the Inhabitant of Naberezhnye Chelny Manfred Mansurov father was named after German who in the winter of 1945 in königsberg (now Kaliningrad), during the bombing, pulled him from the wreckage of the building, brought the arms to a Soviet hospital and transferred to doctors.
Doctors managed to save heavily shell-shocked guy. War 22-year-old Muhametshin Mansurov ended in Berlin, at the ruins of the Reichstag.
His Savior turned out to be Manfred von Werner, who himself received a severe wound at Stalingrad, was the reserve and he returned to his native Konigsberg.
In 1963, 18 years after the Victory, they met in Moscow.
what then, said the former soldier-the driver and a former Lieutenant Colonel-staff officer of the German army, as well as the history of his family and how others reacted to his unusual name — on the eve of remembrance Day, celebrated on 22 June, Manfred Mansurov told “MK”.
Led “ZIS-5” — “three-ton”
the 18-year-old Muhametzjanov mansurovo in 1942 gave the reservation: the guy worked at a gunpowder factory in Kazan. But they with the friend rushed to the front, so I decided to leave the factory.
— he Returned to his village and just one day stay home, says Manfred Mansurov. — Immediately came the representative of the recruiting office, announced from the threshold: “did Not want to work in the defense industry — so both fall under the call”. Gave dad five minutes to pack. And all he has to do it. Father and his friend didn’t want to sit in the rear, thought should be at the forefront.
From the recruiting office in Kazan they were sent to the city of Gorky (now — Nizhny Novgorod). Muhametshin Mansurov hit radicicola, which was prepared by military radio operators.
In 1942 began the military life of his father. Had with parts and advance, and to retreat. He admitted that he was not interested to sit to knock the Morse code, take the message… He wanted to be where fighting is going on. So he transferred to another part, was the driver. Drove “ZIS-5” — “three-ton”. And then carried the regimental radio station, which was based on the American automobile “Studebaker”. In the crew, he was the youngest fighter.
the Move accounted for under the bombing, artillery, mortar fire, under machine-gun fire. Was often on rough roads, often to blackout, in the dark, or broken during the shelling of headlights. As recalled Muhametshin Mansurov, there was smoke, fumes, on the sides — burnt-out cars, battered tanks… it Happened that mines were exploded under the wheels. The scene often saved the lives of drivers: to the bottom of the American car was attached armored plate thickness of 5 millimeters.
the Father recalled fights near Bobruisk, the attack on Zhitomir. Then him had to release Lodz, Warsaw, Poznan, Kustrin.
In the roads the cars were stuck in the mud. The drivers always risked to descend on the enemy tanks had broken through. And on a pontoon bridge, which swayed in the water — up and down, from side to side, they had to go, like a circus tightrope.
Once father with a partner charged to bring to the front the shells. When they are on the “traitance” broke through to the artillery positions came under bombardment. Miraculously they arrived to the woods — and it turned out that the engine failed. Two of them literally on his knees took it apart on the crankshaft were required to install special babbit bearing, which was destroyed. But where it was taken? Then they are from a soldier’s waist belt cut strips of the required size, smeared them with grease, installed them in the engine instead of sliding bearings, pulled and such “liners” made it to position. Shells were delivered on time on battery.
in the Winter of 1945 Muhametshina Mansurov sent on a mission to Konigsberg.
— During the bombing of their crew was filled with broken bricks and rubble. My father told me that I woke up in the hospital, watching the medical room, began to ask: how did it get here? Told him that his hands brought to the German hospital. The logbook was given his name: Manfred von Werner. Medics he managed to tell that he was in the “pot” at Stalingrad, was seriously injured reserve and returned to his home in Konigsberg.
After the serious injury of the driver of Muhametshina Mansurov appeared first gray hair.
the Father then argued that he was unconscious, and the German, seeing the young soldier could just kill him with a brick. And no one would know about it. But he dug up, raised, picked up, carried, passed to the hospital. Father that day considered his second birthday. In a hospital bed, then he made a promise to myself: if he ever has a son call him Manfred.
the Doctors took Muhametshina Mansurov, put him on his feet. He returned to his unit, continued to fight.
In Berlin, the father appeared two days after the capture of the city. We have long treasured a photo where he was depicted with colleagues around Brandenburg gate. But then, apparently, one of the grandsons took the picture to school, and he was lost.
“They met in 1963 as a family”
After the war of Muhametshina Mansurov another two years left to serve in Germany.
— Father was the assistant commandant of the small German town near Berlin. They protected and provided with all necessary located there milk production. Milk needed including the Soviet army. Father was in one person and the assistant commandant and the driver, and supplier. Provided cows to feed, were brought to the farm milkmaids, controlled the dairy enterprise.
