Pictured: Marshal V.I. Chuikov in the GDR, 1974.
When exploring the remarkable life and achievements of a military leader who played a pivotal role in winning a world war, one often uncovers fascinating stories and unexpected connections to other leaders, including those from the opposing side. This is the case with Soviet Marshal Chuikov and German General Ernst Köstring. The biographies of Chuikov and Köstring were researched by Serebryanno-Prudsky regional historian Alexei Ivanovich Volkov and presented in his works. I recently reached out directly to Alexei Ivanovich, and confirmed that he and other historians explored the shared experience of both military leaders. Presented here is the story of the common thread between these two leaders—a connection to Tsarist Russian Count Sheremetev’s estate horse farm:
“The village is called Serebryanye Prudy, on the border of Moscow, Tula and Ryazan regions. Central Russia. Here, on the bank of the wonderful Osetr River, in 1876, a boy was born into the family of the estate manager of Count Sheremetev - August Köstring, who was given the name Ernst. He grew up in beautiful nature, fell in love with horses for life, to which he was trained by the senior groom of the estate - grandfather Iona Chuikov. He also knew the son of the senior groom - Ivan Ionovich [Vasily Ivanovich’s father – MK]. Then the boy grew up, went to Moscow, where there was a gymnasium, then the Mikhailovskoye artillery school ... And even later their family left Russia, moving to Germany. There begins the military career of the cavalry general (rank corresponding to Colonel General) Ernst Köstring.And in 1900, at the turn of the century, in Serebryanye Prudy, in the large family of Ivan Ionovich and Elizaveta Feodorovna, the fifth son (and the eighth of their twelve children) is born - Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov. From here he will begin his glorious journey. Their paths with Ernst Köstring will diverge to different poles of life, starting at one point, in order to meet again in decades ago, thousands of kilometers away, in burning Berlin. Two colonel generals, two career intelligence officers found themselves there, where the results of the most terrible human confrontation in history were being summed up. […]
In 1944, Köstring could hardly doubt the impending defeat. As did those who participated in the conspiracy against Hitler. But Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg's bomb exploded in vain, the conspiracy was destroyed, the participants shot themselves or were executed. Including Köstring's boss before the war, the former ambassador to the USSR, Count Schulenburg. His miraculously surviving personal secretary Hans von Herwarth testified much later, on July 19, 1994: "Köstring was supposed to take part in the overthrow of Hitler. Every time I left, the explosives (for Stauffenberg's bomb. - Author) lay under the bed of General Köstring, who, despite this, slept peacefully. He provided a valuable service when it was necessary to compile a list of generals and field marshals who were to take part in the uprising. The role of Köstring is forgotten today, because there are no records of it and no one is left alive who could shed light on these matters.
Could Chuikov have known about Köstring? Probably in Moscow, in China, when he heard about him - yes. Familiar names are always on everyone's lips, and his service allowed him to have information. But then, after Stalingrad, where he took over the heroic 62nd Army, which soon became the 8th Guards, he most likely forgot about him. Especially since Köstring's positions were by no means public. But Köstring could not have failed to know about Chuikov, especially during the war, when his name thundered along the fronts of the Patriotic War.”
***Special thanks to historian and author Alexei Volkov for his kind communication and contribution!***
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