Chapter 2535
Although Sokov knew about the disgraceful things the Soviets did in Berlin and other parts of Germany, Hossenfeld was not aware of it. He asked Ernst in confusion: "You were staying well in Berlin, why did you go to Frankfurt? I heard that Frankfurt was bombed by the Allies, and the environment is probably not much better than Berlin."
Hearing the question asked by his cousin, the muscles on Ernst's face twitched violently. If he were in other places, he would definitely tell the truth to the other party without hesitation. But Sokov was standing next to him at the moment. Even if he had some friendship with him, he did not dare to say bad things about the Soviets who occupied Berlin in front of Sokov.
After hesitating for a long time, Ernst smiled bitterly and said, "Cousin William, this is a long story. I'll tell you in detail when we get home."
"Is my home still there?"
"Yes, you are lucky. Your home was not damaged in the war. I live there now."
"What about my wife and children?" Hosenfeld asked, "Where are they now? Do they live there too?"
"No." Ernst said awkwardly, "I heard from my neighbors that they left Berlin two days before the Battle of Berlin began. As for where they went, I'm not sure."
"It's been half a year since the war ended. Haven't they come back yet?"
"No." This time Ernst answered very straightforwardly, "After I followed the Soviet army into the city, I moved into your original home, but unfortunately, I never saw your wife and children."
Through Adelina's translation, Sokov understood what the two brothers were talking about. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart that since Hosenfeld's wife and children had not returned to their original home for so long, there was a high probability that something had happened on the way, such as the refugees being bombed or shelled by the Soviet army or the Allied forces, which led to an accident. If they were safe, they would have returned to their homes long ago.
After Adelina finished translating for Sokov, she looked at Hosenfeld and whispered to Sokov: "Misha, I think Hosenfeld is quite pitiful. Do you want to help him again?"
"What should I do?" Hearing Adelina say this, Sokov couldn't help but smile bitterly, thinking that you really think of me as an omnipotent superman. I don't even know where Hosenfeld's wife and children are. Even if I want to help, I don't know where to start: "Adelina, I just arrived in Berlin. I don't know the situation here at all, and I don't know many people. Even if I want to help, I don't know how to help."
"Don't you have a good relationship with Marshal Zhukov?" Adelina suggested: "Or, you can go to Comrade Marshal..."
"Stop, stop!" Sokov quickly raised his hand to stop Adelina: "Comrade Marshal has so many things to deal with every day, how can he have time to take care of such trivial matters."
At this time, the major who went to the military representative's office came back, and a lieutenant came with him.
The major introduced Sokov and said, "Comrade General, this is the military representative from Hamburg Station."
"Hello, Comrade General." The military representative raised his hand to salute Sokov and said respectfully, "I received a call from Moscow yesterday. I learned that you brought a batch of weapons and ammunition with you this time. The other party asked me to be responsible for receiving them. I wonder where the weapons and ammunition are?"
After Sokov told the military representative where the box he lived in was located, he continued, "We were attacked by bandits in Warsaw. I used some of the ammunition. After you receive the ammunition, remember to tell Moscow."
"Okay, Comrade General." The military representative said "I will report the use of ammunition to Moscow truthfully."
"Comrade General, it's getting late. We have to see the marshal as soon as possible." When the major said this, he glanced at Ernst who was standing side by side with Hosenfeld, and said with some embarrassment: "Now there is one more person, I am afraid there is not enough room in the car."
Sokof saw that the major mistakenly thought that Ernst was coming to hitchhike, and hurriedly explained: "This is Ernst, a translator in my previous army. And Hosenfeld I brought is his cousin. Hosenfeld will go home directly with Ernst and will not squeeze in the same car with us."
The major felt much more at ease when he heard what Sokov said. He was ordered to pick up Sokov and Adelina. There was an outsider, and even if he didn't say anything, he was still uncomfortable in his heart. Now that he heard that this stranger who suddenly appeared was not sitting in the same car with him, he naturally wanted it. He quickly called Sokov to get in the car again: "Comrade General, please get in the car, don't let Comrade Marshal wait too long."
