Incredible story of a Red Army officer

[DARPA]

In life, sometimes such events occur that can not be explained neither by logic nor by chance. 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 you can see, 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've all seen these war newsreel documentary footage and remember all these columns, or rather the crowd wrapped with anything soldiers under guard wandering the frozen ruins of torn city.

However, everything in life was a little different. Column was uncommon because the Germans surrendered mainly in small groups throughout the vast territory of the city and surrounding areas, and secondly, no one was escorted at all. They just pointed to the direction where to go into captivity, there they are and who wandered groups, and some alone. The reason was simple - the road were constructed paragraphs heating, or rather the dugout in which burning stove, and the prisoners were given hot water. Under the conditions of 30-40 degree weather to step aside or escape was just 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 always fought. He has simply forgotten the time when he has not fought. In war, year after three goes, and in Stalingrad, perhaps, this year could be easily 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 accustomed to death, to this quickly become accustomed. He was used to the cold and lack of food and ammunition. But most importantly, he was used to it to the idea that "on the other bank of the Volga no land." So with all of these habits and live the same to the defeat of the German army at Stalingrad.

Yet it turned out that to something Vahan used at the front until late. One day on the way into the next part, he saw a strange sight. On the side of the highway, in a snowdrift was a German prisoner, and ten meters from him - a Soviet officer, who from time to time ... shot him. Such a lieutenant has not yet been met: that here so coolly killed an unarmed man ?! "Maybe it wanted to escape? - Thought Lieutenant. - So there is no place yet! Or maybe this prisoner attacked him? Or maybe ...".

Shot rang out again, and again the bullet did not hurt the German.
- Hey! - Shouted the lieutenant, - what are you doing this?

Cool - as if nothing had happened replied "the executioner." - Yes, I here guys "Walter" was presented, I decided to try here on German! Shoot, shoot, but that's no way I can not get - is immediately obvious German weapons, its does not take! - Officer grinned and began again to take aim at the prisoner.

Until lieutenant to 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 this icy devastation that bastard in the form of a Soviet officer decided to "try" the gun on this barely living man! Kill him not to fight, but just to hit as a target, just use it as an empty tin can, because the banks are at hand was not ?! Yes, whoever he was, it's all the same person, even a German, even fascist, let yesterday enemy that had so desperately fight! But now the man in captivity, this man, in the end, life is guaranteed! We're not for them, we are not Nazis, how can this man, and so barely alive, to kill?

A prisoner both stood, and stood motionless. He apparently had long since said goodbye to his life, it is stiff and seemed to be just waiting for when he would be killed, and all could not wait. Dirty winding around his face and hands unwound, and only lip something silently whispered. On his face there was no despair, no suffering, no pleas - indifferent face, and these lips whispering - the last moments of life waiting to die!

Then the lieutenant saw that "The Executioner" - epaulettes Quartermaster Corps. "Oh, you bastard, rear rat, 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 - a barely uttered it.
- On, try - not noticing veteran status, the quartermaster reached "Walter."

The lieutenant drew his gun, threw him into the wide world, and with such force struck the villain that he already jumped before fall face in the snow.

For a while silence reigned. The lieutenant stood silent, silent, and the prisoner, still continuing to move his lips silently. But gradually the ears lieutenant to reach yet distant but quite recognizable sound of a car engine, and some of the motor there, and a passenger car M-1, or "emki" as it is affectionately called veterans. On "emkah" band Front drove only a very large military authorities.

Lieutenant already turned cold inside ... It also had such bad luck! Then just "Pictures at an Exhibition", even cry: here the German prisoner standing there with a Soviet officer raskvashennoy mug lies, and in the middle he - "hero of the occasion." In any case it is all very clearly smelled tribunal. And not to be afraid Lieutenant penal battalion (his native regiment for the last half of the Stalingrad front from the penalty according to the degree of danger is no different), 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 was to come. The car stopped. From it came the division commissar with submachine protection. Overall, it was just what we needed.
- What's going on here? Report back! - Colonel barked. The sight of him did not promise anything good: tired unshaven face, red from the constant lack of sleep eyes. . .

The lieutenant was silent. But talking quartermaster, it comes in a form with the authorities.

- I, Comrade Commissar, this fascist ... and it was to protect him - he rattled. - And what? This bastard and a murderer? But is it also possible that the eyes of this fascist scum Soviet officer beat ?! And because I did not do anything to him, even gave weapons, there's a gun lying around! And he was. . .

Vahan remained silent.

- How many times did you hit him? - Looking straight at the lieutenant asked Commissioner.

- One time, Comrade Colonel, - he answered.

- Not! Very little, Lieutenant! We would have even slapped until this jerk would not understand what this war! And how do we in the army lynching !? Take that Fritz and bringing it up to the evacuation point. 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 turning. When we reached the dugout, the lieutenant looked at the German. That was where we stayed, but his face was gradually revive. Then he looked at the lieutenant and whispered something. "Thanks perhaps - thought 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 - addressed the girl lieutenant, - what he whispers to you in German, you know?

- 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, looked into the eyes of a middle-aged man and quietly patted him on the sleeve of his greatcoat. 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 two great tears flowed and froze in the bristles long unshaven cheeks.


... 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 that German lives 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 person left in the memory of a larger footprint than all the fights and battles!

At noon on December 7, 1988 in Armenia, a terrible earthquake happened. In an instant, several towns were wiped off the face of the earth, and under the ruins were killed tens of thousands of people. From all over the Soviet Union to the Republic began arriving medical team, 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. Son Vahan Khachatryan, Andranik was on specialty trauma surgeon and just like all his colleagues, worked tirelessly.

And one night the director of the hospital where he worked Andranik, asked him to take our German colleagues to the hotel, where they lived. Night liberated streets of Yerevan to transport, it was quiet, and nothing seemed to be no signs of new trouble. Suddenly one of the crossroads right across the path of "Lada" Andranik flew heavy army truck. The man sitting in the back seat, first saw the impending catastrophe and struggled pushed the guy with the driver's seat to the right, covering 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, only 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, 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 pictures.

A month later, Dr. Miller went back to Germany, but had promised to come back with a group of German doctors. Shortly after his departure, he wrote that in the new German delegation as an honorary member included his father, a famous surgeon. And Miller mentioned that his father had seen a photograph taken in the house of the father of Andranik, and would very much like to meet him. Special significance to these words did not pay attention, but a meeting at the airport, Colonel Vahan Khachatryan still went.

When the low and very elderly man got off the plane, accompanied by Dr. Miller, Vahan recognized him immediately. No, there are no outward signs then like and do not remember, but the eyes, the eyes of this man, his eyes could not forget ... Former prisoner walked slowly forward, and the colonel could not budge. It just could not be! There are no coincidences! No logic could not explain what happened! It's all just a mystic of some sort! Son of man, rescued them, Lieutenant Khachatryan, more than forty-five years ago, saved 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! Everything is back! ..".

- All returns - repeated the colonel.

Then the two old man hugged and stood so long without noticing the passers-by passengers, not paying attention to the roar of the jet engines of aircraft, something telling them people ... Saved and savior! Father savior and father saved! All is back!

Passengers bypassed them and probably do not understand why the old German was crying, silently moving his lips senile why the tears streaming 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 unites people on this small planet, links, despite the war and destruction, earthquakes and catastrophes, binds all together and forever!