Vasily Zaitsev on the battlefield. Sniper Vasily Zaitsev: what was the hero of Stalingrad like?

Born on March 23, 1915 in the village of Elininsk, Agapovsky district, Chelyabinsk region. He graduated from 7 classes and a construction technical school in Magnitogorsk, where he received a specialty in fittings. Since 1937 he served in the Pacific Fleet (as a clerk in the artillery department). After studying at the Military Economic School, he was appointed head of the financial department of the Pacific Fleet, in Preobrazhenye Bay. It was in this position that he met the war.

By the summer of 1942, Sergeant Major 1st Article V.G. Zaitsev submitted 5 reports to send him to the front. From September 21, 1942, in the active army, he defended Stalingrad. Already in the first fights he showed himself to be a marksman (and not surprisingly: from the age of 12 he went hunting alone). He destroyed his first enemies with a simple three-line rifle, then he was given a sniper rifle. Order for the troops of the 62nd Army No. 39/n dated October 25, 1942 for 40 destroyed enemies chief petty officer 1st article V. G. Zaitsev was awarded the medal "For Courage".

Zaitsev combined all the qualities inherent in a sniper: visual acuity, sensitive hearing, restraint, composure, endurance, military cunning. He knew how to choose the best positions and disguise them; usually hid from the Nazis in places where they could not even guess his location. On November 2, 1942, sniper of the 1047th Infantry Regiment (284th Infantry Division, 62nd Army of the Stalingrad Front) V.G. Zaitsev was presented with the Order of Lenin for the destruction of 110 enemy soldiers and officers. By order of the troops of the Stalingrad Front No. 100/n dated December 4, 1942, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

During the period from November 10 to December 17, 1942, in the battles for Stalingrad, he destroyed 225 enemy soldiers and officers. For these exploits, on December 18, 1942, junior lieutenant V.G. Zaitsev was presented by the command with the highest degree of distinction in the country. In January 1943, while carrying out the order of the division commander to disrupt a German attack on the right-flank regiment with a sniper group of 13 people, Zaitsev was seriously wounded and blinded by a mine explosion. Only on February 10, 1943, after several operations performed in Moscow by Professor Filatov, his vision returned. By that time, his official account included 242 destroyed enemies (some sources round this figure to 245). By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated February 22, 1943, junior lieutenant Vasily Grigorievich Zaitsev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 801).

Since April 1944 - again in the active army (3rd Ukrainian Front). On May 10, 1944, while repelling an attack by enemy infantry and tanks towards the location of the division headquarters command post, he personally destroyed 18 enemies and was again seriously wounded. For this battle he was presented with the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree. By order of the 8th Guards Army of the 1st Belorussian Front No. 383/n dated October 10, 1944, the Guard awarded Senior Lieutenant V.G. Zaitsev the second Order of the Red Banner.

Throughout the war, Vasily Zaitsev served in the army, in whose ranks he began his combat career, headed a sniper school, commanded a mortar platoon, and then was the commander of a separate anti-aircraft machine gun company of the 79th Guards Rifle Division. He crushed the enemy in the Donbass, participated in the battle for the Dnieper, fought near Odessa and on the Dniester. During the war years, he wrote 2 textbooks for snipers, and also invented the still used technique of sniper hunting with “sixes” - when 3 pairs of snipers (a shooter and an observer) cover the same battle zone with fire. May 1945, Captain V.G. Zaitsev met the Guard in Kyiv - again in the hospital.

He visited Berlin after the end of the war. There I met with friends who had gone through the battle route from the Volga to the Spree. In a solemn ceremony, V.G. Zaitsev was presented with his sniper rifle with the inscription: “To the Hero of the Soviet Union Vasily Zaitsev, who buried more than 300 fascists in Stalingrad.” Nowadays this rifle is kept in the Volgograd Museum of City Defense. Next to it there is a sign: “During the period of street fighting in the city, sniper of the 284th Infantry Division V.G. Zaitsev used this rifle to destroy more than 300 Nazis, taught 28 Soviet soldiers the art of sniper. When Zaitsev was wounded, this rifle was passed on to the best snipers of the unit.” . According to the Soviet press, Vasily Zaitsev's final battle tally is "more than 300" enemies destroyed. Most likely, this number includes enemies he destroyed not only with a sniper rifle (as the last award sheet states that on May 10, 1944 he personally destroyed 18 enemies, but it is not specified what type of weapon: rifle, machine gun, machine gun...)

