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Sergey Chernichkin on how to open a restaurant in Prague in thirty days

SIX STEPS OF RESTAURANT SERGEY CHERNICHKIN

Sergey Chernichkin, the owner of a brewery in the Czech city of Kinsperk near Karlovy Vary, is not an accidental person in the restaurant business. He managed and then was the owner of several popular establishments in Yekaterinburg, and recently opened a restaurant at a brewery in the Czech Republic. Which almost immediately became a place of “pilgrimage” not only for tourists, but also local residents. Now Sergey is opening a restaurant in Prague.

STEP ONE. RIGHT PLACE.

The choice of location for the future restaurant depends on the concept that you want to bring to life. For fast food, in principle, any room with an area of 30 square meters(with the exception of the upper floors of skyscrapers: only incorrigible romantics will go there for a slice of pizza).

We are going to open a large beer restaurant, where guests would enjoy leisurely savoring the wonderful varieties of “Hare” beer, brewed in the historical Kinsper brewery.

Our concept: a lot good beer, a lot of tasty food and the atmosphere of the good old Prague life - in fact, everything that makes the Czech capital so loved by everyone.

Therefore, there is no better place for this concept than a large cellar with ancient stone vaults in the very heart of Prague.

We found just such a room. Internet sites of real estate agencies and private brokers helped us with this. It took four days to complete all the necessary documents.

STEP TWO. THE RIGHT STAFF.

The first step is to decide who will be in charge in the kitchen.

Since we already have unlimited quantities of Czech beer, it is important that its quality and quantity match the food. This means we need a chef who knows a lot about traditional Czech dishes, but also knows how to add a pinch of modernity to them. For help in finding a candidate, you can contact a recruitment agency, but in this case there is a high probability of getting a “pig in a poke”, so it is better to ask around from friends and acquaintances. A few days of such searching - and you will definitely find the one you are looking for.

The same can be said about the manager. It's better to ask your own people. Even if they deceive, it is not out of malice or for money. But most likely this will not happen. Further selection of personnel, both for the kitchen and for working at the bar counter and in the hall, can be carried out by the chef and manager themselves. If you completely trust them, of course.

We trust our own. Three more days.

STEP THREE. CORRECT DOCUMENTS.

While your main assistants, represented by the manager and the chef, are engaged (it is better if this process takes place with your participation) in recruiting personnel, you need to sort out all possible nuances regarding the work of the future restaurant with representatives of government licensing and regulatory authorities.

These are the same organizations as in Russia: sanitary control, fire protection and security historical monuments. If you find a premises that was not previously a restaurant, you will have to worry about preparing and coordinating all the necessary permitting documentation. The process is not as long and expensive as in Russia, but it will take some time.

It’s much easier if beer was already poured in the basement before you. Then, most likely, there is agreement. It is better to immediately inquire about their availability from the broker or the owner of the premises.

Special attention should be addressed to “history.” If a building or premises is classified as a cultural or historical heritage, any repair, construction or design work must be agreed upon with specialists from government agencies. Otherwise, there is a risk of receiving a huge fine, including a requirement to close the restaurant.

Our restaurant is located in just such a historical building, in the famous building “At the Golden Melon” on Michalska Street. All Required documents we received from the building manager, they were issued several years ago. Monument protection inspectors came the next day after our call, got acquainted with the plan for the upcoming work and were satisfied.

STEP FOUR. THE CORRECT INTERIOR.

Finding a good designer who will offer his vision of the interior decoration of a restaurant is as difficult as finding a great chef. But it is possible, and if you set such a goal, also in just a few days. This process can go parallel to the search for the premises itself.

But the designer’s work on the project, even if it’s just some touches and strokes, will take some time. It is important to guess with furniture, and with wall decoration, if required, and with some small details, which will give the establishment a special charm.

Our designer, whom we found while communicating with numerous acquaintances in in social networks, creates very quickly. Therefore, I completed the visual concept in five days. And we went looking for furniture.

STEP FIVE. RIGHT BUILDERS.

Even before the designer proposes his concept, you need to instruct the workers to prepare the place to make the necessary changes to the interior decoration premises. If something can be broken, break it, if something can be washed, wash it, and so on. Take out the trash, free up space. This will take two to three days, depending on the size of the room and its condition.

If everything is timed correctly, then by the time the project appears, the areas for work are ready. Actually, construction works- the longest stage of preparation for opening a restaurant.

In our case, taking into account the fact that the premises are classified as objects cultural heritage, construction work may be minimal. And two weeks is quite enough time for a team of five people to complete everything necessary.

So, from the moment we started looking for premises until it was fully prepared for work, it took about three weeks. We have a chef, manager and all the necessary staff, all permits have been received or confirmed, the premises have been prepared and renovated. All that remains is to bring and arrange furniture and kitchen equipment.

STEP SIX. CORRECT BEER.

Buying new furniture is quite expensive. Therefore, you can make tables and chairs to order, exactly the way you want. This, of course, will take some time, but for a real carpentry master such work will not be difficult. We have seen this from our own experience. And saved some money.

As for kitchen equipment, there is no need to overpay here either. At gastrobazaars you will definitely find used, but fully functional stoves and convection ovens. Some gastrobazaars, by the way, offer warranty service for equipment purchased from them. Such equipment will serve faithfully for many years.

All that remains is to arrange the furniture and equipment, mount, tighten, and check. And the restaurant can be opened.

Finishing touch. You must remember to purchase the products from which the dishes will be prepared. And more beer. But this is a matter of technology.

We brought wonderful beer “Hare” from Kinsperk.

30 days - and we will open.

We wish the same for you.

Before renovation

Poor place. This is exactly what it looks like now. Dirty floors, unpleasant smell, dust, garbage and complete neglect - all this was integral part Prapoganda vodka bar, located in the historical part of Prague, in the house “At the Golden Melon”. In a house with history, where they once gave their outstanding concerts creative people: Rachmaninov, Grieg and Tchaikovsky.

It is unfair that such a magical place was turned into a sloppy, devastated, abandoned pub, with such a clear and completely inappropriate name “Vodka Bar Propaganda”. True, such a room will not “tolerate” for long. In just a month, all Prague residents and guests of the capital will be able to witness a unique transformation.

