Lyashchenko General of the Army. Lyaschenko nikolay grigorievich

Dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of the General of the Army
Lyashchenko Nikolai Grigorievich (05.16.1910 - 10.10.2000)
Hero of the Soviet Union, awarded 16 orders and 218
medals of the USSR and 8 foreign orders, awarded a star
Marshal. Former division commander 90 rifle Ropsha
Red Banner, Order of Suvorov, 2nd degree division
========================================

God gave him in life and growth and mind and talent,
He was endowed with remarkable strength from birth,
With a Siberian character, in love with the service,
He became a deserved marshal, "without a grant"!
Neither Hitler, nor Brezhnev, nor Stalin loved him,
For firmness, confidence, honesty, and straightforwardness,
For sobriety and courage in the service, and this trait,
He kept it all his life, he was like steel.
The divisional commander "Ninety" was near Leningrad,
The thug "Adolf Hitler" - the finest regiment,
Was presented to the Hero more than once, but to the point,
Couldn't take who struck out? Who was that bastard?
Stalin himself! He got angry at him, not joking,
For the courage: "You left us in Perineas !?"
How did you not shoot? He has the power for that,
I could not, for merit, for honor - I did not dare!
Was with L.I. Brezhnev. he once knew personally,
For embarrassment, under arrest, he personally put him in prison,
For cowardice and panic, in business, and warned,
Put to death if he is guilty!
The secretary general did not forget the Dnieper for him, for great years
Kept "in the backyard", in the service, he was not honored,
And the film "Officers" about him, how he could carry,
Dignity and nobility and valor, with battles!

Reviews

Thank you for this memory! Nephew N.G. Lyaschenko - Gerald Ivanovich Lyaschenko was my teacher, basketball coach and loyal friend. Unfortunately, he died early, in incomplete 44 years on May 9, 1976 in Kyrgyzstan. Gerald was the adopted son of Nikolai Grigorievich's brother - Ivan Grigorievich. He corresponded with his uncle, called back, and Nikolai Grigorievich sent his nephew his book of memoirs about life and war. Nikolai Grigorievich was a real Russian giant, a voivode. Bright memory to all of them.

Thank you, Lyudmila, for your response and such a kind letter about Nikolai Grigorievich, whom I sincerely respect as one of the most talented military leaders during the Patriotic War. Eternal memory to him. Best regards to you.

Nikolay, hello! I recently met on the Internet with Oleg Eremenko, who lives in Germany. He is the nephew of his native N.G. Lyaschenko. Well done! Honors the memory of the general and led the march of the Immortal Regiment in Berlin. I have these photos. Tall, strong, like all Lyashchenko!

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Born on May 3 (May 16, O.S.) 1910 at the Zima station of the Irkutsk region, in the family of an exiled. Father - Grigory Fedorovich, almost all his life was a blacksmith. Mother Elena Alekseevna is a housewife. Wife - Kandaurova Klavdia Mitrofanovna, teacher. Their only daughter, Alla Nikolaevna, a doctor, died in 1999.

After the rehabilitation of his grandfather (the grandfather was exiled to hard labor), the Lyashchenko family moved to Kyrgyzstan. Here Nikolai studied at school, then worked as a rider at a stud farm. From 1927 to September 1929, he headed trade union organizations: first in the village of Ananyevo, Kirghiz SSR, later at the Uryukta stud farm in the city of Przhevalsk.

In the fall of 1929, a Soviet-Chinese conflict arose at the Chinese Eastern Railway. Nikolai Lyashchenko voluntarily joined the Red Army in order to participate in the defense of the Chinese Eastern Railway from the Chinese militarists. Soon the conflict was settled, and he was sent to study at the V.I. Lenin in Tashkent. During his studies as part of a cadet detachment in 1931, he participated in the defeat of the Basmachi bands in Central Asia. For distinction in battles, he was awarded a personal weapon.