After the war, V.G. Zaitsev was demobilized for health reasons and lived in Kyiv. At first he was the commandant of the Pechersk region. He studied in absentia at the All-Union Institute of Textile and Light Industry and became an engineer. He worked as director of a machine-building plant, director of the "Ukraine" clothing factory, and headed the light industry technical school. He died on December 15, 1991, and was buried in Kyiv at the Lukyanovsky military cemetery. On January 31, 2006, the ashes of Vasily Grigorievich Zaitsev were transported to the hero city of Volgograd and solemnly reburied on Mamayev Kurgan. By the decision of the Volgograd City Council of People's Deputies of May 7, 1980, for special services shown in the defense of the city and the defeat of Nazi troops in the Battle of Stalingrad, he was awarded the title "Honorary Citizen of the Hero City of Volgograd." The Hero's name is given to a motor ship plying along the Dnieper.

Awarded the orders: Lenin (02/22/1943), Red Banner (12/04/1942, 10/10/1944), Patriotic War 1st degree (03/11/1985); medals.

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From the materials of V. G. Zaitsev’s award sheets:

From wartime press materials:

From press materials of the post-war years:

Vasily Zaitsev is a famous Soviet sniper who became famous during the Battle of Stalingrad. During street battles for the city, he single-handedly killed more than two hundred German army soldiers. He was part of the 62nd Army of the Front. With his vast experience, this sniper studied the strategy of the enemy army, which allowed him to repel attacks for two months. At the same time, he managed not only to fight off the enemy, but also took active offensive actions himself.

Life before the war

Vasily Zaitsev was born into a peasant family in 1915 in the Orenburg province. WITH early childhood He learned to shoot under the guidance of his grandfather and soon became an excellent shooter. He said that his grandfather, being a Ural hunter, taught him how to hunt animals. The child mastered all the intricacies of the hunting craft, which later helped him in the war. The boy received incomplete secondary education, then entered a construction college in Magnitogorsk.

Seven years later, in 1937, the future hero of the Soviet Union joined the navy in the artillery department as a clerk. In the service, he strictly followed discipline, was diligent and neat, for which he was enrolled in the Komsomol. Vasily Zaitsev also studied at the Military Economic School, so after some time he was appointed head of the economic unit in the Pacific Fleet.

Service at the beginning of the war

The sniper applied several times for voluntary participation in hostilities. The fifth time his request was granted, he left for the army. In September 1942, he and his colleagues crossed the Volga River and began to participate in battles. Already at the very beginning of hostilities, he showed himself to be an outstanding shooter. Vasily Zaitsev hit the enemy the first time, for which he soon received the award “For Courage”.

He soon became known throughout the regiment. He received a sniper rifle, with which he killed many enemies. The fighter was distinguished not only by his unusual accuracy, but also by his cunning, ability to camouflage himself, to hide in the most unusual places. The soldier knew how to hide in places where his presence could not be expected.

Memories of the Battle of Stalingrad

He left memoirs in which he talks about his first combat experience on this front. According to him, at first he had to fight with all the other soldiers equally. Several times he fought hand-to-hand with the Germans on the outskirts of the city and subsequently gave great importance those days when I first found myself in a combat position and took direct part in the battle. His memories contain a large number of valuable information about the situation in the city during the Battle of Stalingrad.

Vasily Zaitsev (sniper) - hero of the Soviet Union, took part in the defense of the famous city plant "Red October". In the first months, he and his colleagues had to fight enemies who were hiding in basements and sewer hatches, which greatly complicated the operation to liberate the city.

Duel with a German fighter

Vasily Zaitsev (sniper) fought with the head of the German rifle school, H. Thorwald, who was sent to the city specifically to fight Soviet soldiers. His task was to destroy the Soviet soldier himself. The latter recalled that it was a very difficult battle, but he and his colleagues managed to find a successful position that allowed them to defeat the enemy. Torvald carefully studied the tactics of Soviet snipers and their combat positions.

For some time he acted quietly, undercover. He began to attack suddenly, and Zaitsev’s best students - three fighters - fell under his blows. However, the German fell for Vasily Grigorievich’s trap - a mannequin doll, a trick that he often used during battles. According to historians, the enemy of the Soviet soldiers turned out to be very experienced, and his rifle was equipped with the latest technology. Therefore, the victory that Vasily Zaitsev (sniper) won was very significant for raising morale Soviet soldiers.