“Restaurace U Zajíce” - this is what the new restaurant in the “old” house will be called. The owners of the establishment have been “nurturing” the idea of creating their brainchild for several months, and it must be said that it was not in vain. We paid special attention to the image of the logo in the form of a hare. The guys looked at a large number of options, as a result of which they came to the decision to make a symbol of the restaurant in the spirit of history. It’s so symbolic: Kinsper beer, amazing cuisine and a hare!

Having visited the establishment, guests will plunge into a special atmosphere inspired by the spirit of the old times. History of the house famous personalities, the theme of the Kinsper brewery will be reflected in the interior in an unusual way. Walls that for a long time were hidden from human eyes by various posters, will finally see the light of day. Antiquity, which has been waiting in the wings, will come to life under the magical spell of this beautiful place. The owners of the establishment promised to leave the walls in their original untouched form, and only slightly diversify them with graphics and photographs, which, again, will be fully consistent with the history of the house.

Sergey Chernichkin

The story of Sergei Chernichkin, who renovated an old Czech brewery and not so long ago opened a restaurant in the center of Prague, is good example for those who cannot decide to take courageous actions and who cease to believe in their own strength. Talking with Sergei, you begin to think that nothing is impossible.

With Russian experience – in a Czech brewer

Ten years ago, Sergei Chernichkin came to Prague with his wife Zlata. He had serious experience in the restaurant business in Yekaterinburg. “I can’t do anything except work in a restaurant,” says Sergei, smiling. Over ten years of living in the Czech Republic, it turned out that this work includes not only the ability to find win-win options, but also to work with the restoration of real architectural monuments, which few locals would undertake.

Sergei Chernichkin was prompted to move to Prague by chance. One day, a Czech who worked at the Czech Embassy came to his restaurant in Yekaterinburg. Over time, the acquaintance grew stronger, and Sergei, who already knew the Czech Republic from the stories of his friend, decided to go to Prague as a tourist. Both Prague and the country as a whole made a unique impression on the Chernichkin family. The young people, returning home, without thinking twice, got ready and after some time arrived in Prague. Experience in the restaurant business came in handy here. True, many things had to be rebuilt taking into account the Czech mentality. But the demands on staff, service culture, quality of cuisine (now Czech) and compliance with hygiene standards, laid down during the years of work in Russia, could no longer be eradicated.

Initially, Sergei’s plans were to open something in Germany. Then at least 15 more options were considered. But a brewery in the town of Kynšperk nad Ohří turned out to be a tempting place to realize the dream. The local brewer became a victim of political and economic troubles in the country in the second half of the last century. The old owners left the country, in socialist times the brewery was nationalized, and beer was no longer brewed there in 1951. The equipment was transported to Cheb and Karlovy Vary.

The once famous and glorious brewer fell into decline, which, in fact, was in the interests of large producers of the national Czech drink, who did not even have to buy it and then... close it. This is exactly how they dealt with small competitors in the 1990s, says Sergei.

The second life of the Kinsper estate

And suddenly, in 2011, people remembered, started talking about an abandoned brewery in the town of Kinsperk, and started writing. This happened due to the fact that the complex was acquired by the Absolut Aktiv company, which belonged to Russian entrepreneurs Denis Sabitov and Sergei Chernichkin. According to Sergei Chernichkin, this was exactly what he was looking for. Before this, we had to visit at least 15 abandoned breweries. The city with a population of five and a half thousand people is located on the border with Germany and not far from Karlovy Vary, from where tourists travel in large buses.

Taking into account all these nuances, the restoration of the complex began. Today in the Kynšperský dvorec, in addition to beer production, there is a restaurant with 180 seats, a summer terrace with 120 seats and a banquet hall, the building is being restored into a hotel, a fitness center with SPA treatments and beer baths. Excursions are conducted, Kinsper beer and souvenirs are sold.

“It’s important for us that the brewer has traditions that date back more than 400 years,” says Sergei. – We not only found in the archives documents signed in 1595 by Rudolf II for permission to brew beer, a copy today can be seen in the restaurant by each of our guests, but many interesting facts. We have seven types of beer, one of them is produced according to an old recipe. We have an experimental 50 liter brewer. We try, introduce something, reject something, depending on whether we like it or not.”

In addition to the “ten”, “twelve”, semi-dark and dark already beloved by guests, a seasonal honey beer is brewed, the recipe of which was brought by the former owners of the brewer. They learned about the opening of their plant from the German media and wanted to look at the people who managed to give a second life to an abandoned and forgotten complex.

This happened a year and a half ago, when Peter Friederik Haas (the surname translates from German as “hare”) came to Kinsperk. Having seen the work that had been carried out, he was surprised and very pleased not only with the scale, but also with the fact that the new owners respected the history of the brewer. After all, it was thanks to this family in the second half XIX century The brewer was in its heyday.

Portraits hang on the walls of the restaurant former owners, old photographs related to the past of the entire family. In addition, Peter Haas was pleased to learn that it was planned to publish a book about the history of the Kinsper brewer. And he really liked the Hare beer.

Everything is around beer and local traditions

“During my entire life in the Czech Republic, I realized that there is no bad beer here,” says Sergei Chernichkin. “We had to do our own thing, revive traditions, using the experience of local specialists. Our brewery employs a specialist in brewing beer with extensive experience - “Sladek” Miroslav Broz. He worked in Carlsbad until the brewery there closed in 2000.”

In Kinsperk, the population watched with curiosity as a dilapidated brewery was reborn right before their eyes. The opening restaurant hired a local chef, an excellent specialist who knows his job and is ready not only to monitor the quality of traditional Czech dishes, but also to develop new recipes: since they have already started brewing beer, they can try it and put the raw materials into experiment. Beer ice cream has become a hit with both adults and children this summer. It is prepared every morning according to our own recipe, the process takes about two hours. Draniki and bread are made here using malt and barley. But the drink “pivovitsa” is already becoming very popular, despite its high price. One liter of this drink, which tastes like whiskey with a malty tint, is obtained by distilling fifteen liters of beer. It is clear that this will not be done in large numbers, but as a local “know-how” anyone can try it. Everything that goes into beer production - malt, hops, yeast - is also used in the kitchen.

