Contrary to the laws of war.

If not you - that you. If you do not - then you. And yet it is "no greater love than to put life for his friends" ... And so indefinitely. The war has its own laws. "But I did not shoot an unarmed man no-COH-da. And those that are laid, seen in the sight - like in the movies, if at all it is not the people. " Only Willie - Willie, he regretted.
The sniper Tkachev, a retired colonel, Ivan Terentyevich, many stories left. And about how in one day killed 28 Germans, but did not get to write the book sniper. About how the 30 minutes spent in captivity Vlasov - but those convoying, blown up by a mine field and Vanya - remained. About how Tkachev wrote about in the German martial sheets: bandit to be destroyed, because his account at the end of the war - 2 companies of the Wehrmacht, 169 German soldiers and officers shot aimed shot, among them Major Bauer and captain, Richter, who killed at 500 Red Army soldiers. About how cheek was raw, torn fragments: 10 times got snipers on the other side in the front sight of his rifle. But I sit on the train and go to Brest, where Ivan Terent'evich lives in the family's son, in fact just to hear only one story. The story, which, as it turned out, did not leave his heart no indent - in contrast to the enemy bullets that raschertili back. The youngest granddaughter always cried when my grandfather took off his shirt ... I hope to find the answers. But back to Moscow without them.



"Boys, pray!»
Apart from his grandfather, a priest, everyone in the family - fighters. Father - since the first war. Vanya was prepared in seminary, but the prom he went to the draft board. His father, the elder brother went to the front, Jr. - the guerrillas; mother of two days was unconscious, alone in an empty house ...
Then his son had risen to lieutenant colonel - in Algeria, and even granddaughter will dream army is not received at the lawyer.
But from my grandfather stayed and "Our Father" that he read to himself, going "hunting" ("it helps! One company commander, sending the attack, said:" Boys, pray! "- And the boys returned alive, and the other, Roma sent a matyugami - and returns for 10 people ... "). From his grandfather, probably, and the habit of going to the Wednesday Akathist ("Service of Light, a short, but very useful!"), Now in its 93 so that among the grandmothers - white handkerchiefs immediately released his gray head. He is old until transparent, hunched like waxen face - and flavor that our conversation, I'll be looking for an explanation: the memory of the war years there is the smell of whether the time or maybe just stale cologne "chypre» ...



It shows excerpts from "Red Star", recalls - is chaotic, so I have to guess, matching mosaic of publications, which snap to pick up the thread of the story - says about the fact he refused to shoot a deserter who was sentenced to death and was sent for in a penal battalion. About how after the war in a military school was sleeping on the floor and how it dreamed War College. And then as the cut - have never dreamed nor the Germans, nor buried comrades, no sniper Masha Aksenov that he wrote poetry.
Recalls in peacetime came to Belarus Konstantin Simonov. He wanted to see the very Tkachev, the employee then the military prosecutor. Together they went on general martial sites:
"Under Nevel on the farm and I told him the story: we stand here, we see the Germans go to the well, under the guise of a woman as a human shield. So I contrived, one killed, the other wounded. And me and say, "So what is our Nura Well!" Milkmaid. They embraced her. Simon then wrote a story about it. " Still not pops up in his mind that day, that I know - and that's pushing for it, am getting ...
Ivan Terent'evich nods yes, and this has in his arsenal. Swallows details vypulivaet facts known to me, leaving behind what is in my heart. I will then torture him to get to the bottom - and achieve nothing.

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We choose the target
They stood in the town of Turks carried. I get in the mail that day: an unnamed "very brave warrior," wrote the young Valya Leningrad, lost in the blockade of the family, asking to avenge their parents. Letter burning your pocket. Let's go "hunting" with a partner, Nicky Popov. Lay. The aim is clear and sinks, and a place for cleaning shoes, and dugouts. And facial features ... took aim at the two officers. Stowed. During the officers came the soldiers - took off and those who tried to drag the body. And here on the scene two more: a lanky, with a bandaged eye, frail soldier drags somewhere box of ammunition, and an officer, who shot down his feet, "Where, idiot prёsh! Do not see the sniper works! "A soldier sat perplexed, but not disappeared, the tears began to spread on the face ... maimed officer killed Kolya. The lanky accrue to Tkachev. He took aim, took a long look on his face, and then took his finger off the trigger ...
Why ?! Even without knowing what will happen then - why ?! Pity the enemy? "We choose their own purpose ..." He could not answer me, that was it. Not more than a day on the war. Ivan Terent'evich forgotten lanky, who gave life. I forgot to 1952, when the war itself is reminded of himself and raised his hands as a gift. He unnecessary ...
 - I went to Moscow, where he met with Nikolai Popov and was in the GDR exhibition in Gorky Park. I go, I meet a German group, and something in me begins to stir, some recognition - that this high, with an artificial eye, a scar on his cheek, the whole of some flimsy ... He came up and asked about the Turks transported 43rd year . He said in broken Russian, yes, was there and remembers the day - from the hospital recently - toting a box of ammunition for machine gun, the officer knocked: "Idiot!" A week later, the reserve of his injury to the rear ...
 - You have probably turned the soul? - I'm trying to stir up the old man, who in 1952 in Gorky Park touched the hand of fate: "Yes, in those years with foreigners is not much friendship was led».

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A foreigner still remember: the day in 1943, and the name of Ivan Terentyevich and address of the military academy, where he then studied. He returned to Berlin, he told the meeting his wife. And soon in Russia received a letter in an envelope ... - Photo, Willie and her three girls, all as one - dark-haired, frail and like his father ... "Dear friend! - I wrote to the wife of the former German soldier former Russian sniper. - If not for your generosity, that these lovely children could not be! Come to visit! It is waiting for you! "- In memory of Ivan retells Terent'evich. The letter came to the special department, where his long zhurili. He chose his target ...
Soon the army, where he continued to serve as Tkachev was in Berlin at the exercises. This story was dug out of the newspaper. Photos Vani woman saw Willie, ran to the location of the one of the dark-haired daughters, she began to ask for permission to come to the guests: "We have gifts and ready." Vanya stood by and nodded his head, and thought to himself: "Why should I, who knows, in the evening already, thank God, home ..." The guests did not go.
He did not explain either why remove your finger from the trigger, or why not go to Willie and daughters to visit, nor why the other 169 do not disturb his peace, nor what he prays for akathist on Wednesdays. I'll ask about June 22, the day the war began, "Watch movies on TV, not going anywhere. It is now time. That war is now for everyone - like a movie ».
Only blackheads three girls - and in some cases their children and grandchildren - as it is in the flesh.
Contrary to the laws of war.

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Source: www.aif.ru