But why?” The girl asked. Because it is unnatural, wildly, - I explained: - a woman takes the money and after that, immediately begins to “love!” The girl thought for a while, then nodded in agreement and said: “You're right: take the money forward ugly” ... »[8]
Other impressions left Poland. According to the testimony of the poet David Samoilov, “... in Poland they kept us in strictness. From the location sneak was difficult. And pranks were severely punished ”[9]. And he gives impressions of this country, where the beauty of Polish women acted as the only positive moment. “I can’t say that we liked Poland very much,” he wrote. - Then it did not meet me noble and knightly. On the contrary, everything was petty bourgeois, farmer - and concepts and interests. Yes, in Eastern Poland they also looked at us cautiously and half-hostilely, trying to tear as many as possible from the liberators. However, the women were comfortingly beautiful and flirtatious, they captivated us with a circling, cooing speech, where everything suddenly became clear, and they themselves were captivated by sometimes coarse masculine power or soldier's uniform. And the pale, emaciated former fans, gritting their teeth, went into the shadows before time ... ”[10].
But not all the estimates of Polish women looked so romantic. 22 in October 1944. Junior Lieutenant Vladimir Gelfand wrote in his diary: “In the distance loomed the city I left with the Polish name [Vladov], with beautiful Polish girls proud to disgust. ... They told me about Polish women: they lured our fighters and officers into their arms, and when they reached the bed, they cut off the penis with a razor, choked them by the throat, scratched their eyes. Crazy, wild, ugly females! You need to be careful with them and not be carried away by their beauty. And the Poles are beautiful, scum ”[11]. However, there are other moods in his notes. 24 of October, he fixes such a meeting: “Today, my companions to one of the villages were beautiful Polish girls. They complained about the lack of guys in Poland. They also called me "pan", but they were inviolable. I patted one of them gently on the shoulder, in response to her remark about men, and comforted me with the thought of the road open for her to Russia - there are many men there. She hurried to step aside, and answered my words that there would be men for her too. Say goodbye to shaking hands. So we did not agree, but glorious girls, even though they were there ”[12]. A month later, on November 22, he wrote down his impressions of the first large Polish city of Minsk-Mazowiecki, and among the descriptions of architectural beauty and the number of bicycles that struck him, all groups of the population devote a special place to the townspeople: women, as one, in white special hats, apparently from the wind put on, which make them look like forty and surprise with their novelty. Men in triangular hats, in hats - thick, neat, empty. How many of them! ... Painted sponges, failed eyebrows, primitiveness, excessive delicacy. Like this is not like the natural life of man. It seems that people themselves live and move on purpose just to be watched by others, and everyone will disappear when the last spectator leaves the city ... ”[13]
Not only Polish city women, but also the villagers left a strong, though contradictory impression about themselves. “The poles who survived the horrors of war and German occupation were amazed,” recalled Alexander Rodin. - Sunday in the Polish village. Beautiful, elegant, in silk dresses and stockings, polka women, who on weekdays are ordinary peasant women, scoop up manure, barefoot, work tirelessly in the household. Older women also look fresh and young. Although there are black frames around the eyes ..."[14] Next, he quotes his diary entry from 5 November 1944 G.:" Sunday, the residents are all dressed up. Going to each other for a visit. Men in felt hats, ties, jumpers. Women in silk dresses, bright, unworn stockings. Rosy-cheeky girls - "little pancakes." Beautifully curled blond hairstyles ... The soldiers in the corner of the hut are also quickened. But who is sensitive, will notice that this is a painful revival. All raised laughed loudly to show that it doesn’t care for them, does not even hurt and is not jealous at all. And what are we, worse than them? God knows what kind of happiness this is - a peaceful life! You see, I didn’t see her at all! ”[15] His fellow soldier Sergeant Nikolai Nesterov wrote in his diary on the same day:“ Today is a day off, Poles, nicely dressed, gather in one hut and sit in pairs. Even somehow it does not feel like it. Wouldn't I have been able to sit like that? .. ”[16]
Where ruthless in their assessment of "European customs", resembling a "feast during the plague," the serviceman Galina Yartseva. 24 February 1945. She wrote to a friend from the front: “... If I had the opportunity, I could send wonderful packages of their trophy items. There is something. It would be our plowed and naked. What cities I saw, what men and women. And looking at them, you take possession of such evil, such hatred! They walk, love, live, and you go and release them. They laugh at the Russians - "Schwein!" Yes Yes! Bastards ... I do not love anyone except the USSR, except for those peoples who live with us. I do not believe in any friendship with the Poles and other Lithuanians ... ”[17].