Sokof asked Ajelina to get in the car first, then walked to Ernst and Hossenfel and said to Ernst: "Ernst, where do you live? Leave me an address. I will visit you when I have time."
Ernst did not dare to neglect it, and quickly took out a pen and paper, wrote an address, and handed it to Sokov: "Comrade General, this is the address of my home. Of course, it is also the address of my cousin's home. We welcome you to visit at any time."
Sokof nodded, put the note in his coat pocket, then waved to the two of them, turned around and got into the car next to him.
Seeing Sokov get in the car, Ajelina asked curiously: "Misha, when are you going to Hossenfel's house?"
"I don't know." Sokov answered simply: "I don't know what kind of work Marshal Zhukov will arrange for me and whether he will have time, so I can't tell when I can visit Ernst and Hosenfeld."
"By the way, what is Ernst doing now?" Agelina asked.
Sokov was stunned for a moment, then shook his head. He had just been chatting with Ernst for so long that he actually forgot to ask him what he was doing now. Even if he worked as a translator in the Soviet army, with the end of the war, his superiors may have arranged a new job: "I forgot to ask him what job he is doing now. But it doesn't matter. I will visit him at home another day. , it’s never too late to ask.”
Ten minutes later, the car stopped in front of a majestic building.
The major sitting in the passenger seat turned to Sokov and said: "Comrade General, we are here!"
Sokov opened the car door, got out of the car, and did not walk far. Instead, he turned around and held Agelina's hand, helped her out of the car, and then entered the building with the major.
Along the red carpeted corridor, he came to a room door and stopped. Sokov looked inside and found that it was an office connected to the inside and outside. There were many officers waiting to be received in the outside room, and a lieutenant colonel without a hat sitting at the door of the office inside.
The major walked over, saluted the lieutenant colonel, and reported respectfully: "General Sokov is here!"
The lieutenant colonel saw Sokov and Agelina following the major. He quickly stood up and said to Sokov with a smile: "Comrade General, you are finally here. Comrade Marshal has been waiting for you for a long time." After that. , he picked up the phone on the table and said into the receiver, "Comrade Marshal, General Sokov and Agelina are here!"
After hearing Zhukov's reply, he quickly put down the phone and said to Sokov with a smile: "Comrade General, Marshal, please come in." Then, he quickly came to the door, pushed the closed door open, and ducked He went to the side and made a gesture of invitation to the two Sokovs.
Sokov walked into the room and saw a huge desk opposite the door, and Marshal Zhukov was sitting behind this desk busy. He quickly walked two steps and came to the desk, raised his hand and saluted: "Report to Comrade Marshal, Sokov has been ordered to come and report! I follow your order, please give instructions!"
Zhukov stood up slowly and said with a smile: "Misha, you are here!"
He came out and shook hands with Sokov, then asked him and Agelina to sit down, and then said: "Misha, I have invited you many times, hoping that you can come to Berlin to help me, but you can't help me." I was rejected by you. If it weren’t for Comrade Agelina’s help this time, I’m afraid you would still be hiding in Moscow and refusing to move.”
Sokov laughed dryly and said with some embarrassment: "Comrade Marshal, I have clearly replied to you. If I am to direct the war, I may be of some use. But I want to help you rebuild Berlin. , please forgive me that I can’t do it.”
"You don't know how to learn. No one is born with it." Zhukov said disapprovingly: "Don't worry, I will arrange for someone to teach you how to do it."
Since Zhukov has already said this, if Sokov refuses again, it will be disrespectful, and I am afraid Zhukov will immediately fall out. After hesitating for a moment, he said slowly: "Comrade Marshal, thank you for trusting me so much. I decided to try it first. If it works well, I will continue to do it; if it doesn't work well, I'll get out of here." , so as not to cause unnecessary trouble to you.”
"Just agree." Zhukov saw that Sokov was willing to stay and give it a try, and a smile appeared on his face: "The Allies invited me and people from the International Red Cross to go to the prisoner of war camp by the Rhine River for inspection. I recently I'm too busy with work and can't get away, so you'll go there in my place."
