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Электронное приложение к журналу «
Международная жизнь
»
Author : D. Safonov
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
UNDER AGREEMENT between the great
powers, victors in World War II - the USSR, USA,
Britain and France, - the entire territory of de-
feated Germany was to come under their control
regardless of whose forces liberated which part
of Germany from the Nazis. The Soviet forces
that occupied the greater part of Germany were
to hand over a considerable portion of that terri-
tory to their allies.
With this in mind, the leadership of the Soviet
Union decided to send to Germany, right after the end of the war, a special team to scout the
territories that were to be handed over, for possible useful technological innovations the Germans
had always been good at.
All members of the team were given military ranks in order not to look out of place in Germany,
which was yet to cool down after the heat of war, and in order that not only Germans but our
own military personnel reckoned with our opinions.
The team was split into two groups: the one I was placed in was to scout in Berlin which also
was to be divided up between the victorious allies. The second group was to supervise the "comb-
ing" of industrial and research facilities in the other areas slated for handing over to Western
allies. Already working there were special military units which sought our advice and recommen-
dations.
Right after the end of the war, the leadership of the Soviet Union decided to send to Germany
a special team to scout the territories that were to be handed over, for possible useful techno-
logical innovations.
During our inspection tours around factories and organizations, we roamed about every corner
and basement looking with interest at places where Berlin residents must have sheltered them-
selves against bombing raids and artillery shelling. We picked up things left lying around in the
hope to find clues to what their former owners experienced during those agonizing days and
hours. For some reason, we did not give much thought to chances of getting blown up in the
process. We did not think either of chancing in those basements on a fanatic who thought the
war was not over. Some unfamiliar fancy objects could also pose mortal danger.
Returning to Moscow all of us "civilians-turned-officers" returned our side arms to appropriate
authorities but for some reason we were allowed to keep the uniforms to remind us of the one
month we were military officers.
In the Camp of the Defeated Enemy