In modern wars and local military conflicts, a significant role is assigned to special reconnaissance and sabotage operations carried out on enemy territory. For such operations, the armies of developed countries around the world have units and units special purpose. They are designed for covert penetration and combat missions both in the enemy’s front-line zone and in his deep rear; conducting reconnaissance for a long time and, if necessary, destroying important military targets of the enemy, as well as performing other specific tasks. The main tasks of special forces are to conduct reconnaissance and sabotage operations against important government and military targets of the enemy in order to obtain necessary information, inflicting military, economic and moral damage on him, disorganizing military command and control, disrupting the work of the rear and a number of other tasks.
VSS sniper rifle (top) and special AS machine gun (bottom)
To equip special-purpose units formed in the Soviet Union by the 1970–1980s - several brigades and separate special-purpose battalions, as well as special units of the KGB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs; reconnaissance units of motorized rifle, tank, airborne divisions and formations Marine Corps Soviet army and Navy required effective weapons for covert use different types and purposes, including small-sized and silent small arms.
One of such means for domestic special forces was a unified system of silent small arms, developed at TsNIITOCHMASH in the 1980s. It included a special sniper complex, consisting of a 9-mm special VSS sniper rifle, a 9-mm special AS machine gun and special 9-mm cartridges.
This complex emerged as a result of intensifying confrontation between the Soviet Union and the West in the 1960s and 1970s. The expansion at this time of the geography of undeclared wars and local military conflicts, which were fought on almost all continents, required more and more new types of special weapons to successfully fight our potential opponents, including for defeating enemy personnel equipped with weapons at short distances. personal protection.
A significant disadvantage of domestic models of silent rifle first generations, by this time in service Soviet special forces, had relatively low, in comparison with weapons for general-purpose purposes, combat and service-operational characteristics - effective firing range, lethal and penetrating effect of a bullet, weight and size characteristics. As a result, existing models of silent weapons could not fully replace standard combined arms weapon and were, in essence, only an addition to the standard models of special forces weapons. These models of automatic small arms were equipped with special muzzle devices for silent and flameless shooting, so-called “silencers,” and their cartridges were modified to increase the mass of the bullet and reduce its initial speed to subsonic. However, since the most important condition Since the execution of combat missions by special forces units on enemy territory was due to the secrecy of actions, the use of weapons with small unmasking factors of a shot - sound, flame and smoke, i.e., “silent” weapons, acquired particular importance in carrying out such operations. In addition, when by the end of the 1970s the combat missions special forces, the insufficient effectiveness of certain types of special (silent) weapons and ammunition for them was also revealed.
It was by this time, according to state program development of weapons and military equipment, refers to the beginning of research and development work (R&D) to develop the concept and create unified system silent small arms in return individual species special weapons, which were then in service with special forces units of the Soviet Army and the KGB.
The implementation of this work was entrusted to the Central Scientific Research Institute of Precision Engineering (TSNIITOCHMASH) in Klimovsk, with the leading role of the KGB Research Institute of the USSR together with the Main Intelligence Directorate General Staff Armed forces of the USSR. Soviet gunsmiths approached the solution of the task in a comprehensive manner. The creation of a unified silent small arms system was planned to be carried out through the development of new designs; reducing the range of special weapons and ammunition, developing the necessary types of similar weapons designed for standardized cartridges.
After analyzing typical tactical tasks solved by special forces units and conducting a number of different research work It was decided to create several silent rifle systems for all special forces, including a sniper system, which would include three main components: “weapon - ammunition - sight.”
9-mm SPECIAL SNIPER RIFLE VSS “VINTOREZ”
In 1983, requirements were developed for a new special sniper complex (received the code "Vintorez"). This weapon was supposed to ensure the covert destruction of enemy personnel at ranges of up to 400 m, including personal ammunition protection equipment. Such a problem could only be solved using a new cartridge with a heavy bullet, which would have a sufficient lethal effect and high accuracy of combat throughout the entire target range of up to 400 m. Sniper shooting at such a range required the creation of new optical (day) and electro-optical (night ) sights.
Incomplete disassembly of the VSS sniper rifle
Since the special forces had to carry all the necessary equipment to carry out combat missions behind enemy lines, the new weapons were subject to very stringent requirements in terms of weight and dimensions. In addition, to carry out a number of special operations, such a rifle had to be disassembled into small-sized main components, which made it possible to covertly carry it and quickly transfer it to a combat position.
Based on the requirements, research on the topic “Vintorez” was carried out by Klimov gunsmiths in the following directions:
– testing the technical feasibility of ensuring effective shooting range from a silent sniper rifle (i.e., shooting at a range of 400 m, at which the probability of hitting the target should be at least 0.8);
– choice of the principle of muffling the sound of a shot and reducing its fiery intensity;
– development of a design diagram for a sniper cartridge with a subsonic bullet speed, ensuring the specified accuracy when firing, damaging effect and reliable operation of the automation;
– design of the cartridge and justification of its main design parameters;
– development of a design scheme for automatic weapons that ensures the desired accuracy of fire; gunshot sound level; reliable operation of automation; weight and dimensions characteristics;
– design of a sniper rifle;
– development of new optical sights.
The design of a special sniper complex at TsNIITOCHMASH began with the creation of a new automatic cartridge designed to defeat enemy personnel in specific conditions.
The main problem that the Klimov designers had to solve was solving the issue of sound and shot suppression.
The intensity of the sound of a shot depends on the muzzle pressure of the powder gases. In addition, the bullet itself, if it has a supersonic initial speed (more than 330 m/s), also generates a shock (ballistic) wave. All this unmasks the shooter's firing position. To eliminate the sound from the ballistic wave, a weapon with a silencer must have a subsonic muzzle velocity. However, the lower the speed of the bullet, the less its damaging effect and the worse the flatness of the trajectory, which significantly reduces the effective firing range. Thus, in special small arms for hidden use, two incompatible properties had to be combined - the required effective firing range and the sufficient destructive effect of the bullet at its relatively low initial speed. Moreover, suppressing a shot in such a sniper complex could only be achieved using silencers and a subsonic initial speed.