In Kinsperk they decided to use beer for health. For a fitness center with SPA treatments and beer baths, which is planned to open in the near future, today Karlovy Vary doctors are already developing sets of procedures based on beer.

When developing a recipe for lemonade for children, they still moved away from beer, but instead made lemonade based on natural syrups; because of this, the shelf life is short, but the taste is excellent. The only problem that we unexpectedly had to face was the production of kvass. It has not yet been possible to make real kvass in the Czech Republic, because there are no... raw materials here. But no one is going to retreat; by next summer, we will have to bring raw materials from the homeland of kvass.

"At the Hare" in the center of Prague

In April of this year, Sergey Chernichkin opened the restaurant “U Zajice” in the Old Town in Prague. “We initially had the idea to sell our own beer through a network of our restaurants,” recalls Sergei. – We were looking for suitable premises in the city center. The main condition is at least 500 square meters. And then, when we saw this empty premises on Michalska Street, which once housed a music club, we realized that it suited us.”

If it fits, it means you need to work. Repair and restoration work lasted only one month. Why delay when the season approaches? The restaurant opened in a building that is an architectural monument of the 13th century with all the ensuing consequences. Repairs were only possible in authorized areas, medieval stones should have remained inviolable.

The work was carried out under the control of the inspection for the protection of ancient monuments, albeit at an accelerated, but careful pace. For Sergei Chernichkin, Czech history inevitably became a subject of study, and today it is already a constant hobby. Now he himself works with interest in archives and libraries with documents. He proudly says that the restaurant “U Zaitsa” is located in a building with concert hall, in which Grieg, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmaninov played at one time.

The restaurant “U Zaitsa” still hosts concerts different groups, meetings, fashion shows. From Friday to Sunday there is a whole program prepared for people different ages and interests.

What is most expensive

Beer from the restored brewer has already taken its place on the market in three seasons. Locals in Kinsperk become regulars, which is a testament to the quality of the beer and cuisine. Despite the competition between two large brewers, local residents show interest in “their” beer, sell it in their bars and are even proud that this beer is a local product..

A lot of attention is paid to the staff - not only at the plant, but also in the kitchen and in the restaurant. We need people who will cook both for tourists and for regular guests, according to the principle: if you like it, you will come tomorrow. Chef Jaroslav Doležal is guided by this rule. This is how the chef for the Prague restaurant, Miroslav Šinkir, was chosen. Chefs monitor order and process in the kitchen.

The staff was selected carefully so that everything worked as one single mechanism. Now this is relevant again, since Sergei Chernichkin is looking for premises for another restaurant, which will serve Zayats beer and cook delicious food. It will be in one of the residential areas of Prague. Where? This remains under resolution for now.

SIX STEPS OF RESTAURANT SERGEY CHERNICHKIN

Sergey Chernichkin, the owner of a brewery in the Czech town of Kinsperk near Karlovy Vary, is not an accidental person in the restaurant business. He managed and then was the owner of several popular establishments in Yekaterinburg, and recently opened a restaurant at a brewery in the Czech Republic. Which almost immediately became a place of “pilgrimage” not only for tourists, but also for local residents. Now Sergey is opening a restaurant in Prague.

STEP ONE. RIGHT PLACE

The choice of location for the future restaurant depends on the concept that you want to bring to life. In principle, any room with an area of 30 square meters or more is suitable for fast food (with the exception of the upper floors of skyscrapers: only incorrigible romantics will go there for a slice of pizza).

We are going to open a large beer restaurant, where guests would enjoy leisurely savoring wonderful varieties of beer." Hare " , brewed in the historical Kinsper brewery.

Our concept: a lot of good beer, a lot of delicious food and the atmosphere of the good old Prague life - in fact, everything that makes the Czech capital so loved by everyone.

Therefore, there is no better place for this concept than a large cellar with ancient stone vaults in the very heart of Prague.

We found just such a room. Internet sites of real estate agencies and private brokers helped us with this. It took four days to complete all the necessary documents.

STEP TWO. THE RIGHT STAFF

The first step is to decide who will be in charge in the kitchen.

Since we already have unlimited quantities of Czech beer, it is important that its quality and quantity match the food. This means that you need a chef who not only knows a lot about traditional Czech dishes, but also knows how to add a pinch of modernity to them. For help in finding a candidate, you can contact a recruitment agency, but in this case there is a high probability of getting"pig in a poke" , so it’s better to ask friends and acquaintances. A few days of such searching - and you will definitely find the one you are looking for.

We trust our own. Three more days.

STEP THREE. CORRECT DOCUMENTS

These are the same organizations as in Russia: sanitary control, fire protection and protection of historical monuments. If you find a premises that was not previously a restaurant, you will have to worry about preparing and coordinating all the necessary permits. The process is not as long and expensive as in Russia, but it will take some time.

Particular attention should be paid to “history”. If a building or premises is classified as a cultural or historical heritage site, any repair, construction or design work must be coordinated with specialists from government agencies. Otherwise, there is a risk of receiving a huge fine, including a requirement to close the restaurant.

Our restaurant is located in just such a historical building - in the famous building “At the Golden Melon” on Michalska Street. We received all the necessary documents from the building manager; they were prepared several years ago. Monument protection inspectors came the next day after our call, got acquainted with the plan for the upcoming work and were satisfied.

STEP FOUR. THE RIGHT INTERIOR

But the designer’s work on the project, even if it’s just some touches and strokes, will take some time. It is important to guess with the furniture, and with the decoration of the walls, if required, and with some small details that will give the establishment a special charm.

Our designer, whom we found by communicating with numerous friends on social networks, creates very quickly. Therefore, I completed the visual concept in five days. And we went looking for furniture.

STEP FIVE. RIGHT BUILDERS

Even before the designer proposes his concept, the workers must be given the task of preparing a place to make the necessary changes to the interior decoration of the room. If something can be broken, break it, if something can be washed, wash it, and so on. Take out the trash, free up space. This will take two to three days, depending on the size of the room and its condition.

If everything is timed correctly, then by the time the project appears, the areas for work are ready. Actually, construction work is the longest stage of preparation for the opening of a restaurant.

In our case, given that the premises are classified as cultural heritage sites, construction work may be minimal. And two weeks is quite enough time for a team of five people to complete everything necessary.