Features of tactics

He developed a special style of fighting in a besieged city. Usually he led small groups to combat positions, but forbade his fighters to immediately defeat the enemy. Invariably, his main goal was to ensure the defeat of the high command. Therefore, whenever his groups met with enemy forces, the Soviet sniper Vasily Zaitsev waited some time until the command officers appeared. Then he gave the order to open fire. In implementing this strategy, the soldier's goal was to defeat those who were directly in charge of the operations in order to behead the enemy.

Zaitsev is also credited with using the so-called group hunt for the enemy. The essence of the tactic was that the group members took aim at the most important points of the Nazis and, when they appeared on the battle zone, unexpectedly opened fire. This method completely justified itself, and the German offensive was thwarted. Zaitsev was sometimes so carried away that he once went into open combat with the German infantry. Fortunately, the enemy fired a volley without looking, and the sniper survived, but was seriously wounded. During the war years, the legendary fighter rose to the rank of captain.

Shooting technique

The legendary hero used special methods during combat operations. So, even in the absence of the enemy, he estimated and calculated, like an experienced hunter, the possible location of the enemy’s appearance, so that during a sortie he could hit for sure. He was constantly developing new shooting strategies, realizing that his habits could be studied by the enemy and, therefore, could one day play against him. This is a skill Soviet soldier created him worldwide fame, as evidenced by the film dedicated to him. Vasily Zaitsev (sniper) was known throughout the regiment for his extraordinary ingenuity.

One of his most famous tricks was that he would make a model of a doll, and he would hide nearby, tracking down the enemy. When the latter discovered himself with a shot, Zaitsev began to wait until he came closer. At the same time, he could wait for an infinitely long time, regardless of the circumstances.

Service during the following years of the war

IN next year he took part in a special operation to disrupt an enemy attack on the right flank. During the fighting he was seriously wounded and went blind. However, after a complex operation his vision returned. He led a mortar regiment and was also the director of a sniper school. During the remaining years of the war, he fought on the Ukrainian front and took part in many operations to liberate the country's largest cities. The future hero made a great contribution to the theory of sniper training. Vasily Grigorievich Zaitsev himself wrote two textbooks on combat, in which he outlined his observations on the implementation of cover operations for military groups by riflemen and special observation formations.

Personal life

The story about Vasily Zaitsev may be of interest to schoolchildren, so a story about his biography can be given to students as a report. He worked for some time at a car plant, where he met his wife, whose name was Zinaida Sergeevna. She held the position of secretary of the Politburo at the machine plant. An interesting fact is that the legendary sniper retained his accuracy until old age. It is known that he always adhered to the rule of not firing a single extra shot. The only exception was the Victory Parade, during which he fired a gun salute. When he was already 65 years old, he took part as an honored guest in a shooting competition and beat all the young participants, finishing in the top ten three times, after which the main prize was awarded to him, and not to the players themselves.

Meaning

The role of the legendary fighter is difficult to overestimate. He was, in fact, the initiator of the sniper movement in our country. This was fully demonstrated during the Patriotic War. Zaitsev created his own school and trained his soldiers directly on the battlefield. It is significant that he wrote his scientific manuals right during the fighting. After being wounded, while undergoing treatment, he shared his experience with representatives of the General Staff, as well as with the Institute for the Study of War. He trained a whole generation of students who proved themselves to be outstanding fighters on the front. One of his students, V. Medvedev, also became famous as a talented sniper, who, in turn, trained a new combat group.

Rifle history and exhibition

In the year of Victory, the Soviet command presented Zaitsev with a personalized rifle as a reward, which gained some fame thanks to its owner.

An interesting fact is that the famous fighter received it in Berlin during the capture of the city by the Red Army. The weapon was kept in the Kiev museum, and then was transferred to Volgograd. An entire exhibition was dedicated to Zaitsev himself, where his weapons, personal documents, and photographs were displayed. However, there is a plan to turn this personal exhibition into an exhibition on Battle of Stalingrad.

Confession

Zaitsev received several prestigious awards. His most important achievement is receiving the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. In addition, he was awarded several medals, including the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree. It should also be mentioned that streets in different cities are named after him, a motor ship, as well as many sniper shooting competitions are dedicated to his name.