The result of this work was a new 7.62 mm experimental cartridge, consisting of a 7.62 x 54 mm 7 N1 sniper rifle cartridge bullet and a 7.62 x 25 mm TT pistol cartridge case. This cartridge satisfied the requirements of the tactical and technical specifications (TTZ) for the Vintorez in terms of accuracy, but its bullet did not provide the necessary lethal effect. In addition, when developing a new sniper cartridge, it was taken into account that in the future, increased requirements for the penetrating effect of a bullet may be imposed on a silent automatic system in the near future. During the work, the issue of unifying the sniper rifle and machine gun in terms of the ammunition used was also considered.
Further work on the promising ammunition was aimed at creating a fundamentally new cartridge design. A group of specialists from TsNIITOCHMASH under the leadership of Vladimir Fedorovich Krasnikov developed another 7.62 mm sniper cartridge with a subsonic (300 m/s) bullet speed, which received the index “RG037”, based on the 5.45 x 39 mm machine gun cartridge case. Its bullet was structurally made according to the bullet pattern of the 7 N1 rifle sniper cartridge. Her external shape was determined taking into account the requirements of external ballistics for bullets with subsonic speed. The new sniper cartridge had a length of 46 mm, total weight 16 g, bullet weight 10.6 g and had excellent accuracy. So, at a distance of 100 m for this cartridge, R50 was 4 cm, and at 400 m - 16.5 cm. However, the new RGO37 cartridge did not allow one to confidently hit manpower enemy in anti-fragmentation vest at a direct shot range of 400 m.
A silent sniper rifle was designed for the 7.62 mm RGO37 cartridge, which received the index “RG036”. The leading designer of the rifle was Pyotr Ivanovich Serdyukov.
The selected automatic operation scheme with a gas engine and rigid locking of the barrel bore when turning the bolt ensured reliable operation of the rifle in different conditions operation. A combined silencer, consisting of a chamber muzzle silencer with obliquely located separator partitions and an expansion chamber for partial discharge of powder gases from the barrel, reduced the sound level of a shot to a value similar to a 9-mm PB pistol.
But despite the fact that the 7.62-mm sniper complex consisting of the RG036 rifle and the RG037 cartridge passed preliminary tests, further work it was discontinued because by the end of 1985 the USSR Ministry of Defense Industry was approving new requirements for a special machine gun complex - another element of the silent weapon system. Based on the TTZ, it was necessary to create a weapon that would make it possible to confidently hit group targets (manpower) protected by type 6 B2 body armor (III protection class) at a range of up to 400 m. The requirements for the machine gun were also high requirements by noiselessness of firing, including automatic fire. It was assumed that for ease of carrying it would have a folding stock; in addition, it would be possible to equip it with various optical sights. Therefore, it was clearly necessary to unify the sniper and machine gun systems in terms of the ammunition used.
20-round magazines for a special AC assault rifle with 10-round clips with 9 x39 mm special cartridges (from left to right): 7 Н12; SP. 6; SP. 5
Based on the new tasks, the designers were able to correctly assess that the 7.62-mm RG037 cartridge bullet would not be able to defeat manpower protected by advanced personal protective equipment. In accordance with this, the requirements for the silent sniper complex themselves were revised.
Therefore, the designers of TsNIITOCHMASH N.V. Zabelin and L.S. Dvoryaninova had to begin work on creating a new 9x39-mm special sniper cartridge SP based on the cartridge case of the 7.62-mm automatic cartridge of the 1943 model. 5 (index 7 N8) with a heavy bullet weighing 16.2 g (with a subsonic initial speed of 290 m/s). This bullet was more than twice as heavy as the 7.62 x 39 mm cartridge from 1943 and almost five times as heavy as the 5.45 x 39 mm machine gun cartridge.
SP cartridge bullet. 5 had a composite core: a steel head (with a truncated top with a diameter of 0.5 mm) and a lead core, rolled into a bimetallic shell. A steel core was placed in its nose to increase the penetrating effect of the bullet. The lead core not only gave the bullet the necessary mass, but also ensured that it would cut into the rifling of the barrel. The pointed ogival shape of the bullet provided it with good ballistic properties when flying at subsonic speeds. Despite the subsonic initial speed, a bullet with such a mass had significant kinetic energy - at departure it was about 60 kgm, and at a distance of 450 m - 45 kgm. This was quite enough to reliably destroy manpower wearing light personal protective equipment. Tests have shown that at a distance of up to 400 m the bullet of the SP cartridge. 5 has enough energy to penetrate a 2-mm steel sheet while maintaining the necessary lethal effect. Weight of SP cartridge. 5–32.2 g, cartridge length – 56 mm, cartridge bullet length – 36 mm.
Distinctive coloring of the bullet of SP cartridges. 5 do not have. Only on the corking cardboard boxes of 10 rounds was the inscription “Sniper” applied.
Already in 1987, a new model of a special sniper weapon, created on the basis of the RG036, and re-barreled for the 9-mm SP cartridge. 5 (known under the code name “Vintorez”), are adopted by special forces units of the KGB of the USSR and reconnaissance and sabotage units of the Soviet Armed Forces under the designation “special sniper rifle” (VSS) index 6 P29.
The new weapon, which is a group means of covert attack and defense, was intended to hit targets with sniper fire in conditions requiring silent and flameless shooting at open enemy personnel (destruction command staff enemy; his reconnaissance groups; observers and sentries), as well as for disabling surveillance devices, elements of military equipment and destroying unarmored equipment at ranges up to 400 m.
The VSS rifle consisted of: a barrel with a receiver; muffler with sighting devices; butt; bolt frame with gas piston; shutter; return mechanism; impact mechanism; trigger mechanism; forend; gas tube; receiver and magazine covers.
