AUTUMN SONATA

We are following the path of our garden in the village of Tsinandali, which is located near the manor Chavchavadze princes of Kakheti, which is associated with many magnificent and at the same time the tragic events in the history of Georgia. Right here spent a happy week after their wedding A.Griboedov and N.Chavchavadze. It was here before leaving for home, M. Lermontov has received from the hands of Nina the gift - a dagger once owned to the creator of the immortal comedy.

My God! How became deserted our old garden! Autumn throws under our feet the gold of its fallen leaves. They rustle under our feet still not fully faded. More recently they were young, light-green. Behind the trees is flaming the blackberry bush. What a lovely sight it is, in its maroon-purple robes. Here is pavilion, covered with ivy, where you first confessed of love to me. It was so cute, fervently and youthfully. You presented me with chrysanthemums - my favorite autumn flowers. I like to put them in a vase on the piano. They stood there for a long time without fading. I fingered Russian romance "Faded chrysanthemums" on the keys of a piano and remembered everything ... Memories wove a canvas, troubled my soul. They were of my treasure and were helping me in difficult moments of life, when you were not near to me:

"Long ago were faded

Chrysanthemums in the garden

But the love still is living

In my poor sick heart ... "

But now in this happy moment, we go together, tightly squeezing fingers of each others. Here are the glass doors that are opened to the garden. We run up the stairs and find ourselves in the living room, decorated in a retro style. Crystal chandelier plays with all colors of the rainbow. Today is our day! The glass of sparkling champagne, romance A.Vertinsky:

"Thank you my dear friend,

For our secret rendezvous,

For the unforgettable words

And for ardent confession.

They, like bright lights,

Are burning in my storm.

For these golden days

Of stolen happiness! "

But today is our day, and you are carrying me away up on the snow-white clouds, where so want to cry and to laugh ... At that moment is so sharpened the sense of beauty - this is itself the breath of life …

SUMMER FANTASY

We sit on the porch house in the resort town of Kobuleti. The town is located 20 km north of Batumi on the Black Sea, in the subtropical climate zone. Today is freshly! Aromatic Turkish coffee warms us. For the third day is pouring rain, endless rain ... The rain stream are combined with fierce tongues of waves, furiously throws itself on a deserted beach, licking it during their going back, leaving behind a white foam lace ... Suddenly, a sharp beam of the setting sun pierces purple space above the sea, gradually filling it with victorious cry of emboldened gulls. Your hand covered my pale hand at the edge of the table. Tomorrow planned a great day full of discoveries ... In the house next door can hear the music - the sounds of a waltz by Strauss. We slowly get up, as if hypnotized and begin to dance waltz. On the veranda there is no one, only the roar of the sea and music, the eternal music inside and outside of us ... We ran down the stairs. The last drops of rain douse our funny face with pearls of glittering spray. We do not remember anything that happened in the past and do not torture each other with silly jealousy, our years is our wealth. We fully are in the present time and are attuned to the future. Let's hurry there, until is burning our desires fire , until the beauty don't faded ...

Finally, the setting sun's rays victoriously shine from retreating clouds. We are running on the wet sand, in a hurry to enjoy another exciting sunset, which is more brighter on the sea than sunset on the Earth. The sun begins to grow in size, incorporating its own reflection - it does not want to leave and it is ashamed of the fact, that it can not remain. Than the less time remains sun to be between the sky and the sea, it become more and more, finally the sea cuts it and grind off until the last point ... And now the sea darkens already together with the sky, not knowing why it has taken this a vigorous participation. And we're standing at the very edge of the sea, spellbound, unable to believe that the day, does not predicting anything special, it ended so grand, like under a fanfare of a large symphony orchestra. Suddenly, in memory emerge line from a poem of Igor Severianin :

"The sea loves the sun, the sun loves the sea ...

Waves fondle the bright huge star

They drown it with love as dream in the amphora;

But wake up in the morning - the sun is shining!

Sun will justify, the sun does not condemn,

The loving sea again will believe in it ...

It was forever, it will be always ,

Only sun's power sea can not measure! "

SPRING PRELUDE

We were preparing for this trip, we studied the history of the region. Mchadisjvari - a mysterious village, through which pass the road to the Dusheti - administrative center of district, which in May 1829 visited A. Pushkin:

"During of those former time! ..

You knew me, the Caucasus,

More than once, you called me

In your very deaf sanctuary

I was in love with you, as crazy

And you welcomed me noisily

With decuman voice of  storms ... "

The village is located a few kilometers from the lake Bazaleti. The village has a fortress, historically belonged to powerful Aragvian princes of the late feudal Georgia, which led a relentless struggle against the feudal lords who lived in the neighborhood and often decided important questions of of kings succession in Georgia. This castle has repeatedly precipitated warlike Avars from Dagestan, but could not occupy. The ancient temple adjacent to the fortress, which looks orphaned - it lost its priest long time ago. Now it is the abode of wild pigeons and winds. Pigeons settled in the dome of the temple. They are not used to people and unfriendly meet us, with noise swept over our heads. We approach to the only surviving mural with the image of Queen Tamara, we light candles and lips involuntarily whisper the prayer ... In the temple gradually begin to reign the silence. A pair of pigeons sat down in a niche above the church fresco and is watching us intently. Then they begin to chirrup, like as continue our prayer ... The origin of the village and the church name is associated with the following legend: during the next enemy invasion the priest of the church of St. Archangels hide the cross in the corn tortillas, which he lowered into the well, located in the apse of the sanctuary of the church.

