The incredible story of a Red Army officer

ALL RETURNS
In life, sometimes such events occur that can not be explained neither by logic nor accidental. They are presented to a person, as a rule, in its most extreme, the most severe manifestations. But it is precisely in situations which are called extreme, and can be seen, or rather feel, how this wonderful mechanism - human destiny.
... February 1943, Stalingrad. For the first time during the entire period of the Second World War, Hitler's troops suffered a terrible defeat. Over a third of a million German soldiers were surrounded and surrendered. We have all seen these military newsreel documentary footage and remember forever these columns, or rather the crowd wrapped with anything soldiers under guard wandering the frozen ruins of the city is torn.
It is true that everything in life was a little different. Columns met infrequently, because the Germans surrendered mostly in small groups throughout the vast territory of the city and surrounding area, and secondly, no one was escorted at all. They just pointed to the direction where to go into captivity, and there they walked in groups who, and who alone. The reason was simple - the road were built heating points, or rather the dugout in which burning stove, and the prisoners were given hot water. Under the conditions of 30-40 degrees below zero to step aside or escape was simply suicidal. That's one of the Germans and not escorted, except for the newsreels ...



Lieutenant Khachatryan fought for a long time. However, what it means for a long time? He fought at all times. He has simply forgotten the time when he fought. In war there is year three, and in Stalingrad, probably, this year could be safely equated to ten, and who will take to measure a piece of human life is a brutal time, as the war!
Khachatryan already accustomed to everything that accompanies war. He was used to death, get used to it quickly. He was used to the cold and lack of food and ammunition. But most importantly, he used it to the idea that "on the other side of the Volga there is no land." And with all these habits and live the same to defeat the German army at Stalingrad.
Yet it turned out that for something to get used Vahan at the front until late. One day on the way to the next part he saw a strange sight. On the side of the highway, in a snowdrift was a German prisoner, and about ten meters from it - a Soviet officer, who from time to time ... shot him. This lieutenant had not yet met: that here so cold-bloodedly killed an unarmed man ?! "Maybe we wanted to run away? - Lieutenant thought. - So no place is! Or maybe the prisoner attacked him? Or maybe ... ».
A shot rang again, and again the bullet grazed German.
- Hey! - Shouted the lieutenant, - what are you doing this?
Great - as if nothing had happened replied "executioner". - Yes me here guys "Walter" presented, decided to try here on German! Shoot, shoot, but that's no way I can not get - just seen German weapons, its does not take! - Officer grinned and began again to aim in captivity.



Until lieutenant became gradually reach the cynicism of what is happening, and he already speechless with rage. In the midst of all this horror, the middle of all this grief human, in the midst of the chaos of ice that bastard in the form of a Soviet officer decided to "try" the gun on this man barely alive! Not to kill him in battle, but just to hit, as a target, just use it as an empty tin can, because the banks did not have on hand ?! Yes, whoever he was, it's all the same person, even if the German, even fascist, let yesterday enemy that had so desperately to fight! But now the man in captivity, the man, in the end, life is guaranteed! We do not they, we are not fascists, how can that person and so barely alive, kill?
And as a prisoner stood, and stood motionless. He apparently had long since said goodbye to my life, quite stiff and seemed to be just waiting for when he is killed, and all could not wait. Dirty winding around his face and hands unwound, and only her lips something silently whispered. His face was neither despair nor suffering, nor pleas - indifferent face and lips whispering these - the last moments of life waiting to die!
And then Lieutenant saw that "the executioner" - Quartermaster Corps insignia.
"Oh, you bastard, rat rear, never having been in a fight, never having seen the death of their comrades in the frozen trenches! How can you, a reptile such as spitting on someone else's life, when you do not know the price of death! "- Flashed through my head Lieutenant.
- Give me the gun - barely uttered it.
- On, try - not noticing veteran status, quartermaster handed "Walter».
The lieutenant pulled out a gun, threw him into the wide world, and with such force struck the villain that he already jumped before falling face in the snow.
For a while silence reigned.



Lieutenant stood silent, silent, and the prisoner, continuing still silently moving his lips. But gradually the ears became lieutenant reach is still far, but quite recognizable sound of a car engine, and not any there motor and passenger car M-1 or "emki," as it's affectionately called veterans. To "emkah" in the band front drove only a very large military authorities.
The lieutenant already turned cold inside ... It is necessary, such bad luck! Then just "Pictures at an Exhibition", though cry: German prisoner standing here, there is a Soviet officer with raskvashennoy mug lies, and in the middle he - "hero of the occasion." In any case it's all very clearly smelled tribunal. And not to be afraid Lieutenant penal battalion (his own regiment in the last six months of the Stalingrad front of the penalty on the severity did not differ), just shame on her head very, very not like! And then whether to amplify the sound of the motor, or from the "snow bath" and a quartermaster began to come. The car stopped. From it came the division commissar with submachine protection. In general, it was just what we needed.
- What's going on here? Report! - Colonel barked. View it did not promise anything good: tired unshaven face, red eyes from the constant lack of sleep ...
Lieutenant silent. But talking quartermaster, it came with a form of bosses.
- I, Comrade Commissar, this fascist ... and he began to defend him - he zatarahtel. - And who? This reptile and a murderer? Do you think is it possible that in the eyes of the fascist scum Soviet officer beating ?! And because I did not do anything to him, even gave weapons, there's a gun lying around! And he ...
Vahan remained silent.
- How many times did you hit him? - Looking straight at the lieutenant asked Commissioner.
- One time, Comrade Colonel, - he replied.
- Not! Very little, Lieutenant! We would have even slapped until this jerk would not understand what this war! And how much we have in the military lynching !? Take this Fritz and bringing it to the evacuation center. All of them! Perform!



