It’s heartbreaking to consider that this soldier could have had a child of the same age at home. This truly demonstrates the humility and humanity of people during the war. Just because they perceived each other as “enemies” doesn’t mean one of them was more or less good than the other. Ultimately, everyone is still human. Photo taken in the Volkhov area.

A literary exploration of war and its effects on humanity (Paul Bäumer, All Quiet on the Western Front – Erich Maria Remarque):

“I want to help you. I want to help you… Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! I can bear the rest. I can’t listen to it! Why is it taking so long for you to die? You’re going to die anyway. Oh no. Oh no. You’re not going to die. Oh no. You’re not going to die. They’re just minor wounds. You’re going to come home. You’re going to be okay. You’re going to come home long before me.

You know I can’t run away. That’s why you blame me. I’m telling you, I didn’t mean to kill you. I was trying to keep you alive. If you jumped in here again, I wouldn’t. You know, when you jumped in here, you were my enemy—and I was afraid of you.

But you’re just a human like me, and I killed you. Forgive me, comrade. Say that for me. Say that you forgive me! Oh no. You’re dead! Only you’re better off than me. You’re finished. They can’t hurt you now. Oh God, why did they do this to us? We just wanted to live, you and I. Why would they send us off to fight each other?

If we threw away these rifles and these uniforms, you could be my brother, just like Kat and Albert. You must forgive me, comrade. I will do everything I can. I will write to your parents. I will write to your wife. I will write to her. I promise she will want for nothing. And I will help her and your parents too. Just forgive me. Forgive me. Forgive me! Forgive me!