In 1932 he graduated from high school, became a lieutenant and for five years served in the 217th rifle regiment of the Siberian military district. The young officer was distinguished by his heroic bearing, constant striving for knowledge, high demands on himself and his subordinates. He quickly advanced in service: he commanded a platoon, a company, was an assistant to the battalion commander and, finally, the head of a regimental school for junior commanders. In 1936 he was awarded the Order of the Red Star for his successes in the combat training of units.

From May 1937 to October 1938 he fought as a volunteer in Spain. Major Lyashchenko became a military adviser to the commander of one of the formations of the republican army, which fought against the fascist rebels. The unit fought successfully. The merits of Nikolai Lyashchenko were awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

After returning from Spain, he studied at the Frunze Military Academy, which he successfully graduated in May 1941. The experience gained in battles with the Nazis received theoretical justification and consolidation. Lieutenant Colonel Lyashchenko became a mature commander. With the outbreak of World War II, he was appointed commander of the 972nd Infantry Regiment, and in March 1942 he led the 106th Infantry Division, which fought on the Southern Front. The connection with the battles withdrew to the east, right up to Stalingrad. The division commander had to take her out of the encirclement seven times.

Then he took part in a number of operations on the Southwestern, Volkhov, Leningrad and 2nd Belorussian fronts. Fate was favorable to him. Colonel Lyashchenko had wounds and concussions, for his courage and skillful leadership of the troops he received military awards. He especially distinguished himself in the hardest battles near Leningrad, where he was deputy commander of the 18th Infantry Division. On January 6, 1943, this unit led offensive battles to break the blockade of the long-suffering city. In the area of the 5th workers' settlement, units of the division joined up with the troops of the neighboring front. The blockade was broken. And Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov was the first to congratulate Colonel Lyashchenko on his success.

Nikolai Lyashchenko is again appointed commander of the formation. This time - the 73rd separate naval rifle brigade. In a short time, he managed to significantly improve her combat training, the ability to solve complex tasks. The brigade became one of the best formations of the Leningrad Front. And its commander soon took command of the 90th Infantry Division, with which he marched until the end of the war.

Demonstrating high combat skill, the 90th division stormed the heavily fortified city of Ropsha in the Leningrad region. The compound received the honorary title of Ropshinskaya, and the division commander Lyashchenko became a knight of the Order of Suvorov, 2nd degree. In the summer, her soldiers again distinguished themselves in battles on the Karelian Isthmus and during the liberation of the Russian city of Vyborg. Nikolai Grigorievich Lyashchenko was awarded the rank of Major General.

In the victorious 1945 year, the 90th Infantry Rifle successfully performed complex tasks as part of the troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front. For the skillful leadership of hostilities in the area of the Polish city of Gdansk, division commander Lyaschenko was awarded the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd degree. The division rapidly developed an offensive in Germany as well, overcoming water obstacles, making roundabout maneuvers, and sudden attacks on the flank. And the German city of Greifswald was taken without a single shot, since the division commander Lyaschenko managed to convince the chief of his garrison that resistance was useless. Its victorious march ended with a landing operation on the island of Rügen, located in the southern part of the Baltic Sea. All these actions testified to the extraordinary skill and talent of General Lyashchenko. During the war years, the 90th division was noted 16 times in the orders of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

In the postwar years, Nikolai Grigorievich continued to improve his knowledge and skills, rising from step to step in the military hierarchy. In February 1948, he graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff, commanded the 10th Mechanized Division, then the 11th Guards and 12th Rifle Corps. In December 1957, after completing a special course at the General Staff Academy, he took up the post of First Deputy Commander of the Turkestan Military District. And since November 1963, he is already the commander of the Volga Military District. In 1965 he returned to the Turkestan District as a commander, and since 1969 he led the troops of the Central Asian Military District. And at the end of his service for several years he was an inspector of the General Inspectorate of the Ministry of Defense. And at each post he devoted all his efforts to further improving the country's defensive power. Considering his services to the Fatherland, General of the Army N.G. Lyashchenko was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union in 1990. The glorious combat path of Nikolai Grigorievich was marked with many awards. He has 5 Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, three military leaders' orders - Suvorov 2nd degree, Kutuzov 2nd degree and Zhukov, 2 Orders of the Patriotic War, 3 Orders of the Red Star, 2 orders "For Service to the Motherland in Armed Forces "and about 30 medals. He was awarded 12 foreign orders and medals. General of the Army N.G. Lyashchenko is an Honorary Citizen of the German city of Greifswald, the Polish city of Tsekhanuv and the city of Kirovsk in the Leningrad Region.

