In this moving interview with RT, Retired U.S. Army Colonel Frank Cohn — a Holocaust survivor who fled Nazi Germany as a child — shares his unforgettable experience of meeting Soviet troops at the Elbe River in April 1945. 🇺🇸🤝🇷🇺
From emotional embraces to spontaneous celebrations with vodka, Col. Cohn’s story is a living testament to the hope, unity, and human spirit that emerged even amidst the devastation of World War II. 🌎🕊️
A touching, historic reminder of how enemies became allies — and how moments of peace can shine even in the darkest of times. 🕯️📜
#ElbeDay
#FrankCohn
#WWIIHistory
#HolocaustSurvivor
#SovietAmericanUnity
#WorldWarII
#HistoricMoments
#PeaceAndUnity
#VeteransStories
#LivingHistory
#USArmy
#SovietUnion
#HistoryMatters
#RTInterview
#ElbeRiver
#VictoryInEurope
#EndOfWar
#HumanSpirit
#UnlikelyAllies
#SharedHistory
From emotional embraces to spontaneous celebrations with vodka, Col. Cohn’s story is a living testament to the hope, unity, and human spirit that emerged even amidst the devastation of World War II. 🌎🕊️
A touching, historic reminder of how enemies became allies — and how moments of peace can shine even in the darkest of times. 🕯️📜
#ElbeDay
#FrankCohn
#WWIIHistory
#HolocaustSurvivor
#SovietAmericanUnity
#WorldWarII
#HistoricMoments
#PeaceAndUnity
#VeteransStories
#LivingHistory
#USArmy
#SovietUnion
#HistoryMatters
#RTInterview
#ElbeRiver
#VictoryInEurope
#EndOfWar
#HumanSpirit
#UnlikelyAllies
#SharedHistory
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NewsTranscript
00:00The first question that I really would like to ask you is, what was your first reaction to the Elb Day celebrations being dropped and what significance did those celebrations hold for you personally?
00:12Well, I thought that was a sorry thing to happen because this was one of the last combinations that we had between the old days where the Soviet forces or the Russian forces were friendly with the American forces back in World War II days and at the end of World War II.
00:39But the political side deteriorated rather fast, yet we were able to retain that combination and friendship and it would indeed be a loss if we couldn't regain this.
00:58Of course, there are not too many of us left.
01:01And could you share your experience meeting the Soviet troops on the Elb River in April 1945?
01:07What were your immediate thoughts and reaction feelings during that encounter?
01:12We had been on our side of the Elba and of course, the Soviet forces had arrived even before us.
01:19But we both were very attuned to General Eisenhower's directive to keep the Elba as a barrier between the forces moving west and the forces moving east.
01:39So it was a rather wise decision because some unforeseen accident could have happened in case the two forces were intermingled without much prior coordination.
01:57In any event, my captain had received orders and a top circuit map which showed the occupation zones.
02:11And the occupation zone showed clearly that Magdeburg and areas even further to the west were within the Soviet occupation zone,
02:22which meant that eventually the Russian forces would have to come across the Elba.
02:29But the captain also had orders to go across and talk to the commander on the Soviet side
02:40to assure that this crossing would not occur too early, that it may take a few days, maybe even a couple of weeks before we withdraw.
02:51And that would be the time sequence for the Soviet forces to move across the Elba.
02:57So he looked for a Russian-speaking interpreter, couldn't find one.
03:03And he turned to me and he said, you're my interpreter, come with me.
03:08I'm trying to get out of this because I don't speak any Russian.
03:13I told him, listen, I have one word in Russian, tovarish, that's it.
03:18He said, I don't care, carry the map.
03:21So I carried the map and he ordered a German boatman to take us across.
03:27And in the middle of the river, he got up to make sure that the Soviet side would know it's an American coming across.
03:36And when we got to the other side of the Elba, you can't imagine the reception we received.
03:44I mean, they hugged us, they kissed us, they carried us around, and they tried to ply us with vodka.
03:53Now, I was 19 years old.
03:55I never had a sip of vodka before, but I realized pretty quick that I better stay away from that stuff.
04:03Anyway, I was able to reciprocate a little bit.
04:06I had some cigarettes on me, and cigarettes were really the bartering mode that was used in trying to understand each other.
04:18So they were happy to get cigarettes.
04:21And, of course, I was of no use to the captain.
04:25They had to take the captain to their rear where they must have found an interpreter for him.
04:32While I stayed at the edge of the Elba, and I tried to communicate, one sergeant took a liking to me, and he said,
04:43Me, Moscow.
04:44I said, Me, New York.
04:46There you come, Moscow.
04:48There you come, New York.
04:49And so we talked.
04:52And about an hour or so later, the captain came all happy.
04:55So he obviously had done this job, and we returned and talked about the terrific reception that we received.
05:06And then I thought about it, and another, well, a number of nights later, it suddenly dawned on me.
05:14We had a rather easy time getting to the Elba.
05:17But we knew the war was over for us because the Germans were coming on both sides trying to give up because they were hungry.
05:26They wanted to eat something in the G.O.W. camp.
05:30On the Russian side, though, the Germans had mistreated the Russians when they moved into Poland and into Russia.
