Since it is not yet the 9th of May, but still only the 8th, I'll be the first one to say "Поздравляю Вас с днём победы!" [I congratule you with Victory Day!]. The day will be celebrated tomorrow in all of Russia with everyone getting the day off so as to be able to enjoy the spring sun with a beer in a park and watching the occasional military parade on Red Square. If you want to take a sneak peak already now of what it's going to look like tomorrow in Moscow, I advice to check out EnglishRussia and these pictures The Parade Reharsal. It's the first time since the fall of the Soviet Union that Victory Day will be celebrated with military tanks inside the Kremlin. Is this good or bad? I don't know, all I know that it seems to be lacking of logic to celebrated the end of one war by showing off what kind of stuff you could pull out in case of another.
Comments (2)
Konstantin Simonov-1941
Wait For Me
Wait for me, and I will return.
Only truly wait.
Wait while bringing sorrow
The autumn rains come late.
Wait while snow is blowing,
Wait while heat burns haze,
Wait while others cease to wait,
Forgetting yesterdays.
Wait when letters cease to come
From places far away,
Wait, while others tire of waiting
Together day after day.
Wait for me, and I will return.
Wish no good to those you've met
Who tell you, without thinking,
That it is time to forget.
Let my son and mother believe
That I have met my doom,
Let my friends all quit their hopes,
In the fire-lit gloom
Let them drink their bitter wine,
In memoriam...
Wait. Oh, do not hasten
To sit and drink with them.
Wait for me, and I will return,
Despite all death can do.
Let those who didn't wait for me
Say "Just lucky he came through."
Those who didn't wait can't know
How, while battle blazed,
Just by waiting for your own
Me you truly saved.
We will know how I survived
Only just us two:
Simply, you knew how to wait
As no one else could do.
ЖДИ МЕНЯ и Я ВЕРНУСЬ
Жди меня, и я вернусь,
Только очень жди,
Жди, когда наводят грусть
Желтые дожди,
Жди, когда снега метут,
Жди, когда жара,
Жди, когда других не ждут,
Позабыв вчера.
Жди, когда из дальних мест
Писем не придет,
Жди, когда уж надоест
Всем, кто вместе ждет.
Жди меня, и я вернусь
Не желай добра
Всем, кто знает наизусть,
Что забыть пора.
Пусть поверят сын и мать
В то, что нет меня,
Пусть друзья устанут ждать,
Сядут у огня,
Выпьют горькое вино
На помин души...
Жди. И с ними заодно
Выпить не спеши
Жди меня, и я вернусь
Всем смертям назло.
Кто не ждал меня, тот пусть
Скажет: - Повезло.
Не понять не ждавшим им
Как среди огня
Ожиданием своим
Ты спасла меня.
Как я выжил, будем знать
Только мы с тобой, -
Просто ты умела ждать,
Как никто другой.
Posted by Dale | May 9, 2008 8:41 PM
Posted on May 9, 2008 20:41
Here is the true reason that V-day (May 9th) is so special in Russia:
4th history class - May 9th.
The teacher opens the lesson with a request:
- "All those who have had relatives that perished in WWII, or those that have a relative who is a surviving veteran of WWII (or the Great Fatherland War), please stand."
Not a single student in a class of 30 remained seated. A Russian saying goes: "the war touched each and everyone, and left its mark on every family."
20 million Soviet citizens perished during 4 years of war (1941 to 1945). That is more than three times more than the death toll of the Holocaust, and 40% of WWII casualties world wide (estimated to total around 50 lives).
But your comment: "I don't know, all I know that it seems to be lacking of logic to celebrated the end of one war by showing off what kind of stuff you could pull out in case of another"
is SO TRUE!!! Why celebrate a day of peace with war weapons?
Posted by Anya | May 15, 2008 4:44 AM
Posted on May 15, 2008 04:44