STEP SIX. THE RIGHT BEER

All that remains is to arrange the furniture and equipment, mount, tighten, and check. And the restaurant can be opened.

Finishing touch. You must remember to purchase the products from which the dishes will be prepared. And more beer. But this is a matter of technology.

We brought wonderful beer “Hare” from Kinsperk.

30 days - and we will open.

We wish the same for you!

We Russians are different from Europeans. We are a different civilization. And this becomes noticeable in everything. Including how we... occupy.

Deployment of troops of participating countries Warsaw Pact to Czechoslovakia in 1968 - an absolutely justified operation. We did not allow chaos in a friendly country and the destruction of our defensive belt. This is the first. Secondly, the same thing happened in Czechoslovakia (with a slight amendment) as in Ukraine in 2014. And thirdly, order and security in Czechoslovakia were ensured not only by Soviet troops, but also by military contingents of some Warsaw Pact countries. Including the troops of the GDR.
How did the Germans and Russians behave? What was the difference?

This is the material that was sent to me by a reader of the resource. website Viktor Dmitrievich Bychkov. These are the stories of one direct participant in these events. He continues the topic that was opened by my story about the book I read by Yuri Galushko “Czechoslovakia-68. A Soviet officer's view from the past to the future".

Regarding Czechoslovakia and the events of 1968 that took place there.

These are my youthful memories. In 1968, I was in 8th grade. And I remember well how acutely our friends and I worried about the events that took place there, how we felt sorry for the deceived Czechs, and were ready at any moment to move there to help. Already at the beginning of winter, somewhere in December, my comrade’s older brother, Anikin Vladimir, returned from the army, who participated in the events that took place in Czechoslovakia.
At first he said practically nothing, but gradually we got him talking. Was going to small company young men, mostly they were close friends of those who had returned from the army; I sometimes ended up there as a friend of my younger brother. There was homemade light wine, but the main thing was that we all eagerly listened to the stories of an eyewitness who had been all the way abroad, and even participated in such historical events. He asked not to share anything from his stories with anyone. However, I remember very well what he said then.

So the first thing is how he got there. He served as a conscript in Ukraine, at a military airfield, in some airfield service. They were mainly involved in guarding the airfield and simple things like maintaining the runway in proper order, securing aircraft under the guidance of technicians, etc. One evening they were alerted, personal weapons, helmets, ammunition, etc. , loaded into transport vehicles, and they flew off. The soldiers noticed that in addition to ammunition and weapons, quite a lot of ammunition and other things were loaded on board. They didn’t know where they were flying, everyone thought it was a training exercise.

It took a long time to fly. As soon as we sat down, we quickly began unloading. They didn’t immediately realize that it was already abroad, only after dawn.

Paratroopers with their equipment were unloaded from other planes, who quickly left, and the soldiers of the narrator’s unit behind the airfield near the forest and stream pitched tents, setting up a tent city. It was not far from the airfield small town, to which they sent armed patrols with officers. On the opposite side of the airfield there was a small air terminal and several other low airfield buildings. In the morning, airfield employees came and looked in surprise at the soldiers, planes, etc. Need to say,
that our planes arrived quite often, bringing mainly paratroopers with equipment and other things, who quickly left.

The delivered ammunition was stored right next to the runway. There were also tents in which our army airfield command, communications center, etc. were located. Everything was different.
By the middle of the day, the first signs of rejection and unfriendliness of the local population began to appear. The youth especially tried.
They shouted curses and made all sorts of obscene gestures.
In the evening, two motorcyclists drove onto the runway and were rushing along runway, drove up to the planes, threw stones and bottles at the air intakes, cabin windows, etc. .. The soldiers were ordered to push them out of the strip without using weapons or force. It was difficult to do this.
Another problem is water. At first, water was collected for the kitchen and other household needs from a fairly clean stream, but soon this could not be done, because... the local population began to deliberately shit in the stream upstream, throwing sewage, dead dogs, etc. into it. Trips to the town for water were also not successful - if they started collecting water somewhere, it quickly ran out. We moved to another place and there was the same picture. The water was turned off very quickly and in a coordinated manner. In general, they were already planning to transport water by plane. There was also a problem with firewood for the kitchen - they mostly heated it with broken boxes of cartridges, and zinc and cartridges were stacked in stacks. Airport employees did not allow soldiers into the airport, into the toilet, etc. , and the soldiers had to run into the bushes on the other side of the stripes, which caused laughter among local residents and airport employees. They tried to dig a hole for a toilet for military personnel, but from the airport someone came the local boss did not allow this. They say you can’t dig anything and that’s it. It was difficult to patrol the area around and the town. The local population very quickly became bold in expressing their hostility, especially the youth. They threw stones, sticks, and shouted. But there was a strict order: weapons and physical strength do not apply, endure everything, show friendliness.

The situation was heating up, and this, of course, would eventually lead to bad consequences. Our soldiers would run out of patience.
Moreover, many patrols were sent and there were not enough officers for all of them, and often two soldiers went without an officer. On the second day, two patrol soldiers disappeared altogether and were never found. Everyone understood that they were most likely killed and buried somewhere.

And then the Germans appeared. And the situation began to change radically. By lunchtime on the third day a column arrived German army. As Volodya, who was on patrol and was right in the center of this town on the square, said, it was like in a movie about the Great Patriotic War. First motorcyclists with machine guns, then a column. In front and behind are armored personnel carriers with machine gunners at the ready. In the center of the column is the senior officer - on passenger car accompanied by other officers. The column entered the square, parts of it dispersed along the streets near the square. The senior officer and his entourage got out of the car.
The elder examined the square and surrounding area and checked the map. Then he indicates where the headquarters will be, next to the future headquarters - a house for himself. He immediately gives commands to his officers, showing where the units will be located. Before this, the soldiers were sitting in their cars, there was no movement, everyone was waiting. As soon as the commands arrived, work began to boil. The soldiers quickly vacated houses for headquarters and housing for the senior officer, while the rest were also accommodated under the direction of their commanders. How were the houses liberated? It’s very simple - they expelled local residents from there.

