—— Guests of the Kirov Workers ——169of jelly – enough to feed a family for several days. And with the
olive oil you can fry something.’
Well, this man was right to be pleased for the master and
his award. The food situation in the city was still very difficult.
Although there had been several additions to the bread ration
and those employed in busy workshops already received by then
700 grams per day, ordinary works 500 grams, salaried staff
400 grams, and children and dependents 300 grams, it was very
little for people emaciated by hunger.
When the prizes, certificates and other awards had been
presented and the recipients had left, I was given the floor. I had
not prepared specially for this occasion and did not know what
I would say to the workers. However, my impressions of the
day, everything I had seen and heard at the factory, came to my
assistance. The words came of their own accord.
After thanking them for their invitation and congratulating the
collective on the occasion of May Day, I voiced the wish that they
would all live to see Victory Day. I conveyed thanks as a soldier
for their active assistance for the front as a whole and to us, troops
of the 21st Division in particular, and for the courageous political
instructor of our company, Vladimir Mikhailovich Lapko, who
had been trained at the Kirov works. I described how we and they
were fighting together and how bravely the other Kirov staff were
battling – such as political instructor Ulyanov, my sniping pupil
Private Vinogradov, battalion commander Morozov, and many
others. I also had to talk about the way Ivan and I were wiping out
Nazis and to recall several battle episodes.
I was given an attentive hearing and questions followed. My
agitation proved unwarranted. Everything seemed to go off well.
‘I can’t talk better than my friend and partner, Yevgeni! I’m
better at shooting Fritzes; I’m no good with words. I promise
to wipe out 300 Nazis and even more if I’m still alive,’ said Ivan
Dobrik, mixing Russian words with Ukrainian in his agitation.
He got, if anything, warmer applause than I did – for a brief
and pithy speech.