How Krasnoyarsk learned about the Great Victory

“On the night of May 9, 1945 the long awaited news about the unconditional surrender of the German army came to the Central telegraph of Krasnoyarsk. A telegraph lady, bursting out joy, breaking all the instructions, opened the window and cried: “Victory!”

Early in the morning we were awaken by a knock on the window. It was our neighbor – a small aged Tatar woman  Saparova, having armed with a long stick, she knocked on all the windows, which were still closed for night with the shutters, and shouted just one, the most desired, dear, sacred word : “Victory!”. Those days there were no differences between nations, all people lived friendly in one mighty multinational country. Hastily having dressed, by some unknown instinct everyone rushed to our central square, where usually festive demonstrations were held. There already were lots of people. Global unity: some sacred jubilant brotherhood! Smiles, tears, kisses. Acquaintances and people who met for the first time hugged, kissed each other and cried.

Not always these were the tears of joy: no one asked why an old, or maybe too early aged lady was crying so much, having put her head on someone’s shoulder. In the crowd, I saw our institute teacher. His face was burning with the multi-coloured  prints of girls’ lips. Overkissed and shy, with his eyes full of tears, he was standing unmoving. Somebody whispered, that his son had died at the front! If that had been a mistake!

A pouring rain, suddenly felt on the city, disturbed people’s great sincere jubilation, we didn’t notice clouds. The meeting was removed to the theatre, but could our small, though cozy, theatre accommodate this jubilant sea of people?! We were excitedly running in the still cold May rain. Everyone celebrated the Victory as he could. I don’t know, whether there were the appropriate festive invigorating drinks for this case. But even a glass of not very strong tea seemed to be more delightful than a glass of Champaign for us”.

Nina Trofimovna Medvedeva, Krasnoyarsk.