In Austria, where Soviet troops burst in the spring of 1945, they were faced with a “total capitulation”: “Entire villages were led by white rags. Older women raised their hands up when they met a man in the Red Army uniform ”[18]. It is here, according to B. Slutsky, that the soldiers “seized upon the fair-haired women”. At the same time, “the Austrians were not overly resilient. The overwhelming majority of peasant girls married "spoiled". Soldiers, vacationers felt like Christ in his bosom. In Vienna, our guide, a bank official, was amazed at the Russians' perseverance and impatience. He believed that gallantry is enough to make the wreaths have everything that you want ”[19]. That is, it was not only in fear, but also in certain features of the national mentality and traditional behavior.
And finally, Germany. And the women of the enemy - mothers, wives, daughters, sisters of those who, from 1941-th to 1944-th year, sneered at the civilian population in the occupied territory of the USSR. How did the Soviet soldiers see them? The appearance of the Germans walking in the crowd of refugees is described in the diary of Vladimir Bogomolov: “Women, old and young, are wearing hats, a turban and just a canopy, like our women’s, in elegant coats with fur collars and in frayed, incomprehensible tailoring . Many women wear dark glasses in order not to squint from the bright May sun and thus protect their faces from wrinkles.... ”[20] Lev Kopelev recalled a meeting in Allenstein with evacuated berlinki:“ There are two women on the sidewalk. Intricate caps, one even with a veil. High-quality coats, and themselves smooth, sleek ”[21]. And he brought the soldiers' comments to them: "hens," "turkeys," "that would be so smooth ..."
How did the Germans behave when they met with Soviet troops? In the report of the deputy. Chief of the Main Political Directorate of the Red Army Shikin in the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) GF Alexandrov of 30 on April 1945 regarding the attitude of the civilian population of Berlin to the personnel of the Red Army said: “As soon as our units occupy a particular district of the city, the inhabitants gradually begin to take to the streets, almost all of them have white armbands on their sleeves. When meeting with our servicemen, many women raise their hands up, cry and shake with fear, but as soon as they are convinced that the soldiers and officers of the Red Army are not at all the way their fascist propaganda drew them, this fear quickly passes, more and more people take to the streets and offer their services, trying to emphasize their loyalty to the Red Army ”[22].
The submissiveness and prudence of the German women made the greatest impression on the winners. In this regard, it is worthwhile to quote the story of the mortarist N. Orlov, who was shocked by the behavior of German women in 1945: “Nobody in the Minbat killed civilian Germans. Our special person was "Germanophil". If this happened, the reaction of the punitive organs to such an excess would be quick. About the abuse of German women. It seems to me that some, talking about such a phenomenon, "exaggerate" a little. I have another kind of example in mind. We went to some German city, settled in houses. “Frau”, years 45-ti, appears and asks “Hera the commandant”. They brought her to Marchenko. She claims to be responsible for the quarter, and 20 gathered German women for the sexual (!!!) service of Russian soldiers. Marchenko understood German, and Dolmany Borodov, who was standing next to me, I translated the meaning of what was said by a German. The reaction of our officers was angry and abusive. They drove the German, along with her ready-to-serve "squad." In general, the German submissiveness stunned us. Waited from the Germans guerrilla war, sabotage. But for this nation, order - “Ordnung” - is paramount. If you are a winner, then they are “on their hind legs”, moreover, deliberately and not under duress. This is the psychology ... ”[23].
A similar case is cited in his military notes by David Samoilov: “In Arendsfeld, where we had just settled down, there was a small crowd of women with children. They were led by a huge whiskered German woman of about fifty - Frau Friedrich. She stated that she was a representative of the civilian population and asked to register the remaining residents. We replied that this could be done as soon as the commandant’s office appeared.
“That is impossible,” said Frau Friedrich. - Here are women and children. They need to register.
The peaceful population confirmed it with tears and tears.
Not knowing what to do, I invited them to take the basement of the house where we were located. And they reassured went down to the basement and began to be placed there awaiting the authorities.
“Herr Commissioner,” Frau Friedrich told me complacently (I was wearing a leather jacket). “We understand that soldiers have small needs.” They are ready, - continued Frau Friedrich, - to give them a few younger women for ...
I did not continue the conversation with Frau Friedrich ”[24].
After talking with the residents of Berlin 2 in May 1945, Vladimir Bogomolov wrote in his diary: “We are entering one of the surviving houses. Everything is quiet, dead. Knocking, please open. It is heard that they are whispering in the corridor, deafly and excitedly talking. Finally the door opens. The women of the same age, confused in a close group, are frightened, bowing low and obsequiously. German women are afraid of us, they were told that Soviet soldiers, especially Asians, would rape and kill them ... Fear and hatred on their faces. But sometimes it seems that they like to be defeated - their behavior is so precautionary, their smiles and sweet words are so sweet. On these days, stories about how our soldier went into a German apartment, asked to get drunk, and the German, barely envied him, lay down on the sofa and took off her leotard [25].
