remaining refugee. But I was completely wrong. The vehicles arrived a few dozen minutes before the bombs to pick up the komandirs: the intendant-lieutenant and the major airman, who was snoring at his wife’s side. The latter was a commander of a squadron, which had already been non-existent when they left as it had been destroyed by German bombs at the airfield. Were they prepared? Yes and no. Yes, because they had been preparing for several months, expecting the war to break out at any minute, and no, because they had not expected the [events of] 22 June at all and the hail of bombs came like a bolt from the blue down on them.
[12] At five in the morning I am already waiting in a bread queue. There are extremely long queues everywhere, but the counters are bending under all the food; it will not run out, but one must stand in long queues to do a quick shopping and have enough food to last at least several days. Besides, one needs to dispose of the rouble as fast as possible for it is losing its value every day and is going to be worthless “after what is to come”. The Russians totally disbelieve that the war has already broken out. They are deluding themselves with faith in the official version claiming it to be manoeuvres. But during air raids they shelter from bombs in panic, all pale and frightened, both military men and civilians, both the young and the old. Lvov’s inhabitants, the old stagers, are laughing at them, because, taught by experience and being used to bombs, they do not fear air raids in the slightest.
It was not until Molotov’s address at noon on Sunday, 22 June 1941, which confirmed the unprovoked German aggression and promised immediate help from the allied USA and England, that they finally believed it.
Already in the afternoon the optimists, the Red Army enthusiasts, and the administrative milieu are spreading rumours that the Russians have captured Przemyśl, Rzeszów, Tamów, and even Kraków and Warsaw. Meanwhile, within ten hours the Soviet Air Force suffered very significant losses in its western territory. The defeatists, cowards, pessimists, and all Ukrainians are already claiming that 30 per cent of the air force has been destroyed and that the Germans are nearing Lvov.
Indeed, everybody without exception takes into account that the Germans could arrive at any hour. It is nothing for the German offensive to cover 80 kilometres in a day. The refugee movement begins already on the first day of the war and gradually intensifies towards evening. There is a continuous stream of carts and cars transporting refugees, most of whom are
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