Battle for Berlin

Special report war correspondent, and Mark Ivanihina, participant of the battle for Berlin
In the editorial office came little known, but some are likely and unpublished photographs taken in Berlin in April and early May 1945 a Soviet war correspondent. The names of authors we are not yet known. Next, we are lucky. The editors found a man whose (presumably!) Katyusha(Gun) fought in Berlin. Ivanihin Mark Pavlovich arrived at the office and several hours of review and comment on the unique photos. Comrade Colonel said: "I like it again." And then, taking a snapshot Katyushas, said: "My! .. My regiment! "

Editorial office was shocked by this reliable identification of exactly 65 years.

It happened!

You are reading unique special report war correspondent, and Mark Ivanihina.

Mark Ivanihin:
- ... This is the infantry, where I am, of course, I can not say. You see, the infantry was in the windings. Even in the 45s. But the artillery was in boots. To mortar were given boots made of leather, the rest - kirzachi(rubber boots).



Mark Ivanihin:
- Remembered. This machine 79-th Guards Mortar Regiment. You see - the letter "G" and the Guards sign? .. Where to shoot, do not know. For example, I shot at Angalskomu station, on the Reich Chancellery, the Reichstag, buildings. It is exactly 79-th Regiment, with absolute accuracy. Whose machines, I can not say (we have six in a regiment). Maybe mine, but I'm afraid to say because I do not remember the numbers of their machines.

Mark Ivanihin:
- This is the Reichstag. I signed on a column on the right: "I come to you in Berlin from Moscow, so you do not come to us in Moscow with the war. Mark Ivanihin, Guard Captain." Scratched by a shell fragment.
I fired at the Reichstag, though not direct fire. Probably, and my hole there is, and maybe not, I do not know.

Mark Ivanihin:
- This self-propelled gun. Record yourself and know: the tanks were without a muzzle brake, and a self-propelled guns (see, on the trunk?) - Muzzle brake.

Mark Ivanihin:
- This is a suburb of Berlin. The Germans in these fortified houses strongly defended. As soon as our infantry approached, they opened heavy fire. With our advance units were 122-millimeter howitzers, 57 - and 76-millimeter cannon. Well, they shoot, make a hole into the wall, and that's all. And then we drove Katyusha for direct fire, on 70 meters. And in order to reduce the guides - they were high - we drove along two railway sleepers. Threw these sleepers on the ground, "Studebaker" hit them back wheels, and the guides became horizontal. We slapped on strengthening buildings - 16 shells from a difference in a few seconds ... nothing from this house left. A middle-aged woman, as I understand, going back from the shelter to her destroyed home.

Mark Ivanihin:
- Unfortunately, our soldiers confiscated bicycles, I can tell you with absolute precision - were taken bikes to ride. He was deaf from the village, who had never seen a bicycle, and he has never had a bicycle, and suddenly he saw a bicycle. There is nothing to hide, it was, took away bikes, ride a little and leave, because if the infantry, then somewhere else will move, and if it is not infantry, artillery of the train, for example, ride a little, and leave... It's taking away from the German girl bike . Unfortunately, this was absolutely certain ...
But the main thing. Pay attention!
Men do not defending a girl. You see these young faces - they have simply changed their clothes. Time to change into civilian. This is not the local soldiers, officers, they had been dressed in civilian. Why? Because they fought, shot, all of them were taken to the army, even old people and children were taken. This I tell you exactly about these men, silent and dressed in civilian...

Mark Ivanihin:
- I was here, this is the entrance to the Reich Chancellery. I was coming down, but not far, it was disgusting - there are many dead bodies lay. Here, as you go - on the right, the bodies of Goebbels, his wife Magda and their children. Their parents had been poisoned. The corpse of Hitler, too, saw him lying on, in 50 meters, he and Eva Braun, charred near the dog.
In the hallway on the left and right - the classrooms. They had a lot of German officers suicidal. They mass shooting. Also - a lot of broken bottles of vodka and wine. I've seen it all.
It shall be the commander of the defense of Berlin, General Weidling.
He left the command bunker ...

- ... And the right of exit from the hopper, I saw the lie in the range of six children of Goebbels and his wife, just a few meters.