In 1947, he returned to his native village of New Alimovo Aktanysh region. He worked on the farm driver — for edinstvennom car, which he collected. After three years married. And when, in 1951, the family had a son, named him Manfred. Many of the name have been unusual, the Tatars of children so no one called.
the Father then again asked me: “Son, you’re not mad at me, I gave you that name?” I said, “Dad, I already so have got used to its name that another option is not even present”. All the people have become accustomed to my rare name.
Muhametshin Mansurov, the stories of his son Manfred, all my life I subscribed to the newspaper “Pravda” and the magazine “Ogonek”. Once it appeared in the magazine article about the youngest commander of the 3rd Belorussian front Ivan Chernyakhovsky. General of the army died under strange circumstances. In February 1945 he was checking the readiness located in the rear parts, when the part of the liberated town of Mehlsack in East Prussia, which was quite far from the front lines, came a single artillery shell and exploded near the plate, where the front commander. A fragment struck the body of the rear — Ivan Chernyakhovsky was seriously injured: a fragment hit him in the left upper back. Soon the General died. The editor of the magazine asked to respond witnesses of those events.
the Father found out what happened on the road, from his friend, who was close to this place. Wrote a letter about it and sent a message to the magazine “Ogonek”. He said the war correspondent. They began a correspondence. In one of his letters, my father told me the story of his survival in Konigsberg and asked the journalist to find the Manfred von Werner.
In 1963 the meeting was held. A former German officer came to Moscow.
— my Father recalled that they met as a family. Sat down, drank well, talked. Dad, being the assistant commandant of the German town, learned to speak and understand German. Manfred, too, could speak some Russian, since he lived in Kaliningrad. He never ceased to wonder how he could survive then, “cauldron of death” at Stalingrad.
Manfred von Werner recalled that the devotees of Hitler, they found themselves in a deadly trap. It was 45 degrees below zero, thousands of Germans froze to death in summer clothes, many had frostbitten feet. Ran out of fuel, ammo, food. They’re taking fire from all sides — all guns, antiaircraft guns, “Katyusha”, guns. To survive, they ate the rotten meat of dead horses. Wounded in the cellars there was no one to nurse — they were screaming as long as not bleeding. A German officer said that in the hell of Stalingrad learned the true facetestskey dictatorship.
— Manfred was a staff employee. The “pot” you could leave by air only seriously wounded. All the rest were doomed to death. Then he become even stronger to believe in God because to stay alive there was impossible. The Manfred was very seriously injured, he was the reserve no longer subject to appeal. When my father in the winter of 1945 was filled with brick rubble in the bombing, Manfred happened to be there. Hearing the groans of his father, dug it and took it to the hospital.
When in 1963 they met with Muhametshina Mansurov, Manfred still lived in Kaliningrad. But said he wants to move into Germany, where he had relatives. His friend, the Tartar, he said he has two children, a pension is such that there is no need to work.
Muhametshina Mensurabilis was its fate. When in their village, opened a 8-year school, he went back to work. Was in one person and caretaker, and driver and physical education teacher.
— my father kept a radio school. For the village it was something innovative! He taught the kids how to assemble receivers in ordinary compact cameras, it was found necessary radio, bought with his own money chips and transistors.
Relationship with Manfred von Werner, meanwhile, was interrupted.
— When father returned from that memorable meeting from Moscow, the “authorities,” it is strictly warned that no more contact. Said, if there is another attempt to contact the former Lieutenant Colonel of the German army, the father will end badly, it is “closed”.
“I Passed your premium gun”
Family Mansurov has a reputation in the district heroic. From the war with orders and medals returned and Muhametshin Mansurov and his father Mansur.
I remember when I was 12-year old boy, to visit us came General fatyh Garipovich Bulatov. He was looking for my grandfather-gunner, with whom they fought together. Was already late autumn, the roads are dirt. To General every time entering the house, always wore boots, the father ran to the store and bought him the boots. They can be worn directly on the boots, and the porch, at the entrance to the house, quickly throw.
Manfred remembers that a meeting was held with students where the General was telling an amazing story.
— Their division headquarters during the war were surrounded, to fight with the Germans had in melee. Our grandfather, the stories of Fatiha of Garipovich was so healthy and nimble, I could kill ten Germans. Someone got shot, someone was stabbed with a bayonet, someone butt nailed. And then pulled himself from the environment of the wounded Bulatov, who was then still a Colonel, and another officer. Grandfather was presented with the award, but was soon wounded came to the hospital, and the paperwork for the award was lost somewhere…
At the front of Muhametzjanov mansurovo with his father to interfere was not suede��O. Although one part of them was less than a hundred kilometers from each other.