The lieutenant went up to the prisoner, and took him by the arm hanging limp, and led him on a snowy blizzard road without looking. When we reached the dugout, Lieutenant looked at the German. He stood there, where to stay, but his face was gradually revive. Then he looked at the lieutenant and whispered something.
"Thank probably - thought the lieutenant. - Yes, that really. We're not animals! ».
Girl came in the form of health, to "accept" the prisoner, and he again whispered something, apparently, in a voice he could not speak.
- Listen, sister, - turned to the girl, Lieutenant - what he whispers, you understand German?
- Yes, all sorts of nonsense said they all, - said the nurse in a tired voice. - He said: "Why are we killing each other?". Only now realized when taken prisoner!
The lieutenant went to the German and looked into the eyes of a middle-aged man and quietly stroked his sleeve overcoat. The prisoner did not avert his eyes and continued to stare at his lieutenant petrified indifferent glance, and suddenly out of the corners of his eyes emerged two large tears and stood in long stubble unshaven cheeks.
... The years passed. The war is over. Lieutenant Khachatryan and remained in the army, he served in his native Armenia in the border troops and rose to the rank of colonel. Sometimes family or close friends, he told this story and said that here, maybe somewhere in Germany lives that German and maybe also tells his children that once saved him from the death of a Soviet officer. And sometimes it seems that this saved during that terrible war man left in the memory of a larger footprint than all the fights and battles!
At noon on December 7, 1988 in Armenia happened terrible earthquake. In an instant, several cities were razed to the ground and died under the rubble of tens of thousands of people. From all over the Soviet Union to the Republic began arriving medical teams, which together with all the Armenian colleagues day and night rescuing the wounded and injured. Soon began to arrive and rescue and medical teams from other countries. Vahan Khachatryan's son, Andranik was majoring trauma surgeon and, just like all his colleagues, worked tirelessly.
And one night the director of the hospital where he worked Andranik, and asked him to take the German colleagues to the hotel, where they lived. Night streets of Yerevan released from transport, it was quiet, and nothing seemed to be no signs of a new disaster. Suddenly one of the intersections directly across the path of "Lada" Andranik flew heavy army truck. The man sitting in the back seat, first saw the impending disaster and struggled pushed the guy with the driver's seat to the right, closing for a moment with his hand on his head. It was at this moment and in this place came a terrible blow. Fortunately, the driver was not there. All survived, but Dr. Miller was the name of the man who saved from imminent death of Andranik, was seriously injured arm and shoulder.
When the doctor was discharged from the casualty department of the hospital in which he worked and, it, along with other German doctors invited to his home father Andranik. It was noisy Caucasian feast with songs and beautiful toasts. Then they all took photos.



A month later, Dr. Miller went back to Germany, but promised to return soon with a new group of German doctors. Shortly after his departure, he wrote that in the new German delegation as an honorary member including his father, a very famous surgeon. And Miller mentioned that his father saw a photograph taken in the house of his father Andranik, and would really like to meet him. Special meaning to these words did not pay, but to meet at the airport, Colonel Vahan Khachatryan still went.
When low and very elderly man stepped off the plane, accompanied by Dr. Miller, Vahan recognized him immediately. No, there are no outward signs then like it is not remembered, but his eyes, the eyes of the man, his eyes could not forget ... Former prisoner walked slowly forward, and the colonel could not budge. It just could not be! Such accidents do not happen! No logic could not explain what happened! It's all just kind of mysticism! Son of man, rescued them, Lieutenant Khachatryan, more than forty-five years ago, rescued his son in a car accident!
A "captive" almost came close to Vahan and said to him in Russian: "It all comes back to this world! All returns! .. ».
- All returns - repeated the colonel.
Then the two old man embraced and stood for a long time so oblivious passers-by passengers, not paying attention to the roar of the jet engines of aircraft, something telling them people ... salvation and savior! Father savior and father saved! All returns!
Passengers around them, and probably did not understand why the old German crying silently moving their lips senile why tears running down her cheeks old colonel. They could not know that united these people in this world only one day in the cold steppes of Stalingrad. Or something more, incomparably more that binds people on this small planet, ties, despite the war and destruction, earthquakes and disasters, binds all together and forever!
Leo Kirischyan ©
PS:,, instructive ... People basically - people. But not people, oddly enough, often climb to power and give the criminal team man who themselves staying in the shade gray mice. »