Valor Russian defenders of the Fatherland in the memories of the German invaders

• Valor Russian defenders of the Fatherland in the memories of the German invaders

Today, on the Day of Defender of the Fatherland, the entire country congratulates men - heirs of immortal glory of Russian soldiers and officers, who at all times were reputed to be brave and fearless warriors. "Do not fight with the Russian" - wrote Bismarck and never did. However, his followers, the German rulers were not so discerning. Getting to know the heroism of Russian arms during the world wars, the Germans do it justice in journals, monographs and memoirs.

World

After Mazury battle of 1915, in which the soldiers of the 20th Corps of the Russian Army, having shot all the ammunition went into the bayonet attack on German machine guns, military correspondent Brandt wrote:

Trying to break was complete madness, but holy madness - heroism, which showed a Russian soldier as we know it since the Skobelev storming of Plevna, battles in the Caucasus and the storming of Warsaw! Russian soldiers can fight very well, he suffers any hardship and able to be persistent, even if it inevitably faces certain death at the same time!

The German military historian General von Pozek in "German cavalry in Lithuania and Courland" praised the Russian cavalry:

Russian cavalry was a worthy opponent. Personnel were great ... Russian cavalry never shied away from a fight on horseback and on foot. Russian often went on the attack on our machine guns and artillery, even when their attack was doomed to defeat. They did not pay any attention to the strength of our fire, nor to their loss.

Blog officer of the Austro-Hungarian army, Dietrich von Chodkiewicz contains all the rave reviews about the enemy:

Russian - the enemy thrust, valiant and extremely dangerous ... Russian infantryman undemanding, hardy and usually with good command of highly resistant. At the onset of the Russian infantry is extremely insensitive to losses. Under attack Dzivulkami Siberian marksmen made a lasting impression on me. While they keep under our fire, I would like to applaud them, "Bravo, gentlemen!"

The Second World

German Field Marshal Ludwig von Kleist believed that the initial success of the German army are entirely attributable to better prepare for war:

Russian at the outset proved to be first-class warriors, and our success in the first months of the war had happened only because of better preparation. Having gained combat experience, first-class Russian steel soldiers. They fought with extraordinary tenacity, had amazing stamina.

General Günther Blumentritt, Chief of Staff of the 4th Army:

Russian soldiers prefers melee. His ability, without flinching, to bear deprivation causes a true surprise. This is the Russian soldiers, whom we know and to which imbued with respect for another quarter of a century ago.

This is an excerpt from the memoirs of Günther Blumentritt, written a few years after Germany's surrender:

The behavior of Russian troops in the defeat even in the first battle was in striking contrast to the behavior of the Poles and the Western Allies. Even surrounded by Russian continued heavy fighting. They are always trying to break ... Our Russian environment rarely successful.

Memories infantryman from the book by Robert Kershaw "in 1941 through the eyes of the Germans":

During the attack, we came across a Russian light tank T-26, and then it clicked from the 37-graph paper. When we began to approach, the hatch tower leaned to the waist Russian and opened for us the fire with a pistol. It soon became clear that he had no legs, their torn him when the tank was hit. And, despite this, he fired at us from the gun!

And another quote, not about courage, and about the nature of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Mysterious Russian soul struggled to comprehend the soldiers taken prisoner:

Most often helplessly ask yourself: why are not telling the truth? This could be explained by the fact that Russian is very difficult to say "no." Russian all means avoids the need to deny any request. Anyway, when he stir sympathy, and that it happens quite often. Discourage needy person seems unjust to him, in order to avoid this, he is ready for any lie. And where there is no sympathy lies is, at least, a convenient means to rid itself of annoying requests.