The Russians were not souviner hunters. My father was among the first US forces into Berlin and was at the Chancellory and the Bunker while the Russians were still guarding them and went into them. He said the Russians had not bothered anything and didn't allow anything to be taken (he tried), but they didn't have any interest in the items as they were scattered all over the floors.
He said they didn't care about the souviners, just wanted wrist watches. He told of seeing Russians using toilets for washing and getting water (evidently they had no running water or toilets back home).
He said a Russian Col. he ran into had a car and a German jeweler in the back seat and bought all the watches he could find (the German checked them for him) and my father had my mother send as many as she could over to sell to the Russian. He even bought Micky Mouse watches! As long as they ran he would pay $300 to $500, so my father made a lot of money the last three months he was in Berlin.
He was there to set up an Evac Hospital for the Potsdam conference and stayed at the best hotel in Berlin for a cigarette a day (he didn't smoke)
Ron Weinand
He said they didn't care about the souviners, just wanted wrist watches. He told of seeing Russians using toilets for washing and getting water (evidently they had no running water or toilets back home).
He said a Russian Col. he ran into had a car and a German jeweler in the back seat and bought all the watches he could find (the German checked them for him) and my father had my mother send as many as she could over to sell to the Russian. He even bought Micky Mouse watches! As long as they ran he would pay $300 to $500, so my father made a lot of money the last three months he was in Berlin.
He was there to set up an Evac Hospital for the Potsdam conference and stayed at the best hotel in Berlin for a cigarette a day (he didn't smoke)
Ron Weinand
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