History 26/01/20 Boris Ewenstein: that he was in German captivity with the hero, who saved Chelyuskinites
Boris Ewenstein was one of the legendary pilots who took part in the rescue of the crew and passengers of the steamship “Chelyuskin”, nipped the polar ice cap. In the prewar years, stories about the heroism for his authorship have appeared in numerous anthologies and separate editions, and he was awarded the Order of the red Star. With the outbreak of war he was – in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel – commanded the regiment and squadron. It seemed a brilliant career of a Jewish boy, a native of the Odessa slums are guaranteed. But the destiny has disposed differently…
How a hero became a collaborator and traitor
Indeed, no military career, no accomplishments and awards that could be proud of the pilot and his family, in the life of Pevenstein never happened. Moreover, in April 1952, he was convicted in absentia for treason and espionage, and sentenced to death with confiscation of property, deprivation of military rank and awards.
it’s hard to believe the cooperation of ethnic Jews with the Nazi administration of the camp, which hit Pevenstein. This is what makes, for example, Anatoly Demin to believe that all this was not a mistake but deliberately fabricated a case (the book is “glory to the heroes-pilots, or… Ode to sled dogs and emergency triplets (forgotten pages Chelyuskin epic)”).
has Not returned from fight…
this entry appears in the documents of 74 guards assault aviation regiment for April 27, 1943. Il-2 Pevenstein was shot down somewhere over the Donbass. The pilot was forced to land behind enemy lines in the occupied territory. With a damaged eye and leg, he almost had no chance to go to her and attempt to shoot himself failed – Boris Abramovich was captured and was sent to a concentration camp Hammelburg, which contained the officers of the red Army. Information about furtherthe fate of the variance.
the Version of the collaboration with the Nazis
the Historian Kirill Alexandrov in the book “Russian volunteers in Luftwaffe, 1942-1944” says that Pevenstein soon after capture he was transferred to suwałki, then in Moitzfeld. In this camp were detained prisoners of war pilots, and also operated a counter-intelligence Department “East”. In it, according to some information, and was determined Pevenstein. There he was involved in the interrogation of Soviet pilots and propaganda. Once in the American zone of occupation, Boris Abramovich was taken to Wiesbaden, and in 1951 became a citizen of the US and went overseas, where its traces are lost.
What is the interest of the Soviet pilot, even the Colonel, for the Germans, then the Americans, to assume difficult. Ilya Kuksin in the book “Boris Ewenstein” suggests that in the camp saved him “vlasovite” Victor Maltsev, who determined the pilot in the “East”. Well, there Pevenstein got access to some information that could interest the Americans.
However, it looks the whole story of the betrayal is quite doubtful. Because in the documents of the “East” there is no information about the employee with the last name Pevenstein. As there is no evidence those who really worked in the Department and into the hands of SMERSH – and there, with a few exceptions, were almost all “vostokovtsy”.
version of the death in concentration camps
Another and more plausible, in our view, was expressed by Yuriy Tsurkan in the book “the Last circle of hell”. The author was familiar with Pevenstein before the war. And in the camp they were together. Turcan says that in may 1944, Boris was brought to Stutthof where he was, for execution. Before the death of Pevenstein was able to talk with Turcan. The pilot gave the author a request to tell about the circumstances of his death, family and General Kamaninu. May 15, 1944, among other 150 prisoners Boris was hanged.
After his release and homecoming Turcan has granted the request of Pevenstein, having found his sister and mates, and also met with the General Kamanin. Much later – in 2017 – in the archives of the concentration camp Stutthof was a record of executed Boris Ewenstein, which fully confirmed the words Turcan. So it turns out he was sentenced to death the Savior Chelyuskintsev in vain – for collaboration with the enemy he went. However, any real value for the life of this pilot sentenced in absentia has not been…
Yaroslav Gorbunov
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