We peaceful are leaving the temple. Before us views of the neighborhood. We are located at an altitude of 800 m above sea level. Excavations have shown that in this rural areas, people lived back in the early Bronze Age. In the hazy distance you can see the mountain range of Caucasus, at the bottom of a narrow ribbon winds Narekvavi River - the right tributary of the Aragvi, timid deer came down to the river to drink. The crystal clear air is saturated with the scent of medicinal herbs. We are adjusted for the lyrical mood, and read aloud to Pushkin:

"On the hills of Georgia is laying night darkness;

In front of me is making noise Aragvi ... "

A stone's throw from us is meadow,which is flaming by bright red color - it's blooming poppies. They are Impatiens. From whence so many them here? Maybe it is a reminder of past battles? Shaggy bumblebee does daily flyby of the meadow, ants started a commotion in the grass ...

We lie down on this magnificent carpet, we fasten our glance into infinity celestial dome. Clouds float past us - the eternal wanderers, they have such strange form, may be they are the materialized souls of people? High in the sky is flies a proud eagle, the owner of the mountain peaks. Life overflows in the variety of its forms. We feel that our souls are merged into this single hymn to life ... And we quietly continue:

"And the heart again burns and loves ,

Because not to love, it can not. "

We will cherish this sacred fire!

WINTER TALE

Winter morning. Train hard to climb up the hill, panting ...We are standing on the platform of the last car. Fir-trees, which lined up with two orderly rows along the narrow-gauge railway, are greeted us and are giving to us its heavy of snow paws - branches. That's the last station of narrow-gauge railway Borjomi - Bakuriani. Finally we are on the mountain resort of Bakuriani, located at an altitude of 1700 m above sea level on the northern slope of the Trialeti Range. It was here that from the tops of the mountains Bakuriani originate Borjomi springs.

Sleigh with the horse waiting for us. We sit down comfortable there, sheltering themselves with warm fur rug and continue our way along the narrow, capriciously curving streets . The mountain village is behind us, but ahead of the open space covered with snow-white carpet. Here at this pristine infinity we have learned first touch, warming each other with our breath. We run, sinking knee-deep in snow, sparkling under the winter sun with thousands of diamonds. Tamping snow we move back to the village. More step, then another, and here we are sitting in a warm tavern, lit glow of the fire in the fireplace, in a cozy corner with a glass of warm red Bordeaux. Reflections from the fire can not eclipse the fire in our eyes. We are silent and smile ... Our faces radiate tranquility of a happy couple, we are immersed in one another, time has no power over us. In memory occur the words of Russian Romances:

"Only once in the life occur meeting,

Only once thread breaks by fate ,

Only once in the cold winter evening

I want so much to love. "

The logs, exuding a lovely scent of the forest, happily are crackling in the fireplace. In the square of window, decorated by frost, came evening with dancing snowflakes. We hear ringing of the bell - the ringing of eternity ... It seems our lives crossed true love ...

                   BLAUEAUGEN WAITING FOR RETURN

This extraordinary story took place in a very ordinary town today. At the edge of a small town, located in the Holstein Switzerland, with its many lakes that have arisen during the time of the ice age on the planet, there was a small stone house. It was built by known in these places stonemason Thomas a hundred years ago. Many years later, the house was abandoned and stood for so many years, yet there there is not has lodged one elderly single woman with a young daughter, which were arrived from afar . The girl has name Mzekala, which was incomprehensible for that area and local residents in this neighborhood, were called this girl as Blaueaugen, because of her dark blue eyes, deep like lakes in this place.

The girl's mother was a great needlewoman. She sewed pillows - toys, was stuffed in them that came to hand - with wool from the shearing of sheep, sea grass, and Blaueaugen carried them for sale on the city market. There she was exchanged them for food and so lived a mother and her daughter. In the long winter evenings, sitting by the fireplace, playing with pillows-toys, Blaueaugen was inventing different stories. Seven cushions - toys were her best friends - a dog Toto, Chichi monkey, pig Nuf, hare Wau,lion Leo ,bear Mickey and goldfish Gloria. When Blaueaugen went to bed, she was covered herself with pillows and she had the magic dreams, in which she and her friends traveled around the world.

In his wonderful dreams Blaueaugen visited and in the dense jungle with a monkey Chichi and in the pine forest, where she was accompanied by a brown bear Mickey and in African safari, where she was not afraid absolutely with lion Leo. She traveled all over Greenland, where land is fettered by eternal ice and in a team of sled dogs was her best friend dog Toto. And in the meadows of the high Alps she gathered edelweiss with hare Wau and piglet Nuf. And when she wanted to visit the underwater kingdom, she went there with a goldfish Gloria, who introduced her to the mermaids, the daughters of the king Neptune.

One evening, when Blaueaugen was playing with her friends on the lawn near home, she saw in the distance something sparkling and whirling, which was gradually separated from the earth, lifted high in the dark sky and gradually disappeared, as if dissolved in the space, or extinguished like a shooting star ...