He was elected four times a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, twice - a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Kirghiz SSR, and also a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR. He did his best to fulfill the orders of his voters.

For the past two decades, he was a member of the General Staff of the Youth Army movement in the country, the main goal of which was to educate the young generation of patriots. With his active participation, the final competitions of the military sports games "Zarnitsa" and "Eaglet" were held. Considering his contribution to the development of these games, in 1999 a medal with a bas-relief of General of the Army Lyashchenko was instituted to award the winners.

For many years, N.G. Lyashenko's main hobbies were associated with sports, the development of military sports skills among young people.

Born on May 3 (16), 1910 at the Zima station of the now Ziminsky district of the Irkutsk region (Russia) in the family of a blacksmith (from political exiles) and a peasant woman. Ukrainian. Even before the revolution, he moved with his family to Kyrgyzstan. He lived in the city of Przhevalsk (now Karakol). From 1919 he worked at a stud farm in the village of Sazonovka (now Ananyevka), was a rider, hammer, blacksmith. He graduated from the 2nd grade of the evening working school. From 1927 to September 1929 he worked as chairman of the volost committee of the trade union of agricultural workers in the village of Ananyevo in Kyrgyzstan, chairman of the factory committee of the Uryukta stud farm, instructor of the regional department of the trade union of agricultural workers in the city of Przhevalsk.
In the Red Army since September 1929.
Since 1930 he studied at the United Military School named after V.I. Lenin in Tashkent (Tashkent school of VOKU), which he graduated in 1932.
In 1931, during his studies as part of the combined cadet detachments, he repeatedly participated in military operations against the Basmachi in Central Asia. For distinction in battles he was awarded a personal weapon.
Since 1932, he served in the 217th Rifle Regiment of the Siberian Military District, commanded a platoon, was assistant commander and commander of a rifle company, assistant battalion commander, head of the regimental school for junior commanders.
In 1935 he was awarded the rank of senior lieutenant.
He participated in the national revolutionary war in Spain from May 1937 to October 1938, was an instructor and advisor in units of the 21st, 20th and 22nd divisions of the Republican army.
He had the pseudonym "Captain Nikolos".
In 1938 he was awarded the rank of major.
Graduated from the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze in May 1941.
In 1941 he was awarded the rank of lieutenant colonel.
From May 1941 he served in the Odessa Military District, was the deputy commander of the 737th Infantry Regiment.
He took part in the Great Patriotic War from June 1941. He fought on the Southern Front, took part in the defense of Dnepropetrovsk in August-September 1941, was the commander of the 972nd reserve rifle regiment, deputy commander of a rifle division.
In 1942 he was awarded the rank of colonel.
He fought on the Southwestern Front, since March 1942 he commanded the 106th Infantry Division.
In May 1942, he was surrounded, the division was defeated, and with only a small number of soldiers was able to pass through the front line.
In the summer of 1942, he was again surrounded on the Southwestern Front, but again managed to break through the front line.
In total, according to some sources, in 1941-1942 he removed his units from the encirclement seven times.
After checking with the NKVD, in September 1942, he was demoted to deputy commander of the 18th Infantry Division.
He fought on the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts, in January 1943 he took part in breaking the blockade of Leningrad.
From March 1943 he was the commander of the 73rd separate naval rifle brigade, from May (June) 1943 until the end of the war he commanded the 90th rifle division. He fought on the Leningrad and 2nd Belorussian fronts.
He was wounded several times in battles.
In January 1944 he distinguished himself in the Leningrad-Novgorod operation, and in June 1944 during the assault on the fortified city of Vyborg.
On June 3, 1944, he was awarded the rank of Major General.
In August-September 1944 he took part in the Tallinn offensive operation, then in 1945 - in the East Prussian, East Pomeranian and Berlin operations.
After the war he continued to serve in the Soviet Army.
He continued to command the 90th Infantry Division until 1946, then left to study.
Graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff named after K. E. Voroshilov in February 1948.
From 1948 he commanded the 10th mechanized division.
On August 3, 1953, he was awarded the rank of Lieutenant General.
Since September 1953, he commanded the 11th Guards Rifle Corps and the 12th Rifle Corps in the North Caucasian Military District.
He graduated from the Higher Academic Courses at the Military Academy of the General Staff in December 1957.
Since 1958, he was the first deputy commander of the troops of the Turkestan military district.
On May 9, 1961, he was awarded the rank of Colonel General.
From November 1963 he was the commander of the Volga Military District, from December 1965 - the commander of the Turkestan Military District.
On February 19 (22), 1968 he was awarded the military rank "General of the Army".
Since August 1969, he commanded the troops of the Central Asian Military District.
Since November 1977 he was a military inspector-adviser to the Group of Inspectors General of the USSR Ministry of Defense.
In 1992, he retired with the rank of army general.
For the past two decades, he was a member of the General Staff of the Youth Army movement in the country, the main goal of which was to educate the young generation of patriots. With his active participation, the final competitions of the military sports games "Zarnitsa" and "Eaglet" were held. Considering his contribution to the development of these games, in 1999 a medal with a bas-relief of General of the Army N.G. Lyashchenko was established to award the winners.
He was engaged in writing, wrote books:
"Years in the Greatcoat", in 3 books, Frunze, 1973-1982;
"Time has chosen us", 1990.
Lived in the city of Moscow (Russia).
He died on October 10, 2000. Buried in Moscow at the Kuntsevo cemetery.

