Page 11 - Excerpts from the diary

with honey and boiled water. To sleep put us on a bed wooden. It was warm and pleasant. Insects did not torment
me because I removed everything from myself: both jersey, and overcoat, and soldier's blouse. But now they are
again heard from.
Got up early in the morning, have a snack on pies with [...] ([...] the hostess) and honey treated. [...] black some,
with specific taste of pepper. The hostess told about Germans. They lived here, as well as in the previous villages
that I passed. Five Germans. Old men and old women were given bread free of charge. The youth was forced to
work. Inhabitants were not killed though that wanted, took away from them. But it seldom happened. Romanians,
those plundered. Especially the Roma who a lot of are available stole from them. There were they at the hostess
once. Came, pulled out the lock it (was cold). But nothing in a hut was touched. Flooded with the being available
cut firewood and went to bed. Owners found them sleeping.
For each killed German killed inhabitants at once right and wrong. So here also did not think of guerrillas. To
one [...] to the intelligence agent [...]. Group of people [...] in a leg. Germans reduced all next settlement to ashes,
[...], still warned inhabitants to leave it, and that all would die. Jews of all were taken out: shot even one year old
children.
Was on a market in the morning. Two women sold eggs 50 rubles of tens. Expensively (in «Red Kuta», however,
100 rubles of tens).
Went on lodge. Nobody wanted to sell some milk and eggs. Only one woman volunteered to sell milk. I offered
her soap, gram 50. She agreed. Baked bread offered foot cloths in exchange for one loaf. She gave also donuts to
milk. Too told about Germans. She is the communist's wife. She was called for questionings, dragged on
commandant's offices. It is more Russians. Them was much here, the Ukrainian and Cossack regiments.
Also, the general Krasnov passed. Germans thought with his help to organize, here the former
Cossack kulaks did not leave. At the sister [...] the former colonel, three times the order bearer, the communist
who gave up to Germans in the captivity and which was at them in service. Now he directed a regiment of the
Russian traitors who came over to the side of the enemy. He wore medals in a pocket. He openly showed them to
both women. Germans of his merits did not take away. He always proved to this wife of the communist political
leader of the Red Army and its sister that Russians will not come here that will be won by Germans and other.
Women argued with him, proving him the return.
Jews and here destroyed all without exception. Communists were registered and shot only the most responsible.
The others were not in time. Shot also one pioneer leader and two Komsomol members. Wives of communists
worked without rest for invaders, but received only 200 grams of bread and, according to this citizen, locals
sympathize with Germans. And, when those occupied their territory, began to give Jews, communists and just a
friend of the friend to the enemy. The praepostor left with Hitlerites, having been frightened of punishment. Long
I asked the local woman on Germans, on the atrocities caused by them on our earth.
Bread baked. With great pleasure I tasted homemade, hot country bread.
The beep of the engine interrupted my talk. Having hidden bread, having thanked the hostess and having said
goodbye to her, I hurried on the train which already stood at the pumping station. The engine was going to get
drunk waters.
When the train started, before my look the extensive fields of rural steppes covered entirely with the beaten tanks,
guns, cars and other scrap of the terrible enemy equipment thrown by him at retreat rushed again.
Soon the Proletarian station seemed. Against the background of infinite yellowishgray fields it was allocated with
the big, once beautiful buildings far ahead. Approaching this station, we saw even more terrible traces of
devastating destruction here, than in before the passed points. From the station and from all constructions
adjoining to it there was a terrible trace of fragments. In the village on streets gaped the enormous size of a funnel
from bombs weighing not less than a ton. All this painfully squeezed heart disappointment and impetuous anger
on disgusting and brutish people Hitlerites, responsible for all these troubles and sufferings of our people of my
Homeland.
Here the train stopped. Which, day two echelons which left Zimovnikov before us stood. So for fast sending
to Salsk there was nothing to hope. The commandant told me that one of trains will leave in two hours. I believed
and hurried in sat down to buy something to eat.
Did not get some eggs. In one place it happened to encounter sour milk on 50 rubles for liter. I agreed and took
halfliter for 25 rubles. Ate. The hostess poured a halfliter more, sweet. Gorged on very much. The stomach was