Blaueaugen could not sleep that night, she oftentimes was tossing from side to side, glancing into the darkness of the night outside the window and in the morning she ran to that direction where yesterday at dusk the glowing object ascended to heaven. Really the grass, which was trampled of the meadow showed that something have been previous day here! Blaueaugen bypassed the meadow and suddenly she saw on the branches of an branching oak the pillow in the form of a seven-pointed star. She picked up a pillow in her hands but did not feel the weight. The pillow was unusually soft, fluffy, if it was all woven of air and light. Blaueaugen brought pillow home and placed it on the bed next to the other cushions - toys. At night Blaueaugen put this pillow under his head and slept soundly. This night she saw a wonderful dream again. But this time she found herself in a very strange place, among little men, who were busy around her, preparing for a meeting with her. When awoke from sleep, she wiped her eyes, sat up, looked around. First that caught her eye,this was the proximity of the horizon and a completely different color of the sky - ocher-yellow! She wiped her eyes several times, until finally was convinced that she was not in a dream, but in reality an entirely different place in space, probably on another planet. Nearby stood a round and flat as a plate, a tremendous facility with windows, apparently aircraft. People were called themselves as humanoids, or abbreviated Huns and invited her to communicate in any language, which she likes. Blaueaugen become thoughtful and decided to name a language spoken by few people in the world. Blaueaugen did not had to think for a long time, because she was a native of the Caucasus, from Gagra, fabulously beautiful resort town located on the Black Sea. She happily lived there as long as people with weapon did not come on her native wplace and did not make them to escape into the mountains and through gorges to another country, similar to her homeland and seek refuge there.

Huns really possessed the knowledge of languages, because easily translated from Georgian into German the meaning of name Mzekala. It turned out that it means Sun Woman - Sonne Frau. They pointed to a huge bright light over their heads like the sun on the Earth and smiled cheerfully. Blaueaugen decided again to test their new friends and asked a few questions:

- Who is the all-powerful mistress of the seas and oceans?

And Huns together answered - goldfish Gloria!

- And who is the most faithful friend of man on Earth?

Huns on this question gave the correct answer - of course the dog Toto!

- And who is white in winter and gray in the summer? - asked a riddle Blaueaugen.

And little men aren't confused - hare Wau they shouted in unison.

- And to whom the girl Masha went with a visit in a dense forest ?

- To the three bears - shouted Huns.

- Who lived threesome together in the same house?

- Pigs, friends of Nuf! - without a hitch answered the little men.

- Who is the king of beasts in the world? - not appeased Blaueaugen.

And this was known well for Huns.

- Lion Leo - they shouted rivaling.

- And who likes to imitate everybody and and tries to attach the glasses to the eye on the whole body?

- Well, of course monkey Chichi - with fun outshoot each other Huns.

Blaueaugen surprised such knowledge of aliens! Now she could not wait to quickly learn about their life and being, about their planet and where it is located?

Huns told her that this is one of the planets-asteroids, and it is located in the constellation of Alpha, many tens of light-years from planet Earth! But you can be here not only on the spaceship, which moves in space iwith great speed, which taking off with easiness of fluff, reflecting gravity. It turns out that you can to be here not leaving the house, if able to go in a parallel world, that is what happened with Blaueaugen when she fell asleep, put her head on the magic pillow with the properties of another world.

And to the question from where Huns are so familiar with the characters of Earth's fairy tales, they said that these characters live not only in the pages of books of fairy tales of the Earth, but in interplanetary reality! It turned out that all the characters of Earth's fairy tales have their own planets in deep space, which are equipped in accordance with their tastes and needs! All these planets are in the asteroid belt near each other and fly there is very easy. Blaueaugen expressed a desire to visit the nearest planet in the asteroid belt, and they flew on a visit to Chipollino.

City, where lived Chipollino and numerous his kids - Chipolliness , was built of blue crystal. Houses were in the form of bulbs, in which was repeatedly reflected the light from all the stars of the constellation Alpha. When Blaueaugen entered the hall, where was Chipollino, she was struck by the grandeur and at the same time the simplicity of decoration. Chipollino sat in the center of the room,near the piano and was playing Italian music. He loudly welcomed Blaueaugen, then together they sang "Santa Lucia." Blaueaugen asked to bring a stringed instrument which on the planet Earth is known as the guitar and quiet sang her favorite melody "On Sea in Gagra". In her eyes was appeared the tears. She suddenly very much wanted to find herself in her hometown, where she has not been for a long time, to hear native speech , which she used in her childhood, to see the familiar faces ... When Blaueaugen told to Huns about her desire to return to native home, they were very upset. Huns did not want to so quickly let go of such a pleasant companion, sweet songbird.

Besides of these all-knowing Huns knew everything about everything! They took a small flat device, which resembled smartphone on the the Earth, quickly found on it necessary point of space and showed to Blaueaugenin in an enlarged format the long rows of barbed wire, which fenced the territory of her beautiful homeland. They said that right now it isn't necessary to go back to where she came from, because there are again the people in uniform with arms are introducing there own orderliness. She herself felt with her young heart, that on the Black sea is now very restless! Huns told her that the space of this war zone is expanding from day to day and is already a threat to everyone on the planet Earth!

- Then take me to my house on the lake, where is now my hard worker mom and sews funny cushions toys, where cozy are crackling fire in the fireplace, and on the bed are waiting me friends - cushions - dog Toto monkey Chichi, lion Leo, hare Wau, bear Mickey, pig Nuf and goldfish - Gloria.

Huns answered her that soon to them arrive the brave white knight, interplanetary traveler, and she must necessarily wait for him, because he carries an important message of one overdeveloped civilization of the world for the people of the planet Earth. And it was true!

And you do not know about what is this message and why so eagerly are waiting it Blaueaugenin?

THE ICON OF ST. NICOLAS

Regularly small troops of army units of the 1st Ukrainian Front “were combing” nearby from Kiev settlements, where the enemy yet was remained. The morning was cold, but sunny. Troop, commander of which I was, came from the field to the village located at the Zhitomir direction. Around stood stacks of straw. The soldiers with bayonets stabbed into stacks, checking if there is hiding enemy. Suddenly the door of one of the barns, located on the edge of the village, widely opened and from therefell out three dozen Germans. Broke out unequal battle. We were in the minority. Seeing the need for reinforcements, I fired a flare and at that moment felt something wet and warm trickling down along my leg. I leaned to one of the haystacks, which stood close to me and slid down to the ground. The top of the stack collapsed, covering my head. I lost consciousness ...

