“Our Cossacks are riding along Berlin” It is a very good song. During listening it is possible to feel the emotions of an young brave dashing cavalryman who won the war just now and is riding on the streets of the captured enemy capital. It is necessary to say a few words about the history of the creation of this song. Tsesar' Solodar', a poet, was in Berlin during the Keitel's signing of the Act of the unconditional surrender. Early at morning of May, 9th he saw an episode in a Berlin road and the episode impressed him (the episode described in the song). And he couldn't forget it. He flew in Moscow by plane in the same morning and he began to write the words of the future song still in the plane. At afternoon of that day he showed his poem to brothers Pokrass, the famous composers. They liked the poem. And already at the evening of that day one of the brothers called to Solodar' and invited him to listen the new song based on his poem. Soon all the country knew the song which was made on May, 9th of 1945 (it is the Victory Day in USSR/Russia). It was the last song of the Great Patriotic War. ******************************************************************************************** “Our Cossacks are riding along Berlin” (Translated by Andrey) Horses were going to a horse-pond On Berlin’s pavement. The horses from Don area were going [1], Tossing by its mane The rider is singing: “Eh, guys, it is not firstly for us To water Cossacks’ horses From an alien river . . .” Cossacks, Cossacks, Our Cossacks are riding At Berlin. He leads horses at a slow pace And sees that the girl, who has signal flag in her hand And who has a nice plait under her sided cap, Stands at the corner.[2] Her slender waist is like a rod, And her eyes look by blue. She bawls to the Cossack: “Do not slow down traffic!”. Cossacks, Cossacks, Our Cossacks are riding At Berlin. He is glad to stay more long here But he caught her angry eye And bawled reluctantly On riding: “Come at a trot!” The cavalry went by dashingly And the girl blossomed - She presents the tender look which doesn’t correspond military regulations To the Cossack. Cossacks, Cossacks, Our Cossacks are riding At Berlin. The horseman is riding again On Berlin’s pavement. He is singing About his love to the girl: “Although I am far from Pacific Don [3], Although I am far from my sweet home I met the girl- fellow countryman Even in Berlin!” Cossacks, Cossacks, Our Cossacks are riding At Berlin. 1945 Remarks of Andrey [1] – Don area – famous Cossacks’ area to the west from Stalingrad along the Don River [2] - This girl is a military traffic-controller. As I know all Red Army traffic-controllers were young girls. [3] - Pacific Don is an ancient name of the Don area where the Cossacks live. ******************************************************************************************** The Russian version (translit): "Edut, edut po Berlinu nashi kazaki!" Po berlinskoi mostovoi Koni shli na vodopoi, Shli, potriakhivaia grivoi, Koni-donchaki. Raspevaet verkhovoi: «Ekh, rebiata, ne vpervoi Nam poit' konei kazatskikh Iz chuzhoi reki...» Kazaki, kazaki, Edut, edut po Berlinu Nashi kazaki! On konei vediot shazhkom, Vidit - devushka s flazhkom I s kosoiu pod pilotkoi Na uglu stoit. S tonkim stanom, kak loza, Biriuzoi gliadiat glaza, «Ne zaderzhivai dvizhen'ia!» - Kazaku krichit. Kazaki, kazaki, Edut, edut po Berlinu Nashi kazaki! Zaderzhat'sia on by rad, No, poimav serdityi vzgliad, «Nu-ka, rys'iu!» - s neokhotoi Kriknul na skaku. Likho konnitsa proshla, A divchina rastsvela - Nezhnyi vzor ne po ustavu Darit kazaku. Kazaki, kazaki, Edut, edut po Berlinu Nashi kazaki! Na berlinskoi mostovoi Snova edet verkhovoi, Pro liubov' svoiu k divchine Raspevaet tak: «Khot' dalioko Tikhii Don, Khot' dalioko milyi dom - No zemliachku i v Berline Povstrechal kazak!» Kazaki, kazaki, Edut, edut po Berlinu Nashi kazaki! 1945