The automation of the VSS sniper rifle worked on the principle of removing powder gases from the barrel. Locking was carried out by rotating the bolt around its axis by 6 lugs. The safety box, located on the right side of the receiver at the same time, covered the groove for the reloading handle, preventing dust and dirt from getting inside. The fire type translator is mounted inside the trigger guard, behind the trigger. When it moves horizontally to the right, single fire is conducted, and when it moves to the left, automatic shooting occurs. The reloading handle is located with right side receiver. Sighting devices consisted of an open sector sight mounted on the muffler body and designed for a firing range of up to 420 m, and a front sight in the muffler. Food was supplied from a plastic box magazine with a double-row arrangement with a capacity of 10 rounds. The butt is a wooden frame type with a rubber butt.
The trigger mechanism of the VSS rifle ensured high firing accuracy with single shots. The striking mechanism with a separate mainspring allowed both single and automatic fire.
Single fire is the main one for the VSS sniper rifle; it is characterized by high accuracy. When firing single shots from a prone position from a rest position at a distance of 100 m in a series of 5 shots, R 50 was 4 cm, and at 400 m – R 50–16.5 cm. At the same time, continuous fire in bursts can be used in case of a sudden meeting with the enemy at short distances, or when it becomes necessary to hit a target that is not clearly visible. Taking into account that the capacity of the VSS rifle magazine is only 10 rounds, therefore automatic fire, as a rule, can be fired in short bursts of 2–4 shots, and exceptional cases– one continuous burst until the cartridges in the magazine are used up.
A reduction in the sound of a shot (up to 130 decibels at a distance of 3 meters from the muzzle - corresponds to the sound level when fired from a small-caliber rifle) was achieved along with a special “integrated type” muffler with a powder gas flow separator using the SP sniper cartridge. 5 with optimal ballistic characteristics. The “integrated” silencer made it possible to significantly reduce the overall length of the weapon.
Controls of the VSS sniper rifle
Along with this, the capabilities of the VSS rifle have been significantly expanded by a whole range of sights, both optical and night vision. At the customer's request, sniper rifles were equipped with various sights: for the KGB - optical daytime 1 P43 (allowing daytime targeted shooting at 400 m) and night unilluminated 1 PN75 (MBNP-1), in the dark, designed for a range of up to 300 m; and for GRU special forces - respectively - daytime PSO-1-1 and PO 4 x34 and night - 1 PN51 (NSPU-3). Especially by order of the state security authorities, to ensure concealed carrying, the rifle can be disassembled into three units (barrel with a silencer, receiver with a trigger mechanism and butt) and, together with the sight and magazines, is packed in a “Diplomat” type suitcase with dimensions of 450 x 370 x 140 mm, and the time required to transfer the weapon from the transport position to the combat position is no more than one minute.
The VSS rifle kit includes a bag for carrying a sight, four magazines, spare parts, and a bag for carrying the rifle.
After the appearance of the SP cartridge. 6 its use in the VSS sniper rifle made it possible to defeat enemy personnel even at the maximum range of aimed fire, and at a distance of 100 m - in body armor up to protection class II inclusive (according to modern classification), which put it on a par with the most formidable types of infantry small arms.
VSS sniper rifle with a tactical flashlight (top) and a special AS machine gun (bottom) (right view)
In 2000, teachers of the Combined Arms Military Academy named after. Frunze and its branch, the Shot Course, Colonels V.V. Korablin and A.A. Lovi published a review of combat use of this weapon, allowing a more complete assessment of the high qualities of the VSS sniper rifle: “The commander of a motorized rifle company of one of the regiments operating in 1995 in the mountainous region of Yarysh-Mordy south of Grozny, now Major V. A. Lukashov, according to personal experience considers VSS good addition to standard weapons of motorized rifle units in those conditions. His company operated in isolation from the main forces of the unit and conducted reconnaissance of the enemy with its own forces and means. The company was supplied with several sets of VSS rifles. The commander of the group allocated for reconnaissance - usually the company commander himself or one of the platoon commanders - was armed, in addition to the standard machine gun, with a VSS rifle and carried it on his back on a belt. When during reconnaissance it was necessary to hit an individual target at a distance of up to 400 m, a silent shot from the VSS did not allow the enemy to detect the group. This weapon was also successfully used in other cases that required silent and flameless shooting.”
9-mm SPECIAL AUTOMATIC AS “VAL”
The VSS sniper rifle turned out to be such a successful example of a special small arms weapon that P.I. Serdyukov, at the same time, based on it, is developing another set of silent weapons on the topic “Val”. The new complex included: a special AS assault rifle, which is a modernized version of Vintorez, and a special SP cartridge. 6 with a bullet of increased penetration.
Special AS machine gun with folded butt (left view)
At TsNIITOCHMASH, for the Val automatic complex, designer Yu. Z. Frolov and technologist E. S. Kornilova developed a fundamentally new special cartridge SP. 6 (index 7 N9) with an armor-piercing bullet (with a bare core). This bullet had a higher penetrating effect than the bullet from the SP cartridge. 5. Designed to defeat manpower protected by splinter-proof vests up to protection class III inclusive (according to modern classification), as well as unarmored vehicles at a distance of up to 400 m, it ensured 100% penetration of a 6-mm sheet of special steel at a firing range of 100 m , and at ranges up to 400 m - a 2-mm steel sheet (a steel army helmet (helmet) or a steel sheet 1.6 mm thick and a 25-mm pine board while maintaining a sufficient lethal blocking effect, which is equivalent to the penetrating effect of the American 5.56- mm M16 A1 automatic rifle, 7.62 mm AKM assault rifle and 5.45 mm AK 74.
Ballistic characteristics of SP cartridges. 5 and SP. 6 are close to each other, so both cartridges can be used in weapons with the same scope. Accuracy of SP cartridge bullets. 5 higher than that of bullets from the SP cartridge. 6.
The design of the bullets, their penetrating effect and ballistics also determined the purpose of these cartridges: for sniper shooting at openly located unprotected personnel, SP cartridges are usually used. 5, and for hitting targets wearing personal protective equipment located in vehicles or behind light shelters - SP cartridges. 6.
