Tatiana and Alexander: A Novel(166)

I shall now present two documents which reveal the intentions of the Hitlerite conspirators.

The first document is a secret directive of the Naval Staff dated 22 September, 1941. It is entitled "The Future of the city of Petersburg." In this directive it is stated: "The Fuehrer has decided to wipe the city of Petersburg from the face of the earth" that it is planned to blockade the city securely, to subject it to artillery bombardment of all calibres and by means of constant bombing from the air to raze the city to the ground. It is also decreed in the order that should there be a request for capitulation, such a request should be turned down by the Germans.

The second document is also a secret directive of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces dated 7 October, 1941, and signed by the defendant Jodl. I read into the record a few excerpts from this letter:

"...The Fuehrer again came to the conclusion that a capitulation of Leningrad or later of Moscow is not to be accepted even if it is offered by the enemy..."

And further, the next to last paragraph of this page: Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

"...Therefore, no German soldier is to enter these cities. By the fury of our fire we must force all who try to leave the city through our lines to turn back. We cannot take the responsibility of endangering our soldiers' lives in order to save in their entirety all Russian cities, nor that of feeding the population of these cities at the expense of the German Homeland."

The Hitlerite conspirators began to put their criminal ideas regarding the destruction of Leningrad into effect with unprecedented ferocity.

I read:

"As a result of the barbarous activities of the German Fascist invaders in Leningrad and its suburbs, 8,961 household and adjoining buildings--sheds, baths, etc.--with a total volume of 5,192,427 cubic metres were completely destroyed, and 5,869 buildings with a total volume of 14,308,288 cubic metres were partially destroyed. Completely destroyed were 20,627 dwellings, with a total volume of 25,492,780 cubic metres, and 8,788 buildings, with a total volume of 10,081,035 cubic metres were partially demolished. Completely destroyed were 295 buildings of cultural importance, with a total volume of 844,162 cubic metres, and 1,629 buildings with a total volume of 4,798,644 cubic metres were partially ruined. Six buildings dedicated to religious sects were completely, and 66 such buildings partially, destroyed. The Hitlerites destroyed, ruined and damaged various kinds of buildings valued at over 718,000,000 rubles, as well as industrial equipment and agricultural machinery and implements worth over 1,043,000,000 rubles."

This document establishes that the Hitlerites bombed and shelled, methodically and according to plan, day and night, streets, dwelling-houses, theatres, museums, hospitals, kindergartens, military hospitals, schools, institutes and streetcars, and ruined the most valuable monuments of culture and art. Many thousands of bombs and shells hammered the historical buildings of Leningrad, and its quays, gardens and parks. For the bombardment of Leningrad, there was in the batteries a special stock of munitions supplied over and above the average, to an unlimited amount...All the gun crews knew that the bombardment of Leningrad was aimed at ruining the town and annihilating its civilian population.

Vikki said to Tatiana, "Did you know any of this when you were there?" "I didn't know any of it," Tatiana replied. "I lived through all of it."

GENERAL RAGINSKY: Mr. President, in order to exhaust fully the presentation of evidence in regard to the subject-matter of my report, I ask your permission to examine witness Josif Abgarovitch Orbeli--

Tatiana dropped the cup of tea she was drinking, and it fell on the tile floor and broke, and Tatiana fell on the floor, too, on her knees, and began to pick up the pieces, every moment or so emitting cries of such distress that Vikki, who was nearby, jumped up, backed away and said in a stunned voice, "What's wrong with you?"

Tatiana waved her off with one hand, her other hand holding a ceramic shard which covered her mouth as she continued to listen to the bare echo that was the radio broadcast as it ceaselessly continued. A crash on the road, but the radio still plays music, still transmits sounds no matter how incongruous it is that the ear can somehow hear, that the brain can somehow listen--

--Orbeli will testify in regard to the destruction of the monuments of culture and art in Leningrad.

Q. What is your name? Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

A. Josif Abgarovitch Orbeli.

Q. Witness, will you tell us, please, what position you occupied?

A. I was Director of the State Hermitage Museum--

Tatiana groaned in pain.

"What?" Vikki said with alarm. "What?"

"Shh"--

Q. Were you in Leningrad at the time of the German blockade?

A. Yes, I was.

Q. Do you know about the destruction of monuments of culture and art in Leningrad?

A. Yes.

Q. Can you tell us in your own words facts that are known to you?

A. I was an eye-witness of the measures undertaken by the enemy for the destruction of the Hermitage Museum. During many long months these buildings were under systematic air bombardment and artillery shelling. Two aerial bombs and about thirty artillery shells hit the Hermitage. The shells caused considerable damage to the building, and the aerial bombs destroyed the drainage system and water conduit system of the Hermitage.

Artillery shells caused considerable damage to the Hermitage and to the surrounding areas.