For courage and heroism shown in the struggle against the Nazi invaders in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, by the decree of the President of the USSR of October 4, 1990, General of the Army Nikolai Grigorievich Lyashchenko was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (Gold Star medal No. 11627).

He was awarded five Orders of Lenin (06/22/1944, 10/26/1955, 02/22/1968, 02/21/1978, 10/04/1990), the Order of the October Revolution (05/04/1972), four Orders of the Red Banner (03/02/1938, 10/01/1944, 06/02. 1945, 11/15/1950), Orders of Suvorov 2nd degree (02.21.1944), Kutuzov 2nd degree (04/10/1945), Patriotic War 1st degree (03/11/1985), three Orders of the Red Star (08/16/1936 , 03/17/1942, 11/03/1944), orders "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" 2nd degree (0000) and 3rd degree (04/30/1975), the Order of Zhukov (Russian Federation, 04/25/1995), numerous medals, as well as twelve foreign awards, including the Order of the Legion of Honor (USA, 06/26/1944), the Renaissance of Poland (Poland), the Grunwald Cross (Poland), the Red Banner (Hungary), Friendship "(Vietnam)," For Services to the Fatherland "(GDR) and others.

Reviews

Events in Spain (memories of his business trip) Lyashchenko N.G. outlined in a separate chapter "Clouds over the Pyrenees" in his book "Years in a greatcoat" (part 1 - "Youth commander"), pp. 150-218. Publishing house "Kyrgyzstan", Frunze, 1974.

At the same time, in the personal file of N.G. Lyashchenko, stored in TsAMO, indicated the date of birth on May 1, 1908 (TsAMO, LD No. 1796061). In the registration and service card, which is stored in the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, there is a note - "Consider that Lyashchenko was born on May 16, 1910, Civil Code of the SV No. 373 dated 07/13/1970" ...

May 16, 1910 - October 10, 2000

Service before the war

In 1929 he volunteered for military service in the Red Army. Graduated from the Lenin United Central Asian Military School in 1932. Member of the CPSU (b) since 1931. During his studies as a part of the combined cadet detachments, he repeatedly participated in military operations against the Basmachi in Central Asia.

After graduating from school in 1932, commander of a rifle platoon, assistant commander and commander of a rifle company, head of a regimental school for junior commanders in the Siberian Military District.