After the war

After 1945, he settled in Kyiv, where he continued his service. He served as commandant of the Pechersk region. In addition to military activities, this man is also famous for his contribution to the development of industry. He held a number of prominent positions in factories and mills, and was the director of a textile technical school. Hero of the Soviet Union Vasily Zaitsev continued to work in the military industry in subsequent years.

He took part in testing the Dragunov sniper rifle. Legendary Sniper died in 1991 in Kyiv, bequeathing his ashes to be buried in Stalingrad. This request was fulfilled only in 2006, when his remains were buried on Mamayev Kurgan.

Image in painting

Zaitsev is depicted in the famous panorama dedicated to the Battle of Stalingrad. This shows how important his figure was for the Soviet people. His image was used in ideological propaganda. The painting was created in 1944, i.e. during the war. The main part of the composition is occupied by the defense and defense of Mamayev Kurgan; in this operation, as mentioned above, the famous sniper took an important part.

In cinematography

In addition, the hero of the cinema was Vasily Zaitsev. A film about him was made in 2001. The leading role was played by the famous British actor D. Lowe. The film is based on the famous episode of the confrontation between a soldier and a German major. Criticism reacted with restraint to this film, since, according to a number of reviewers, the role of ordinary defenders of the city was belittled in the film. In addition, the documentary film “Legendary Sniper” (released in 2013) is dedicated to the image of the famous fighter. Such interest in the hero’s personality testifies to how great his importance was not only for Soviet army, but also for military world history. We should also mention the domestic film, the main character of which is the sniper Ivan. The prototype of this character was Zaitsev and his military biography. Role played famous actor F. Bondarchuk.

Z Aitsev Vasily Grigorievich - sniper of the 1047th Infantry Regiment of the 284th Infantry Division of the 62nd Army of the Stalingrad Front, junior lieutenant.

Born on March 23, 1915 in the village of Elininsk, Agapovsky district, Chelyabinsk region, in a peasant family. Russian. Member of the CPSU(b)/CPSU since 1943. He graduated from seven classes of junior high school. In 1930 he graduated from a construction college in the city of Magnitogorsk, where he received a specialty as a reinforcement engineer.

Since 1937, he served in the Pacific Fleet, where he was assigned as a clerk in the artillery department. The diligent, disciplined sailor was accepted into the Komsomol. After studying at the Military Economic School, he was appointed head of the financial department in the Pacific Fleet, in Preobrazhenye Bay. The war found him in this position.

By the summer of 1942, Petty Officer 1st Article Zaitsev had already submitted five reports with a request to be sent to the front. Finally, the commander granted his request and Zaitsev left for active army. On a dark September night in 1942, together with other Pacific Islanders, Zaitsev crossed the Volga and began to participate in the battles for the city.

Already in the first battles with the enemy, Zaitsev showed himself to be an outstanding shooter. One day the battalion commander called Zaitsev and pointed out the window. The fascist was running 800 meters away. The sailor took careful aim. A shot rang out and the German fell. A few minutes later, two more invaders appeared in the same place. They suffered the same fate. As a reward, Zaitsev received a sniper rifle along with the medal "For Courage". By that time, Zaitsev had killed 32 Nazis from a simple “three-line rifle”. Soon people in the regiment, division, and army started talking about him.

Zaitsev combined all the qualities inherent in a sniper - visual acuity, sensitive hearing, restraint, composure, endurance, military cunning. He knew how to choose the best positions and disguise them; usually hid from the Nazis in places where they could not even imagine Soviet sniper. The famous sniper hit the enemy mercilessly. Only in the period from November 10 to December 17, 1942, in the battles for Stalingrad, V.G. Zaitsev destroyed 225 enemy soldiers and officers, including 11 snipers, and his comrades in arms in the 62nd Army - 6,000.

One day Zaitsev made his way to a burnt house and climbed into a dilapidated black stove. From this unusual position, two entrances to the enemy dugouts and the approach to the basement of the house where the Germans were preparing food were clearly visible. A sniper killed 10 fascists that day.

One dark night, Zaitsev made his way to the front along a narrow path. Somewhere not far away a fascist sniper had taken refuge; it must be destroyed. Zaitsev examined the area for about 20 minutes, but could not find the lurking enemy “hunter”. Pressing himself tightly against the wall of the barn, the sailor stuck out his mitten; she was violently torn from her hand.

Having examined the hole, he moved to another place and did the same. And again the shot. Zaitsev clung to the stereo tube. I began to carefully scan the area. A shadow flashed on one of the hills. Here! Now we need to lure the fascist out and take aim. Zaitsev lay in ambush all night. At dawn the German sniper was killed.

