Vasily Zaitsev (sniper)
Vasily Grigoryevich Zaitsev | |
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Captain | |
Battles/wars |
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Awards | See list, includes: Hero of the Soviet Union |
Vasily Grigoryevich Zaitsev (Russian: Васи́лий Григо́рьевич За́йцев, IPA: [vɐˈsʲilʲɪj ɡrʲɪˈɡorʲjɪvʲɪdʑ ˈzajtsɨf]; 23 March 1915 – 15 December 1991) was a Soviet sniper during World War II.
Between 22 September 1942 and 19 October 1942, he killed 40 enemy soldiers.[1] Between 10 October 1942 and 17 December 1942, during the Battle of Stalingrad, he killed 225 enemy soldiers.[2]
Zaitsev became a celebrated figure during the war and later a Hero of the Soviet Union, and he remains lauded for his skills as a sniper. His life and military career have been the subject of several books and films: his exploits, as detailed in William Craig's 1973 book Enemy at the Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad, served as the story for the 2001 film Enemy at the Gates, with Jude Law portraying Zaitsev. He is also featured in David L. Robbins's 1999 historical novel War of the Rats.
Early life
Zaitsev was born in
In 1930, Zaitsev graduated from construction college in the city of Magnitogorsk, where he received the speciality of fitter. He also studied accounting.
From 1937, Zaitsev served in the Pacific Fleet, where he was clerk of the artillery department. After studying at military school, he was appointed head of the finance department of the Pacific Fleet in Transfiguration Bay.
Military career
Zaitsev was serving in the
Zaitsev's accuracy with a rifle led to him becoming a sniper. Zaitsev would conceal himself in various locations, for example on high ground, under rubble, or in water pipes. After a few kills, he would change his position or relocate. Together with his partner, Nikolai Kulikov, Zaitsev perfected his hide and sting tactics. One method was to cover a large area from three positions, with two men at each point – a sniper and a scout. This tactic, known as the "sixes", is still in use today by Russian forces and was implemented during the Chechen wars.[6]
Zaitsev fought at the
On 22 February 1943, Zaitsev was awarded the title
Civilian life
After the war, Zaitsev settled in
2006 commemoration
On 31 January 2006, Vasily Zaitsev was reburied with full
In popular culture
Film
A feature-length film, Enemy at the Gates (2001), starring Jude Law as Zaitsev, was based on part of William Craig's book Enemy at the Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad (1973), which includes a "snipers' duel" between Zaitsev and a Wehrmacht sniper school director, Major Erwin König. Zaitsev indicates in his own memoirs that a three-day duel did indeed occur and that the sniper he killed was the head of a sniper school near Berlin; however, historian Sir Antony Beevor states that the Russian Ministry of Defence archives contradict this and that the duel had been created by the Soviet propaganda.[9] Russian researcher Oleg Kaminsky suggests that the duel could have been between Zaitsev and the German corporal Hermann Stoff of the 295th Infantry Division, who was responsible for 103 killed Red Army soldiers and commanders and who died in Stalingrad at this time.[10]
Literature
David L. Robbins's historical novel War of the Rats (1991) includes a sniper duel in Stalingrad, but between Zaitsev and a German adversary named Colonel Heinz Thorvald, identified in the author's introduction as an actual combatant.[11] Ramón Rosanas wrote a comic about the conflict between Zaitsev and König.[12]
Awards and honors
- Hero of the Soviet Union
- Four Orders of Lenin
- Two Orders of the Red Banner
- Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class
- Medal "For Courage"
- Honorary Citizen of the Hero City of Volgograd (Stalingrad)[when?]
- World's Best Sniper of All Time (Moskva)
References
- ^ a b "Medal "For Courage" award list, page 62". Pamyat Naroda (in Russian).
- ^ "Hero of the Soviet Union award list". Pamyat Naroda (in Russian).
- ^ "Vasily Zaitsev". Warheroes.ru.
- ^ "Hollywood recycles Soviet tale". 9 November 2000.
- ^ Sharp, Charles C. Sharp (1996). "Red Swarm". Soviet Rifle Divisions Formed From 1942 to 1945, Soviet Order of Battle World War II. Vol. X. p. 108.
- ^ Balestrieri, Steve (26 July 2021). "Legendary Stalingrad Sniper Vasily Zaytsev Still Teaches Russian Snipers". Sofrep Military Grade Content. Sofrep Media Group. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-84832-565-4.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location (link - ^ "Василий Зайцев будет похоронен на сталинградской земле". 2006-10-31. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2015-04-21.
- Beevor, Antony (29 May 2018). "Antony Beevor: the greatest war movie ever – and the ones I can't bear". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
- ^ Website, original quote: "Средствами массовой информации была растиражирована версия, что в снайперском поединке он победил то ли майора Эрвина Кёнигса, то ли штандартенфюрера СС Гейнца Торвальда, начальника школы снайперов в Цоссене. Однако всё это досужие выдумки падких на сенсации журналистов, хотя бы потому, что офицеры такого высокого ранга никогда не занимались снайперской охотой. Зато с большой долей вероятности можно предположить, что сраженным Зайцевым снайпером был ефрейтор Герман Штоф из 295-й немецкой пехотной дивизии, на счету которого были 103 убитых красноармейца и командира Красной Армии и, который погиб в Сталинграде примерно в это время…"
- ^ Robbins, David L. (1999). War of the Rats. Bantam.
- Corporación de Radio y Televisión Española(in Spanish). Retrieved 26 January 2019.
Further reading
- Zaitsev, Vassili (2003) [1956: Original Russian edition]. Okrent, Neil (ed.). Notes of a Sniper. Translated by Givens, David; Kornakov, Peter; Kornakov, Konstatin (1st English translation ed.). Los Angeles: 2826 Press Inc. ISBN 0-615-12148-9.
- Beevor, Antony (1998). Stalingrad. London: Penguin Books Ltd. ISBN 978-0-14-100131-9.
- Robbins, David L. (2000). War of the Rats. New York: Bantam Books. ISBN 978-0-553-58135-5.
- The Reader's Digest Illustrated History of World War II (1989). London: Reader's Digest Association Limited. ISBN 978-0-89577-333-3
External links
- Biography at warheroes.ru (in Russian)