A respectable man was quickly brought to the elder, presumably the local mayor, and some other representative personalities. The eldest of the Germans briefly explained to them, or rather indicated, what to do. Since there was no trace of discussion, the local authorities did not even think of objecting, but only bowed down to the Germans. Moreover, the Germans all spoke German to the locals, without bothering themselves with translation, and they understood them perfectly. The Germans behaved in a very businesslike manner.
A German officer approached our patrols, saluted, and asked in Russian who they were and where their unit was located. He explained that they needed to contact the leadership of our unit. The soldiers responded, after which the officer saluted and went and reported to the elder. The senior officer, accompanied by motorcyclists with machine guns, rode to the location of our unit. The soldiers don't know what the senior officers were talking about, but apparently our commander complained about the water situation. Somewhere in the evening, after two or three hours, such a picture was visible. The Czechs quickly pulled the water supply to the unit's location; metal pipes were laid directly on the ground or lightly dug in. They also did the wiring for several taps, where they were told, they worked very quickly. Since then pure water was always in abundance. In addition, the Czechs began to regularly bring chopped ready-made firewood in the required quantities, i.e. and this problem was also quickly resolved.

By evening, events took place at the airfield that radically changed the attitude of the locals towards our presence. The thing is, you could enter the airfield from different directions; it was not fenced. There was a fence on only one side, in the direction from the airport to the city.And that one is from livestock, because... there was grazing there. And the same local youth took advantage of this. They flew in on motorcycles, threw bottles, stones and other things at the planes, and laughed at the soldiers who were trying to push them off the landing strips. They threw the same thing at the soldiers, and they received injuries and bruises, but they could not do anything. And then in the evening on the third day after the Germans appeared, a passenger car drove onto the runways, in which four youths were rushing along the runway, approaching the planes, etc. .. The order to oust them did not give anything. However, this time the hooligans went far - they hit two soldiers with a car, seriously injuring them. The Czech airfield personnel watched what was happening with laughter, great joy meeting every successful feint of the youths and especially their attack on the soldiers. But the soldiers with weapons could not do anything with these youths - after all, they were not allowed to shoot.

But then, unfortunately for these young men, a German patrol on two motorcycles with machine guns arrived at the airfield. The Germans quickly understood everything. The young men, seeing the German patrol, rushed to run away along the outermost strip. One motorcycle rushed after them, or rather along a parallel lane. Having driven further away, so that it would be impossible to hit someone by accident, the machine gunner hit the car with one burst. He immediately shot two young men sitting in the front seats. The car stopped. Two people sitting behind jumped out and started running.
The machine gunner fired two short bursts along the ground to the left and right of the fleeing people. One stopped, raised his hands and walked back, the second continued to run away, trying to weave. This caused the machine gunner to laugh, and he cut him off with a short burst, then fired his machine gun at the already lying one with two more bursts. The second, standing with his hands raised, was beckoned by the German, shouting “com, com.” He walked away as if drunk, sobbing loudly. Our officer sent soldiers, and they pulled out the two dead people sitting in the front from the burning car. The German showed the young man walking with his hands up and sobbing where to go.
Having brought him closer to the airport, he knelt down with his hands behind his head and stood nearby with a machine gun at the ready. The young man was sobbing loudly all the time and asking for something. But the German did not pay any attention to this.
From the second patrol motorcycle they radioed to their superiors about what was happening. The Czech airport staff no longer laughed and silently watched what was happening. Soon a passenger car arrived with a German officer and two soldiers. The officer got out of the car, listened to the report of the senior patrolman, turned and went to the nearest downed soldier of ours, lying on the runway in the blood, in the place where he was hit. They were already helping him, bandaging him, putting splints on him, and he was moaning loudly. The officer approached, looked, saluted our officer as he approached and said, pointing to the soldiers’ machine guns: “We must shoot.” He clearly did not understand why weapons were not used in such an obvious situation. He turned around and walked towards the kneeling young man. As he approached, he unfastened his holster as he walked. Having approached about three meters, he shot him in the forehead, after which he calmly put the pistol back and gave the command to his soldiers.
His soldiers ran to the airport and disappeared there. It soon became clear why. They literally kicked everyone out to the area in front of the airport. When the officer arrived there, the soldiers were already driving out the last ones.
One of the patrol motorcycles with a machine gun drove up from the side and behind the officer, and the machine gunner held the entire crowd at gunpoint, silently and very warily looking at the officer and the machine gunner. It also seemed to us that now they would machine-gun those standing in front of them. But the officer made a short speech in German, which those gathered in front of him received gloomily. He probably explained to them who the boss was,
and how to behave.

After that, they quickly ran to the airport, and everything began to move. A firefighter rushed in, extinguished the burning car, and then pulled it away from the landing. Soon a tow truck picked her up. Then three local policemen arrived, with whom the German officer also had a brief conversation. The junior police officers loaded the corpses into a truck and drove away, while the senior police officer was taken with him by a German officer. In general, the Germans acted with such absolute confidence in their rightness and the correctness of what they were doing that all the locals involuntarily obeyed them unquestioningly.

After everything that happened, no one from the locals ever came close to the airfield, except for those who worked there. In addition, about two hours later an excavator arrived, and an elderly excavator operator asked where the Russians should dig. So the side roads and paths leading to the airport were blocked, after which a large hole was dug for a soldier’s toilet, which the Czechs had not allowed to be built before. Now none of the locals objected. I must also say that after this our soldiers and officers began to be freely allowed into the airport and everywhere else in general. At the same time, they tried... as if not to notice. Attempts to somehow misbehave at the airfield, etc. there was no more either.

And one more consequence. The next day, a team of Czech carpenters arrived and, under the leadership of a German non-commissioned officer, quickly built a fairly high and solid tower on the road leading from the town to the airport. Convenient stairs, roof, on the tower itself there are double walls, made of overlapping boards, between the walls there are sandbags - protection from bullets.
Mounts for machine guns, a powerful searchlight on the turret. It’s convenient, everything is visible and everything is shot through. They also installed a barrier there and next to it a booth made of boards with glass windows, which was very convenient especially in bad weather. Our soldiers hardly used the tower, but it was visible from afar and had a very disciplinary effect on the locals. Such a classic German tower.

