A/N: Hello and welcome to chapter tree of my story. We are still dealing with June 22, 1941, a day which was really the longest day for all those involved and for me as a writer as well. Yet, I hope that once I get through everything which needs to be shown things will move rather quickly. Anyway, in this chapter there is a look into the Ukrainian Personifications of Yekaterina and Konstantin (Who is the male personification of the country) and how they cope with the reality of war. Hopefully this chapter end up being interesting for everyone.
Kiev, Ukrainian SSR June 22, 1941 - 10:00 Moscow Time
"Water! Where the hell is the water?" shouted a firefighter at the head of the fire squad which was trying to save the building. Standing at a safe distance, Yekaterina Braginskaya, the female personification of Ukraine, stared as a group of firemen ran the underground pipe which supplied water to their hose. "We've lost pressure!" they shouted to their superior after checking the gauge. Cursing the Fire Marshal removed his helmet, which looked like a cross between a Prussian Pickelhaube helmet and that of an English bobby, and wiped the sweat from his brow just as an explosion from another gas line rupturing sent a jet of flames into the street. As the firefighters quickly moved their equipment from the danger of the flames, the Fire Marshal replaced his helmet and ran to the truck to find his bullhorn."That's it!" he shouted to his team when he found it, "We've lost her, pull back!"
These words sent a jolt of panic through Ukraine, "Wait- No No no don't leave it-" she shouted, desperate to save something from this horrible situation. "Comrade Fire Marshal! Please don't leave!" she said rushing to the taller man who was covered in black streaks of ash and grime.
Shaking his head the man continued to pull his men back, "It's a lost cause! We need to save our energy and water for fires which we can fight. As a public safety worker I highly suggest you get out of here now!"
Dazed and lost Yekaterina watched helplessly as the men she had hoped would save her state's parliament piled into their truck and race away to another call, their bell ringing loudly. Lost and out of ideas Yekaterina watched the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR, her republic's parliament building, burn with a shocked fascination before falling to her knees defeated. W-What am I going to do now? she thought. With tears brimming her eyes Yekaterina forced herself to look up at the sight, she couldn't allow defeatism to infect her thinking or else the war would be good as lost. Yet it was difficult for her to believe that things would work out. It had been six and a half hours since the horror had started and two since the last wave of planes had passed but the destruction was far from over and reports that tanks and infantry were crossing her western border in mass, thrusting deep into her heartland, as evidence of the total collapse of defense. At the same time, no word had come from Moscow since the start of the attack, though her officials were doing all they could to inform the leadership of the dire situation. Now as Yekaterina watched the flames from the fire lick the flag of her republic, which was posted on the top of the Parliament, it was perfectly clear that she was on her own and couldn't expect her brother Ivan to come help her; a moment later the cloth burst into flames.
With the burning heat singeing her skin Ukraine stood and backed away. With the fire spreading from one building to the next Yekaterina feared that she would become encircled by the flames, then roasted until they died out. Shuddering at the thought Yekaterina started to make her way out of the destroyed center and as she ran through one fire engulfed street to the next Yekaterina felt the suppressing haze of smoke sting her eyes and burn her lungs. At the same time the wall of fire on either side of her caused Ukraine to feel as though she was wandering through the pages of Dante's Inferno instead of her favorite city. Yet, the harsh, horrible truth was that it was her capital burning and she was completely helpless in stopping it.
My heart is burning, my people are dying, and there is no end in sight she thought as she fished out her handkerchief and covered the lower half of her face, though it did little to protect her from the choking blackness. Ignoring the burning heat from the inferno upon her skin and the pain her her eyes Ukraine pushed through while tears flowed freely down her cheeks, evaporating before they could even reach her chin. Just then she heard the sound of voices up ahead, lifting her gaze she smiled when she saw that she was finally reaching the edge of the inferno where firefighters were battling the blaze. When they noticed her the men began to point and shout to one another, horrified and shocked to actually see another survivor trying to escape. As the men ran towards her, Yekaterina forcing her way through the fire and smoke but before they had a chance to reach her yet another gas line ruptured and spat a column of fire into the street. Screaming with surprise as the flames singeing her clothes and hair Ukraine began to wildly pat at the flames consuming her outfit as the men quickly took hold of her and carried her to safety.