The actions of the Soviet snipers alarmed the enemies, and they decided to take urgent measures. When our scouts captured the prisoner, he reported that the European champion in bullet shooting, the head of the Berlin sniper school, Major König, had been delivered by plane to the Stalingrad area from Berlin, who had received the task of killing, first of all, the “main” Soviet sniper.

The fascist sniper who appeared on the front was experienced and cunning. He often changed positions, settling down in a water tower, in a damaged tank, or in a pile of bricks. Daily observations did not give anything definite. It was difficult to say where the fascist was.

But then an incident happened. The enemy broke the optical sight of Ural resident Morozov, and wounded soldier Shaikin. Morozov and Shaikin were considered experienced snipers; they often emerged victorious in complex and difficult battles with the enemy. There was no longer any doubt - they had stumbled upon the fascist “super sniper” that Zaitsev was looking for.

Zaitsev went to the position previously occupied by his students and friends. With him was his faithful front-line friend Nikolai Kulikov. On the leading edge, every bump, every stone is familiar. Where could the enemy be hiding? Zaitsev's attention was drawn to a pile of bricks and a sheet of iron next to it. It was here that the Berlin “guest” could find refuge.

Nikolai Kulikov was constantly waiting for the order to shoot in order to attract the enemy’s attention. And Zaitsev watched. The whole day went by like this.

Before dawn, the warriors again went into ambush. Zaitsev in one trench, Kulikov in another. Between them there is a rope for signals. Time dragged on agonizingly. Planes were buzzing in the sky. Somewhere nearby shells and mines were exploding. But Zaitsev did not pay attention to anything. He did not take his eyes off the iron sheet.

When it dawned and the enemy positions were clearly visible, Zaitsev pulled the rope. At this conditioned signal, his comrade raised the mitten he was wearing on the board. The expected shot did not come from the other side. An hour later, Kulikov raised his mitten again. The long-awaited crack of a rifle shot rang out. The hole confirmed Zaitsev’s assumption: the fascist was under an iron sheet. Now we had to take aim at him.

However, you can’t rush: you can get scared. Zaitsev and Kulikov changed their positions. They watched all night. First half next day waited too long. And in the afternoon, when the direct rays of the sun fell on the enemy’s position, and our snipers’ rifles were in the shadows, our combat friends began to act. Something sparkled at the edge of the iron sheet. A random piece of glass? No. It was the optical sight of a fascist sniper's rifle.

Kulikov carefully, as an experienced sniper can do, began to lift his helmet. The fascist fired. The helmet fell. The German, apparently, concluded that he had won the fight - he had killed the Soviet sniper, whom he had been hunting for 4 days. Deciding to check the result of his shot, he stuck half his head out of the cover. And then Zaitsev pulled the trigger. He hit it straight. The fascist’s head sank, and the optical sight of his rifle, without moving, glittered in the sun until the evening.

As soon as it got dark, our units went on the attack. Behind a sheet of iron, the soldiers found the body of a fascist officer. This was the head of the Berlin sniper school, Major Koenig.

Vasily Zaitsev did not have the opportunity to celebrate the victorious completion of the grandiose Battle of Stalingrad with his military friends. In January 1943, following the order of the division commander to disrupt a German attack on the right-flank regiment by Zaitsev’s sniper group, which at that time consisted of only 13 people, he was seriously wounded and blinded by a mine explosion. Only on February 10, 1943, after several operations performed in Moscow by Professor Filatov, his vision returned.

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of February 22, 1943, for the exemplary performance of combat missions of the command on the front of the fight against the German invaders and the courage and heroism shown to the junior lieutenant Zaitsev Vasily Grigorievich awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

Throughout the war V.G. Zaitsev served in the army, in whose ranks he began his combat career, headed a sniper school, commanded a mortar platoon, and then was a company commander. He crushed the enemy in the Donbass, participated in the battle for the Dnieper, fought near Odessa and on the Dniester. May 1945 Captain V.G. I met Zaitsev in Kyiv - again in the hospital.

During the war years V.G. Zaitsev wrote two textbooks for snipers, and also invented the still used technique of sniper hunting with “sixes” - when three pairs of snipers (a shooter and an observer) cover the same battle zone with fire.