I woke up in the hut. The first thing that caught my eye - these were an icons of saints in the corner of the hut, framed by snow-white curtain embroidered with intricate pattern. All the small family fussed over to me. “The soldier alive” - was glad the woman and told her daughter to bring a pitcher of milk and freshly baked bread. Every day, Pauline, was the name of the girl, was bandaging my feet and with such dexterity made all necessary procedures, as if she was a nurse in sanitary unit. Pauline spoke only on Ukrainian, but we understood each other perfectly. And she cured me... Has passed a little over a month. The next day I had to leave this village, which has already been cleared completely from the Nazis. I had to come to the headquarters of our military part in Kiev to get a new appointment. I went accompanied by the beautiful Pauline and her mother up to the country road. I embraced the women in gratitude. Pauline clung to me with her cheek and poke in my arm a small wooden image.“Let guard you St. Nicholas,” - she said. I jumped into the stopped truck, waved goodbye and the car raced forward. In Kiev, I was looking the guys from my troop, but to no avail. Among them were also my compatriots. Many soldiers were killed at that time in Zhitomir-Berdichev operation. It was dark ... The train slowly was moving by the South-Western Railway to its destination. Suddenly, out of nowhere came the roar of engines. I kept my ears open, and only had time to realize what kind of buzz, as the bombing were begun. Yes, it was the German Messerschmitts, which broke the defensive line. The soldiers began to leave wagons in a hurry, have been scattered across the field in all directions. Some of them took a shovels and tried to dig a ditch, in order to burrow, but before they could do it, were frozen in a characteristic pose. Here and there were heard explosions and black lumps of earth were flung up into the air. I stayed alone in the wagon, mindlessly crawled under the bottom of shelf, holding the pocket of greatcoat as the last hope, in which was the image of St. Nicholas. Lips whispered rows of prayer, which were written with Pauline’s hand on the reverse side of the holy icon: Oh God, the Lord of Light, have mercy, And the Blessed Mother of God, intercede,And save, Nicholas, merciful. ” Roar of the engines calmed down as suddenly, as it appeared. I got out of the wagon and looked around. Almost the entire train was turned into chips. Around were the smoldering remains of wagons. The field was covered with dead and wounded. To the scene came from the Stavka of Front Commander. The alarm was begun: the wounded were taken to the city hospital, the dead were buried in hastily dug mass grave. Moon, rising over the Earth was helped us ... Soon in this direction were thrown shock forces and the offensive was launched across the front line, displacing the enemy to the foothills of the Carpathians. The holy icon with the image of Nicholas the Wonderworker, which presented me Ukrainian girl Poline, I carried through the war and guarded him as the apple of my eye. I believed that it has kept me alive then.

UNSCHEDULED MEETING

Tarnobrzeg town,in which entered one of the parts of the 1st Ukrainian Front, was located east of the front line. Arriving captives were placed in the school building, which miraculously was preserved during the recent fighting. These were not just prisoners, but students of the newly formed anti-fascist school where was trained staff for the future democratic government in Germany.

In the anti-fascist school of Tarnobrzeg reigned the strict schedule. Most of the time was devoted to political studies. Students studied in complete program dialectical and historical materialism, scientific communism. Young German boys Hans, Fritz and Werner were on the list of anti-fascist school’s students after they were captured during the Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive. Werner was noticed as a leader and he was appointed as warden among the students of the school. Under his leadership, the students equipped the school life. They were building with German precision, so that would everything looked properly. Only with difficulty were given for friends this new science and they did not showed much zeal in it. Late in the evening in a close circle they joked about this. One day, entering in the toilet, which was built by prisoners, Fritz immediately jumped out, cursing in his own way. Friends run up to him and confirmed their outrage with words: “Russisch schwein”. This incident did not go unnoticed. In the office of Major Babenko was induced Captain Praulinja and I, acting chief of the supplier of the school. I was instructed to prepare the car for the journey. To guilty prisoners were announced that they need to move in a nearby village for the replenishment of supplies. We drove away on a relatively large distance from the town. The car stopped at the edge of the forest. Captain Praulin ordered to leave the car. Friends looked at each other, apparently feeling that something was wrong. They came out, awkwardly shifting from one foot to the other. “Wo ist Dorf?” - Werner broke the silence. Praulin, without answering, began to retreat, I followed him. In this moment Fritz ran into the woods. Praulin whirled and fired to the running man, he fell into the grass. Bullet apparently hit him in the pelvis, and he writhed in excruciating pain. “It’s for my brother Andrew,” - blurted Praulin by shooting a second time and successfully. He was clearly not himself - his eyes flashed angrily, his hand was shaking. I was instructed to complete the operation. Young people stood shocked by what had happened. The same fate was awaited them. Werner slowly raised his hand and put his index finger to his temple, making clear to me where to aim. I ordered: “Schnell vorwarts!” We went into the wood, wading through the thick bushes. Hans suddenly lurched, hooking the leg on driftwood and fell down. Werner ran to the friend to help him up. In this moment, I fired twice into the air, turned and walked away with quick step. I set down behind the wheel of the car. Sitting nearby to me, captain Praulin , said: “It’s all right?” I answered: “Exactly!“.Gunfire intensified. I quickly taxied on the road.