— Father after a serious injury and was treated at the hospital. Until 1947 he served in Germany. Then I left, returned to the village. He had multiple comminuted injuries. The pieces continue to come out. To restore health, he could not and soon died.
Victory Day, may 9, veterans to wear awards. And Muhametshin Mansurov not pinned to the suit nor the order of Glory, nor medals: “For bravery”, “For capture of Koenigsberg”, “For the capture of Warsaw”, “For capture of Berlin”.
— why Father didn’t love to wear them, said briefly: “do Not! Don’t want to!” Sometimes, we pinned medals on the shirt, and we kids were not realizing what we’re doing, running these awards along the street. He also was a premium gun. I this weapon was first seen when we came home to visit his father’s brother -. So there are no problems, then my father passed this gun. Especially as the family grew to three sons — me and my brothers. But then my father laughed, saying, pass-passed, but almost immediately received a service weapon is the Browning. The father at one time worked as a courier of military communication line, delivered secret documents…
Then his son Manfred was in Moscow, I saw about ENEA booth, which produced a service ribbon — fit for wearing insignia (medal) ribbon. And, as if on purpose, he was the list of award-winning father. He ordered, and he produced a badge insignia bar, which his father Muhametshin Mansurov began to wear on the jacket for the holidays.
“All my life I remember the words of the father: “forbid to distort and modify your name”
it tells of Manfred, his father was the silent type. About his heroic way of fighting in the war did not like to talk, said, “what’s there to remember — one of the devastation, the mud, the blood, the death of people on both sides…”
When I went into the army and asked his father to give me farewell, he said briefly: “Life teaches”. And really — life has taught. I came across a wonderful commanders are honest and decent officers.
All quickly got used to the unusual name of Manfred. The first time someone tried to call him Misha, but he was forbidden to do it.
the rest of my life I remember the words of the father: “forbid to distort and change your name.” I never reproached German name, including the kids in the school.
All say punktualnost, accuracy and responsibility Mandriva. It is quite possible that the German name played a role here.
military service it was held in air defense forces in Karelia. The foreman, seeing how Manfred’s a hard worker, advised him: “don’t look at those who are lazy and are content with mastering one specialty. When I have free time, study something else.”
— First, I have mastered the specialspine plancheite is one who observes and maintains aerial target on the tablet. Then he studied all the wisdom of kodirovich. There was a regiment of fighter aircraft — I watched the guys from airplanes, and then he became a specialist in aircraft armament. Loaded the guns, the machine guns on fighter aircraft were hung under the wings of the rocket. It was a pretty demanding job.
After three months of service after school Manfred was elected Secretary of the Komsomol organization of the company. And the company was special, maintained the command post of the division. Sergeant Mansurov so well organized Komsomol work and made Lenin’s room that after a visit by inspectors from the headquarters, he was transferred to the political Department of the division — instructor of the Komsomol. When you build, it said: “For the good of the service”.
the division Commander, hero of the Soviet Union, major General aviation Peter Som so fond of hardworking and responsible Manfred Mansurov, otherwise as “my favorite Tartar” did not call.
— Then I worked as a Department Manager in the Komsomol in Petrozavodsk. When the whole country “buzzed” KAMAZ made the transfer home. Worked in the Komsomol Committee of the Kama automobile plant, which was the largest of the Komsomol organization in the country. Then the party Committee of KAMAZ. Engaged in trade Union work.
Active Manfred Mansurov only six months ago he retired. Prior to that, he worked as chief engineer on operation of buildings and commercial properties. But now sitting on the ground. As Chairman of the Public Council under the Ministry of internal Affairs on the city of Naberezhnye Chelny, takes care of the rear veterans and prisoners of concentration camps. At Manfred a happy family: four children, eight grandchildren.
His father Muhametshina Mansurov died in 1996.
years Later, Manfred attempted to find relatives of Manfred von Werner.
— Contacted the German Consulate in Kaliningrad. They recorded all the data. Said that if they didn’t find anything — I will answer from the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Moscow. But the answer has not yet come.
apparently, Manfred von Werner changed his place of residence more than once. But Manfred Mansurov hoped that after the article, perhaps his descendants will respond.
I was looking for those who has the same name as me. Responses came from 42 people from all over the world — not only from Germany but also from Italy, Poland, Austria, Kazakhstan. Surprisingly, and in Kazan lives a young man Manfred Nigmatulin. I tried to ask him why his parents so named. It turned out that they just liked it rare, sonorous, beautiful name. And only then they found out that it means “free man.”
