RE: [Cz-L] June 22, 1941

The timing of the attack was a surprise, but...
 
there was definitely no surprize about the outbreak of the war between Germany and the USSR.
Both regimes had concentrated each about 180 divisions along the common border
starting from around end of April 1941. Of course the general public
was not informed at all by Russian newspapers or radio, you could know about
that only by listening to the BBC - at that time a very difficult thing to do-
only later in 1942 the power of that radio station was increased to reach through
Europe to the East. Also the JPA (Jewish Plotke Agency) was active and news about Soviet
army movements and more important nobody had any doubts about Hitler's general intentions.
 
But I clearly remember discussions in our family about the pros and contras of
receding with the Russians- and that before the 22 of June. Czernowitz Jewry was divided
(like Caesars Galia) into 3. Those with passport 39 (or similar) endangered to be
deported to Siberia who would remain, those who had in the past been connected somehow
to the communist party and would not hesit to leave with the Red Army in order not
to be caught by the Rumanian police and last the majority that considered
both alternatives like a preference between Scilla and Karibdis. Because of the
inertia factor this majority stayed, for good or bad.
 
We had representants of both sides in our family. Discussions started before the 22/6
because although there existed admirers of the strength of the Red Army, most thought
that at least at the start the German thrust would be overwhelming and we would be involved.
Mind you there was never,at that time or later,at least for the majority any doubt about
the general outcome of the war. Not only was that a convenient wish fulfillment but also an
induction from the WWI result to the present situation.Nearly same nations on each side as before,
and that generation knew with what opponents the Austrian/German army had had to deal.
 
So the 22 of JUne was an "expected surprise", at least as I remember it in our family.
 
Berti.
 
> Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2010 22:05:15 -0400
> From: mirtaylo_at_indiana.edu
> Subject: Re: [Cz-L] June 22, 1941
> To: asfred_at_comcast.net; Czernowitz-L_at_cornell.edu
>
> Dear Fred,
>
> Can you remember whether people in Czernowitz had expected Germany to attack
> the Soviet Union and to bomb the Czernowitz airport? I was too young at the
> time to understand what was going on. In my mind I had connected the bombing
> of the airport with the earthquake which had occurred just shortly before.
> We were living on the Blumengasse at the time, relatively close to the
> airport. My father and my uncle who lived with us, climbed on the roof to
> better see what was happening at the airport and my mother was angry because
> she thought that they took unnecessary risks in doing this.
> That day was the beginning of the end.
> Not only " A fost odata ca niciodata", but also "si daca nu s'a fi fost, nu
> s'a povesti"
> Please povestiti mai mult,
>
> Mimi

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Received on 2010-06-24 05:31:12