History 01/03/20 Than people in Europe surprised the soldiers of the red Army
in the Autumn of 1944 a large-scale counteroffensive of the red army spread to Europe. Despite the widespread devastation and destruction, a lot of what caused the Soviet soldiers a real culture shock.
Time of wonder
the First thing that struck find themselves in Bucharest, Lieutenant Colonel of aviation Fedor Smolnikova, is bustling streets, dressed up crowd, world-class restaurants, comfortable hotels. For the vast majority of Soviet soldiers and officers caught abroad for the first time, it was unusual.
“I never in a dream have not seen those places where they write. Everything is new: people, land, and customs, and the smell of someone else’s territory” – wrote from Poland guard petty officer Vladimir Circulin. No secret in the diary his amazement and military doctor A. S. Shevelev, in each country, noting unique features.
However sometimes the surprise was filled with smeshannymi feelings. Thus, Romania has made Sheveleva impression “shiny bubble”, where the “glitter and pomp on the outside, lack of culture and nothing inside.”
the Doctor can understand, as all he saw there was alien to the Soviet mentality. Surprised by its lack of baths and the habit of Europeans to wash at home.
war Poet Boris Slutsky struck hairdresser, where “soap with your fingers and brush do not wash” and “washing with dirty water in the basin” and did arouse his disgust. For the Slutsky new and familiar in European homes featherbeds. A bit strange even for a Soviet citizen was an abundance of stalls with water in Europe.
And frequently placed emphasis on the attractive sides of the European life – neatness, tidiness and cleanliness. Normal for Europeans quality roads, supplied to homes, and manicured gardening area called the red army genuine surprise.
Reporter A. P. Popovichenko in Austria had to leave with the misconception that Western Europe — a kind of industrial monster, stuffed with Smoking chimneys, where the main urban space is occupied by factories and power plants. In fact, what he saw was “beautiful, well-kept towns, is the forest favorable to the suburbs, the abundance of game and flowers.”
About this never dreamed of
Many Soviet soldiers were amazed at the quality of life of Europeans, which they found significantly higher than in the USSR. First and foremost, this concerned the village: houses, wooden furniture, plates, heated with coal briquettes, a variety of utensils, crockery, Cutlery and kitchen wear.
the Officer-grunt Z. A. Lebedintsev celebrated the life and comforts of life in a remote Romanian provinces which did not go to any comparison with the Soviet way of life hinterland.
Mortar man Nahum Orlov was struck by the fact that in Germany every tree along the roads numbered on the sides of highways not stood a bulky Telegraph or electric poles, and “rural toilets tiled”.
the Resident of Minsk R. Steinman in a letter to the families noted an unusually high tile roofs, stylish furniture and many knick-knacks in the shops and houses.
Indeed, lots of household items, has already caught on in Western Europe, was unknown in the Soviet Union or belonged to scarce goods. For example, the Soviet soldiers willingly carried their wives and girlfriends German lingerie variety of shapes, colors, sizes and designs, which were full in the eyes.
Absolutely amazing thing for our soldiers was toothpaste with a variety of flavors that they are taken home. In the Soviet Union as a means of oral hygiene cloths used tooth powder or charcoal. Domestic toothpaste appeared only in 1950.
Muscovite Baruzdina was struck by the existence of sunglasses, which he first saw on the inhabitants of Budapest. Veteran A. Lebedintsev for a long time remembered discovered in one of the AVStricky houses a stock of jars for the preservation of vegetables and fruits, which closed the same glass lids with rubber gasket.
“And because you can use them an unlimited number of times! – wrote Lebedintsev, – and we have the fruits and vegetables were sold from barrels. About glass containers we never dreamed of”.
Perhaps the greatest admiration for the Soviet soldiers spoke of Czechoslovakia. Perhaps because I met the most welcoming among other European countries welcome. In Czech towns, they were surprised by how smooth the line under paved streets and red-tiled cottages.
in addition, they drew attention to a developed system of gas supply and electricity, radios and pencil “Kohinoor”. Even our military struck convenient cars in the Czech trains, which were only seated as well as automotive and Breweries.
Other customs
Unusual for Soviet citizens was the customs of the inhabitants of Western Europe. The veteran D. A. Kuznetsov, in a letter to a friend called strange custom poles-men kiss a woman’s hand. Major General Peter pecheritsa recalled in this connection an amusing incident. During one of these receptions, attended by the British and the Americans, foreign ladies were served our commanders-in-hand for a kiss, and they are following their traditions, only “ruchkalsya”.
“And it so happened to me: I am in for a kiss and I pull down – shared memory pecheritsa. – Both laughter and a sin!!! Looked and thought – I would even our toilers of the rear, I wouldn’t kiss, and shook the hand of all their good things.”
According to many veterans, in German homes, everything was imbued with the spirit of philistinism, as evidenced by the fine vases, lace and tulle tablecloths that evoked Soviet soldiers disgust and contempt. A particularly conspicuous presence in many homes collections of pornographic cards. Reared in the Puritan society of Soviet soldiers, it was shocked.
as a surprise to our soldiers aroused and uninhibited behaviourIX European ladies. For example, a Hungarian girl before marriage with the consent of parents could have an intimate relationship with many men, in order to gain experience. “We have a cat in a tied bag don’t buy,” said it the Hungarians.
In the Romanian Constanta red first learned that such brothels and free love. They have in mind did not fit, as in civilized Europe you could buy a person, even for a time.
In the majority of Soviet soldiers did not resort to services of prostitutes, not only for moral reasons, but for hygienic reasons, fear of catching any infection.
Taras Repin
Source:
© Russian Seven
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