“All Germans are depraved. They have nothing against sleeping with them "[26], - such an opinion was common in the Soviet troops and was supported not only by many illustrative examples, but also by their unpleasant consequences, which the military physicians soon discovered.
The Directive of the Military Council 1 of the Belarusian Front No. 00343 / Ш of 15 on April 1945 stated: “During the stay of the troops on the territory of the enemy, cases of venereal diseases among military men sharply increased. The study of the reasons for this situation shows that venereal diseases are widespread among Germans. The Germans before the retreat, as well as now, in the territory we occupied, took the path of artificially infecting syphilis and gonorrhea to German women in order to create large foci for the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among the soldiers of the Red Army»[27].
47 Military Council 26 of April 1945 reported that "... In March, the number of sexually transmitted diseases among military personnel increased compared with February of this year. four times. ... The female population of Germany in the surveyed areas is affected by 8-15%. There are cases when the enemy specifically left out sick women with venereal diseases of a German woman to infect soldiers ”[28].
To implement the Decree of the Military Council 1 of the Belarusian Front No. 056 of 18 on April 1945, for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases in the troops of the 33 Army, the following leaflet was issued:
“Comrades soldiers!
You are seduced by Germans, whose husbands went around all the brothels of Europe, became infected themselves and infected their German women.
In front of you are those Germans who were specially left by the enemies in order to spread venereal diseases and thereby incapacitate the soldiers of the Red Army.
We must understand that our victory over the enemy is near and that you will soon be able to return to your families.
What kind of eyes will the one who brings a contagious disease look into the eyes of his relatives?
Can we, warriors of the heroic Red Army, be a source of contagious diseases in our country? NOT! For the moral character of the warrior of the Red Army must be as pure as the image of his Motherland and family! ”[29]
Practical Germans were most concerned with the question of food supply, for their sake they were ready for almost everything. So, a certain MD Calisturh, in a conversation with his colleagues on the attitude of the Red Army to the German population, said: “We can not hide the fact that I personally saw the poor attitude of individual Russian soldiers to our women, but I said that the war the main thing is that our soldiers and especially the SS men behaved much worse towards Russian women. - and immediately added without a transition: - I was very worried about the food issue ... ”[30].
Even in the memoirs of Lev Kopelev, with anger describing the facts of violence and looting of Soviet soldiers in East Prussia, there are lines reflecting the other side of the “relationship” with the local population: “They told about submissiveness, servility, ingratiating Germans: a loaf of bread and wives and daughters sell ”[31]. The squeamish tone that Kopelev conveys these "stories" implies their unreliability. However, they are confirmed by many sources.
Vladimir Gelfand described in his diary his wooing for a German girl (the record was made six months after the end of the war, 26 in October 1945, but still very characteristic): “I wanted to enjoy pretty caressing pretty Margot - only kisses and hugs were not enough. He expected more, but did not dare to demand and insist. The girl's mother was pleased with me. Still would! Candy and butter, sausage, expensive German cigarettes were brought to the altar of trust and location by my relatives. Already half of these products are enough to have the fullest reason and the right to do anything with a daughter in front of her mother, and she will not say anything against it. For food today is more expensive than even life, and even such a young and sweet sensual woman, like the tender beauty Margot ”[32].