SP cartridge bullet. 6 consisted of a steel core, a lead jacket and a bimetallic shell. Due to its design, the bullet of the SP cartridge. 6 had a higher penetrating effect than the SP cartridge bullet. 5. Heavy bullet SP. 6 had a bimetallic shell with a rear cone and a pointed heat-strengthened steel core protruding 6.5 mm (7.5 mm in diameter) in a lead jacket. The steel core of this bullet was significantly longer than that of the SP cartridge bullet. 5. The length of the leading part of the SP bullet. 6 was reduced to 10 mm by a shoulder that formed a cylindrical centering section (9 mm in diameter and 6 mm in length), so the nose of the bullet protruded from the shell. The core had an ogive head part and rear cone. Bullet weight – 15.6 g. SP cartridge bullet. 6 had a mass of 15.6 g, a core mass of 10.4 g, and a cartridge mass of 32.0 g. The cartridge length was 56 mm, and the bullet length was 41 mm. The tip of the SP cartridge bullet. 6 was painted black. The sealed cardboard boxes for these cartridges were marked with a distinctive black stripe. Later, after the appearance of 9-mm machine gun cartridges with the 7 N12 armor-piercing bullet, the tip of the SP cartridge bullet. 6 began to turn blue.
New cartridge SP. 6 received the most flattering reviews from experts. The developers of this cartridge wrote: “The 9-mm cartridge, which has a unique penetrating and damaging effect, will reach your enemy wherever your vision reaches him, simultaneously penetrating any body armor that a real person can wear without outside help. And not too long a burst can cause enough damage to disable a truck, a launcher or a radar.”
Incomplete disassembly of a special automatic machine AC
The AS "Val" assault rifle (index 6 P30) is a personal weapon of covert attack and defense and is designed to hit targets in conditions requiring silent and flameless shooting at protected enemy personnel, as well as at unarmored or lightly armored military equipment.
The AS assault rifle consisted of: a barrel with a receiver; pistol grip and butt; muffler with sighting devices; bolt frame with gas piston; shutter; return mechanism; impact mechanism; trigger mechanism; forend; gas tube; receiver and magazine covers.
The automatics of the AS "Val" assault rifle worked on the principle of removing powder gases from the barrel bore. Locking was also carried out by turning the bolt by 6 lugs. The striker-type trigger mechanism was designed for single and automatic fire. The fire type translator is mounted in the rear of the trigger guard. The safety check box, which prevents a shot if the trigger is accidentally pressed and the barrel is unlocked, is located on the right side of the receiver above the pistol fire control handle. The reloading handle is located on the right side of the receiver. The sighting device consists of an open sight designed for a firing range of up to 420 m and a front sight in the front sight. The cartridges are fed from plastic box magazines with a double-row arrangement and a capacity of 20 cartridges. To speed up the loading of the magazine, the machine comes with clips with a capacity of 10 rounds. Unlike the AK 74 assault rifle, the adapter for attaching the clip to the magazine was assembled with the clip. Used to reduce sound level special device for silent and flameless shooting of the “integrated type”.
The design of the AS assault rifle was 70% unified with the VSS sniper rifle, including the types of sights used. However, the machine gun, unlike the rifle, received a new 20-round magazine (fully interchangeable with the 10-round magazine from VSS) and a metal frame stock that folds onto left side receiver, which made it much more compact and maneuverable. The AS assault rifle is convenient for conducting combat operations in limited areas: in buildings, underground passages, trenches, etc.; when moving in thickets, bushes, planting and disembarking in vehicles; during landing. The AS assault rifle can be used for aimed fire with the butt folded. Like the rifle, the machine gun is equipped with day and night sights.
Special automatic machine AC with optical sight PSO-1–1
The cartridges for the VSS rifle and the AC assault rifle are also interchangeable. Compared to the Vintorez rifle, the Val assault rifle is more suitable for automatic fire at targets protected by body armor at ranges of up to 200 m using the SP cartridge. 6 short bursts of 2–4 shots; against unprotected targets - with the SP cartridge. 5, in tense moments of battle at short distances - in long bursts of 6-8 shots, and if necessary - continuous fire until the cartridges in the magazine are used up. Shooting single targets with single fire is more effective and economical. In all cases, the sound of the shot and the flame are significantly reduced by the silencer, making it difficult for the enemy to determine the shooter's position. In terms of automatic operation reliability, including in difficult conditions, it is not inferior to the legendary Kalashnikov assault rifle, and weighs a whole kilogram less, which is extremely important in battle.
The AC machine kit includes a case for carrying the machine; a bag for carrying a scope and a vest for stowing and carrying six magazines; two flares or one flare and a knife; three hand grenades; PSS pistol and spare magazine for it.
The production of the VSS sniper rifle and the special AS assault rifle was mastered by the Tula Arms Plant.
Special AS machine gun with night sight 1 PN93–1 (right view)
Special purpose weapons - VSS and special machines The AS, which have gone through all the wars and military conflicts of the last thirty years with dignity, deservedly enjoy authority not only in the elite special forces units, but also in the Russian Armed Forces. Currently, VSS rifles are used as additional and very effective weapons in intelligence units parachute and motorized rifle units.
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It was a long time ago - when there were two Germanys, and the USSR was a great power. A group of tourists from the Kalinin region, through the Sputnik Bureau of International Youth Tourism of the Komsomol Central Committee, went to West Germany, to the city of Osnabrück - the German sister city of the Soviet city of Kalinin.
Our acquaintance with Germany began at Frankfurt am Main International Airport. Having landed softly, our graceful Tu-154 made its way for a long time to the place where passengers disembarked among the herd of fat-bellied Boeings and Airbuses. At first glance, it became clear that everything here is organized according to different standards - different from those we are used to. The guests were received by one of the largest air transport hubs in Europe - so huge that, at first glance, it was easy to get lost in it. However, even with a quick acquaintance with this rationally organized space with its numerous boards, signs and escalators, we became convinced that it was impossible to get lost here, even if you wanted to.
The further road to Osnabrück ran through one small, almost toy German town, which politely sheltered us for the first night. Midnight was approaching, but the young envoys of the Upper Volga region could not wait to feel the German soil under their feet and breathe its air. Having settled into the hotel, we went out for a walk before going to bed.