Several years have passed after the war. Friends, who were left to serve in Germany invited me in the town Zwickau, which is located in Saxony. My friends and I visited a memorial in district Planitts, where we laid wreaths in memory of the fallen Soviet soldiers, war captives and prisoners of the concentration camp, who worked in munitions factories located around Zwickau. In honor of my visit was arranged the festive table in the best restaurant of town. What was my surprise when among the invited guests, I came face to face with Werner, a former student of the anti-fascist school, to whom I saved the life in that ill-fated forest. Werner looked as respectable man, in a fashionable suit and tie. Our eyes met, he probably recognized me, but we didn’t show, that were once familiar. It turned out that he is on leading work in City Hall. It was his native land, his hometown, and now he was the builder of the new life, putting his talent of leader, for the benefit of his people. I was genuinely happy for him!

I KNOW THE MYSTERY OF MONA LISA

When I stand near the masterpiece of Leonardo da Vinci, I constantly cogitate about what a mystery is hidden in the face of the Mona Lisa. I go deep into my thoughts and sometimes it seems to me, that I guessed the secret ...

The world was united, and the substance continuous, until God not separated the ground from the water, the light from the shadows, until almighty not created the first humans. Then there was not yet the concept of good and evil, beauty and ugliness ... Then the Almighty identified the place to everything and, who knows a lot or few time later, he revealed to the world the woman by name of the Mona Lisa and the Master by name of Leonardo. Master saw her beauty and realized that he is helpless in front of it, he realized that there is a limit of perception of this beauty and the name of it is femininity - the highest manifestation of women spirituality!

Even to the great Master is not given to overcome this threshold. He can only enjoy the brilliance of beauty, which is shimmers into the fascinating features of Mona Lisa face. Oh, this femininity! It is very deep and multifaceted as the prospect that opens behind the back of Mona Lisa. This an amazing femininity produces the miraculous effect on the Master, it conquers him. He is besotted, he is completely in its power ... He transfers to the canvas the divine vision, creates a portrait which throughout whole his life aspire to bring to perfection ...This all-conquering femininity is playing in the corners of lips of Mona Lisa, in soft oval of her lovely face, in the shine of her eyes ... He talks with her and she says to Master: "Yes, Master, you are brilliant, but would you be such without me? And what is your rational mind in front of my harmonious wisdom, intuition? These concepts are inherent only to nature of women! Intuition and the ability to inspire - the two most important attributes of femininity. Intuition allows you to listen to the whisper of spirit, intuition leads to the future, creating new. I am the universe, which calls the creator, I am the light, inviting to myself, I am the relaxation, creating a movement, I am the energy of river Life, that illuminates and rushes forward, I am perfection! And you are tormented, in spite of your genius, to make the incarnation of all this, spattering the paints on the canvas. You wish with your rational mind to know the immensity? But it is impossible to limit what is unlimited! You can only feel the greatness of this, what you are doing, when are drawing me! "

Mankind for centuries is contemplating the portrait of Leonardo da Vinci, infinitely staring on awesome smile of Mona Lisa, but in fact aims to guess the eternal mystery of nature - the demonic mystery of femininity ... Maybe it's the flip side of the secret of Master's complex personality?

episode IV: THE TWO MEETINGS IN THE DRESDEN GALLERY 

The parts of the 1st Ukrainian Front irresistibly were moving forward. In General Headquarters of Supreme Commander were discussed the smallest details of the upcoming offensive on Dresden. The blow should have been inflicted in the direction of Dresden by dint of tank corps of armies the front and with forces of the Polish Army, incoming in structure of the 1st Ukrainian Front. The offensive began at dawn on May 7th. One of the Guard Tank division, advancing to the north of Dresden, came to the Elbe river and began a battle for the city. Parts of several armies of Front attacked in the south-east. Capture of Dresden happened the day before the end of the war the 8th May 1945.Approximately two months before the city was destroyed by the Allies during one of the most terrible bombing in the entire Second World War, although Dresden haven’t been an important strategic object, there was not military plants, major military units. The only significant military object airfield, located north of the city, have not been subjected to bombing. Railway station, which had strategic importance, was not at the beginning marked as a target. The main blow was inflicted to the city center. Bomber’s crews were instructed to drop bombs on the world-famous museum town with beautiful palaces and the famous Dresden gallery, in the walls of which there were far more valuable treasure than all the weapons of Nazi Germany. And this city in one night was turned into a heap of ruins. According to witnesses, it was hell. Eight hundreds of British and American bombers flew over night Dresden. At the beginning, have been disclosed wooden structures of medieval houses with the land mines and then there are dropped bombs-lighters, causing at the same time tens of thousands of fires. At that time, Dresden was crowded with refugees fleeing from the fighting of the Eastern Front, many of whom were women and children. The number of victims amounted up to 30 thousand people, most of whom died as a result of of fiery tornado. One of the few survivors in this bombing was an American writer Kurt Vonnegut, who later wrote the novel “Slaughterhouse-Five”.Was barely dawn, when the calm of early morning had been suddenly broken by deafening gunfire and then in the course went the tanks. Horizon became blush! Those had not the first rays of light,which overcome the darkness, it was a bloody glow of exploding projectiles, shaking the mother-earth. By noon, the first infantry units entered the city. In Dresden almost weren’t left not destroyed buildings. It was a ghost-town with a gaping black holes of window apertures. The city seemed deserted. We rode in the car with an open top. Suddenly our attention was attracted by a single shot. I turned at the sound and saw the soviet officer and a soldier figure which swayed and slowly slid on the pavement. Nearby stood a girl, trembling with fear. I drove up to the group. Babenko went out of the car. In a brief conversation with the officer was revealed that soldier tried to take away the watch from a German girl. Officer nervously retorted to Colonel: “No one is allowed to infringe upon the honor of Soviet soldiers”. Babenko nodded his head in agreement, helped the girl to sit in the back seat and the car started to move. The girl asked me to take her to the Dresden Art Gallery. We drove up to the one half destroyed building, where was organized a military headquarters. Colonel dismounted and instructed me to deliver the girl to the place of destination. On the way we got to talking. I introduced myself and she did the same, calling herself Helga. It turned out that she was an employee of art Fund in Dresden Gallery. Helga could not, following to example of citizens, survivors after the bombing, to leave the city. Before the girl there was a problem to protect the museum exhibits, remaining in the palace complex and she with responsibly was fulfilling this mission. Helga was indicating me the way to the museum: “Fahren Sie geradeaus, dann rechts abbiegen!”Soon we found ourselves at the main entrance of the Dresden gallery. Palace complex of the eighteenth century “Zwinger”, and bounding it Art Gallery appeared in front of us in a deplorable state. Instead of the palace there were the ruins, art gallery miraculously remained unharmed. Helga with quick steps ran up the stairs, which led to the museum. I followed her. There was too strong temptation with my own eyes to see exhibits one of the richest museums in the world. We entered the great hall. Around reigned silence and ruin. But where have been the treasures of the museum, where disappeared the Sistine Madonna by Raphael? Helga silently led me to the basement of the building. There were moved down pictures, which the Nazi did not have time to take out during their retreat. Shortly before the attack on the city, SS quickly and secretly have taken the major treasures in an unknown direction. I began to ask Helga about the details of the operation, but girl said that she don’t know about anything else. From the walls of the basement looked at us the portraits of famous generals, prominent figures of the past centuries. Suddenly my attention was attracted by the small size of the picture, which, as I thought, I had seen somewhere before. It was a portrait of Byron and I suddenly remembered where I had seen a copy of this portrait.The act took place in the building of the British embassy in Tehran, where I was instructed to deliver an important letter from the Soviet military department in Iran. There I was kindly accepted by English officer, and pending the written response, viewed the painting, which was hanging in the lobby of the Embassy. I stopped in front of portrait of my favorite English poet Lord Byron, and began to declaim aloud a passage from the poem “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage”, than pleasantly surprised Englishman.I wanted again aloud to pronounce the famous passage from the poem in the presence of my new friend. I stood in a pose of speaker and began to recite:

