may 1, 1945 was remembered by Muscovites surprisingly Sunny and warm day. All had the expectation of a quick Victory. On red square military parade was held. Evening in Moscow, the capitals of the Union republics, as well as Leningrad, Stalingrad, Sevastopol and Odessa thundered the salute in honor of the upcoming fronts, and also the first in the history of the war of the cities-heroes. Muscovites allowed in the night from 1 for may 2 to travel without special passes. Canceled the blackout . Moscow rejoiced!
… the Enemy still resisted, but the fate of Berlin was decided.. the Soviet troops continued the assault on the capital of Germany. Was busy 90 city blocks, cleared of German troops, the Reichstag, was the last fight for the Imperial office. The chief of Nazi propaganda Josef Goebbels poisoned with hydrocyanic acid six children, together with his wife Magda committed suicide.
the Pilots of the 2nd air army Colonel General S. A. Krasovsky dropped on the German capital two red banners with the words “Victory” and “long live may 1!”.
This day remained in the memory of many witnesses and reflected in their letters, diaries, drawings.
“BERLIN CRUCIFIED. CRUCIFIED SCARY”
a Native of Smolensk region, captain Ephraim Isaakovich Genkin (1919-1953), whose a diary entry dated 21 April we have already published, makes may 1 vivid and very emotional write:
“the mountains. Berlin.
I’m in the city centre of Berlin. Most of all I would like now… to be surprised! Can not — forgotten.
Berlin crucified. Crucified as Prussia, Pomerania, Silesia, as the whole of Germany, which only managed to set foot Russian boots.
Beautiful words are not written. All piano. All and all. After all, today may 1st! The first of may in Berlin! And flags, flags, flags. Flags on Berlinerstrasse on Unter den Linden, the Reichstag. Everywhere. White flags. Where there is at least 1 soul of German origin — is hung out the white flag. It is a symbol of surrender. In Berlin, several million civilians. They live in ruins. In Berlin, the famine.
Berlin crucified. Crucified terrible. Even writing about it can not.
Battle rattle. Here it is — for a second home. Lyrics burns. The smoke is black, stinking. May 1st in Berlin.”
“THEY STILL RESIST”
In his long and winding road to Berlin Sergeant Zinovy Markovich Scheinin (1923-2013) went in October 1941. Called from the city of Pochep of the Bryansk region, it all the war was transferred from the front to the front, from South to North, together with the artillery Reserve of the Supreme command. In may 1945 he met with two wounds, two contusions and two orders of the red Star (on the other side of his chest — a medal “For courage” and “For military merit”). On the first day of 1945 he Congrawlal parents and sister with the onset of the “year of Victory”, and in his first letter secret word with a capital letter — he writes three times:
“District of Berlin.
Dear family!
on the first of may, and hoisting the banner of Victory over Berlin!
Dear family! It’s hard to describe this feeling, after such tests, and why because you know everything.
We are still fighting, they still resist (the SS), but in vain.
I told you last letter he wrote before the breakthrough on the Neisse river, during this time, much has changed in the final defeat of the enemy. We crossed the spree and 26 APR. out on the river. Where he met with our allies and friends 1 UK[zainskogo] f[Cambridge], the meeting was very warm, so good just that the English language knows almost no one, however, they are German you know is relative and something you could talk to. Here it would be sister needed b. If you read the orders of comrade Stalin, that we 2 times was observed after the breakthrough in the Naas and Wittenberg, artillery General Wolkenstein. And are now in the district of Berlin, the city of murderers and hardened fascism. Yesterday was hoisted the Victory banner over the Reichstag. In a previous letter, I wrote to you, I hope that before the letter reaches you, we will meet with allies, and now I hope that this letter will reach you, the world of freedom-loving people will prevail-the final Victory. Dear family! You all are worried about the letter, but I think you got my letter and calmed down, not have time to write. Wrong fight last time, as are all the time on wheels in motion. My health is currently good. On your way why not just met. A lot of Russian released. And with other countries. Yes! And against the Germans I can say that these Germans, who sees the war with Russia will not fight and will order in the future.
From you, I also have not had letters, last from 1/IV – 45 <…>
please Write more about yourself, about your health and life. Come on Tom, I wish you health and happiness.
lots of love to you, your son and brother.”
After the war, Zinovy Markovich worked in his hometown as a teacher. Died may 9, 2013 , exactly on the day of the 68th anniversary of the Victory.
“CELEBRATE HIS near VICTORY”
And if the soldiers of the red Army were looking forward to Victory, the Germans still held a sliver of hope for revenge.
From the diary of an unknown German officer:
“may 1, 1945.
the battle for the capital there is an uneasy lull. We occupy a position on the inner ring of defense. Comes the order to prepare for the breakthrough. Maybe we will make it through this night. We hear the drunken songs of the Soviet soldiers coming from the other side. They celebrate may 1, and his near victory. Alcohol makes them noisy, but they are stronger go to sleep. Welle, in parting, we lean hard”.
“I HAVE YOUR PICTURE at his EASEL”
what he saw, it was easier to draw than to describe with words. Especially for Joseph Davidovich Chudnovsky (1921-2011). He was born in the Ukrainian city of Romny, and, although before the war he studied painting, pencils and brushes is not immediately became his main weapon, Chudnovskiy participated in the battles; in 1942, had been erroneously declared missing. In the same year his mother and sister died in the occupation. From March 1944 he served as a war artist at the 1st Belorussian front. May 1, 1945, Joseph’s brother Chudnovsky, Dmitry wrote to him in Germany from Kalinin (now — Tver):
“IOSA, received your letter of 21 January. For the drawing, and most importantly, your photos are very grateful. Won what! I imagined you as I have seen for the last time in Dnepropetrovsk in 1939, when you were still “small”, I have, by the way, is your picture of those years where you’re not behind the easel, and I cherish them. And now, to you brother, I’m a Mature man, and even soldiers and front-line life have known better than mine, so in that sense, I’m behind you. <…>
Joey, mutually congratulate you with the amazing victories of your front/ Feel that you are destined to visit Berlin, because it is necessary to fix on the canvas the ruins of the fascist lairs for posterity.
Write Century if you have such a goal to write from life in hot pursuit of the offensive, as it was in Belarus, as you wrote.
Waiting for further detailed messages. I firmly shake his hand. Mitya”.
the Wishes of brother Joseph sang, his picture may ‘ 45 we now present to the reader. After demobilization I. D. Chudnovsky entered the Moscow state art Institute named after V. I. Surikov, worked as an artist in the Works of pictorial art in Moscow.
Publication was prepared by the staff of the Center “Holocaust” Ilya Altman, Roman Zhigun and Svetlana Tikhankina