About a week later, a group of young people, about 20-30 people, came to the airfield from the grazing area, with posters “Russians go home”, with a loudspeaker, through which they shouted all sorts of calls to “get the occupiers out.” We approached from the side, from the airport, but not very close to the runway, and did not approach the tents. The duty officer at the checkpoint sent a soldier to the tower to see if there were many of them, if there was anyone else behind them, in general, to look around.
So, as soon as the protesters saw that the soldier began to climb the tower, they immediately ran away, leaving some of the posters on the spot. Maybe they thought they were going to shoot.

Another episode I remember, which Volodya Anikin told about. With the arrival of the Germans the situation changed greatly. The local population was very respectful of the Germans and German patrols and complied with their slightest demands. In general, it never occurred to the Czechs that they could argue or disagree with the Germans. Moreover, it is somehow disrespectful to treat them. And the German patrols did not spare cartridges. No one dared to throw a stone at them or throw slop at them, etc. In response - instant lethal fire, without considering why this happened. Therefore, our patrols tried to get a German soldier for their company or even go along with a German patrol. The Germans viewed this favorably. They clearly enjoyed their role as law enforcement officers.
And then one day a patrol, which included Volodya and a Russian sergeant, the senior patrol, was sent to patrol the streets on the outskirts of the town. Going there, they made a detour and passed through the streets where the Germans were quartered. There, near one of the houses, German soldiers were clustered, laughing merrily.
It must be said that German soldiers, despite the discipline, had much more freedoms than our soldiers. They had more free time, could go somewhere in their personal time, etc.

Approaching our German colleagues, we tried to somehow communicate, say or understand something. The Germans knew that Russian soldiers were often offended
locals, and they were clearly flattered to be somewhat of a protector. At least, the German soldiers immediately understood that our soldiers had to patrol the outskirts on foot and wanted to have a German in their company for cover. It must be said that the Germans usually patrolled on two motorcycles with sidecars with machine guns. The machine gunners were always ready...
One young soldier volunteered with ours, who immediately ran away and reported this to his non-commissioned officer, who, smiling knowingly, let the soldier go. And so the three of them walk, trying to communicate. The German knows some Russian words, a lot of facial gestures, all three are having fun and interesting. They are already walking along the very outskirts, through the suburbs, where everything looks more like dachas. On the left there is a solid fence, and then a mesh fence. The German turned towards the solid fence and began to relieve himself. (In general, German soldiers relieved their needs, especially minor ones, without hesitation, almost everywhere in the city). Well, Volodya and the sergeant walked a little further forward, where the mesh fence already began. Here, from behind the fence, from the bushes, a stone flies and hits our sergeant in the back. Our patrols did not pay attention to such stones, and getting hit in the back with a stone was a common occurrence. But now a German sees this, having already caught up with the Russian soldiers. And the one who threw did not see the German because of the solid fence. The reaction of the GDR soldier is instantaneous - he rips off his machine gun and fires the entire horn from his waist like a fan into the bushes.
Volodya says, the sergeant and I are standing dumbfounded. The German is reloading his machine gun and is about to shoot again. Volodya said that without talking to the sergeant, they jumped up to the German and took his machine gun. He handed it over without a murmur, but heatedly said something to them and pointed to the bushes where the stone had come from. He clearly didn’t understand why the Russians weren’t shooting and were acting so strangely.

Behind the bushes are some summer buildings, like a plywood gazebo or something like that.
Crying can be heard from there. The German shows with the passion of a hunter that this is where the game is, and it must be punished now. And our soldiers are dragging our ally away. He tries to explain something, but he is taken away and quickly. And only when the German calmed down and had moved far enough away did our men give the German the machine gun. It was wild for us, Volodya Anikin said, to shoot with combat weapons at locality. And besides, when we were given two rounds of live ammunition, we were strictly warned that we were not allowed to shoot under any circumstances. Die, but don't shoot. Why then give live ammunition, why send it somewhere? But the Germans, apparently, did not account for the cartridges and therefore did not spare them.

And some more observations from Vladimir Anikin:

“The Germans ate in restaurants that were converted into soldiers’ canteens at lunchtime. The Czechs brought fresh vegetables, fruits, fresh meat, herbs, etc. for them. .. Our patrols saw this well. We didn’t know whether the Germans paid for this, but they ate much better than us. We mostly eat porridge and stew.
Borscht soup - also with stew. There was no variety or pickles. But we got used to this what to do. There they had quite a lot of deer and roe deer wandering through the fields and forests, who had little fear of people. Once they saw how a German truck stopped and an officer sitting in the cab, taking a machine gun from a soldier, shot a deer, which the German soldiers dragged into the back and drove away. An example has been set.
We asked German soldiers for cartridges and shot deer. They quickly cut it up and took away the meat. The machine gun from which they fired was quickly cleaned. If they asked who failed, they said that the Germans. What will you take from the Germans? They do what they want. Of course, many of the officers guessed, and maybe even knew, that we were the ones shooting, but such welding and such explanations suited everyone. So we ate venison.
Another reason why it was beneficial to be friends with the Germans was that they went into any pub, where a separate table was always immediately provided for them, even if the pub was overcrowded. We ordered beer, and the beer there was very good, and after drinking it, we left without paying. We didn’t have Czech money, but the Germans may have had it, but they didn’t pay. And why? The Czechs already bent before them.

About the German organization of business. Again, our patrols, which were hanging out in the city center, saw that every morning the local mayor was standing at attention waiting for the senior German officer in front of his house. That morning he went to his headquarters. Sometimes he gave instructions to this mayor, sometimes he took him and someone else to his headquarters. Those. there was a clear vertical of power, and everyone knew what they had to do. First, everything the Germans need, and then mind your own business. Therefore, of course, the Germans had to be allowed into Prague first. Firstly,
The Czechs would not strongly oppose and provoke them. And if someone had twitched, the Germans would have been very happy to explain that there was no need to do this, it would be worse for themselves.
For a police mission, the Germans are ideal. They know how to occupy and what to do with the occupied. Our army is not ready for this. Fight - yes. Win - yes. But occupying and oppressing the occupied is not for us. So if the Germans were the first to be allowed into Prague, it would only strengthen the friendship of peoples. It would be good for everyone. And the Czechs would now be happy to remember the Germans in Prague and their “European Ordnung”.

