Vasily Zaytsev

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vasily Grigoryevich Zaytsev

Captain Vasily Grigoryevich Zaytsev (Russian: Васи́лий Григо́рьевич За́йцев IPA: [vʌˈsʲilʲɪj grʲɪˈgorʲjevʲɪtɕ ˈzajtsɨf] ) (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 225 soldiers and officers of the Wehrmacht and other Axis armies, including 11 enemy snipers^[1]. Prior to 10 November he had already killed 32 Axis soldiers with the standard-issue Mosin-Nagant rifle ("tryokhlineyka", three line rifle) ^[1]. Between October 1942 and January 1943, Zaytsev had made 242 verified kills,^[2] but the real number may be much higher,^[3] some argue it might have been as many as 400. ^[4] His military rank at the time was Junior Lieutenant.

1 Early life and World War II
2 Commemoration
3 Awards and honors
4 Popular culture
5 References
6 Books
7 Films
8 External links

[edit] Early life and World War II

Zaytsev was born in Yeleninskoye and grew up in the Ural Mountains. His surname Zaytsev has the same root as the word "hare" (zayats) in Russian. Before going to Stalingrad Vasily served in the Russian Navy as a clerk but upon reading about the brutality of the fighting in Stalingrad volunteered to serve in the fighting. Zaytsev served in the 1047th rifle regiment of the 284th rifle division of the 62nd Army. He is notable for participating in the Battle of Stalingrad. There, the Russians set up a snipers' training school in the Lazur chemical works; it was run by Zaytsev.

Zaytsev served until January 1943, when he suffered an injury to his eyes from a landmine. 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 end of the war Zaytsev visited Berlin, where he met his friends, who served with him. They presented him his sniper rifle with an inscription: "To the Hero of the Soviet Union Zaytsev Vasily, who buried in Stalingrad more than 300 fascists."^[1] The rifle is preserved in the Volgograd State panoramic museum "Stalingrad Battle". ^[5] After the war, Zaytsev managed a factory in Kiev.

The Russian Winter War of World War II produced numerous snipers with large numbers of confirmed kills. Hence, 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. ^[3] ^[4]. Undoubtedly, though, there were numerous Soviet snipers serving during World War II who did distinguish themselves with a high number of individual kills, including Fyodor Okhlopkov who had 429 confirmed 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. Whether this duel actually took place is in dispute among historians, however, due to lack of any evidence as to whether there was a German sniper of such name or rank who ever existed during World War II.

[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] Popular culture

Zaytsev's story was portrayed in the film Enemy at the Gates
Zaitsev's story is portrayed differently in the book "War of the Rats"
There is an apartment block called the Zaitsev Building in the Saint Petersburg levels of Hitman 2. The player may use the Zaitsev Building to snipe his target in the building opposite.
In the PC game "Call Of Duty 2", the character you control in the Russian campaign in Stalingrad is referred to as "Vasili" which is pronounced in the same manner. In this campaign, the sniper rifle becomes available to use very often.

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c (Russian)Biography at the website on Heroes of the Soviet Union and Russia
^ About Vassili Zaitsev
^ ^a ^b Top WW2 Snipers
^ ^a ^b World War II Snipers
^ Volgograd State panoramic museum "Stalingrad Battle". Hall 4 - Street fights in Stalingrad - the first photo there is of Zaytsev's sniper rifle

[edit] Books

Zaytsev,Vasily (1956-1971) "Notes of a Sniper:For us There is no Land Beyond the Volga" Vladivostok:Moscow/2826 Press Inc.
Beevor, Antony (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.
(1989). The Reader's Digest Illustrated History of World War II. Reader's Digest Association Limited.: London. ISBN 0-89577-333-3