From May 1937 to October 1938, Major Lyaschenko participated in the Spanish Civil War, was a military adviser to the commanders of the division and corps of the Republican army. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. In 1941 he graduated from the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze. From May 1941 - deputy commander of a rifle regiment in the Odessa military district.

The Great Patriotic War

In the battles of the Great Patriotic War from the very first days. Soon he became the commander of a rifle regiment, took part in the defense of Dnepropetrovsk in August-September 1941, was the deputy commander of a rifle division on the Southern Front. Since March 1942 - commander of the 106th Infantry Division. In May 1942, he was surrounded, the division was defeated, went out to his own with a small number of fighters. In the summer, he was again surrounded on the Southwestern Front. After checking in the NKVD, he was demoted to deputy commander of the 18th Infantry Division on the Volkhov Front. Participated in breaking the blockade of Leningrad.

Since March 1943 - the commander of the 73rd separate naval rifle brigade on the Leningrad front. From May 1943 until the end of the war, he commanded the 90th Infantry Division as part of the 2nd Shock Army on the Leningrad and 2nd Belorussian fronts. In action battles, he showed personal courage and heroism, was wounded several times, skillfully led a division. In January 1944, Lyashchenko's division distinguished itself in the Leningrad-Novgorod operation, during which, with a blow from the Oranienbaum bridgehead, it broke through the German defense that had been under construction for two and a half years, closed the encirclement ring around the enemy grouping and liberated the cities of Ropsha and Gatchina. In June 1944 he distinguished himself during the assault on the fortress city of Vyborg. Major General (06/03/1944).

Nikolai Lyashchenko was the first Soviet military commandant of Vyborg.

Then the 90th Infantry Division was transferred to the Baltic States, where it again distinguished itself when liberating the Estonian SSR from the enemy, in the East Prussian, East Pomeranian, Berlin operations. General Lyaschenko's division liberated the cities of Pärnu, Osterode, Gnev, Starograd, Gdansk, Svinemünde. The last combat operation of the 90th division was the landing on the island of Rügen off the German coast. In total, during the war years, the 90th Infantry Division was noted 16 times in the orders of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief I.V. Stalin, and its commander, Major General Lyashchenko, was twice presented for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, but was not awarded it.

Foreign awards:

Retired

Nikolay Grigorievich Lyashchenko(May 3 - October 10) - Soviet military leader, Hero of the Soviet Union, general of the army.

Biography

Service before the war

In the fall of 1929, a Soviet-Chinese conflict arose at the Chinese Eastern Railway. Nikolai Lyashchenko voluntarily joined the Red Army in order to participate in the defense of the Chinese Eastern Railway from the Chinese militarists. The conflict was soon settled, and he was sent to study at the Lenin United Central Asian Military School in Tashkent, from which he graduated in 1932. Member of the CPSU (b) since 1931. During his studies as a part of the combined cadet detachments, he repeatedly participated in military operations against the Basmachi in Central Asia. For distinction in battles, he was awarded a personalized weapon.

From May 1937 to October 1938, Major Lyaschenko participated in the Spanish Civil War, was a military adviser to the commanders of the division and corps of the Republican army. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. In 1941 he graduated from the Frunze Military Academy. From May 1941 - deputy commander of a rifle regiment in the Odessa military district.

The Great Patriotic War

Nikolai Lyashchenko was the first Soviet military commandant of Vyborg.

Then the 90th Infantry Division was transferred to the Baltic States, where it again distinguished itself when liberating the Estonian SSR from the enemy, in the East Prussian, East Pomeranian, Berlin operations. General Lyaschenko's division liberated the cities of Pärnu, Osterode, Gnev, Starogard, Gdansk, Svinemünde. The last combat operation of the 90th division was the landing on the island of Rügen off the German coast. In total, during the war years, the 90th Infantry Division was noted 16 times in the orders of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief I.V. Stalin, and its commander, Major General Lyashchenko, was twice presented for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, but was not awarded it.