"A prisoner of war camp by the Rhine River?" Sokov was stunned after hearing this, and then asked: "What are you going to check there?"
"Someone reported to the International Red Cross that the Allied forces were abusing prisoners of war in prisoner-of-war camps along the Rhine River." Zhukov continued: "But the Allies firmly denied that similar situations occurred, so they invited the International Red Cross We will go to the prisoner of war camp with personnel from the Soviet Union and France to inspect.”
When Sokov heard this, he began to wonder in his mind that the Allied prisoner-of-war camp on the Rhine River had been established for half a year, and it was unknown how many German prisoners of war had died in it. Since they asked the International Red Cross and the Soviet Union and France to send people to inspect, they must have made thorough preparations. Even if they went, you would only see what the other party wanted you to see, and you would not be able to understand the prisoner of war camp at all. the real situation.
"Comrade Marshal," Sokov felt that Zhukov did not participate in the inspection of the Rhine prisoner of war camp, not because he was too busy, but for other reasons, so he asked tentatively: "Do you think there will be mistreatment in the Allied prisoner of war camp?" Is there a case of prisoners of war?"
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Zhukov sneered and said in a disdainful tone: "This form of inspection is nothing more than a formality. Do you think the Allies can really let you know the real situation in the prisoner of war camp? So tomorrow you will act as my Deputy, when you go to the Rhine Prisoner of War Camp on my behalf, remember to read more and speak less, and it is best not to express any opinions. "
"Understood, Comrade Marshal." Sokov nodded vigorously and replied: "I will never express any opinions when I go to the prisoner of war camp for inspection tomorrow."
After a pause, Sokov asked again tentatively: "Comrade Marshal, will I go alone tomorrow?" He looked at Adelina next to him and continued to ask: "Don't you even give me a translator? In that case, I won't be able to understand what the German prisoners of war are saying."
"Let Adelina go with you tomorrow." Zhukov waved his hand and said carelessly: "She is not only proficient in German, French and Polish, but also speaks good English. With such an all-round translator by your side, what do you have to worry about?"
Sokof looked at Adelina in surprise and asked: "Adelina, how many languages do you know?"
"In addition to the languages the marshal said, I also know Latin and Italian." Adelina smiled and replied: "I can be your translator. Translation, there should be no problem. "
"That's good, that's good." Sokov turned to Zhukov and asked, "When will I meet up with the International Red Cross tomorrow?"
"We agreed to set off at nine o'clock tomorrow morning," Zhukov said, "but you must rush to the Brandenburg Gate before half past eight to meet up with the International Red Cross officials and the French representatives waiting there, and then go to the prisoner-of-war camp on the Rhine River for inspection accompanied by the US military representatives."
After explaining the task, Zhukov picked up the phone on the table and said to the microphone, "Come in."
The next moment, the door rang, and the lieutenant colonel who had just sat behind the desk outside the door pushed the door open and walked in, standing straight like a wire pole, waiting for Zhukov to give him orders.
"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel," Zhukov pointed at Sokov and Adelina, "Are the rooms arranged for General Sokov and Comrade Adelina ready?"
"Yes, Comrade Marshal, they are ready." The Lieutenant Colonel glanced at Sokov and Adelina, and asked solemnly, "Shall we take them there now?"
"Yes, we will take them there now." After Zhukov said this, he turned his gaze back to Sokov and said, "Misha, you must be very tired after sitting on the train for two days. Go and rest first. I will send someone to pick you up tomorrow morning."
Socoff agreed loudly, raised his hand to salute Zhukov, turned around and walked out of the office with Adelina.
Arriving at the office outside, Sokov whispered to the lieutenant colonel: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, where are we staying?"
"We will arrange for you to stay at the Adlon Hotel." The lieutenant colonel said: "The hotel is located opposite the Brandenburg Gate and is one of the most famous hotels in Germany. Although it was damaged by artillery fire during the Battle of Berlin, after half a year of repair, most of the rooms have met the standards for receiving guests."
Although Sokov had never heard of the Adlon Hotel, since it was arranged by Zhukov, the environment must be good. He asked tentatively: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, will you accompany us or arrange someone else?"