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!