Post-war service

In February 1948, N.G. Lyashchenko graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff, and in 1970 - the Higher Academic Courses under it. Since 1948, he commanded the 10th Mechanized Division, the 11th Guards Rifle Corps and the 12th Rifle Corps in succession. Since 1958 - First Deputy Commander of the Turkestan Military District. Since November 1963 - Commander of the Volga Military District. Since December 1965 - Commander of the Turkestan Military District. On February 22, 1968, N.G. Lyashchenko was awarded the military rank of General of the Army.

Since August 1969 - Commander of the Central Asian Military District, in 1969 commanded the repulsion of the Chinese attack in the area of Lake Zhalanashkol. Since November 1977 - military inspector-adviser to the Group of General Inspectors of the USSR Ministry of Defense. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded by the decree of the President of the USSR M.S.Gorbachev of October 4, 1990 for the courage and heroism shown on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War.

From 1966 to 1971 he was a candidate member of the CPSU Central Committee. From 1971 to 1989 - member of the Central Committee of the CPSU. Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 7-9th convocations (1966-1979). Member of the Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan (1966-1971) and Kazakhstan (1971-1976). Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Kirghiz SSR.

Awards

Hero of the Soviet Union (10/04/1990).
Five Orders of Lenin (06/22/1944, 10/26/1955, 02/22/1968, 02/21/1978, 10/04/1990).
Order of the October Revolution (05/04/1972).
Four Orders of the Red Banner (03/02/1938, 10/01/1944, 06/02/1945, 11/15/1950).
Order of Suvorov 2nd degree (02/21/1944).
Order of Kutuzov, 2nd degree (04/10/1945).
Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree (1985)
Three Orders of the Red Star (08/16/1936, 03/17/1942, 11/3/1944).
Order "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" 2nd and 3rd (04/30/1975) degrees.
Order of Zhukov (Russian Federation, 25.04.1995).
Twelve foreign orders and medals.

Essays

Years in an overcoat. In 3 books. Frunze. 1973-1982.
Time has chosen us. 1990-528 p.

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Notes (edit)

Literature

Line of adaptive radio communication - Object air defense / [under total. ed. N. V. Ogarkova]. - M. : Military publishing house of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR, 1978. - 686 p. - (Soviet military encyclopedia: [in 8 volumes]; 1976-1980, vol. 5).
Cavaliers of the Order of Glory of three degrees: A Brief Biographical Dictionary / Prev. ed. Collegium D.S.Sukhorukov. - M .: Military Publishing, 2000 .-- S. 688 .-- 703 p. - 10,000 copies. - ISBN 5-203-01883-9.

Links

... Heroes of the Country website.

An excerpt characterizing Lyashchenko, Nikolay Grigorievich

- You are friends with Boris, aren't you? - Vera told him.
- Yes, I know him…
- Did he tell you right about his childhood love for Natasha?
- Was there a child's love? - suddenly suddenly blushing, asked Prince Andrew.
- Yes. Vous savez entre cousin et cousine cette intimite mene quelquefois a l "amour: le cousinage est un dangereux voisinage, N" est ce pas? [You know, between a cousin and a sister, this closeness sometimes leads to love. Such kinship is a dangerous neighborhood. Is not it?]
- Oh, no doubt, - said Prince Andrey, and suddenly, unnaturally perked up, he began to joke with Pierre about how he should be careful in his dealings with his 50-year-old Moscow cousins, and in the middle of a joking conversation he got up and, taking under Pierre's arm, took him aside.
- Well? - said Pierre, looking with surprise at the strange animation of his friend and noticing the look that he threw up at Natasha.
“I need, I need to talk to you,” said Prince Andrey. - You know our women's gloves (he talked about those Masonic gloves that were given to the newly elected brother to present to his beloved woman). “I… But no, I’ll talk to you later…” And with a strange gleam in his eyes and anxiety in his movements, Prince Andrey went up to Natasha and sat down beside her. Pierre saw how Prince Andrew asked her something, and she answered him with a flash.
But at this time Berg approached Pierre, urging him to take part in the dispute between the general and the colonel about Spanish affairs.
Berg was pleased and happy. A smile of joy never left his face. The evening was very nice and just like the other nights he has seen. Everything was similar. And ladies', delicate conversations, and cards, and behind the cards a general raising his voice, and a samovar, and biscuits; but one thing was still missing, that which he always saw at parties, which he wished to imitate.
There was a lack of a loud conversation between men and an argument about something important and smart. The general began this conversation and Berg attracted Pierre to him.

