Today , April 21, in the center of the photo behalf Lumière (Marsh Quay, 3, p. 1) opens photo exhibition Alexander Ustinov «Meeting on the Elbe».

Ustinov was the only Soviet press photographer who managed to capture the meeting of allies - the Soviet and American soldiers that occurred April 26, 1945 on the River Elbe, near the town of Torgau. His photographs depicting the joy, excitement, a sense of improbability of events, which participants later recalled the event. Photo Ustinov, where nurse Luba Kozinchenko handed a bouquet of lilacs Charles Robinson, the first soldier came down to the shore, turned out (by the way!) A nurse, will be one of the "business card" meeting on the Elbe. As well as images of American Lieutenant Albert Kottsebu, in a helmet and a dude tube, and our scouts smiling Gregory Goloborodko. They were the first reconnaissance, which was sent by radio to his command post to meet with allies.

For those people who are curious, surprised, happy at each other, a meeting was visible proof that victory - very close. It was the promise of life. American Lt. Bill Robertson recalled that his first thought when meeting with the Russian was: "This means that each of us will live - that's for sure - another hour, another day».

For those countries whose soldiers were slapping each other on the shoulder, drank Russian vodka, my boots on American shoes with laces, were given a souvenir buttons and coins, this meeting for years of the Cold War will be a reminder of the possibility of normal political relations. The reason for dialogue. Memory, which unites.

It is the memory of the April day of 1945 forced the American veterans come Elbe in 1955 in Moscow to meet with Russian soldiers. This meeting Alexander Ustinov also photographed. Visitors can also see pictures of American guys - in GUM, Moscow region farm, on Red Square and the official reception at the Marshal Sokolovsky ... Each of them Ustinov made his gift - put her photo album, where all of them - on the Elbe River in 1945 and in Moscow in 1955.

Then there were meetings in America and in Russia in the late 1950's, in 1975, in Germany - in 1985. The exhibition features photographs taken by Alexander Ustinov in Torgau in 1985. 30 years later, Americans and Russian met again on the Elbe. Among the photographs in 1985 have a picture where the old soldiers stand at the grave of Joseph Polovskogo. One of them, for which the day April 25, 1945 was so important that he be buried themselves in Torgau.

Normal Chicago taxi driver Polovski in the midst of the Cold War, organized a small American Veterans Association meeting on the Elbe. Every year on April 25 he came to Michigan bridge, and handing out leaflets against the spread of nuclear weapons. It was his idea in 1955 - to meet with Russian veterans. He was called the "red" and "communist". He was neither the one nor the other. He was a soldier who never forgot the happiness and the bitterness of the first war of the day when the world became a reality.

exhibition will last till May 19.

Source: lumiere. ru