An interesting diary entry was made by the Australian war correspondent Osmar White, who in 1944-1945. was in Europe in the ranks of the 3 of the American Army under the command of George Paton. Here is what he recorded in Berlin 1945 in May, literally a few days after the assault ended: “I walked around the night cabaret, starting with Femini near Potsdammerplatz. It was a warm and humid evening. The smell of sewage and rotting corpses stood in the air. The facade of "Femina" was covered with futuristic pictures of nudity and ads in four languages. The dance hall and restaurant were filled with Russian, British and American officers who accompanied the women (or who were hunting them). A bottle of wine cost 25 dollars, a horse-made hamburger and potatoes - 10 dollars, a pack of American cigarettes - breathtaking 20 dollars. The cheeks of the Berlin women were rouge, and their lips were painted so that it seemed that Hitler won the war. Many women were in silk stockings. The lady of the evening opened the concert in German, Russian, English and French. This triggered the barbate on the part of the captain of the Russian artillery, who was sitting next to me. He leaned toward me and said in decent English: “Such a quick transition from national to international! RAF bombs are excellent professors, aren’t they? ”[33]
The general impression of European women among Soviet servicemen is sleek and elegant (in comparison with war-weary compatriots in a half-starved rear, on lands liberated from occupation, and with front-girlfriends dressed in sweaters), accessible, self-serving, dispersed or cowardly submissive. The exception was the Yugoslav women and Bulgarians. Severe and ascetic Yugoslav partisans were perceived as comrades in arms and were considered inviolable. And given the severity of morals in the Yugoslav army, "the partisan girls probably looked at PPG [marching field wives] as creatures of a special, nasty sort" [34]. Boris Slutsky recalled the Bulgarian way: “... After the Ukrainian complacency, after the Romanian debauchery, the severe inaccessibility of the Bulgarian women struck our people. Almost no one boasted victories. It was the only country where officers were often accompanied by men at a party, almost never by women. Later, the Bulgarians were proud when they were told that the Russians were going to return to Bulgaria to get brides - the only ones in the world who remained clean and untouched ”[35].
A pleasant impression was left by the Czech beauties, who joyfully met the Soviet soldiers-liberators. Embarrassed tankers from oil-and-dust-covered combat vehicles decorated with wreaths and flowers said among themselves: “... Something like a bride's tank to clean it up. And their girls, know yourself, fasten. Good people. I have not seen such a spiritual people for a long time ... ”The friendliness and cordiality of the Czechs was sincere. “... If it were possible, I would have kissed all the soldiers and officers of the Red Army because they liberated my Prague,” a worker of the Prague tram said [36] to the common friendly and approving laughter, ” the Czech capital and the mood of the locals 11 May 1945 Boris Poleva.
But in other countries through which the army of winners passed, the female part of the population did not arouse respect. “In Europe, women surrendered, changed before all ... - wrote B. Slutsky. - I was always shocked, confused, disoriented ease, shameful ease of love relationships. Decent women, of course, disinterested, resembled prostitutes - hastily accessibility, a desire to avoid intermediate stages, no interest in motives pushing a man to come closer to them. Like people who recognized three obscene words from the entire vocabulary of love lyrics, they reduced the whole thing to several gestures, causing resentment and contempt from the most yellow-headed of our officers ... not ethics, but fear of getting infected, fear of publicity before pregnancy ”were restraining impulses” [37], - and added that in the conditions of conquest, "universal depravity covered and hid particular female depravity, made it invisible and not shameful" [38].
However, among the motives that contributed to the spread of "international love", despite all the bans and harsh orders of the Soviet command, there were several more: women's curiosity towards the "exotic" lovers and the unprecedented Russian generosity to the object of their sympathies, distinguishing them favorably from the stingy European men.
Junior Lieutenant Daniel Zlatkin at the very end of the war was in Denmark, on the island of Borngolm. In his interview, he said that the interest of Russian men and European women to each other was mutual: “We didn’t see women, but it was necessary ... And when we arrived in Denmark ... it’s free, please. They wanted to test, test, try a Russian man, what it is, how it is, and it seemed to work out better than the Danes. Why? We were unselfish and kind ... I gave a box of chocolates at half the table, I gave 100 roses to an unfamiliar woman ... for my birthday ... "[39]
At the same time, few people thought about serious relations, about marriage, in view of the fact that the Soviet leadership clearly stated its position on this issue. The Decree of the Military Council of the 4 of the Ukrainian Front of 12 on April 1945 said: “1. Explain to all officers and all personnel of the front, that marriage with foreign women is illegal and is strictly prohibited. 2. About all cases of military servicemen’s marriage to foreigners, as well as about our people’s relations with hostile elements of foreign states, inform us immediately on command to bring those responsible to justice for the loss of vigilance and violation of Soviet laws ”[40]. A directive issued by 1 April 14, the Chief of the Political Directorate of the 1945 Belorussian Front, read: “According to the Chief of the NKO Department of Personnel, the Center continues to receive statements from officers of the current army with a request to authorize marriages with women of foreign countries (Polish, Bulgarian, Czech and etc.). Such facts should be considered as a dulling of vigilance and a dulling of patriotic feelings. Therefore, it is necessary in the political and educational work to draw attention to a deep explanation of the inadmissibility of such acts by the officers of the Red Army. Explain to all officers, who do not understand the futility of such marriages, the inexpediency of marrying foreign women, up to a direct prohibition, and not allowing a single case ”[41].
