Bruno Sutkus
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| Bruno Sutkus | |
|---|---|
| 14 May 1924 | |
| Place of birth | Tannewalde(East Prussia) |
| Allegiance | Germany |
| Unit | 68th Infantry Division |
| Awards | Iron Cross 2nd & 1st class Infantry Assault Badge Wound Badge (silver) Sniper's Badge (gold) |
Born on May 14, 1924 in Tannenwalde East Prussia, Bruno Sutkus was a German sniper in the 68th Infantry Division on the Eastern Front of the Second World War, and was credited with 209 kills.
He joined the Hitler Youth in 1938, achieving the rank of a Scharführer. When he was 18 years old he became a member of the SA where his shooting skills were acknowledged, so he could take home a rifle for practicing.
Sutkus trained as a sniper from August 1st through the end of December 1943 in Wilna, before being assigned to the 68th Infantry Division.
After the war Sutkus came into contact with the Lithuanian resistance (cf. Forest Brothers). He was captured and severely tortured by the KGB, which then deported him and many Lithuanians to Siberia for forced labor - where he was forced to stay for 22 years before being allowed to relocate to Wilna. Sutkus was married to a Lithuanian woman (meanwhile deceased). He has one son. Only in 1990 - after 45 years - Sutkus got the opportunity to visit Germany again, where he moved in 1997.
[edit] Awards
- Iron Cross 2nd Class - July 6th 1944
- Wound Badge (black) - September 7th 1944
- Iron Cross 1st Class - November 16th 1944
- Sniper's Badge (1st class - gold) - November 21st 1944
- Infantry Assault Badge (silver) - November 29th 1944
- Wound Badge (silver) - March 1st 1945
[edit] References
- Bruno Sutkus (2003), Im Fadenkreuz – Tagebuch eines Scharfschützen [i.e. Inside the crosshair - the diary of a sniper]. Munin.
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