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.