Frankly from the point of view of most Russians, it was not a bad life under the Germans during the Second World War. Most German soldiers were very disciplined and not women-ravishing monsters like the Soviet soldiers who occupied Berlin at the end of the war. Russians could freely practice their religion. Most hated Stalin and communism.
But it is not wise to say these things nowadays. In the West because the army of Nazi Germany has been branded as a bunch of devils. In Russia too every home has lost a member in the war and saying nice things about Wehrmacht during WW2 would not be wise.
But there is another side to the coin. The mentality of the German leaders their attitude towards the Russians. Hitler labeled them as sub-human (untermenschen). Himmler said that he would have no pity even if a Russian woman died after working like a slave for German cause. According to Erich Koch, Reich Commissar of occupied Ukraine the 'lowliest German worker was a thousand times more valuable' than the entire population of the Ukraine.
In German occupied areas of Russia the people died of starvation. There was little food to go around. The people took to eating dogs, crows.. anything they could lay their hands on. In Kharkov 1,00,000 people died of starvation under German rule.
Yet the hardy Russian people survived. Inna Gavrilchenko, A Russian woman, worked in a slaughterhouse in Kharkov. She used to smuggle out blood from there and ate 'blood omelettes'.
Russians throwing stones at a statue of Lenin in occupied Russia.
German soldiers watch as a Russian religious procession passes.
This Russian village had no use for this Soviet emblem.
This Wehrmacht soldier tends a Russian baby.
Russian women wave as German soldiers pass
Ordinary people everywhere are the same. They do not hate people of other nations. It is the leaders' who create discords.
This woman seems smitten by the handsome German officer.
But it is not wise to say these things nowadays. In the West because the army of Nazi Germany has been branded as a bunch of devils. In Russia too every home has lost a member in the war and saying nice things about Wehrmacht during WW2 would not be wise.
But there is another side to the coin. The mentality of the German leaders their attitude towards the Russians. Hitler labeled them as sub-human (untermenschen). Himmler said that he would have no pity even if a Russian woman died after working like a slave for German cause. According to Erich Koch, Reich Commissar of occupied Ukraine the 'lowliest German worker was a thousand times more valuable' than the entire population of the Ukraine.
In German occupied areas of Russia the people died of starvation. There was little food to go around. The people took to eating dogs, crows.. anything they could lay their hands on. In Kharkov 1,00,000 people died of starvation under German rule.
Yet the hardy Russian people survived. Inna Gavrilchenko, A Russian woman, worked in a slaughterhouse in Kharkov. She used to smuggle out blood from there and ate 'blood omelettes'.
Russians throwing stones at a statue of Lenin in occupied Russia.German soldiers watch as a Russian religious procession passes.This Russian village had no use for this Soviet emblem.This Wehrmacht soldier tends a Russian baby.Russian women wave as German soldiers passOrdinary people everywhere are the same. They do not hate people of other nations. It is the leaders' who create discords.
This woman seems smitten by the handsome German officer.
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