How did Soviet soldiers pass the time during World War II? (PHOTOS)

In the rare moments of calm and rest, Soviet soldiers loved to get together, play cards and dominoes and simply chat about their pre-war past, home and family. Such conversations were an excellent way to unwind before the next battle.

Almost every unit had several talented soldiers who formed creative groups and performed for their comrades. “The company had several accordions and button accordions; in their free time, they would gather, listen to songs and tell stories about life before the war,” recalled driver Mikhail Sandler.

Sometimes, movies were brought to the front or professional artists would visit. They would perform in field soldiers' mess halls, hospitals or simply on a makeshift stage on a truck with drop sides. However, soldiers on the front lines rarely saw them, as such concerts typically took place 30-40 km from the line of contact.

Many also enjoyed reading in their spare time. There were no libraries in the divisions, so books were either sent by mail to relatives or found in destroyed houses. “I missed books terribly. In one village, we found ‘Eugene Onegin’ and literally read it to pieces, reading it aloud with rapture in every free minute,” medical orderly Ariadna Dobrosmyslova wrote home. 

Sometimes, a book literally saved a life. For instance, a bullet struck soldier Georgy Leonov's copy of Alexei Tolstoy's novel ‘Peter the Great’ hidden under his tunic, while a shell fragment lodged in Senior Lieutenant Pyotr Mishin's volume of Pushkin's poetry.

However, more than any other form of entertainment, the soldiers valued a good night's sleep. Veteran Nikolai Chervyakov recalled: "After marching 30 kilometers in the fall rain with full gear, you're so tired that you don't even think about death. You just want to fall asleep. Even if they kill me, thank God, at least I'll get some rest!"