“Then stirs the feeling infinite, so felt,

In solitude, where we are least alone;

A truth, which through our being then doth melt

And purifies from self: it is a tone,

The soul and source of music which makes known

Eternal harmony, and sheds a charm,

Like to the fabled Cytherea’s zone,

Binding all things with beauty; - ’twould disarm

The spectre Death, had he substantial power to harm.”

Helge liked my improvisation. The girl told me about the history of Dresden and I listened her with great interest.It turned out that in the beginning Dresden was the capital of margraviate of the Meissen, before its merger with the Electorate of Saxony in 1422. The land of Saxony has reached its greatest prosperity at the beginning of the XVIII century during the reign of Elector Augustus the Strong. The first porcelain factory in Europe was founded in Meissen in 1710. In that time were beginning the new organization and expansion of art collections of the museum. Augustus the Strong was actually the founder of the famous museum. Dresden became known as the Florence-on-Elbe. The building of the Dresden Gallery was built much later in 1855.Then, tired from the experience of the day, we fell down to the chair, which stood in the corner of half dark room. The pretty head of young German lady touched my shoulder with epaulets. Warm feeling has spread throughout the body. Unexpected feeling of transcendence state suddenly appeared in me on this island of peace and eternity. In my head sounded familiar tune of fugue Bach. It was a momentary relaxation ... I had to go back to the military unit. I said Helge, that certainly I will visit her in this abode once again. However, the circumstances of wartime were developing otherwise. The next day, May 9th, at 00:43 Moscow time in the Berlin suburb of Karlshorst in the former dining room of Military Engineering school was signed the act of unconditional surrender of Germany. Colonel Babenko and I as his adjutant left a ghost town in the direction of Berlin.10th June 1945 in accordance with the directive of the Supreme Command, from the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front was formed the Central Army Group, which was located in Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. After the war, Austria was separated from Germany, in its possessions were returned all territories, previously entering in its composition. However, in accordance with the Agreement on the system of control over Austria, the country was divided into zones, in which were housed the occupying forces of four allied powers - USSR, USA , UK and France. It haven’t passed long time after the war. At that time I was in Austria. For Soviet Army affairs I had to be in Dresden for a while. The city were rebuilding again. The streets represented a construction site. The workers are scurried everywhere , have been heard an unhurried German speech. I kept my promise, which was done Helge in Dresden gallery at that heavy wartime, and I have begun to drive the car to the direction of Zwinger, to the place where there was the Dresden Gallery. I ran up the stairs, entered the hall and found the well known for me portrait of Byron. I stopped in front of it as stone-still waiting for a miracle. Suddenly I felt intermittent breath in the back of the head, turned sharply and saw my friend Helga. She was looking at me silently and smiled. I smiled back to her. So we stood, occasionally touching with fingers each other, as if reaffirming the reality of what is happening. Finally, I asked question about the life in the post-war period. Later I inquired about the preservation of the museum’s collection. Helga replied that not all the exhibits was saved. After entrance in Dresden the parts of the 1st Ukrainian Front, the Soviet soldiers searched for what remains of the collection of the Saxon rulers. Managed to find not all, some masterpieces were lost forever. Helga said that when the soldiers went down to the basement of half-ruined, charred Academy of Arts, they came across a tunnel. There was also found a document which helped in further searches. This was the so-called “dumb card” - the encrypted layout of hidden paintings of the Dresden Gallery. A few days later in the vicinity of the city, in one of the adits of abandoned quarry was found boxcar, when enter in it, the rescuers saw the masterpieces of the Dresden Gallery - the famous “Self-Portrait with Saskia” by Rembrandt, paintings of Giorgione, Rubens. There also was a box with secret locks. It was decided, without opening, take it to the battalion headquarters. After opening the box before the eyes of those present appeared one of the greatest paintings ever created by man - “Sistine Madonna” by Raphael. It was among the works of the Dresden Gallery, which were taken to the Soviet Union for restoration and, then returned to Germany,as was promised.Then we were strolling in the Dresden, enjoying the peaceful passing of time, sitting in the outdoor cafe and were talking something to each other. And then there was a night full of the all-consuming passion, tenderness and love. A week later I was again in a military unit located near the Vienna. I met with Colonel Babenko and asked an important question: “Can I marry a foreign woman?”Have followed the brief response:“Very high price was paid for Victory ! Soviet women are waiting us!”One more time, I have had not be able to visit Dresden. Control over Austria lasted until 1955. By this time I was demobilized and returned home.

