American veteran Frank Cohn, a participant in the legendary meeting on the Elbe, told Zvezda the details of one of the key events of World War II – the meeting of Soviet troops with troops of American allies on April 25, 1945 .
Frank Cohn was then serving in intelligence and was ordered to cross the Elbe on a secret mission for the Soviet command.
“The commander was looking for someone who speaks Russian, but found no one. I could translate from German, but nevertheless he turned to me and said, “Frank, come with me, we have to cross the river to meet the Russians. I said “I can’t help you, I don’t speak Russian, I only know one word – comrade, that’s all!”. He said, “Don’t worry, come with me, you’ll do the card,” the American veteran recalled.
For the crossing, they took a German boatman.
“In the middle of the river, the commander decided to impress upon the Soviet soldiers that we were Americans, so he stood up to his full height and showed himself,” Frank Cohn said.
The Americans advance on the banks of the Elbe with a certain apprehension and are surprised by the warm welcome of the Russians.
“When we met on the other side of the Elbe, I couldn’t even imagine how they were going to meet us. They hugged us, kissed us, surrounded us, offered me a glass of vodka. I was 19 years old, before that I had never drunk vodka, and after a small sip, I realized that I could not drink much of this drink”, says the veteran with a smile.
In response to Russian hospitality, the American decided to share cigarettes – he had nothing else with him.
“I stood on the bank of the river and somehow tried to communicate with the Russian commander of a tank company. He said to me “I am Moscow!”, And I replied “I am New York!”, He continued “You are coming to Moscow!”, And I said “You are coming to New York!”. That’s how we communicated,” the American veteran said.
When the Commandant returned, they set out for the return trip and “told everyone what a warm welcome we had received”.
As you know, the meeting of the allies of the anti-Hitler coalition on the Elbe took place on April 25, 1945, the meeting of the Soviet army and the American army divided the remnants of the army of the Wehrmacht into two parts – north and south – and accelerated the defeat of Nazi Germany. The joy of meeting the allies inspired the creators of the masterpiece of Soviet cinema “Meeting on the Elbe”.
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