Empty streets and squares froze in anticipation of the coming night. In the center of the town, at a lonely traffic light, looking respectfully at the red light, stood an elderly German with a dog. Having caught up with him and without hesitating for a second, the Kalinin residents confidently ran to the red light and crossed the roadway with jokes.
Why stand on ceremony: the cars clinging to the narrow streets are immobilized until the morning, respectable burghers are sleeping, so a traffic light at night is not a decree for a Russian person! The only witness - an old man - also does not count, since from amazement he seemed to have fallen into a state of suspended animation for a long time. I still remember the open mouth, bulging eyes and the German’s checkered hat slid down the back of his head. Perhaps his ancient Gothic ears, sensitive to historical memory, have you ever (under other circumstances) heard Russian speech? But most likely, the ordered consciousness of the German did not accept the very possibility of violating any instructions, especially the sacred Traffic Rules.
It was at that moment that I remembered catchphrase: “What is great for a Russian is death for a German.” It accurately notes the presence of significant differences in certain features of Russian and German national characters. Then, during our journey, at every step we received convincing evidence that, in fact, the concepts of the rules of life among our peoples are often diametrically different.
The program of stay in Osnabrück included many events, among which the most exciting was visiting German families. The tourists were divided into pairs, and the Germans themselves chose which one to invite. My friend and I were chosen by the architect's family.
The architect, a plump man of about forty, led us to an elderly mouse-colored Mercedes with big-eyed, acorn-like headlights, and, affectionately patting the hood, said enthusiastically:
- Diesel!
The rattling ancestor of passenger diesel engines slowly brought us to the outskirts of Osnabrück. Along the way, the owner, in every way, including displaying a glass of soda standing motionless on the dashboard, demonstrated the enviable smoothness of the German Autobahn, which, as apparently intended, impressed us indelible impression. But I was even more fascinated by the architect’s home, which looked like a glazed bookcase organically integrated into the base small hill, overgrown with tall pine trees. However, the main novelty was not even this, but the fact that industrially manufactured furniture was completely absent inside the living quarters. The architect proudly showed handcrafted cabinets, sofas and shelves practically built into the walls. Of course, the interior decoration of the rooms was immaculately orderly and clean.
The stingy aesthetics of the house cooled the soul and restrained the overflow of friendly feelings. However, we did not lose hope of establishing closer contact and tried to communicate using a mixture of Russians and English words. How else to communicate: we did not understand German, and the German did not understand Russian; he basically did not know English due to his undisguised aversion to the Britons, Angles and various Saxons. Soon the limited resource of gestures and exclamations was completely exhausted. It was necessary to find some kind of life-tested method of consolidating the emerging sympathy, and I decided to resort to a proven national remedy - a bottle of vodka, which I fished out from a case filled with gifts to the receiving party, and which I immediately, looking eye to eye, solemnly handed over to the owner. So to speak, according to Russian custom, as a present, but still in the undisguised hope of a small drink - for getting to know each other!
The German's face lit up with an inner light. He perked up, tenaciously grabbed the neck of Stolichnaya with his meaty fingers and carefully placed the bottle in a cabinet of his own making.
- Oh, gut, gut - rusishe votka! – he was sincerely happy, rhythmically waving his tousled eyebrows and patting himself on his capacious belly.
The joy, however, was short-lived, since it was not general, and a languid silence hung in the room again. After consulting, we wholeheartedly, without hiding the innermost desires written on our faces, presented a second bottle of vodka, which immediately suffered the same fate as the first. Then the third. But it also inevitably took pride of place in the neatly lined up line of the world-famous brand. The result of the alcohol intervention was disappointing: a) three-quarters of the collective reserves of “second currency” brought from snow-covered Russia were wasted (each tourist could carry no more than a liter of vodka across the border); b) the desired result was not achieved.
Time writhed in a pause, which carried my friend’s thoughts somewhere far, far away, to where the bottle physically could not remain in the closet for a long time. Traces of memories, apparently, were reflected so clearly on our mournful faces that the German, fussily moving his feet on the shiny parquet floor, hurried to the kitchen and brought from there a wicker basket with two bottles of beer at 0.33 each:
- Bitte.
We quickly uncorked them, offered them to the owner for the sake of decency, and after the expected refusal, with a feeling of deep satisfaction, we emptied the unimportant containers. The silence became oppressive. The owner, sighing heavily, went back to the kitchen and put out two more small-caliber bottles. Yes, he was clearly lacking in imagination! Drowning our nerves in beer, we stared blankly at the empty container. With a doomed look, breathing noisily, the architect went for the next portions of beer, which without delay poured into our stomachs. It seems that the German finally realized that beer is not vodka and the conversation will not stick together. He looked sadly at the cabinet with vodka and thought intensely about something.
The situation was defused by the pretty hostess, who invited guests and family members to the table. It was covered with a brand new scarlet tablecloth, which, as soon as everyone was seated, was stained by the owners’ son, pouring juice. The head of the family pointed his finger at the spot and sternly reprimanded the boy.
I felt sorry for all the Germans: what is German swearing compared to the wide range and high lethality of Russian profanity?! According to our classification, German swearing is meaningless verbal form, which does not have well-deserved international recognition and, most importantly, does not evoke reciprocal feelings. Here they are, of course, far from us. However, the notation still had an effect: everyone became disciplinedly quiet.
The smiling Frau suggested starting with salad. The friend became embarrassed, and in order to maintain the momentum gained over the beer, I boldly scooped it up with a beautiful silver spoon directly from the bottom of a huge porcelain salad bowl, towering exactly in the center of the table. The pile of green vegetation mixed with mayonnaise turned out to be so large and unstable that those sitting at the table froze. I also tensed, but this was only internally, and externally - easily and confidently, maintaining, as expected, the necessary balance, I led the hay in a straight line towards my plate. And such an international embarrassment must have happened that, right in the middle of the journey, the green-white lump treacherously slid onto the scarlet firmament of the table.