episode I: FROM JAPANESE CONCESSION UP TO IRANIAN CAMPAIGN

In December 1925 was signed an agreement between the USSR and Japan about transfer to concession the northern part of Sakhalin Island (in Japanese Karafuto that on the language of the Ainu, the ancient inhabitants of the island,is meaning “land of the god mouth”). According to the agreement the Union conveyed the Japanese into operation for 45 years oil and coal deposits of North Sakhalin. As payment for concession, the Japanese pledged to pay to the Soviet government a certain portion of the gross income and rental fee. Japanese side was given the right to import labor from their country. Japanese entrepreneurs have created a joint stock company. Was organized also a Soviet commercial concern “Sakhalin oil”, to whom concessionaires have rendered the substantial assistance in the organization of production and establishment of household sector. At the same time in the south of Sakhalin Island there was a completely different situation. Japanese were solved the problems of infrastructure and in social sphere as on its own territory, according to the documents of the Portsmouth treaty between Russia and Japan.

In the North Sakhalin gradually were deployed work on production oil, coal, forestry, mining, furs in the forests of Sakhalin, catching fish in the waters adjacent to the island. The Union announced the recruitment of young professionals and workers of different specialties for sending to the concession works. In the difficult time of devastation, when in many regions is reigned unemployment, employment conditions clearly were profitable. Payment the labor of workers by Japanese goods, as well as through Soviet pure gold currency, was attracted many people from the mainland. On the island Sakhalin were pulled manpower from all over the Union, including representatives from the Caucasus. In Moscow was organized the assembly point and delivery was accomplished by trains on the Trans-Siberian Railway to Vladivostok.

It was early spring. The train sped through the vast snowy wilderness, we were falling asleep and were waking up under the monotonous sound of wheels. We were four young men in the compartment of train. Having faced at the gathering place, we immediately found a common language, though we came from different republics of the Union. I was native Tbilisian, buddy, which was located above my couchette, was Bakunian, but two young guys, which were sitting opposite me, turned out one an Armenian from Rostov-on-Don, and another Tatar from Kazan. We have had rather vague ideas about our future activities on the island, but we were all in anticipation to earn so-called “big money”. Outside the window the white desert gave way to endless snowy taiga. Friend from Baku, who introduced himself as Jamil took out a new deck of cards and offered us to fight. From nothing to do whole days, we were played “Snap”, smoked in the vestibule, long talked, drinking hot tea, which from time to time was kindly offered by a pretty conductor, as it turned out, a Siberian woman from Irkutsk. So quietly passed two weeks. The train at last arrived to the final station of the Far Eastern - the Vladivostok city. There we were built in a row, and then us have reread by the names and shipped to the pier. Some time later we have been raised on the board of ferry, plying between the mainland and the island of Sakhalin. We were told that the destination is a village Okha.

As we learned later, the first commercial oil was produced in Okha in 1921 and soon the settlement became a center of Eastern region of the island. The name of the city was given from the name of the river Okha. It is possible that the name originated from the Evenk word “Okha”. Evenki legend tells about deer, who fled to the green Marie, frightened by hunters and one of the deer have been caught in a swampy place. When using felled branches hunters dragged the animal, they saw that the deer’s legs and belly were smeared with black oily liquid. The skin in these places was burst and blood seeped. One Evenk man, noticing this, said, “Oha!” That on Evenkian means “evil”, “bad”. We had to swim across the Tatar Strait, go through the La Perouse Strait between the northern tip of the Japanese island Hokkaido and the southern part of Sakhalin Island, connecting Japanese and Okhotsk Sea.

As it turned out, the strait was named after the French explorer Jean de La Perouse, who discovered it in the XVIII century. Tatar Strait named by the same explorer La Perouse, who mistakenly thought, that “Tatarstan” is a country that extends to the Pacific coast. Since the times of Mongol conquests this ethnonym is widespread in Eastern and Western Europe.