And women didn’t use their illusions about the intentions of their gentlemen. “At the beginning of 1945, even the most stupid Hungarian peasant women did not believe our promises. European women were already aware of the fact that they forbid us to marry foreign women, and suspected that there was a similar order also about a joint appearance in a restaurant, cinema, etc. This did not prevent them from loving our Lovelessers, but gave this love a purely “ouidum” [carnal] character ”[42],” wrote B. Slutsky.
In general, it should be recognized that the image of European women, formed by the soldiers of the Red Army in 1944-1945, with rare exceptions, turned out to be very far from the suffering figure with chained hands, looking hopefully from the Soviet poster "Europe will be free!" .
Notes
[1] Slutsky B. Notes on the war. Poems and ballads. SPb., 2000. C. 174.
[2] Ibid. S. 46-48.
[3] Ibid. S. 46-48.
[4] Smolnikov FM We are fighting! Diary of a front-line soldier. Letters from the front. M., 2000. C. 228-229.
[5] Slutsky B. Decree. cit. C. 110, 107.
[6] Ibid. S. 177.
[7] Chukhrai G. My war. M .: Algorithm, 2001. C. 258-259.
[8] Rodin A. Three thousand kilometers in the saddle. Diaries. M., 2000. C. 127.
[9] Samoilov D. People of one option. From the war notes // Aurora. 1990. No. 2. C. 67.
[10] Ibid. S. 70-71.
[11] Gelfand V.N. Blogs 1941-1946. http://militera.lib.ru/db/gelfand_vn/05.html
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Rodin A. Three thousand kilometers in the saddle. Diaries. M., 2000. C. 110.
[15] Ibid. S. 122-123.
[16] Ibid. S. 123.
[17] Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. F. 372. Op. 6570. D; 76. L. 86.
[18] Slutsky B. Decree. cit. C. 125.
[19] Ibid. S. 127-128.
[20] Bogomolov V.O. Germany Berlin. Spring 1945 th // Bogomolov V.O. My life, did you dream of me? .. M .: Magazine "Our Contemporary", №№ 10-12, 2005, № 1, 2006. http://militera.lib.ru/prose/russian/bogomolov_vo/03.html
[21] Kopelev L. Keep forever. In 2 pr. Book 1: Parts of 1-4. M .: Terra, 2004. Ch. 11. http://lib.rus.ec/b/137774/read#t15
[22] Russian State Archive of Social and Political stories (further - RGASPI). F. 17. Op. 125. D. 321. L. 10-12.
[23] From N.Orlov's interview on the “I Remember” website. http://www.iremember.ru/minometchiki/orlov-naum-aronovich/stranitsa-6.html
[24] Samoilov D. Decree. cit. C. 88.
[25] Bogomolov V.O. My life, or you dreamed me? .. // Our contemporary. 2005. No. 10-12; 2006. No. 1. http://militera.lib.ru/prose/russian/bogomolov_vo/03.html
[26] From the Political Announcement on communicating directives to comrade personnel. Stalin No. 11072 from 20.04.1945 G. in the 185 Rifle Division. 26 April 1945 d. Cit. by: Bogomolov V.O. Decree. cit. http://militera.lib.ru/prose/russian/bogomolov_vo/02.html
[27] Cit. by: Bogomolov V.O. Decree. cit. http://militera.lib.ru/prose/russian/bogomolov_vo/02.html
[28] Ibid.
[29] Ibid.
[30] State Archive of the Russian Federation. F. p-xnumx. Op. 9401. D. 2. L.96.
[31] Kopelev L. Decree. cit. Ch. 12. http://lib.rus.ec/b/137774/read#t15
[32] Gelfand V.N. Decree. cit.
[33] White Osmar. Conquerors' Road: An Eyewitness Account of Germany 1945. Cambridge University Press, 2003 [1996]. XVII, 221 pp. http://www.argo.net.au/andre/osmarwhite.html
[34] Slutsky B. Decree. cit. C. 99.
[35] Ibid. S. 71.
[36] Field B. Liberation of Prague // From the Soviet Information Bureau ... Publicism and essays of the war years. 1941-1945. T. 2. 1943-1945. M .: Publisher APN, 1982. C. 439.
[37] Ibid. S. 177-178.
[38] Ibid. S. 180.
[39] From an interview with D.F. Zlatkin from 16 June 1997. // Personal archive.
[40] Cit. by: Bogomolov V.O. Decree. cit. http://militera.lib.ru/prose/russian/bogomolov_vo/04.html
[41] Ibid.
[42] Slutsky B. Decree. cit. C. 180-181.
The article was prepared with the financial support of the Russian Humanitarian Science Foundation, project No. 11-01-00363.
The design used Soviet poster 1944 g. "Europe will be free!". Artist V.Koretsky
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