guerrilla hunters 'For psychological reasons, I henceforth forbid the use of the word "guerrilla", introduced by the Bolsheviks and so adored by them. For us, they are not fighters and soldiers, but bandits and criminals. To separate these murderous murderers from the peaceful and peaceful population, and thereby deprive them of any support, is the most important condition for their destruction.
On October 25, 1941, Field Marshal Walter von Brauchitsch, while in the post of commander of the German Army, enacted the Basic Provisions for the Fight against Partisans, which were brought to the attention of the commanders of all military units of the Wehrmacht from divisions to battalions. Since the autumn of 1941, the deployment of the so-called “hunting” or “fighter teams” began in the Wehrmacht – the Yagdkommando (German Jagdkommando, Zerst?rungskommando), consisting of experienced servicemen under the command of initiative officers familiar with guerrilla tactics and having the skills of sports hunting. Such teams were intended for long raids in isolation from the main forces in order to track down guerrilla groups, block the routes of their movement, organize unexpected attacks, open the system of caches, etc. In the case of interception of guerrilla liaisons and capture of prisoners, the conduct of interrogation procedures was not limited to anything, after receiving the necessary amount of information, the prisoners were liquidated. The same thing was done with the local residents, who were accidental witnesses of the actions of the Yaghd command during the “hunt”.
The above is a historical reference that illustrates the beginning of the film. Shurka Domok performed by Oleg Menshikov sits in a guarded dugout, and translates documents obtained by scouts. Shurka is not a simple guerrilla, he is engaged in the collection of strategic information, as well as disinformation of the enemy. All that he managed to learn allows you to plan an operation, the successful implementation of which will help the detachment to escape from the punitive forces. Three people go to the operation: Shurka Domok, carrying a letter with disinformation, scout Pavlo (Les Serdyuk) and grandfather-driving Coronat (Victor Uralsky). Anyone who watches the picture for the first time will notice some similarities with the wonderful film ' There is no Return Road'. There is nothing strange about this, because Shuren Shahbazyan worked on this film ten years earlier as a cameraman, and Viktor Smirnov was involved in writing the script. Both of these films are about one thing: the guerrilla movement. But the stories are different. And fates are different. 'I'm waiting and hoping' is a film about ACT. High word ' feat' I deliberately did not use that excessive pathos not to veil the actions of Shurka Domka.
That's what happened. And a long, hard road to it. The film does not have much entertainment, but it has incredible depth and detail. Suren Shahbazyan - as a director and as a cameraman - found extremely expressive means to convey the ascent of the inner motivation of the hero Menshikov. This is especially true of his two friends. Scout Pavlo hates the fascists to the point of tooth grinding and nervous trembling. He is absolutely open, and hatred of the enemy is visible in every action. Grandpa Coronat is a little different. His years have taught him a lot. He is an experienced guide and knows everything about life in the forest. Against their background, Shurka looks pale: urban, educated, speaks German. In general, - ' intellectual ' in the most negative coloring of this word. Pavlo treats him with undisguised distrust, the Coronate - with paternal care. All this does not prevent them from moving forward to complete the task of the commander. Meanwhile, the ring around them shrinks, they have to go to extreme measures to escape. The finale of the picture is not just the finale - it is the culmination. All the years lived, all the completed and unfinished deeds, all the dreams and hopes are here, for there is no other way.
39 And he will repay him blood for his blood, my inexhaustible anger for the ruin of my father’s home, for the trampled sowing. I will end the argument with victory, the blood of the enemy will dry up, and the axe and faceted steel of a bayonet will be the guarantee. . .' (Alexey Surkov) An active army. "Izvestia", August 19, 1941