Departure of the ferry was delayed. On the bank was raging the flu epidemic and there was not enough people in the boiler compartment of the ship. Was announced, who of the newcomers can be a stoker. Volunteered my new friend Artem. It turned out that he had worked as a fireman on a locomotive of Vladikavkaz’s railway. Jamil was joined to him, who also worked as a stoker on Baku-Julfa railway line. Ildar and me were taken as assistants of fireman. Going down into the hold of the ship, I was amazed by what I saw! Never earlier I have seen such a large boilers. Huge mouth of furnaces from time to time has been opened and there had to be continuously to cast the coal and to rake the ashes. After dank weather at the pier, we were finally able to warm up, and then became so hot that I had to throw off the outerwear. During the journey we thrown into the boiler furnace without small number several tons of coal. Finally,was given the command to reduce the supply of coal, and then completely stop. The ferry have approached to the northern part of Sakhalin Island.

About Sakhalin I knew just that Anton Chekhov visited there. He lived in Alexander’s Post, in the western part of the island. Chekhov decided to make a trip to Sakhalin for the study the life of convicts and exiles. At that time there was not Trans-Siberian Railway and Chekhov’s trip took more than six months. He, of course,have realized the difficulties of such a journey, but he wanted to draw public attention to Sakhalin - “the place of unbearable suffering.” It was the civil feat of writer! I was possessed with such thoughts, when I looked at the island from the height of the deck of the steamer.

But I was destined to work for some time on the ferry till we were replaced by the main team of stokers. Finally we were free and with a light heart left steamer.

The picture on the island turned out dull. All around there were wooden barracks, here and there scurried the people in sheepskin coats, was heard jerky Japanese speech. The arrived people were sent to one of the barracks for formalize the labor agreement. We were asked to choose the profile of work and the here our ways with my companions were parted. My friends decided to stay in Okha on oil’s elaborations.

Since I was able to shoot accurately, that I learned in the ranks of the Red Army, having served there for three years, I was attached to the hunters for fur and I had to live for weeks on the base of hunting, so called isolated farm, which represented by itself a small log cabin made of coniferous trees.

I have learned that indigenous peoples of the North since antiquity lived in these winter huts and roamed from one to the other settlements, leaving the supply of food and a means for laying of fire in each cabin. There I learned how to set traps, to recognize the traces of animals, studied their habits. We usually went on a hunt in the early morning. The most favorable weather was newly-fallen snow when easily imprinted fresh tracks, a small frost and shallow snow. Best assistant while hunting for fur-bearing animals was East Siberian Laika. The dog was tall, hardy, has excellent instincts and viscosity to the beast, without losing the host. Among the hunters were the local old-timers, and the Japanese, who during their stay on the island have learned to speak in Russian. They taught us to drink cod liver oil instead of vodka to keep warm, eat raw fish. Fish was cooked as traditional Japanese dish and called “Naredzusi” with rice and Japanese greens “Wasabi”. Purified ocean fish stuffed with salt, was put in a wooden barrel, then pressed with oppression and kept so until the end of fermentation. By this way prepared fish remained usable for a few months. In order not to get sick with scurvy we were eating a lot of garlic, drank the decoctions of spruce and fir needles.

Nature of Sakhalin was significantly varied. Forests was covered a large part of its territory. In the north of the island was growing predominantly light coniferous taiga of Daurian larch, to south were dark coniferous forests of the Ajan spruce, Sakhalin fir and Siberian cedar with thickets of bushes of blueberry, gooseberries and cranberries. In the summer we are harvested berries and mushrooms in the wood, brushwood and firewood for the winter. Furs obtained during the trapping - sables, martens, foxes, squirrels, we gave away once a week at the receiving station. The fur have been sorted by purveyors, the best specimens were taken away to Japan, and the remaining skins were manufactured and then were selling at a cheap price in the local market. With great zeal them have been bought by people who came to work from the Union. In this sense, I was not exception! Meanwhile, the Japanese are equipped the island. They brought prefabricated houses, hanged signboards with the designation of the shop, dining room, laundry, infirmary. They are also were thinking about the places of entertainment, and one day was appeared the signboard with an images of a beautiful Japanese women. I understood the value of what is happening when the ship with geishas on board was approached to the island. Their faces were thoroughly covered with white blusher, with scatter of the dark eyebrows and bright spot of the lips. They were all dressed in traditional costume - kimono with a wide belt and a pillow on their backs. Through the settlement, mostly with male population, have swept a wave of joyful news. But this event awaited a short life. Soviet representatives in the village appreciated the action of the Japanese, as undermining the moral foundations of the villagers and after a while Japanese women on the island was gone.

Despite all the efforts of Japanese to equip the way of life, to create the infrastructure on the island, they were not good stewards. The Japanese were understood the brevity of their presence in the northern part of the island and tried quickly to exhaust it's resources. It was hard to realize this! On the north of Sakhalin were frequent winds, in summer was dominated rains and fog,and the winter monsoons were the cause of the severe snowy winter. More than a year, I could not withstand such spartan living conditions. I interrupted the contract, swam across the Tatar Strait, but now as a passenger of ferry, moved to long-distance trains and was gone.

The news of the invasion of Nazi Germany to the USSR met me in Tbilisi. In the early days of the war, I was summoned to the military commissariat and, as the person, which passed his military service, was directed with the rank of senior sergeant in the disposal of the garrison of the Transcaucasian Military District. In August 1941, the Soviet government decided to send troops into the territory of Iran. The purpose of this operation was to protect Iranian oil fields from possible seizure of German troops, as well as support the transport corridor through which were carried humanitarian supplies for the Union by the Allies. In that period Germany’s influence in Iran was very significant because it has been involved in the modernization of Iran’s economy and infrastructure, the reform of the Shah’s army. It was a joint Anglo-Soviet operation codenamed “Empathy”. Soviet troops entered in Tehran, located on the southern slope of the ridge Elbrus from the northern part of the city. I have been authorized to be the liaison man between the Soviet and British military missions. Thus were begun my military adventures!