Nadia and Sasha were born just two days apart, Nadia was two days older than Sasha. They first met in September 1939 in the class room of Moscow Institute of Chemical Machinery, and got married next year.
But let me describe briefly what a different backgrounds they had. Fedor, father of Nadia became a general of Red Army following his brave actions in establishing Soviet power in his Siberian town Tyumen in 1917-1918 and fighting against White Army during Civil War of 1918-1920. His wife, Lena became a very successful dentist in Moscow, where they settled at the end of the Civil War and where she gave birth to her daughter Nadia (popular Russian name meaning Hope, plus Fedor was dreaming about the New world that he hoped was coming). Lena was a very persistent in her dental career and eventually became a lecturer in Moscow Stomatology Institute and received her medical PhD. But the biggest passion of her life was her beloved husband. She never left him alone, even during the WWII she stayed near him volunteering to the military medical group attached to the Fedor's staff. The only separation of the young couple happend in 1918, when the White Army took back the city of Tyumen and Nikolai, younger Fedor’s brother, who joined White Army, gave him early warning that saved Fedor’s life, but at the same time sent Lena to the small remote Siberian village, where she worked as a school teacher for the whole year. Fortunately, in 1919 the Red Army returned to conquer the Siberian land, Fedor was one of the high rank commander by that time, he found Lena and since then they never left each other.
Sasha was born in a poor Moscowite's family of factory worker Mitri (he was 23 years old) and a teenager Polish girl Maria (she was 19). In 1921 Moscow was a place suffering from multiple contagious diseases and hunger. So, Mitri decided to move with his pregnant wife to his relatives in Smolensk area, where he could provide at least minimal care to Maria. So, soon after Sasha was born, young family returned back to their home in Moscow. Mitri became a very skillful welder and gained respect at just establishing Soviet industry, so he managed to work two jobs (7 working hours each at two different factories). So, he could provide for the family, but refusing easy life for himself.
By the age of seven Sasha went to school and Maria became to work at typography factory, that also add to their family budget, though harming her health in poisonous working conditions. Under the persistent pressure of local management Maria even applied for joining the Communist Party, but was stopped by Mitri, who was angry with her frequent absences attending Party meetings. He worked hard enough to expect some rest at home. So, husband said “no” and Maria dropped her party involvement for good. I think that was lucky decision, because like almost everyone among the working people Mitri began drink regularly without much time to spend at the family home.
At school Sasha liked the most their sport sessions, obviously he had a gift of soccer and hockey player (soccer at the summer and hockey at winter). In high school he was admitted to the all-Moscow united team, which opened the door to the sport career, his hockey skills were also sufficient to play for one of professional team (he continued actively play hockey to the age of 43, then switched to tennis for another 20+ years). So, a lot of sport in his head, not much for the science. Mitri and Maria loved their son and wanted him to be engineer, not a factory worker like them. They pushed him to continue his education in one of Moscow Institute, and he promised to do as they asked, although he had no any particular desire apart from sport. He decided to get into the one of the student’s sport team, doesn’t matter what was the Institute. The nearest to their home in Lefortovo district was the Chemical Machinery Institute, so he picked that one without even understanding what kind of engineer he was going to be. To his great surprise he passed the exams and was admitted. It was 1938, the year before the WWII began.
Sasha, 1940
Sasha would never imagine how much his life could change thanks to the meeting at the Institute his wife-to-be, Nadia. She was cute little girl (he was five inches taller and visibly enormously stronger), she was a daughter of respected general Fedor Zelentsov, she was first in her high school, graduated with a Silver medal. But from that very first moment Nadia decided that Sasha is her man forever. It probably her Siberian ancestors whispered in her 17-year head, especially multiplied by Fedor’s and Lena's influence. Anyway, Nadia fell in love, she must take care of that not-much-thinking guy, make him a person who deserves to be her husband.
Nadia worked hard to get her plan going, she wrote his tests before her own, she explained the complicated issues in various technology and science classes, she trained him how to be organized and speak politely, she forced him to read books (!!!). And she succeed! Suddenly, Sasha began to work on his character. He also fell for this little cute girl. In the middle of 1939, just after the completion of the first year in the Institute, Nadia decided that Sasha is ready to be introduced to her parents. She was so determined that Sasha could not refuse. He cleaned and ironed (I guess that part was done by his mom) his best and only suit, combed his hair, and arrived to the general’s apartment precisely at ordered (by Nadia, of course) time.
That episode deserves to be mentioned in details, because it played a decisive role in the lives of Sasha and Nadia (I can say so judging by how many times Nadia told us about it). From Sasha’s recollections, at first everything was going well. General Fedor had an impression of stern, authoritarian person, but he showed respect to the young fellow and tried to make him feel comfortable. They sat at the dinner table and drank vodka and ate delicious Siberian pie, made by Lena. One thing bothered Sasha most of anything else – a dog, French bulldog, who went under the table and pushed and pulled the best trousers of Sasha. The whole evening Sasha tried to shake off that nasty dog, but at the same time he continued talking with his potentially relatives like nothing happened. When the dinner was over, it was embarrassing moment for everyone, dog did a lot of damage to the trousers, practically destroyed them. Everybody were apologizing, but it was Nadia who took the problem into her hands. She commanded Sasha to take off his pants and sit in the bedroom while she mended the torn pants. Her parents, watching Nadia's determination decided to drop their concerns about Sasha and let their daughter make her own choice. Lena told me that she saw herself in Nadia, the same spirit of young woman in love.
After that infamous episode the destiny of Sasha was determined. They married on September 30 of 1939, both were just eighteen and a half at that time. They lived in general's apartment and no wonder that nine months later Nadia was ready to have a baby. Unfortunately, the boy was stillborn, it was a devastating for the young couple.
1941 brought another test to Nadia and Sasha, in fact to the whole country of the Soviet Union – on June 22 the Great Patriotic War began.