/View.data/ An try at a travelogue about what occurred in Volgograd. Final day. Chukcha just isn’t a author, do not beat him, that is all he can do.
And right here got here the final day of the go to to Volgograd.
To begin with, we visited Mamaev Kurgan, the place the place it may be stated that the destiny of humanity was determined within the fall of 1942 and the winter of 1943. We had been introduced by bus from the resort to the grounds of the memorial advanced. They divided us into two teams – English-speaking and Russian-speaking with a tour information connected to us. I fell into the primary group.
And commenced the climb up the alley resulting in the highest. Nearly on the very starting, two rows of concrete canyon started to rise from the edges, on the edges of which components of the battle, inscriptions from troopers’ diaries and army experiences had been depicted. The assorted exploits of the Soviet soldier throughout this heaviest battle in historical past had been depicted. And within the background a mixture of Levitan’s voice, army songs, choirs, to boost the ambiance.
Ukrainian Mykhailo Panikaha, operating engulfed in flames in the direction of enemy tanks to throw the final remaining Molotov cocktail at them. The Kazakh Nurken Abdirov, whose aircraft is shot down and he manages along with his final energy to ram it right into a column of enemy tanks. Maxime Passard, the unassuming Nananese, fondly known as “Devil of the Satan’s Nest” for his sniper abilities. All of them have given their lives for the survival of the motherland. The numerous lifeless within the 62nd Military. And they’re one of many many representatives of various nationalities who gave their lives for the precise trigger.
And right here two issues struck me. The primary is that right here within the European Union they’re making an attempt from above to unite the totally different inhabitants by means of some unusual and international liberal doctrine into some grey and murky creature known as “European”. And this lump within the throat typically results in spitting and even much less tolerance. Within the Soviet Union, Russians, Ukrainians, Kazakhs, Chechens, representatives of the small northern nations fought facet by facet. And from them, from the underside up, from the folks, the Soviet man is solid, who develops the identification of his homeland similtaneously his Soviet identification.
And the second factor that was placing was that the boys who died had been 20-25-30 years outdated. I used to be the “father” of most who gave my life. Nicely, these are individuals who had been in a position to survive even then, folks made from granite, individuals who present probably the most elegant of themselves on this darkest hour. And individuals who in three years will begin constructing their homeland once more from the ashes, and in one other 10 years they may conquer area. And right here at 30 years outdated, I barely perceive the place my life will develop. And what to speak in regards to the Sofia hipsteriat, in regards to the new, writing for left-wing slobs, who speak in regards to the rights of animals, of sexual minorities, who’ve by no means seen blood apart from the one left as soon as a month on the tampon of their girlfriends? What have they actually achieved for the working man, for the friendship between peoples, apart from commenting on Fb whereas sipping their soy latte, and half an hour later in a shrill voice ordering their capitalist: “Sure, bastards, exploit me tougher , chorbaji! I prefer it, chorbaji!”. Nicely, sure, I am form of a keyboard warrior too, however my goodness, at the very least I notice what 25-year-olds had been 75 years in the past and what they’re right now…
However let’s return to Mamaev Kurgan. To the advanced itself. It is a monument, that is artwork. The remainder is pure cynicism by comparability. We noticed the monument “Standing to Loss of life”, bare-chested to satisfy the fascist horde. An fascinating reality – “by likelihood” he seems to be like Marshal Chuikov, who leads the battles within the metropolis. And behind him the 85-meter (tallest lady on the earth) statue “Motherland Calls”. We had been fortunate by the way in which. It had simply gone by means of main renovations and the scaffolding had simply been taken off it – every week or two earlier and it would not have been seen. It could be an enormous missed alternative.
