Logunov Vladimir

Biography

There is a famous movie in Russia. The war has happened tomorrow. In this drama students are waiting for their last school party before they start the Institute. There is a tradition in Russia to have a school party on 22 of June. But the date of 22 June was the date on which the second World War started for Russia. It was in 1941. This is the exact story of Vladimir Logunov.

He was about to graduate from the Art College of the 1905 year (named after the first Russian revolution) when the war started. He was 20 years old. This is the time to love and to live for a young man. Logunov had no other choise but to recruit in the army. He served in the artillery section. Five years of struggle for freedom, five years of sorrow: the Motherland is occupated, best friends are killed. But finally the year of 1945 came. It was the year of the great victory over Hitler. We were madly happy. At that moment I understood what the real happiness feels like. I managed to survive. I saw the death, I saw the horror. I wish the sorrow never comes back to our home, recalls Logunov. In the letter he wrote to his mother there were only few words: Mom, I am alive. I love you. Take care. When you are at war you understand that each day can be the last day of your life. The war teaches you appreciate the things you are would never appreciate or think of in normal life. Today Logunov lives in a small town of Volokolamsk. He is 84. But he still works in his studio as only they can call it a studio.