Vasily Zaytsev

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Vasily Grigoryevich Zaytsev

Captain Vasily Grigoryevich Zaytsev (Russian: Васи́лий Григо́рьевич За́йцев) (March 23, 1915–December 15, 1991) was a Soviet sniper during World War II who between November 10 and December 17, 1942 during the Battle of Stalingrad killed 114 soldiers and officers of the Wehrmacht and other Axis armies, including 11 enemy snipers. His military rank at the time was Junior Lieutenant. By the end of the war, Zaytsev had made about 400 verified kills, although some argue it might have only been 280. [1] [2][3]).

1 Life
2 Commemoration
3 Awards and honors
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Life

Zaytsev was born in Yeleninskoye, grew up in the Ural Mountains and learned marksmanship by poaching either deer or wolves (or both) with his grandfather. His surname Zaytsev means "of hare" in Russian.

Zaytsev served in the 1047th rifle regiment of the 284th rifle division of the 62nd Army. Zaytsev served until January 1943, when he suffered an injury to his eyes. He was attended to by Professor Filatov, who is credited with restoring his sight. After that he returned to the front and finished the war on the Dniestr river with the military rank of Captain.

After the war, Zaytsev managed a factory in Kiev.

Prior to 10 November he had already killed 32 Axis soldiers with the standard-issue Mosin-Nagant rifle ("tryokhlineyka", three line rifle) [4].

Some sources claim that Zaytsev's remarkable performance was not unique, and that Ivan Mihailovich Sidorenko of the 1122nd rifle regiment had made approximately 500 kills by the end of the war. [5] [6]. Undoubtedly, though, there were numerous Soviet snipers serving during World War II who did distinguish themselves with a high number of individual kills.

The snipers he trained were nicknamed zaichata, meaning "leverets" (baby hares). Anthony Beevor wrote in Stalingrad that this was the start of the "sniper movement" in the 62nd Army. Conferences were arranged to spread the doctrine of "sniperism" and exchange ideas on technique and principles that were not limited to marksmanship skills. It is estimated that the snipers he had trained killed more than 3000 enemy soldiers. Zaytsev died at age 76 in Kiev.

[edit] Commemoration

On January 31, 2006 Vasily Zaytsev was reburied on Mamayev Kurgan with full military honors. Zaytsev's dying wish was to be buried at the monument to the defenders of Stalingrad. His coffin was carried next to a monument where his famous quote is written: "There is no ground for us beyond [the] Volga."

The telescopic sight from Heinz Thorvald's rifle, allegedly Zaytsev's most treasured trophy, is still exhibited in the Moscow armed forces museum. However, the entire story remains essentially unconfirmed. There is no mention of it in any Soviet military reports, including those to Aleksandr Shcherbakov, even though almost every act of sniperism was reported with relish. The supposed duel is depicted in David L. Robbins' book War of the Rats and fictionalized in the film Enemy at the Gates, although the Thorvald character's name was changed to Major König.

[edit] Awards and honors

Ribbon bars of Zaytsev's orders and Medals

Title of Hero of the Soviet Union (22 February 1943).
Title of "Honorary Citizen of the Hero City Volgograd" (7 May 1980).
2 Order of Lenin
2 Orders of the Red Banner
The Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class
For the Defence of Stalingrad
For the Victory Over Germany

[edit] References

Beevor, Anthony (1998). Stalingrad. Penguin Books Ltd.: London. ISBN 0-14-100131-3.
Robbins, David L. (2000). War of the Rats. Bantam Books. ISBN 0-553-58135-X.