-xxxx-
"Comrade Braginskaya, it was extremely foolish of you to venture so deep into the bombed zone." The annoyed, though relieved, voice belonged to the Chairmen of the Supreme Soviet of Ukraine, Mykhailo Hrechukha, her boss.
Coughing Yekaterina slowly sat up once the doctors had back away from her cot, she was in a military command center of the Soviet Ukrainian Front, "I apologize Comrade Chairman." she said softly before she reached up to run a hand through her bandaged head. Though she insisted that she was hardly harmed and the rapid healing nature of her Personification status would keep her from suffering permanent damage her boss, worried that he had failed his mission to keep her safe, insisted she get a full medical examination at one of the medical stations set up around Kiev.
Still looking troubled Hrechukha began to pace in front of the small military cot where Ukraine sat, "I shouldn't have let you out of my sight." he complained, "If your brother had known what a foolish risk you would take he would be most upset with me...why didn't you leave with the firefighters?"
Yekaterina sighed, from both the mentioning of her brother Ivan and the scolding she was receiving.
"First of all," she said, getting out of the cot, "Ivan is my younger brother, therefore he is not entitled to watch over me. Second, even if he is upset, you're my leader and I will protect you."
Hrechukha sighed and ran his hand through his hair, "That may be so but he still holds much influence..." he shook his head, "No matter, the event has past and there is no need to speak of it again." he said with a nod. Frowning at her boss's eagerness to sweep her near death (though she technically wouldn't have died) experience under the carpet Yekaterina exhaled with exasperation and crossed her arms. It bothered her that everyone, including other Personifications treated Ivan as if he was her older brother, someone who was able to punish her or those who harmed her; though in truth she knew that Ivan had had, through the strange twist of historic fate, grown to become the most powerful and influential nation of Eastern Europe. She on the other hand had fallen to the wayside as a territory fought over by the nations around her. At least. she thought, I can trust Ivan more than others.
Just then her boss's frustrated voice broke into her thoughts, though she didn't hear them clearly, "What was that?" she asked, turning her attention to the portly man.
"I said, your brush with disfigurement only adds to my problems."
"Well, I'm sorry I'm so troublesome for you." Yekaterina snapped, getting up from the bed, "Honestly, if I'm such a bother why don't you go to Konstantin, I'm sure he'll be /much/ more careful." When she mentioned her brother Konstantin, the male Personification of Ukraine, Hrechukha's features darkened, "I unfortunately can not turn to him at this time." he muttered, trying to calm himself.
"Oh really? Why is that?"
"He has been arrested."
"Arrested? Now?" Yekaterina asked, surprised that even during an invasion the authorities would go through the trouble, "What has be done?"
"He was spreading defeatist propaganda, among other things." This time the speaker was a man Yekaterina was unfamiliar with but she could see from his uniform that the he was a political officer, one of many which made sure the armed forces and in lesser sense the public didn't commit political crimes. The fact that it was he who was telling her why her brother was arrested made it obvious that it was for his continual resistance of the Soviet government which had been established in their nation. Sighing Yekaterina removed the bandaged from her head, "Alright...where is he being held?"
The officer blinked then glanced at the Chairman, "I don't think that seeing him is safe Comrade Braginskaya." he said.
"Yes," agreed Chairman Hrechukha, "Konstantin is no concern of yours really. At this time we should concern-"
"I didn't ask you if my brother is my concern." snapped Ukraine, interrupting the her boss, "I asked you where is my brother being held." She glared at the two men, making it perfectly clear that there was no way she was going to allow a bunch of officials to decide how she was going to treat her brother or his outbursts. Setting her boss with a hard look she waited for him to speak, "Well?" she asked.
Wetting his lips Hrechukha nodded, "Very well..."
