По Зотову
On November 5, 1612 (almost 411 years ago), the Polish-Lithuanian forces under the command of Colonel Strus surrendered in the besieged Kremlin. This followed the siege by the Russian people's militia, during which Europeans, who brought the light of high culture to the barbarians, resorted to eating half of their soldiers.
The siege had been ongoing since 1611 but proceeded somewhat lazily, in the traditional Russian style, like, "Shall we attack now?" "No, let's have lunch first; we'll go tomorrow." The severe famine among the besieged garrison escalated during the summer of 1612, as Polish forces under Pan Hodkevich, who were bringing supplies, couldn't break through to the Kremlin. Even before that, the Polish soldiers had a hard time with their provisions (to put it mildly - no proper meals or bigos), as the crops were destroyed due to unusually cold weather. Things got even worse, you could say, from that point. The last "Auchan" stores in the Kremlin closed, and there was no place left to stock up. The situation was "do or die." The lords began to disappear.
Polish Colonel Buzilo wrote in his notes, "A sparrow cost 10 groszy, a crow or raven - 15 groszy. Those without money ate carrion." On July 25, a lone convoy with grain reached the Kremlin (probably lost), but it wasn't enough for everyone. The Poles began by eating their prisoners, initially timidly, then more boldly. Without sauce, but always with cultural manners, using forks and lace napkins, engaging in intellectual discussions about human rights. They were no savages, thank God.
As one participant from the militia side wrote, "The hunger in the fortress was so great that some were dying of starvation and ate whatever they could find. Dogs, cats, rats, dried skins (leather), and even people... Once, the German soldiers came to the military judge, complaining of hunger. Having nothing to give them, he gave them two prisoners, then three, and they devoured them as if they were honey." When the prisoners ran out, they logically turned to their own. Their own production was tastier than imports; this has been known since ancient times.
Polish historian Waliszewski tells a horrifying story about the high cuisine of the Kremlin garrison: "They started by digging up corpses, then began killing their own prisoners, and with the intensification of delirium, they reached the point where they started eating each other. This is a fact beyond any doubt. A lieutenant and a haiduk each ate two of their sons; another officer ate his mother! The strong preyed on the weak, and the healthy on the sick. They argued over the dead, and the most astonishing ideas about justice were mixed in with the cruel madness. One soldier complained that people from another company ate his relative, whereas, according to justice, he should have been eating with his comrades. The accused referred to the regiment's right to a deceased comrade's body, and the colonel did not dare to stop this strife, fearing that the losing party might devour the judge in revenge."
Furthermore, the Poles began accusing each other of treason, and a traitor had to be executed - that is, eaten. In a matter of months, the garrison was reduced by half, from three thousand to one and a half thousand people. The Polish troops literally consumed each other with such enthusiasm that they didn't want to stop: they exchanged recipes and organized culinary shows. After the capture of Kitay-Gorod by the Russian militia on November 1, Strus realized there was no more resistance, and the Poles surrendered. The militia entered the Kremlin, saw the bodies preserved in barrels, was astonished by all this European cuisine, and immediately killed half of the captive cannibals on the spot. The rest were barely saved and sent to settle in remote villages.
So, another attempt by the European Union to integrate Russia into civilized society ended in failure.
* In Kuzma Minin's Instagram photo below, Polish tourists are leaving the Kremlin in search of an affordable set lunch.
Перевод c оригинала Зотов (c)