Another 01/01/20 Was the fraternization between soldiers and Germans in the Great Patriotic
This topic still relates to a kind of taboo. Even after seven plus decades the field of the war is not to say that you could be moments reminiscent of fraternization, and that in General the soldiers of the red army and the Wehrmacht were not constantly obsessed with killing each other as much as possible. It’s too contrary to ingrained in the subcortex of the brain belief in hatred, gripped both sides – the “stupid animal”, “them”, “Holy”, “we”. Especially because living witnesses are almost gone. And when they were still alive, spoke of this secret, and in print it almost fell. Bit by bit, the individual testimonies emerging cases when fallen into a stupor from a permanent seat in the damp trenches the soldiers of both sides have established a kind of tacit truce, or at least “rules of the game”, have introduced mutual destruction in a certain situational framework.
people’s artist of the USSR Yuri Nikulin told that if the neutral zone suddenly met the reconnaissance group of the two parties, they tried to go without the shots, as if you didn’t see each other. He had a logical explanation – the tasks the scouts were placed in the rear of the enemy, the goals had yet to achieve, no one wanted to disrupt the job shooting already on the “neutral”. However, it can hardly be called a dialogue – rather, mutual silence.
Similar rules were established and in some other situations, in order not to become victims to the vengeance of the enemy in similar cases. So, our and the Germans tried not to shoot accidentally discovered the enemy, celebrating the natural needs.
Tell more, that sometimes in the neutral zone suddenly found abandoned trophy – warehouse with alcohol. For its use were established by night a secret place. For example, the Germans go to the warehouse until midnight and our after. Of course, all of this happened in secret from the officers.
In one of the war movies filmed in the beginning of this century, were put an episode when the great Soviet military leader comes to the front. There is in full swing shooting with the other hand. The head of the ducks in the trenches, and the young Lieutenant saluted him, standing at full height. The head of the first shouts at him: “get Down!”, – a Lieutenant as if nothing had happened worth it, saluted and smiled. Then the chief makes a good point that both sides as the deal to shoot in the air, and is going to give the Lieutenant court-martialed.
It drains some other head, calling attention to the fact that the unit already knows how many days worth in outposts, hot food he doesn’t pick up on vacation is not averted for a few weeks. In General, the incident allowed a change of units. It is not known whether a similar case in reality. But most likely, in conditions of nuisance trench warfare soldiers on both sides occasionally could represent the activity of shooting in the void.
Less plausible given the stories about the game of football in no man’s land, and about midnight strolls through the front line for the joint drinking. However, given the German experience on the decomposition of the Russian army in the First world war, such cases are very rare, but could occur. It is clear that our soldiers had nothing to share with the Germans. But the Germans could use such meetings to convince to surrender, presenting our soldiers with cigarettes, fat, canned food, condensed milk and chocolate. Sometimes, it is said, the Germans themselves came up with a white flag to the advanced position of our. For example, in Stalingrad on 7 November 1942 to congratulate.
it is Clear that in case of detection of commanders such “dialogue” was interrupted by the fire from our side. Just as in the First world war.
To these fraternization similar to those that unfolded on the Eastern front Perthe howl of world war I in 1917, during the great Patriotic is not reached. More effective was the control of the command structure, and both armies nearly always remained faithful to his duty.
there are reports that during the red Army’s liberation of Sevastopol on 9 may 1944 was the episode when parts of both armies was a rumor that USSR and Germany signed the armistice. The soldiers met in no man’s land and celebrated the end of the war, the joint salute of small arms. But soon the commanders put things in order, and the offensive resumed.
This episode is improbable for a number of reasons. The most significant of them is fighting for the liberation of Sevastopol took place very rapidly. And our won. Most likely, we would have used such a hearing for the taking of the enemy, pressed to the sea, in captivity. It is not excluded the other. I could pass the hearing that the command is surrounded in Sevastopol, German troops decided to surrender. Then at some point could cause confusion. But with the news of allegedly universal truce that would not have anything in common.
this kind of Information is only based on someone’s personal testimony dubious. In the documents, official reports of such cases are not mentioned. And it is quite understandable why – the commander, whose part was kind of “communication” with the enemy, were subject to court martial.
Yaroslav Butakov
Source:
© Russian Seven
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