-xxxx-
"So...what have you done now?" Yekaterina asked when she came to her brother's cell door. The other Personification sat on the cot with his legs criss-crossed and his hands on his knees, he didn't look at all worried by the fact that he had been placed under arrest in the least. Without opening his eyes Konstantin tilted his head slightly then smiled, "Katya...I was wondering when you would arrive." he said in a calm and even voice, to Yekaterina it even sounded like he was amused. "Yes well, how can I not at a time like this, what were you doing?" Continuing to keep his eyes closed Konstantin shrugged, "What I have always done. Resisted. In return I fall here."
Yekaterina sighed and gripped the bars as she leaned closer, "Kostya, I don't really think now is a good time to resist, really. Surely you have noticed that there is a war on."
Konstantin chuckled, "There you are mistaken dear sister, now is a perfect time to resist," he paused and opened his eyes, "After all, our liberators have just crossed the border."
His words caused Yekaterina to tilt her head in confusion, if he was speaking of reinforcements for the Red Army then there was no true border to cross, after all the Soviet Union was in practice a single State, even if it was made up of many republics. At the same time, how could one liberated land that wasn't yet occupied as it was clear the Germans were no where near Kiev at the moment, "Liberators?" she asked, "Who do you mean?"
Konstantin chuckled and shook his head, "Oh dear sister, still clinging to your belief in Ivan and his scum filled government. I mean the Germans of course. As they1 spill over the border of this rotten state they cleanse the land and prepare it for our freedom."
These words hit Yekaterina's ears like a clap of horrific thunder, as her eyes widened she instinctively backed away, "The Germans?" she whispered, her mind reeling from his words. Then as a flash of anger flared within her she lashed out harshly. "You name the invaders of our land liberators!?" she shouted, "Have you finally gone completely mad!?"
Konstantin's smile vanished as he quickly stood and charged the bars, a horrible scowl twisting his lips, "No!" he fired back, "It is you who's gone mad! You support our oppressors from Moscow without even blinking! You've always done so! You've always supported Ivan and his vile barbaric race! He's done nothing but suppress you, his people use your land as if you were a common whore, and instead of resisting your spread your legs in invitation! "
Yekaterina listened and watched her brother's outrage spill forth in a shocked silence, to think that Konstantin could hold such anger and hatred for their younger brother and even her broke her heart and tears began to well up in her eyes, "How can you say all these things? Ivan is your little brother and he's always been there for us. Always took care of us, he's suffered through the same suffering that we have!"
"NO! No no no! Ivan is a criminal! He's stolen everything from me! If it wasn't for him Ukraine would be the center of Europe I would be the richest and best nation! Instead those drunken Russian barbarians steal everything we have then pretend to be brothers." he gripped the bars, breathing hard, his body slumped over, "Don't you see Katya? Don't you see what he's done to us? Hitler is right when he calls Russia vile, a seat of the Jewish power. You have to see it Katya, you have to." As Yekaterina stared at him she slowly felt a pang of sympathy for Konstantin, not because of his "suffering" but because of the wild jealousy she saw in him. "All I understand is that greed has poisoned your soul and warped you mind. I find that to be tragic."
Hearing these words Konstantin's eyes flashed with anger and his nostrils flared, "Brainwashed bitch." he growled, "You've swallowed that Communist propaganda and now you turn against me too." he gripped the bars tighter and spat in her face, hoping to do something, anything to hurt her.
Flinching when the thick saliva hit her face Yekaterina quickly wiped the offensive bodily fluid from her face after which she set her brother with a harsh glare. "If you have forgotten Kostya," she spoke, her voice cold and harsh, while her eyes narrowed. "I joined that Ukrainian SSR when it was nothing more than a single nucleus in Kharkiv while Ivan's world was in shambles and the Empire fell apart. And if I remember correctly, while I was trying to build a country, you were running with your warlords in Kiev and Lviv trying desperately to take control through terror and violence."
