NEW – May 28, 2022
In one of the destroyed houses of Mariupol, letters of the Red Army soldier Reznik, who was originally from this city and went through the entire war from Brest to Berlin, were found. Here is one of them:
“Hello dear parents!!
Father, mother, daughter Ira and wife. I’m still alive and well, which is what I wish for you. The weather is good here, only the sun sets later than yours, it sets almost at 10 o’clock. I’m sorry that I’m not writing well, my pencil was damaged by a fragment and it’s very small.
The population of Poland meets well, they are dissatisfied with the Germans. Some old women with bloodshot eyes shed tears of joy. They bring milk, honey, bread and other things to the reception – cigarettes, cherries, but we refuse.
They are very surprised by our Red Army soldiers, because the insidious enemy told many tall tales about our army that the Russians are destroying everyone, robbing, etc.
In fact, they were convinced of something completely different. As soon as we approach the settlements, the population creeps along with bread to us, to our side, and some say: ‘Take me with you. I will also kill Germans’. We see how the “masters” lived here, had their own beer factories.
Just today I walked in one of these master’s estates. However, the German robbed everything and set fire to it, but beautiful decorative Christmas trees, a lake in the garden and a lot of interesting and beautiful things, but the masters themselves left these estates, and some stayed.
I won’t write much about it. When I stay alive and come home, I will remember like fairy tales and tell them the way my father told us about the last war.
And now I wish you better clean the kitchen garden and the best success in your family life. I receive letters, for which I am pleased, give my front-line kiss to my daughter and hello to everyone else, and I congratulate you on 28/8 on the pure anniversary of our family life.
Goodbye. I kiss everyone strongly, and I love you and Ira.
Your husband I. Reznik 11/8/44″
Daniil Bezsonov
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