In November it became very cold in the tents. The soldiers caught a cold. A senior German arrived with his officer, who spoke Russian well,
and, talking with our commander, he said that we couldn’t live in tents. If he wants everyone to live together and be always at hand, he needs to take over the local school. When our commander began to say where the children would study, the German replied that the problem of educating local children should be dealt with by the local authorities, that was their business, and he should take care of his soldiers. Our signalman, who was present there, told us all this. But our people still continued to live in tents, many were sick.”

At the end of November, Volodya was transferred to the Union and, quickly, transferred to the reserve. He already served for several months, but he understood that the situation was very difficult, and he pulled the burden resignedly.
Volodya also told what the “soldier’s” radio brought. But I convey only what he saw personally, with his own eyes. But what the “soldier’s” radio brought in largely coincided with what he personally saw. The Czechs treat our soldiers poorly, there are a lot of provocations, sometimes with dire consequences for our soldiers, with injuries and even death. And the nobility of our soldiers only made them laugh. But Czechs fear and respect Germans. Although for the Germans they are second class.
The German occupation is familiar to them, understandable, etc. And no matter how anyone bends or rapes them, the “Russians” are still to blame for everything.
In 1970, I graduated from school and left to study. Since then I haven’t seen Vladimir and don’t know where he is. Almost half a century has passed, and a lot has changed in our lives. If he is alive, good health to him, but if he has already left, rest in peace. Surely it will be possible to find other participants in these events. Their memories would help complete the picture of what was happening in Czechoslovakia at that time. A good and truthful film would be made about this. Nowadays, few people remember these events.

Viktor Dmitrievich Bychkov

-- [Page 17] --

Let the bawd aunt giggle, Still cursing me in her thoughts.

I won't scream in frustration.

I won’t go wild with anger. I know that the aunties will only be happy, There will be more reasons to despise.

Now I won’t humiliate myself, I won’t lower my impudent gaze, I’ll have fun with the women, I have a HUNDRED and FIFTY of them!!!

You just know, I sincerely believe, Returning from work alone, You will look at the doors with hope... But you won’t see me anymore.

Sorry, officers, with gaps in the shoulder straps, That I don’t understand army laws, That I don’t understand midnight lights out, That I don’t buy German wallpaper from my own hands.

Forgive me for the ignorance and simplicity, dear ones.

Naivety is not valued here, but we are sinners as citizens!

Forgive me, officers, for answering sharply, That I can’t clearly distinguish the stars on the shoulder straps.

Forgive me for having a feast at the lieutenant colonels' place, Because my brother works in Khomovniki's high-rise building.

Forgive me that I have lived in Moscow on the side since birth.

Forgive me that I was not born somewhere near Vetluga, That after a day of work I rush to my dear wife, Forgive me that I often want to howl like a beluga!

Sorry that I don’t drink champagne with my wife on holidays. We still have hiccups. old life civil, The twentieth and fifth advance with pay is modest, And it seems that they are not beggars, and they do not seem to be homeless!

Forgive me for not wanting to burn in smoke and flames, for coughing indifferently by the regimental banner.

I'm sorry that I don't like the living conditions. Forgive me if you can, I will also repent.

Forgive me for ignorance and simplicity, dear ones, Naivety is not valued here, but we are sinners as citizens!

I will find myself another, I will find myself more beautiful, I will find myself younger, I will find myself more tender.

But she will not be more desirable, but she will not be more loved, But she will not be more dear, but she will not be dearer.

Maybe time will calm us down, maybe time will judge us, maybe time will heal, maybe time will forgive us.

It will only last a very long time, it will hurt for a very long time.

For a very, very, very long time nothing will heal us.

In this huge city, in this chaos, despair.

In this deserted city, in this alien city, You and I are somewhere nearby, I hear your breathing, And it seems to me that only you and I are alive.

And I am writing these lines very late, as it used to be.

And I’m not writing about all this for the sake of saying something nice.

It’s not simple, everything is not simple, something connected us, Something made our stupid hearts beat.

Vartan said that Yerevan is a little Paris!

Tengiz retorted: You’re lying!

By the noisy waters of my native Kura, in the bends of old roofs, my little Paris is blooming under the sun of Georgia!

And I'm a Muscovite. I’ll shake off the chill of spring.

I already know that my city is unlike anyone else!

Night. Twelve. I can't sleep again.

And besides, a headache.

Life gave me the opportunity not to sleep. Why? I do not know yet.

The house is damp, as it has been all these years.

There is almost no light pouring through the windows, No amount of weather in the world will reach the bottom of the well.

...And I live as if I were not a toad, Between the sky and the wet earth In half a century, gills could grow from contact with water, And behind the gills a tail would appear, Scales and other growths.

And in the end I would turn into a beautiful veil-tail.

And I don’t need a ray of sunshine or coolness, the handsome mute.

And I wouldn’t have seen the outrages Brought to us from Transcaucasia... The night is bright. There are tears in the stars in the sky.

I hear the sighs of the courtyards, the groans of the streets.

And behind the roofs, there near Losinka, Grom stands sorting the cars.

The grinding of rails, horns in the sky don’t bother me, it’s become a habit.

The train leaving into the distance will make the noise of a lullaby.

The pain will subside. I'll turn off the lamp.

I will lie quietly under the lampshade.

In the morning, past the houses, like along the ramp, I’ll rush past like a real dude!

It was autumn time to bloom in the foliage.

The city lived in a long period of turmoil.

There was an evening in memory of Yesenin at the Slavic Institute.

The spacious hall hummed like a swarm. The people in the ranks were languishing.

The screen on the stage shone with a whitish sheet, a face familiar from childhood appeared with a shock of blonde hair.

They read eternal poems and praised the poet.

Through the darkness of years, as through sins, a ray of light burst in.

And there was a feeling: somewhere out there, Time was beating behind the door!

Piercing the human din.

And here it stopped.

And the sound of the guitar floated in the silence.

Sometimes it was louder, sometimes less loud.

I only heard the beating of my heart.

I saw hundreds of eyes and hands and how souls glowed!

AGULKA

The heart beats, but not loudly.

There are no enthusiastic speeches.

Forgive me, agulka*, that today I am no one’s.

