Tag #149721 - Interview #78161 (roman reznikov)

In 1942 the Germans approached Astrakhan and people were running away from them. It was impossible to travel by train - they were already bombing the railroad. We were sailing on the Volga on a barge. It was very frightening. There was a layer of burning oil on the Volga and the river was on fire. We reached Guriev and went by train from there. We went as far as Orys station where we had to change trains. There were crowds of people there, children crying - it was a nightmare. Whenever a train arrived everybody ran towards it pushing everybody else around. It was impossible for the two of us to take a train. Mum and I had to separate. She stayed at this station with our luggage and I took a freight train. I was a quick-moving boy of 12. I got to Chimkent. Pavel sent some transportation to pick up Mamma at the station and she caught up with us.