Besides generally accepted gentlemen’s rules in Eastern front, like do not shoot corps man, parachuting pilots and water carrier , there were a local rules .
In Hungary In 1944 there was wine storage in the neutral land . Neutral territory between Soviet rifle battalion and Germans defenders was on the slopes with vineyards and wine storages. Senior lieutenant Kokorev instructed his soldiers: Until 2400 wine storages are our, but after 2400 Germans can use it, and we have to not shoot.
For generally accepted rules, unfortunately, there were a lot of exceptions, but local rules strictly followed.
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Wow, it is awesome to see that there was at least some decency left by the footsoldiers on both sides. Then again common people are much nicer to eachother than power hungry leaders. Many thanks for sharing!
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That there was any decency at all is amazing…I wouldn’t think it possible, given the bosses at the top.
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I think, You are right.
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War is an absurd thing. Men (and women) in war dosent hate each other from the beginning, for how can You hate someone that you dont know? But when the leadership of a country set up an enemy picture and the youngest are sent to front to solve political problems, then the hate will begin and humanity will decline.
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Yeah, I know Russian poem from 1941 . “To kill the enemy.” By Konstantin Simonov. Very sincere poem.
But when that poem are reading 10 years old girl that is frightfully
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It is the wrong front but Ed Shames Lt from the 101st Airborne told me some similar story.
In the series Band of Brothers, Dick Winters tells the men to put out the fire
Well Winters was promoted to HQ at the time so not with Easy Company. Moreover the Germans had fires to keep them warm at night as well as the Americans. They didn’t harass each other as both would freeze. And I guess most of these stories stay secret as it would anger the higher ups in their cozy HQs.
So there probably were a lot more of these occurrences we will never know about.
PS Ed Shames is 99 now 
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99…. Each time, when I see those veterans I don’t understand how it’s possible to live so long through their hard life with hardships, illnesses and economic changes, often with a smile.
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Because they learned the hard way they were the lucky ones. Often a Human had to survive something before they stop complaining over small things that really dosent matter.
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