Seconds began to stretch into minutes. While those sitting at the table were silently hypnotizing the pile, which was cheerfully enlivening the ceremonial array of plates and cutlery, the owner’s daughter - a girl of about eighteen - scooped up the ill-fated mountain with two (!) spoons and, smiling warmly at me, decisively moved it to my plate. There was a huge stain left on the tablecloth, which the owner looked at doomedly, while everyone else stared at me and remained silent. I... ate a salad. No problems! So to speak, in order to mitigate the international tension that has arisen.
The next day, the host Osnabrück party, led by the burgomaster, organized a grand celebration in honor of the Soviet delegation, where Kalinin residents were given plenty of beer from aluminum barrels and treated to various German delicacies such as pork legs with sauerkraut and delicious sausages. They drank just enough to communicate without the help of translators, dance German dances and sing Russian songs. Members of the German families who invited the tourists generously presented the guests with gifts. Unfortunately, no one from the architect’s family came...
For another week we traveled by bus through the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, a country of strict geometric lines, outlined by a giant compass. Outside the window flashed, as if in an animated film, like drawn pictures: like a field, but unusually well-groomed; like forests, but translucent through; toy towns, villages and boringly smooth roads. This kingdom of form had everything, and yet something was sorely missing.
There was not enough space, air, and therefore the breadth and scope of the soul. Tightness in everything! We longed for the free wind in a wild field, for Russian uncertainty and disorder - for our unreasonableness. In the end, we even missed the dirt - ordinary Russian dirt, which covered Russian roads, directions, car wheels and shoes in abundance. The same dirt that more than once saved the Fatherland from various misfortunes.
Truly, what is good for a Russian is death for a German. And vice versa.
Reviews
I read it with my wife and was painfully offended by the usual Russian laxity, dirt, and lack of grooming in everything. But we can, if we want to do no worse, and there is no need to refer to vast expanses, huge distances and so on. Everyone just needs to start from their own home, yard, the same fence, and the authorities from the road and discipline in everything. And there will be no boredom. We had the opportunity to visit the Baltic states and Paris more than once and see something similar to what is in your story. And it was so ashamed and painful for our... My wife and I try not to imitate them, but simply to settle down as our conscience and upbringing allow. Although we are already approaching seventy. Smart story! Everyone would like to have it on their bedside table as an instruction manual. Woke up and looked, looked and did...
Victor, thank you for the quality and substantive review. I agree with you. Still, I want to clarify the following (since the story failed to focus the reader’s attention on this).
First. Honestly, I couldn’t live in Germany for even a month: I would feel bored, cramped and sick of the order that paralyzes the will and imagination, although I love order. But the order is different - within a different relationship of time and space. Now I’ll try to build a bridge from the specific to the general.
Second. Why are we - Russians and Germans - so different, what is the essence of the differences?
In Germany, with its compact territory and favorable climate, time seems to flow more evenly, equally, than in Russia, where short summer it was always squeezed to the limit in order, at the cost of much greater effort than in Germany, to prepare for and survive the harsh winter extended over time. Let me remind you that to this day in Russia the current agenda is: “On measures to prepare for the start of the heating season.” The Germans in their small living space They quickly established order, based on absolute respect for the law and total regulation, and it turned out to be easier for them to do this, again due to good climatic conditions. But due to overcrowding, the consciousness of every German turned inward, acquired an individualistic character and did not allow intrusion into personal space. Russians have a collectivist consciousness of space, with a spirit of conciliarity, solidarity, ease of contacts, and the ability to open up to everyone they meet. In our large spaces, instructions do not work so effectively; they get stuck in time zones; for us, those proven over centuries are more important ethical standards, traditions and rules of behavior that shape the atmosphere of society. For example: a sea of laws has now been adopted, but the desired result has not been achieved because the appropriate atmosphere has not been created in society.
Third. There is an opinion that the vector of all the changes that have shaken our country in recent decades has its starting point in climate change - it has become warmer, they say. I wish it were colder...
You, of course, have heard this strange phrase more than once: what is good for a Russian is death for a German. But have you ever wondered what it even means and where it came from? Many people believe that it comes from somewhere during the Great Patriotic War - and they are very seriously mistaken. No gentlemen, this joke is much older. She was born in 1794.
I should note that Russia and Germany have a good old tradition: once every hundred years our countries get together and divide Poland. This is exactly what they did in those turbulent times: in 1793, the second partition of Poland took place, as a result of which, in particular, Russian empire got hold of a glorious city named Minsk. However, this is not about him at all. At that time, a Russian garrison was stationed in Warsaw under the command of General Igelstrem.
In March 1794, the uprising of Tadeusz Kosciuszko began in Poland. In April, Warsaw rises. Of the eight thousand people in the Russian garrison, more than two thousand died; the general himself was saved by a miracle - he was taken out by his mistress. The Prussian army that set out to suppress the uprising was defeated. And then the Russian army advances from Brest in the direction of Warsaw. It is headed by the legend and living embodiment of the glory of Russian weapons - Chief General Alexander Suvorov.
On October 22, Suvorov, having split several Polish detachments along the way, approaches Prague. A remark needs to be made here. We are not talking about the capital of the Czech Republic, but about the suburb of Warsaw of the same name, which until 1791 was considered a separate city, and then became one of the districts of the Polish capital. Prague is separated from the “main” Warsaw by the Vistula, across which a long bridge was thrown.