The next day, Prince Andrei went to the Rostovs to dine, as Count Ilya Andreich called him, and spent the whole day with them.
Everyone in the house felt for whom Prince Andrew was traveling, and he, without hiding, tried to be with Natasha all day. Not only in the soul of Natasha, who was frightened, but happy and enthusiastic, but in the whole house there was a feeling of fear of something important that was about to happen. The Countess looked with sad and seriously stern eyes at Prince Andrei when he spoke to Natasha, and timidly and feignedly began some insignificant conversation, as soon as he looked back at her. Sonya was afraid to leave Natasha and was afraid to be a hindrance when she was with them. Natasha turned pale with fear of anticipation when she remained alone with him for minutes. Prince Andrew amazed her with his timidity. She felt that he needed to tell her something, but that he could not decide on it.
When Prince Andrey left in the evening, the countess went up to Natasha and said in a whisper:
- Well?
- Mom, for God's sake don't ask me anything now. You can't say that, ”Natasha said.
But despite the fact that that evening Natasha, now agitated, now frightened, with stopping eyes, lay for a long time in her mother's bed. Now she told her how he praised her, then how he said that he would go abroad, that he asked where they would live this summer, then how he asked her about Boris.
- But this, such ... never happened to me! She said. - Only I'm scared with him, I'm always scared with him, what does this mean? So this is real, right? Mom, are you sleeping?
“No, my soul, I’m scared myself,” replied the mother. - Go.
“I won’t sleep anyway. What's nonsense to sleep? Mama, mama, this has never happened to me! She said with surprise and dismay at the feeling she was conscious of in herself. - And could we think! ...
It seemed to Natasha that even when she first saw Prince Andrey in Otradnoye, she had fallen in love with him. She seemed to be frightened by this strange, unexpected happiness that the one whom she had chosen back then (she was firmly convinced of this), that the same one now met her again, and, it seems, was not indifferent to her. “And he had to come to Petersburg on purpose now that we are here. And we had to meet at this ball. All this is fate. It is clear that this is fate, that all this was led to this. Even then, as soon as I saw him, I felt something special. "
- What else did he tell you? What verses are these? Read it ... - Mother said thoughtfully, asking about the poems that Prince Andrey wrote to Natasha's album.
- Mom, is it not a shame that he is a widower?
- Enough, Natasha. Pray to God. Les Marieiages se font dans les cieux. [Marriages are made in heaven.]
- My dear, mother, how I love you, how I feel good! - Natasha shouted, crying with tears of happiness and excitement and hugging her mother.
At the same time, Prince Andrew was sitting with Pierre and told him about his love for Natasha and about his firm intention to marry her.

