How Alisa Freindlich survived the siege of Leningrad: a girl from through the looking glass

The 80th anniversary of the liberation of Leningrad from the Nazis is a holiday with tears in our eyes, a victory and a harbinger of that great Victory in May 1945. Almost all channels told us that unforgettable story.

The promotion is unprecedented: First, “Russia”, TVC, NTV, “Culture”, OTR, “Zvezda”, “Mir” – films, TV series, documentaries…

And it is right! It doesn’t matter that television was pushed to such massive solemn tragic memories by the external circumstances of today. Let it be so, but that Victory was grandiose, it was suffered. This cannot be forgotten. No way, never.

And this is human history, of the entire people and individuals. When the war began, the Leningrad girl Alisa Freindlich was 6 years old.

She very rarely remembers the blockade, the war in general. Because it hurts, it’s scary. That famine, when only thanks to her German grandmother there was enough food for all 900 days, and Alice survived. Grandma died. How they exchanged things for food: all things – for any food. As they waited according to grandma’s schedule, they counted the hours until lunch in order to receive a meager piece of bread at the cherished time. Oh, it was delicious! As the grandmother took out the preserved remaining wine, they drank a sip, a little, and Alice drank, thus preserving, distributing her strength for the war.

… Anatoly Malkin, the conqueror of women’s hearts, talks with Freundlich. An excellent interviewer, maybe the best on our TV. They talk about her childhood, but very little: Alice finds it so hard to remember! Malkin understands everything.

Then Victory, peace, theater, cinema, husbands, daughter, the best in the world…

Alice, the blockade girl, is excellent. She is gorgeous, very beautiful, incredibly smart. Listening to her is a pleasure. I really want this conversation not to end!

Look what her reputation is – impeccable. Everyone loves, honors and respects her. I’m not talking about the audience, but my colleagues… I remember “Kinopanorama” – how long ago it was! It was called “Music in the films of Eldar Ryazanov.” It was hosted by Andrei Myagkov and, as it were, invited Ryazanov, the permanent presenter of the main program of the Central Television, the best presenter, to visit. How they both declared their love to Alisa Brunovna! Gently, reverently. And then, of course, “Nature has no bad weather,” what Alice sang in “Office Romance”…

He and Malkin talked about personal things. About her first husband: “Yes, it was just a hobby, just a year and a half, but I was happy,” she said, after a pause, after a pause. Then Vladimirov, now forgotten, magnificent. He molded Alice as an artist, she became his Pygmalion. They understood each other perfectly, they had the same nature of humor and play. The other day they again showed “An Old-Fashioned Comedy” based on Arbuzov, where there are only the two of them – Alisa Freindlich and Igor Vladimirov. You know, it’s a fireworks show, a benefit performance. This is “life, tears, and love.”

And I remember Vladimirov’s meeting at the Ostankino concert studio. His wife Alice is sitting in the front row. And suddenly Vladimirov begins to declare his love for her – as a boy, as a husband and as a director. Then they show the place where she was about to sit – empty. And only the sound of Alice’s retreating heels: tsk-tsk-tsk… Soon they parted.

…At the end of this year, Alice will be… Well, what difference does it make to you. What difference does it make to us? She is beautiful – she was, is and will be. Any age. The siege girl, who has gone through so much. And the winner. Yes, along with all the people.

“Nature has no bad weather…” Alice, sing again! Encore.

Published in the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” No. 29206 dated January 31, 2024

Newspaper headline:
Alice from Through the Looking Glass