The Poles built two powerful defensive lines from ditches, earthworks, wolf pits and other tricks. However, there were not enough people to defend such a long defensive line. The Poles write that the city was guarded by only ten thousand people, of which eight thousand were “cosigners” (no less than a word filled with irony - it means peasants who grabbed their scythes). Russian historical science indicates 30 thousand people, the European one is most likely the most objective and estimates the number of defenders of Prague at about 20 thousand soldiers, who were attacked, according to various estimates, from 20 to 25 thousand under the command of Suvorov. The commander of the city's defense, General Wawrzecki, decides to leave Prague due to the impossibility of its full defense and withdraw troops beyond the Vistula. He no longer has time to do this. On the morning of October 23, 1974, the artillery shelling of Prague begins. In the evening of the same day, Suvorov's troops begin the assault. History has preserved the text of the order given by Chief General Suvorov:
Walk in silence, not say a word; Having approached the fortification, quickly rush forward, throw the fascinator into the ditch, go down, place the ladder against the rampart, and hit the enemy on the head with the riflemen. Climb vigorously, pair by pair, comrade to defend comrade; if the ladder is short, put a bayonet into the shaft, and climb another, a third. Do not shoot unnecessarily, but beat and drive with the bayonet; work quickly, bravely, in Russian. Stay in the middle, keep up with your bosses, the front is everywhere. Don’t run into houses, don’t show mercy to those asking for mercy, don’t kill unarmed people, don’t fight with women, don’t touch young children. Whoever is killed is the kingdom of heaven; alive - glory, glory, glory.
Polish troops fought furiously. Even now there is no special friendship between our peoples, but in those days, perhaps, the Pole did not have a fiercer enemy than the Russian. However, desperate resistance did not help. General Wawrzecki, who was trying to establish defenses, soon fled across the bridge to Warsaw. Soon after this, the bridge was captured by Russian troops, the Polish orders were overturned by bayonet attacks of the Russians, who had no equal in this art. Digressing from the topic, I’ll clarify that at one time I read the impressions of a French participant in the siege of Sevastopol. In his opinion, even an oak tree has no shame in getting out of the way of the Russian infantry heading towards the bayonet.
Returning to the battle for Prague, it should be noted: by morning next day the Polish army was defeated. Russian soldiers were eager to avenge Igelström's soldiers who died during the Warsaw uprising. The Poles resisted fiercely, local residents They helped the rebel soldiers as best they could. The result, of course, is obvious... Subsequently, one of the participants in the assault with the typically Russian surname von Klugen wrote about those events:
They shot at us from the windows of houses and from the roofs, and our soldiers, rushing into the houses, killed everyone they came across... Bitterness and thirst for revenge reached the highest degree... the officers were no longer able to stop the bloodshed... At the bridge there was another massacre. Our soldiers fired into the crowds, without distinguishing anyone, and the piercing screams of women and the screams of children terrified the soul. It is rightly said that shed human blood induces a type of intoxication. Our fierce soldiers saw in every living creature our destroyer during the uprising in Warsaw. “Sorry, no one!” - our soldiers shouted and killed everyone, without distinguishing either age or gender...
According to some reports, it was not the regular Russian units that were rampaging, but the Cossacks, from whom the residents of Prague fled in the Russian military camp on the orders and invitation of Suvorov. However, who will figure out now how it was there.
On October 25, Suvorov dictated the terms of surrender to the residents of Warsaw, which turned out to be quite mild. At the same time, the commander announced that the truce would be observed until October 28. The residents of Warsaw turned out to be understanding - and accepted all the terms of surrender. The Russian army entered Warsaw. There is a legend according to which Chief General Suvorov sent an extremely laconic report to Catherine the Great: “Hurray! Warsaw is ours!” - to which he received an equally laconic “Hurray! Field Marshal Suvorov!”
But even before Warsaw was occupied, the victorious Russian army staged a wild drinking binge in captured Prague. Russian soldiers destroyed a pharmacy that came to hand, and, taking bottles of alcohol from there, staged a feast right on the street. A horseman passing by, who was an ethnic German, wanted to join, but, having knocked over the first glass, he fell dead. The incident was reported to Suvorov. His reaction, albeit in a modified form, has survived to this day:
A German is free to compete with the Russians! Great for the Russian, but death for the German!
I live in Germany. I'm trying to understand the mysterious German soul. I collect gossip about the Germans. If anyone can help with this, I would be very grateful.
Everything is fine in Germany, only you wake up in the morning, look out the window, and there are Germans in the city!
According to a popular joke in Europe, in heaven the Germans are mechanics, and in hell they are policemen.
English playwright B. Shaw: “The Germans have great virtues, but they also have one dangerous weakness - an obsession with taking every good thing to the extreme, so that good turns into evil.”
Madame de Staël noted that the Germans manage to find a lot of obstacles for the simplest things, and in Germany you hear “This is impossible!” a hundred times more often than in France (and this despite the fact that all her work was started as a criticism of the French order).
IN pre-revolutionary Russia For a long time, there was a popular joke about the rebellious German proletarians who walked in an organized column along Unter den Linden exactly until they came across a “No Trespassing” sign. At this point the revolution ended, and everyone went home safely.
Flower coffee.
As a matter of fact, this German idiom. The Germans call this very weak coffee, such that through the layer of the drink you can see the flower painted on the bottom of the cup. However, with light hand Academician Likhachev, this expression has taken root in Russian speech and now means any thing done not as it should be, but as poverty or stinginess allows.
There is a joke that the Germans made three mistakes - the First World War, the Second World War and the release of the Volkswagen Passat B5.
The unforgettable Dobrolyubov, who was not only a critic, but also a poet, warned 150 years ago: “Our train will not go like the German train goes...”
In “Ode on the Death of Nicholas I,” Dobrolyubov brands the tsar a “tyrant,” a “German brat,” who “sought... to make Rus' a machine,” “exalted only military despotism.”
The idiom “Hamburg account” in the meaning of “a genuine system of values, free from momentary circumstances and selfish interests,” goes back to the story about Russian circus wrestlers told by Viktor Shklovsky late XIX- the beginning of the 20th century, which usually determined the winner of the fight in advance, by agreement, but once a year they supposedly met in Hamburg, away from the public and employers, in order to find out in a fair fight which of them was actually stronger. According to circus legend, retold by Paustovsky, once a year wrestlers from all over the world gathered in some Hamburg tavern, locked the doors, curtained the windows and fought honestly, “without fools.” It was then, under the spotlights, in public, that an elegant handsome man would effectively throw a bear-like strongman over his hip, some “Mr. X” would win a fight against a famous champion... but once a year, in Hamburg, for themselves, the wrestlers figured out who was worth what , who is truly the first, and who is only ninety-nine." ...
“The Hamburg score is an extremely important concept.