On this day, Countess Elena Vasilievna had a reception, there was a French envoy, there was a prince, who has recently become a frequent visitor to the countess's house, and many brilliant ladies and men. Pierre was downstairs, walked through the halls, and amazed all the guests with his concentratedly absent-minded and gloomy look.
From the time of the ball, Pierre felt within himself the approach of seizures of hypochondria and with a desperate effort tried to fight against them. From the time of the prince's rapprochement with his wife, Pierre was unexpectedly granted a chamberlain, and from that time he began to feel heaviness and shame in a large society, and more often the old gloomy thoughts about the futility of everything human began to come to him. At the same time, the feeling he noticed between Natasha, patronized by him and Prince Andrey, his opposition between his position and the position of his friend, further strengthened this gloomy mood. He equally tried to avoid thinking about his wife and about Natasha and Prince Andrew. Again, everything seemed to him insignificant in comparison with eternity, again the question was presented to him: "why?" And he forced himself to work day and night on Masonic works, hoping to ward off the approach of an evil spirit. Pierre at 12 o'clock, leaving the countess's chambers, was sitting upstairs in a smoky, low room, in a well-worn dressing gown in front of the table and was rewriting authentic Scottish acts when someone entered his room. It was Prince Andrew.
“Oh, it's you,” said Pierre with an absent-minded and displeased look. “But I’m working,” he said, pointing to a notebook with that kind of salvation from the hardships of life with which unhappy people look at their work.
Prince Andrew, with a radiant, enthusiastic and renewed face to life, stopped in front of Pierre and, not noticing his sad face, smiled at him with egoism of happiness.
“Well, my dear,” he said, “I wanted to tell you yesterday, and today I came to you for this. Never experienced anything like it. I'm in love, my friend.
Pierre suddenly sighed heavily and collapsed with his heavy body on the sofa, beside Prince Andrey.
- To Natasha Rostov, right? - he said.
- Yes, yes, to whom? I would never have believed it, but this feeling is stronger than me. Yesterday I suffered, suffered, but I will not give up this torture for anything in the world. I have not lived before. Now only I live, but I cannot live without her. But can she love me? ... I am old for her ... What are you not saying? ...
- I AM? I AM? What did I tell you? ”Pierre said suddenly, getting up and starting to walk around the room. - I always thought that ... This girl is such a treasure, such ... This is a rare girl ... Dear friend, I ask you, you don’t be smart, don’t hesitate, marry, marry and marry ... And I am sure that there will be no happier person than you.
- But she!
- She loves you.
"Don't talk nonsense ..." said Prince Andrew, smiling and looking into Pierre's eyes.
“He loves, I know,” Pierre shouted angrily.
“No, listen,” said Prince Andrey, stopping him by the hand. - Do you know in what position I am? I need to tell everything to someone.
- Well, well, say, I'm very glad, - Pierre said, and his face really changed, the wrinkle smoothed out, and he happily listened to Prince Andrey. Prince Andrew seemed and was a completely different, new person. Where was his longing, his contempt for life, his disappointment? Pierre was the only person to whom he dared to speak; but on the other hand he told him everything that was in his soul. Either he easily and boldly made plans for a long future, talked about how he could not sacrifice his happiness for the whim of his father, how he would force his father to agree to this marriage and love her or do without his consent, then he wondered how something strange, alien, independent of him, to the feeling that possessed him.
- I would not believe someone who would tell me that I can love so much, - said Prince Andrey. - This is not at all the feeling that I had before. The whole world is divided for me into two halves: one - she and there is all the happiness of hope, light; the other half - everything, where it is not, there is all despondency and darkness ...
“Darkness and gloom,” repeated Pierre, “yes, yes, I understand that.
- I cannot but love the light, I am not to blame for this. And I am very happy. You understand me? I know that you are happy for me.
“Yes, yes,” Pierre confirmed, looking at his friend with tender and sad eyes. The brighter the fate of Prince Andrei seemed to him, the darker his own seemed.

For marriage, the consent of the father was needed, and for this the next day, Prince Andrei went to his father.
The father, with outward calmness, but inner malice, accepted the message of his son. He could not understand that someone wanted to change life, to bring something new into it, when life was already over for him. - “They would only let me live the way I want, and then they would do what they wanted,” the old man said to himself. With his son, however, he used the same diplomacy that he used on important occasions. Taking a calm tone, he discussed the whole matter.
First, the marriage was not brilliant in terms of kinship, wealth and nobility. Secondly, Prince Andrey was not his first youth and was in poor health (the old man was especially heavy on this), but she was very young. Thirdly, there was a son, whom it was a pity to give to the girl. Fourthly, finally, - said the father, mockingly looking at his son, - I ask you, postpone the matter for a year, go abroad, take medical treatment, find, as you want, a German, for Prince Nicholas, and then, if it is love, passion, stubbornness, whatever you want, so great, then get married.
“And this is my last word, you know, the last…” the prince finished in a tone that showed that nothing would force him to change his mind.
Prince Andrew clearly saw that the old man hoped that the feeling of his or his future bride would not stand the test of the year, or that he himself, the old prince, would die by that time, and decided to fulfill his father's will: to propose and postpone the wedding for a year.
Three weeks after his last evening with the Rostovs, Prince Andrei returned to Petersburg.