"HA!" Konstantin suddenly erupted, his eyes wide and flaming with a wild intensity, "More Russian propaganda! "You're a pathetic excuse for a sister. Instead of joining those Moscovite animals you should have been with me building a free and beautiful Ukraine."
"We are free and beautiful Konstantin. Those "Moscovite animals" are actually Ukrainians like you and me. They just decided on a different path, a better path, and were more successful. Even some of your founding fathers joined us in the end."
Shaking his head Konstantin began to laugh, "Alright go on, continue to lick Ivan's boots but mark my words you and Ivan shall not win this time. My people, the true Ukrainians will stand with the Germans and when they destroy Russia's rotted state I will not protect you. You've ceased to be my sister and those loyal to you are as good as dead." with that he turned his back and went slowly to the bed. Yekaterina meanwhile quickly turned and walked away, doing her best to keep the tears spilling from her eyes as she went back to the upper levels of the building where her people needed her but this final unforgivable strike against her was beyond anything she had expected. Her brother had not only disowned her, but declared open warfare against her people, fellow Ukrainians who he now viewed as an enemy. My God, My God can this day get any worse? she asked herself through the tears.
Western Territories of the Ukrainian SSR, June 22, 1941 12:56 Local Time
Julchen Beilschmidt watched the rows of Panzer III tanks of the First Panzer Group, a part of Army Group South, rolled across the fields of the Ukraine through her binoculars and smirked; things were going much better than she had expected them to go. In the past six months of planning and preparation she'd been worried that invading Russia would be a mistake, after all unlike the French and the Polish, the Russians were known for their tenacity and brutal resistance. In the past, back when she and her brother Gilbert had Personified the Kingdom of Prussia, she would have been very uneasy about attacking her largest neighbor and often times ally to the east, even during the Great War, when the Prussians had become states of the Kaiserreich, the Russian Empire was not an easy opponent to fight. Yet ever since the October Revolution Ivan's power seemed to have dwindled terribly, the ease in which German troops were over taking the Soviets was proof of that.
Lowering the field glasses Julchen settled back into the comfortable leather seat of the armored car she and Generalfeldmarschall Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist were using to follow their troops from a safe distance. "If things are going as well for Ludwig as they are here, Russia will fall as fast as the others." she said with a satisfied little smirk. Though she wasn't a supporter of Hitler and his Nazi party, Julchen was a loyal patriot of the Germanic state, regardless of what form it took. Her old Prussian pride and sense of duty, though slightly dated for the modern world, had been ingrained in her psyche since the time of Frederick the Great.
"Hm yes." von Kleist responded with a slight frown, "Though I would have enjoyed a bit of a challenge."
Julchen chuckled, "You were never satisfied with a simple victory were you?" though she teased
him the white haired Prussian had to admit that she too would have preferred more resistance
from the "Glorious Red Army".
What a joke. she thought.
"I guess I would feel better if we had been attached to Army Group Center." Commander von Kleist said with a sigh, that Army was fighting in Belarus with their end objective being Moscow, capital of the rotted USSR, "But of course Guderian would never allow it. Always needing to the most glorious objectives to himself. anyone else to take Moscow." Julchen laughed, "Oh of course. Same with my brother, he couldn't shut up about how glorious it would feel to ride his tanks all the way to Stalin's front door." Therefore Ludwig was up north, tearing through Belarus on his way to Moscow with his favorite tank commander while she would go towards Kiev. "At least we can contend ourselves with the fact that Kiev is an important industrial center for the Soviet state and was historic capital of Russia, we are thus like Napoleon on his way to Moscow when the Tsar sat in Petersburg."
"I would rather go to Petersburg than Kiev, anything would be more glorious than Kiev."
von Kleist sighed, "But alas we have our orders and we need to complete them as loyal servants to our new Reich." Julchen grunted and said no more. In truth, ever since Hitler had risen to power, she'd begun to worry about her younger brother. The once calm and well mannered nation had started to turn his back to everything Gilbert and she had taught him. Instead he allowed his anger and frustration to lead him through events and decisions. How else could she explain his fervor in the Master race myth or his need to subjugate the world under his boot? Bismarck would have never allowed us to waste our time like this. Julchen thought grimly as the car lurched forward, bumping over the dirt road.