05:38And then when the tide of battle turned, they knew they had to be afraid of the Russians because the Russians might take their revenge.
05:48So they had to fight all the way up to the Elba.
05:52And when they finally saw an American uniform in front of them, they knew they had survived the war, even though there was a lot of fighting still going on in Berlin.
06:03But in our sector, it was all quiet, and they were celebrating their survival as well as welcoming us as we came across.
06:15Could you elaborate on how the meeting between the American and Soviet troops at the Elba symbolized cooperation between the two nations?
06:24The real symbolizing was at Torgau.
06:29Now, we were at Magdeburg.
06:31We came together about a couple of days later than the, I think, the 16th of December meeting at Torgau.
06:42But it was, you know, I didn't catch it at the time.
06:47It was just another incident within the war, as far as I was concerned.
06:54But thinking of it later, it came across that this was a very great symbol of showing that the two forces had the same goal of beating the Germans and wiping out the Nazism that was prevalent and was trying to be forced onto the whole world.
07:20So that symbolism was quite important, and that's why these meetings occurred year after year to retain that idea that we really could get along when we had the same goals.
07:39And it was a shame that the goals diverted, and we ended up with different political goals in the interim.
07:53But we retained that idea there is always the ability to get together when the goals would meet.
08:03I know you've just touched upon that the meeting between the American soldiers and the Soviet soldiers was a great symbol of showing how both nations wanted to beat the Nazi Germany.
08:15But looking back at the meeting, how do you perceive its significance, not only in the context of World War II, but also modern international relations?
08:25Well, the international coordination has soured very badly.
08:33There's no question of that.
08:35And it's even more sour when we can't even get together remembering times that we were together.
08:46So I think that presently President Trump is trying to reestablish some coordination, and I think that's a good thing.
09:05And I was hoping that maybe we can get together in April again.
09:10I certainly hope so, because that would reestablish a link that shouldn't have been broken in the first place.
09:19As you've just said, that Donald Trump is trying to reestablish the link between the two nations.
09:26But how do you feel the current state of the U.S.-Russia relations compares to the relationship during the World War II?
09:34What changes have you noticed since then?
09:36We are really in very separate entities in regards to international relations and interrelations between Russia and the United States.
09:49So, but I think that President Trump is trying to change that just a bit so that we are not that estranged anymore.
10:02And he's probably looking for ways of coordination where our goals could be the same.
10:12And perhaps hang on that and expand on that if necessary, because there's no need for the enmity that had existed here for quite a number of years.
10:25Hopefully, he'll be successful and we can establish maybe not a complete friendship, but at least ongoing being able to talk to each other and understand each other.
10:45And as a minimum, that's what we have to do.
10:48We really must understand each other and know that each one is really looking for a peaceful existence in this world.
11:00There have been lots of wars and wars are just not necessary.
11:05I think we can diplomatically solve the problems that exist between us.
11:11In your opinion, what lessons can current and future generations learn from the unity demonstrated by the American and Soviet forces at the Elbe?
11:28The main point is when we were doing the same thing, we accomplished it.
11:33We beat the Germans to a pulp to the point that even their government had to disappear and they suddenly ended up being a democracy rather than a dictatorship of Nazism.
11:50And I think that's the lesson to be learned, that when we get together, we can accomplish something.
11:58So, can't we come up with some ideas of what we ought to accomplish together?
12:05I think we should be able to do that.
12:08There are so many things in life that have to be solved, whether on the scientific side or the cultural side or whatever it is.
12:18There are all kinds of goals that we both have identity of it, the same goals that we should be able to accomplish together and do a much better job of getting there.
12:33I think that's the lesson that needs to be considered here.
12:37Do you see any realistic pathways for improving U.S.-Russia relations in the near future?
12:43And if so, what would it look like, in your opinion?
12:46Well, of course, the president doesn't talk to me, so I'm not quite sure what he has in mind.
12:53And we'll have to see how this thing develops.
12:57I think it's an enigma right now for both you and me, really.
13:04On our side, we're not quite sure either exactly how this is going to go.
13:10But I'm always optimistic.
13:14I think that it's probably going to go in the right direction.
13:19And if it goes in the right direction, I'll be ready to support whatever I can in my small way.
13:27And hopefully others will do the same thing.
13:30And if we all get together and try to support this thing, it'll work.
13:35And I hope on the other side, the same thing is true.
13:40So if we both go in the same direction where we can meet each other and march together for even short distances, it's wonderful.
13:52And I'm all in favor of it.
13:54What message would you like to convey to younger generations about the importance of remembering historic alliances like the one formed during the World War II?
14:04Well, I think the important thing is that the subject of history is not one that needs to be discarded, pushed aside or downgraded.
14:16The subject of history in schools is extremely important and ought to be reemphasized because history tells you what you can do and what you shouldn't do.
14:31Because it's happened before and you don't want to take any step that gets you over a precipice and you fall down.
14:42And on the worst side, wars can start because of that.
14:48And wars must be avoided because we all would like to live a good life.
14:54We don't want to be cut down in the early teens and 20s.
15:01Everybody deserves to get to old age and history can show that.
15:09And that's why history is so important and needs to be emphasized in the educational process.