That there is coolness in my chest, That there are countless wrinkles in my face, I don’t need your love, Well, you take what you have.

It’s just that life has spoiled it. It’s not time for a whirlwind.

Everything is now thrice sweet to me, Which takes me away from the blues.

I love your stories without any embellishment.

Through the glass of a crystal vase I imagine the Caucasus.

Let the conversations not be long, And the wrong words sound.

May your mountains not fade, May my Moscow bloom.

Your heart will beat loudly!

Let's look forward to other nights!

Forgive me, agulka.

I've been nobody's for a long time now.

*Aguls are the smallest ethnic group in Dagestan.

Amata nobis quantum amabitur nulla!* Remember, remember, dear, Remember how you once loved!

Today, of course, you are different, and you have already forgotten about many things.

Remember how you kissed me like no one else, the Little Russian lioness!

How she called everyone Eugene Even very familiar faces.

And today, meeting others, And dispassionately kissing them on the lips, Suddenly, feeling that they were not mine, For a moment you clenched your teeth.

Oh, you, Rus', reckless, sinful.

You are spinning in the strife of times.

Sometimes fierce, sometimes serene.

Now under a banner, now without a banner... You were spinning in a mad whirlwind, As if you were at one with evil spirits:

Everything is covered with darkness from the West, and everything is dark from the East.

And truly you are a royal daughter, And a dowry of a hundred seas!

And around you there is a boyar thief:

Who is more insidious, who is more cunning.

And whoever doesn’t get there takes you, And leads you down the aisle.

Let everything Russian go to waste, And as you exhale: it’s all over!

They were surrounded by cursed dogs.

Don't even let Her breathe.

And the distance, endlessly enveloped in misfortune, wants to help her with something.

And the “darling” has sweat on his forehead, And to please, he hits the beater!

And the Tatar makes me sick, Who whispers with anger: Rusak!

Who are you, bar? Where? Are you from here?

Who are you, our new princes?!

Unlucky Rus', not without sin!

But you can’t slander the Fatherland!

I understand, you don’t have to suffer yourself.

Anything else would suit a scoundrel.

Only you, according to the concepts of “bitching”, are not becoming, gentlemen, are not becoming!!!

The fire of the conflagrations of Crazy feelings has long gone out, but for some reason I imagine how you give the Coolness of your lips to someone.

What's the matter, you say, really.

It's time to understand that everything is forgotten.

But lava still pours from the heart, Love has not yet been poured out.

And through the years and the smoke of the conflagrations of My hopes, and the turmoil of my heart, I imagine how you give the Coolness of your lips to someone.

Oh, you are my kind, my most affectionate, so the person I need now.

Your look is quiet and very sympathetic. It would probably melt the snow.

Like a kitten, you crawl at my feet, burying your head in your stomach.

Well, where do you get from this?

I'll lounge on the sofa like a cat.

Out of place, I tug at your children's hair With gratitude, As if I were merging the stripes of thoughts Because I don't love you at all.

You, of course, know everything, but you are drawn into this restless comfort.

And like a woman, you suffer resignedly from the fact that they are not waiting for you here.

Gray yourself. Warm my cold soul.

Stay in your nature. Let anxieties and hateful thoughts dissolve in your witchcraft.

Let the evening outside the windows be unkind, Let the frost be fierce, the snow fall... You are my kindest and most sympathetic, The closest person now.

Stifling day. Almost siesta.

It was raining and moisture was hitting the windows.

I lay down. Convenient place.

You dreamed.

Or did I notice by chance, Or did someone else's trumpets call?

But when I met you, I kissed you on your dry lips.

I won’t hide my excitement:

Are you probably unwell?

You didn’t say a word, You only smiled sadly.

And then there was a chase!

As if we really were running through the carriages for the briefcase I had forgotten.

The train was moving somewhere.

Here is the tunnel. Slowing down, the train is rushing, you need to jump!

I wrapped my hand around you.

How will you measure your love and what loss will you compare it with?

I say: do you believe me?

You answer quietly: I believe.

And we fly to the earth, as if to paradise, You squeeze my palm.

I love you, you know?

In the passage, on a dull evening, To the chords of the latter rain, a woman asked for alms, stirring up the sad song of her soul.

She modestly pressed herself against the tiled wall, hastily picking up a lock of hair, and sang, now excitedly, now languidly, about the land of a million roses.

Evening. Rain. Wretchedness and humility.

And like the sun, a song about flowers.

NADEZhDA DOBRENKAYA

This is what I started writing. At the very first request, Donizdat published collections of prose: “The Country of Teachers’ Councils,” “In line, sons of bitches,” “Freud is resting.”

In 2008, I was recognized as the absolute winner of the seventeenth round of the annual competition “Here, I remember, there was an incident” by the city newspaper “Evening Rostov”. Before she squandered the first prize of ten thousand rubles, she decided to publish in “The Prague Graphomaniac”. While I was sitting quietly at home, few people knew that I was blonde. But the newspaper “Evening Rostov” glorified me with the captions under my photographs “Cinderella in gold”, “We reveal your beautiful talents to the city.” This doesn’t fit in with the current jokes about dumb blondes.

Maybe I should strive to join the writing community, whose charter does not prohibit blondes.

PERPENDICULARS AND PARALLELS

If she already blurted out “a” about Weller’s book “Perpendicular”, she should also say “b”.

While I read that Pushkin is not our everything, I didn’t seem to mind. In addition to Alexander Sergeevich, we have a lot of geniuses.

Weller asks: Who was Pushkin’s mother, if his grandfather’s middle name was Abramovich, and his brother’s name was Levushka?” All of us who live in Russia are considered Russian in the West, but we believe that not only Russians live in the West.

And for us: “So fucking Ethiopian!”

My brother is married to an Armenian woman, and they have three wonderful children. Nephew Vanechka Ni Kulin from his Armenian mother graduated from a jazz school and won many competitions jazz music. For her victories, Vanechka was accepted into the conservatory without exams. He studies and works in the orchestra of our musical theater. Our Vanya has two solo bars with the trombone in “The Magic Flute”. And no one is interested in the fact that Vanechka’s mother is Armenian. But how can “The Magic Flute” get by without two solo bars for Vanechka with the trombone?