As the image of her most recent great leader came to mind Julchen couldn't help by smile; the man, a genius of politics both domestic and foreign, had risen Gilbert and herself to a status of power not seen since Frederick I. Though Bismarck wasn't against war, he had after all waged numerous to unite the Germanic states and duchies, the Iron Chancellor would never have invaded Russia until the threat to the west had been completely removed; and even then he'd make sure that Russia was the aggressor. After all, breaking the truce was dishonorable, cowardly, and underhanded she thought. Alas such men and ideas no longer existed in the new Nazi leadership. Yet, Julchen didn't argue and did her best to help her little brother achieve his goals, hoping that maybe after this latest conquest he would calm down and return to bringing peace to Germany. We need peace, she thought, or else the people might take matters into their own hands.
Though Ludwig and Hitler refused to believe or listen to her Julchen had felt the wave of discontent which had washed over the German public in her bones and she knew that Gilbert had felt it too. It was an unpleasant unesey feeling of a nation's people tired of war and doubting their leader for the first time in years. But that's fine. Julchen smiled, Our victory here, one more quick kick, will calm the situation for good.
As Army Group South continued its pushed through the heartland of the USSR, Julchen and Field-Marshal von Kleist watched as German and Soviet tank divisions met and battled. Though soon the smoke from the burning shells of Soviet BT-5s and BT-7 tanks, which stood very little chance against the German Panzer III models because of their lighter armor, choked the air around them. "This is wonderful Herr Generalfeldmarschall!" Julchen exclaimed with a clap of her hands, she didn't even care that her eyes were stinging horribly from the thick, black oil fires. "God I haven't felt this invigorated since we destroyed the French back in 1870."
Then, as the hours and kilometers went by and Army Group South continued deeper and deeper into the Ukrainian territories, Julchen began to witnessed a strange sight which shocked and delighted her. As her armies passed through and near villages of Western Ukraine, they were met by locals of every type. Men, women, children, and the elderly came to greet them with flowers, bread, and drink. "Goodness..." Julchen said as she and von Kleist were mobbed by the public, "It's as though we're liberators." The Field-Marshal smiled as he took a bottle from a young farmer, "Don't you know we are?" he asked before taking a sip, "As our dear Fuhrer has said, the Judeo-Bolshevik regime is universally hated in Russia." He passed the bottle to the white haired Prussian, "These poor saps are so desperate to throw off the chains they will greet anyone who promises to destroy it." Listening to the Field Marshal Julchen sniffed it before drinking. "If that is the case, our occupation of Russia will be the easiest in this war." she said, then laughed and took another swig.
A/N: Well that's all for now., I do hope the story was/is interesting for all readers. As always, reviews are welcome. Thank you.
Historical Note: After the outbreak of the Russian Revolution and the collapse of the Russian Empire, Ukraine's territories began to carve out independence from Russia. Throughout this time many small governments and factions, (Such as the Western Ukrainian People's Republic, The Ukrainian Hetmanate, and so forth) fought for power, often relying on warlords to help them gain control. Yet, in the end the two most powerful governments which came about were the Ukrainian People's Republic (UPR) government in Kiev and the Ukrainian Soviet Republic (USR) in Kharkiv. The UPR was a mostly nationalistic government which insisted on creating a state made up of majority ethnic Ukrainians without a major role for Jews, Poles, or ethnic Russians therefore there were many armed groups which would go about on Pogroms to hackle together power. The USR gave it's loyalty to the Bolshevik government which was fighting it's own civil war in Russia at the time and thus made the UPR and the USR bitter enemies on the opposite sides of the political, societal, and economic circles. In the end though the USR won out with despite the support given to the UPR from Germany and Austria, and the leadership of the URP government either fled or joined the side of the Soviet republic, but that still did not bring peace to Ukrainian where Soviet control was violently resisted in the Western half of the country and it was there that the Germans were met as liberators.