Mark Ivanihin:
- That our officers went to the police station. They wore uniforms of the units in which served.
In our regiment had three special person. They have been with us from Stalingrad to Berlin, so we were on very good terms. But here was a case of the Kursk Bulge. My sergeant Donchenko cleaning machine gun and accidentally shot himself through the shoulder. Arrives NKVD Pekanin, said: "Mark, write a report: Donchenko shoot for a crossbow". I said: "Donchenko passed to me from Stalingrad to Kursk Bulge. I'm not writing this report". What happened, an accident. Then the regimental commander was calling me: "Write a report. Donchenko shoot down the line." I said: "You will not shoot, because I am not going to write a report." And Donchenko fight to the end, after the war he had 4 sons were born.

And still: you know our PCA, they have a very lousy fuses. The commander of the Liaison Office Meshin jumped from the machine gun on his shoulder, barrel down, flew off the fuse, and the bullets hit Meshinu in the leg.
Specials me again: "Shoot for the crossbow." I didn't. And he also fight to the end, and also his children were born then.

My God, how could I give their soldiers, which came under so many gunfire and bombs?
Why do they let me be so stubbornness, I do not know. But a couple of orders I still didn't receive. I got four, but could have all eight. But I thank God, I know that innocent people do not give a shot. And drank champagne with them in Berlin.

Well then, another lyrical digression. 1 May fighting in the city almost came to naught, and we decided to celebrate this affair. On the first floor escaped the house. Apparently, there lived a very rich German - silver ware, crystal ... and a huge table. We had an carcass of a bull, a few pigs, canned food, vodka, and even champagne and wine - in the basement. I said: "All get washed and change" (we're still in winter uniforms were). A sergeant - he was before the war worked as a cook in a restaurant - I order to prepare a festive dinner. Table was set for all 60 people. And then a messenger from the commander of the regiment: Ivanihina -come to an officer's party. "No, - I said. - I went with the soldiers from Stalingrad to Berlin and I will celebrate with them. "
One of my fighter, Bistrov, very well played on the accordion, accordion thrown a lot ... In general, we had great evening ... I've had soldiers from Siberia, who first saw the train when they took him to the front, but here is ... And - champagne ... And from this crystal, it rings...

Mark Ivanihin:
- And this, of course, the Brandenburg Gate. I think that this car - an "Opel Zekes", the sixth. I, as the division commander, had this car as well, but after the war.

... I'll have a story to tell. Probably, April 28-29, the soldiers resorted to me and said: "Comrade Captain, we have found such a funky car, take a look." I went to look. It is shed in the barn car. Four chaise, trimmed in red leather, very long hood, twelve-engine, on the right three fanfares of silver, on left three silver trumpets ... The machine is on the stocks. I said: "Look for the wheels. We found the wheels, put them on, filled the gas. Well, how I could not take a ride on this machine? I am 22 years old, I'm the captain. I drive round, I thought: "Not according to rank."
I called the commander of the regiment: "Comrade Colonel, is such nice machine." He says: "Let it stay, I will send some one. Came Major Makovsky, took the car, and he drove somewhere. And the trail was lost.
After the war, I saw a German newsreel, where Hitler rode on that machine, called the "Stern".
And I caught "Horch" yellow, I drive it one day. The commander of the regiment saw it and said: "Mark, you ride on the" Horch", and I, the regiment, riding some "Studebaker". And he took my "Horch". But the also does not drive it more than a day, artillery commander took the car. But he had no luck ether: "Horch" went to the commander of artillery troops. And then - I do not know...

Mark Ivanihin:
- This German refugees returning home. You see, crawl out of hiding in the cellars, they were told for sure that somewhere there is a kitchen, breakfast. Our soldiers are compassionate ...

Digress lyrical. I fought the war on Katyushas, and behind them were hunted by German planes. For example, I changed five times the material part - it broke. And the my soldier once said: "When we will get to Germany, the first house, where lives pilot, will burn and all shot down." And so we enter into one of the towns, the soldiers asked the German women: "Where is the house of the pilot?" They show - here. The soldiers went there, in the house of Frau was four small children. Of course,we did Nothing, just breathe out our anger.

Mark Ivanihin:
- And that Berliners get our soup. Women, children. Well, men too ...

Now let me make lyrical digression. Once come to me the boy soldiers in uniform - German, called Peter. He had been forced to fight, it's understandable, but the war is over. I said: "Go to the kitchen, peeling potatoes." It is in our location for some time he stayed, then he dressed in civilian and released. I gave him paper written in Russian that he worked for us.

Mark Ivanihin:
- Girls. This is probably twenty years, and I was then 22 years. Of course, we looked at them with great respect .... They are very cool: white flag - you can go, red - stop. When firing, they ran for cover, then returned.