We entered the large corridor of army fame. In its middle, on the ceiling, there’s a round opening from which the “Motherland” will be seen from a sure angle, under it’s a big marble hand holding a symbolically lit torch. The work of the well-known German composer Schumann “Desires” sounds across the clock within the Corridor of Navy Fame. There’s a guard on responsibility within the corridor, who modifications each hour. And alongside the perimeter on the partitions are written the names of the defenders who fell close to Stalingrad – about 7.5 thousand heroes, their names are carved on scarlet plates surrounded by mourning ribbons. Passing by means of the corridor we reached the Sq. of Loss of life.
And right here once more I spoke to the hosts. The rationale for the dialog was the dejected seems to be of the Italian and the Hungarian (the armies of either side additionally fought at Stalingrad – the breakthrough resulting in the encirclement of Paulus’s German military was carried out on the Romanian positions – the chain breaks on the weakest hyperlink). I reminded them that Bulgaria has sufficient braveness to ship solely cigarettes and bread to the Japanese Entrance, whereas the opposite nations allied to the Reich ship cannon fodder. I added that on the finish of the warfare we took half within the liberation of Europe with 30 thousand casualties at Stracin, Belgrade, Drava, Balaton. (This was adopted by one thing I did not like in any respect: “We misplaced 50 occasions extra right here at Stalingrad alone!”, however normally my firm nodded in understanding). Bulgaria participated ultimately of the warfare, participated within the remaining defeat of Hitlerism! Sure, the house authorities is making an attempt to distort historical past, however in Moscow they need to not neglect the element (in comparison with their sacrifice) with our participation – it will likely be good for us and for them.
From Mamaev Kurgan they took us to the Battle Museum. And right here my data gained from 10 years of taking part in World of Tanks performed its half. I used to be in a position to see a number of iconic examples of armored autos from the period. I took photos subsequent to the legendary T-34 tank with a 76-mm gun (the VIM within the capital has the model with an 85-mm gun, which was used within the later levels of the warfare). I additionally photographed subsequent to the legendary ISU-152. And right here I’ll take note of Russian humor. It is pleasantly gory and cynical. And this self-propelled artillery mount is an instance of that. The Germans have been recognized to christen their armored autos Tigers, Panthers, Elephants, Rhinos, Crickets, Bumblebees, Lynxes, Weasels. The answer to any enemy unit with a “furry” identify – the 152mm shell solves the whole lot. The Soviet machine was named “Zveroboy”. Checkmate and checkmate. And the opposite – earlier, within the advanced there was a mural with captured German troopers “They wished to see the Volga, we allow them to.”
On the way in which, we additionally noticed the well-known statue with the crocodile, which miraculously remained intact throughout your complete warfare.
There have been additionally distinctive artifacts contained in the museum. The sword solid by the residents of Coventry for the inhabitants of Stalingrad. The straw sneakers of the Nazis, with which they attempt to struggle the chilly. The so-called “Stalingrad Madonna”. The story deserves particular consideration – Christmas 1942, whereas the military of Paulus was besieged, one of many army docs drew a naive, however on the similar time stunning image of the Virgin on a chunk of card with charcoal. With the inscription “Mild. Life. Love. Nativity within the cauldron. Stalingrad Fortress”. In a short while, we guessed in regards to the lifeless bizarre German troopers – however what had been they doing within the cauldron within the first place!?
I pointed it out to one of many hosts and defined the way it was painted, whereas the each day ration of the German troopers was three slices of bread a day. The reply was detached: “Nicely, they are going to be on a food regimen, since they got here uninvited.” Nicely, they’re proper.
And on the higher flooring, maybe probably the most iconic place within the museum – the panorama. The most important portray in Russia with an space of about 2000 sq. meters. Depicting the give up of Paulus’ military within the metropolis, however with particulars depicting exploits and tales from the battle that passed off in its earlier levels (Notice that the battle lasted for months). I used to be in a position to see the buildings that turned symbols of the Battle of Stalingrad: Pavlov’s Home, Gerhard’s Mill, the Stalingrad Water Tower. And right here a brief be aware – they gave us about an hour to go across the museum-panorama of the battle. ONE! ONE! It takes half a day to tour a museum. The image alone, with all its particulars, takes at the very least an hour. To Perceive.