All wrestlers, when they fight, cheat and lie down on their shoulder blades on the orders of the entrepreneur.
Once a year, wrestlers gather in a Hamburg tavern.
They fight behind closed doors and curtained windows. Long, ugly and hard.
Here the true classes of fighters are established, so as not to go astray."
Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol wrote that every nation is distinguished by its in your own words, expressing, among other things, part of his character. The word of a Briton will respond with wise knowledge of life, the word of a Frenchman will flash and scatter, a German will intricately come up with his own, “but there is no word that would be so sweeping, lively... would seethe and vibrate so much as a well-spoken Russian word.”
MOUNTAIN ONION
If a person cries, this is bad. But the reason that brings tears to the eyes is not always worthy of attention and respect. Try peeling or rubbing an onion: your tears will flow freely... Out of grief? From onion grief!
The Germans know another expression: “onion tears.” These are the tears that flow over trifles. And in a figurative sense, by “onion grief” we mean small sorrows, insignificant sorrows that do not deserve tears.
The French love the most beautiful, the Germans love the most, the rabbits love the fastest, but the goats love the most.
Germans don't like to work, but they know how.
On August 8, the Stargate ride malfunctioned at the German-American folk festival in Berlin, dpa reports. In a gondola blocked at a height of 15 meters, 14 passengers hung upside down for half an hour. Only after the apparatus was set in motion were people safe. Many of them received health care. It is reported that one passenger did not notice anything unusual and was sure that the gondola stop was part of the attraction's program.
"German, pepper, sausage,
rotten cabbage!
Ate a mouse without a tail
and said it was delicious!"
©Tease for children, folklore.
For some reason, they tease the German-pepper-sausage; before the revolution, the Germans were called “sausage makers”
Sausage maker, sausage maker's wife. || An abusive or humorous nickname for the Germans.
Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian language Vladimir Dahl
SAUSAGE
One day, Tsar Peter, accompanied by Menshikov, visited the house of the pharmacist Klaus Seidenberg in German settlement. He demanded Dutch cheese, butter, rye and wheat bread, strong ale, wine and vodka. The pharmacist did not have enough decanters, and he served the Danzig liqueur to the king in a flask. After tasting the liqueur and eating his ger;ucherte Wurst, Peter asked what it was, because he liked this last product. The pharmacist, believing that the question referred to the vessel in which he served the liquor, answered: “Fask, sir.” And so it was born famous decree Peter the Great, who ordered all classes to “make sausages from lamb intestines and stuff them with various tripe.”
At the same time, the expression “sausage” appeared. Peter, when he was in a good mood, would often say to Menshikov: “Alexasha, let’s go to the pharmacist and let’s get some medicine.”
The Germans have a saying: “who wears the pants in the family,” which in our way means: “who is the boss of the house.”
The fire at the pyrotechnics factory in Drosselberg raged for 6 hours. None of the firefighters dared to extinguish such beauty. (Joke)
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov died on the night of July 2, 1904 in a hotel room in the German resort town of Badenweiler. German doctor decided that death was already behind him. According to the ancient German medical tradition, a doctor who has given his colleague a fatal diagnosis treats the dying man with champagne... Anton Pavlovich said in German: “I am dying” - and drank a glass of champagne to the bottom.
The philosopher Immanuel Kant said: “Das ist gut.”
- Einstein’s last words remained unknown because the nurse did not understand German.
Alles hat ein Ende nur die Wurst hat zwei. - Everything has an end, only sausage has two (my version is three!).
German folk proverb.
The expression “Balzac age” arose after the publication of Balzac’s novel “A Woman of Thirty” and is acceptable in relation to women no older 40 years.
Tyutelka is a diminutive of the dialect tyutya (“blow, hit”), the name for an exact hit with an ax in the same place during carpentry work. Today to designate high precision The expression “tightly fit” is used.
The most experienced and strong barge hauler, walking first in the strap, was called a cone. This evolved into the expression "big shot" to refer to an important person.
Previously, Friday was a day off from work, and, as a result, a market day. On Friday, when they received the goods, they promised to give the money due for it on the next market day. Since then, to refer to people who do not fulfill their promises, they say: “He has seven Fridays in a week.”
In French, “assiet” is both a plate and a mood, a state. Supposedly erroneous translation French expression became the reason for the emergence of the phraseological unit “not at ease.”
One day, a young doctor, invited to see a hopelessly ill Russian boy, allowed him to eat whatever he wanted. The boy ate pork and cabbage and, to the surprise of those around him, began to recover. After this incident, the doctor prescribed pork and cabbage to a sick German boy, but he ate it and died the next day. According to one version, it is this story that underlies the emergence of the expression “what is good for a Russian is death for a German.”
When the son of the Roman emperor Vespasian reproached him for introducing a tax on public latrines, the emperor showed him the money received from this tax and asked if it smelled. Having received a negative answer, Vespasian said: “But they are from urine.” This is where the expression “money doesn’t smell” comes from.
The opening of a nail-like object was timed to coincide with the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris. Eiffel Tower, which created a sensation. Since then, the expression “highlight of the program” has entered the language.
The expression “the game is not worth the candle” came from the speech of gamblers, who spoke this way about a very small win that does not pay for the cost of the candles that burned out during the game.
In the old days, village women used a special rolling pin to “roll” their laundry after washing. Well-rolled laundry turned out to be wrung out, ironed and clean, even if the wash was not of very high quality. Today, to denote achieving a goal by any means, the expression “by scraping, by skiing” is used.
In the 17th century, by order of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the distances between Moscow and the royal summer residence in the village of Kolomenskoye were re-measured and very high milestones were installed. Since then, tall and thin people have been called “Verst Kolomenskaya”.
“One scientist, having bought 20 ducks, immediately ordered one of them to be cut into small pieces, which he fed to the rest of the birds. A few minutes later he did the same with another duck, and so on, until one remained, which thus devoured 19 of its friends.” This note was published in the newspaper by the Belgian humorist Cornelissen to mock the gullibility of the public. Since then, according to one version, false news has been called “newspaper ducks.”