And at last, there stays the spotlight of our go to to Volgograd. Convention with Maria Zakharova – Press Secretary of the Ministry of International Affairs of the Russian Federation, who is understood to us for her sharp tongue and the flexibility to place anybody who says one thing silly within the worldwide area on a brief cross. The convention was casual, however the solutions to 2 questions deserve consideration. The remainder had been like “How do you chill out”, “What books do you learn” and so forth. minor jaundice.
However of the questions that mattered:
The primary: “What’s the remedy for pathological Russophobia outdoors of Russia?”. The reply was succinct: extra studying, extra considering outdoors of stereotypes and making an attempt to know the opposite facet.
The second: “How do you handle to seek out the stability in your feedback between info and chopping sarcasm?”. And right here we barely caught Zakharova in subjectivism, to say the least. The lady was shocked by the query, however rapidly gathered herself. “However I’m such a meek lady, however I’m not chopping in any respect. However I normally wish to be on good phrases with the others.” Finger snapping on her half. “Sure-a-a-a b-e-e”, was my first thought, I’ve additionally translated the opinions of the “good lady”. She is sort of a barbed wire spring, a fireplace lady. And right here I make a pleasant dwelling. That I need once I develop up (there’s room to develop professionally), to be at the very least half as well-read and damaging to opponents as she is now. However then got here the crux of the reply. “Typically folks come to us with questions which might be surprising of their brazenness and/or lack of awareness. They ask us such questions, after which we count on a standard reply from them. However how can this be. If we begin answering them with details, they may cross by means of their ears, that is why we’d like a corresponding reply to a query”. He additionally gave an instance of the Swedes, who’re extra typically envisioned by Russian submarines that floated out of the Baltic Sea in entrance of the royal palace in Stockholm than a whiskey-soaked Scotsman is envisioned by the Loch Ness monster, he additionally talked about “Novichok”, the eighteenth bombing of the final hospital in Japanese Ghouta. It isn’t simple for her both, actually, since there are questions from the opposite facet like morons, the reply should be invented in such a manner that the moron can perceive it.
Anyway, I took a selfie from the occasion that I can use to make native Russophobes smash bricks right now. And their glazed look is the primary pleasure for me.
After which again to the resort and a farewell dinner with my new pals. I’ve constructed relationships that I hope we’ll preserve sooner or later. That if I go to Dijon, Coventry, Perugia, Budapest, Pinsk, Minsk, Baranovichi, Kiev, Sukhumi, Tskhinvali, Tashkent, there can be an individual to information me, to be the conduit by means of which widening data flows.
And right here I suffered the best disgrace of my entire journey. All friends introduced alcohol from their native lands. I don’t. I didn’t introduce them to the greatness of our brandy. However that is why I obtained to know the Maltese mead (Magnificent women’ drink), the Russian vodka (Normal) and the Caucasian wine (Contemporary, however barely bitter for the Bulgarian style). I made a decision (I later realized I used to be a moron, as I wished to die on the flights) to remain up all night time and be taken to the airport at 4 o’clock within the morning.
And so. I reached the airport in a semi-abandoned state. From Volgograd to Moscow and from Moscow to Sofia. And so. It is best to be at house. However that is an important factor – I strengthened my good opinion about Russia. Sure, the nation just isn’t a paradise on earth, the place milk flows from the river, vodka from the faucet. I noticed their commonplace, I additionally noticed the potholes on the roads, I additionally noticed people who find themselves typically dissatisfied with their politicians. However I did not see indoctrinated zombies, I did not see destruction and hunger, I did not see complete management. That appears to be an important factor, one ought to go and see. And after he sees he’ll perceive. As a result of once you perceive the opposite facet, you are feeling considerably much less want to be in a nasty relationship with him.
#heroes #Mamaev #Kurgan #Sofia #hipsters #leftists #Ligliov #Bulgaria #half