He visited Berlin after the end of the war. There I met with friends who had gone through the battle route from the Volga to the Spree. In a solemn ceremony, Zaitsev was presented with his sniper rifle with the inscription: “To the Hero of the Soviet Union, Vasily Zaitsev, who buried more than 300 fascists in Stalingrad.”

Nowadays this rifle is kept in the Volgograd Museum of City Defense. Next to it there is a sign: “During the period of street fighting in the city, sniper of the 284th Infantry Division V.G. Zaitsev used this rifle to destroy more than 300 Nazis, taught 28 Soviet soldiers the art of sniper. When Zaitsev was wounded, this rifle was passed on to the best snipers of the unit.” .

After the end of the Great Patriotic War, he was demobilized and settled in Kyiv. At first he was the commandant of the Pechersk region. He studied in absentia at the All-Union Institute of Textile and Light Industry and became an engineer. He worked as director of a machine-building plant, director of the "Ukraine" clothing factory, and headed the light industry technical school.

Died on December 15, 1991. He was buried in Kyiv at the Lukyanovskoye military cemetery, although his last wish was to be buried in the Stalingrad land that he defended.

On January 31, 2006, the ashes of Vasily Grigorievich Zaitsev were transported to the hero city of Volgograd, and solemnly reburied on Mamayev Kurgan.

Awarded the Order of Lenin (02/22/1943), 2 Orders of the Red Banner (12/04/1942; 10/10/1944), the Order of the Patriotic War 1st degree (03/11/1985), medals, including “For Courage” (10/25/1942) .

By the decision of the Volgograd City Council of People's Deputies of May 7, 1980, for special services shown in the defense of the city and the defeat of Nazi troops in the Battle of Stalingrad, he was awarded the title “Honorary Citizen of the Hero City of Volgograd.”

The name of the Hero is given to a motor ship that cruised along the Dnieper. In the city of Yaroslavl, at the memorial to military financiers, a bust of the Hero was installed.

About the sniper V.G. Zaitsev has shot two films. “Angels of Death”, 1992, directed by Yu.N. Ozerov, starring Fyodor Bondarchuk, and Enemy at the Gates, 2001, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, with Jude Law in the role of Zaitsev.

Composition:
There was no land for us beyond the Volga. M., 1981.

Famous sniper during World War II. Streets are named after him, most people in the post-Soviet space know about him. History remembers Vasily as one of the most effective shooters.

Vasily Zaitsev: biography

Vasily was born on March 23, 1915 in the village of Eleninka, Orenburg region (now Chelyabinsk region) into an ordinary peasant family. Studied at rural school, where he graduated from 7th grade. At the age of 15 he had already graduated from construction technical school, where he trained as a fitter.

Since childhood, Vasily’s grandfather, Andrei, often took him and his brother hunting with him. Already at the age of 12, the future sniper had a gun. The grandfather taught his grandchildren the intricacies of hunting, tracking, patience and shooting sense. Perhaps these lessons predetermined Vasily’s future.

In 1937, Vasily Zaitsev served as a clerk in the Pacific Fleet. Then he undergoes training in accounting and continues to serve as the head of the financial department. With the outbreak of war, he asks the command to send him to the front. After 5 reports he gets the go-ahead. And 27-year-old Vasily is sent to the zone of the most fierce and bloody battles - to Stalingrad. Later, in a city on the Volga, where the Nazi invasion was stopped, he will say his famous phrase: “There is no land for us beyond the Volga. We have stood and will stand to the death!”

Sniper of the 62nd Army

Before the front, Vasily underwent some training. From the first days, he proved himself to be an extremely accurate shooter, killing 3 Nazis from a distance of almost a kilometer with an ordinary rifle. The command transferred him to the sniper group. There he received a sniper - a mass-produced weapon, quite simple. From it, Zaitsev managed to destroy 32 invaders. After this, the rookie sniper becomes famous among the entire group of troops.

Hunt for the hunter

In almost one month, Vasily kills 225 fascists. Rumors about him are spreading throughout the country and even around the world. In the partially occupied and almost completely destroyed Stalingrad, the name of Zaitsev is of particular importance. He becomes a real hero, one of the symbols of resistance. Leaflets with new achievements of the shooter are regularly distributed among the population and personnel of the Red Army.

The Nazi leadership hears rumors about Vasily Zaitsev. They understand his importance in propaganda terms, so they send their best ace sniper on a mission to kill the Soviet marksman. This ace was Major König (according to other sources - Heinz Thorwald, possibly König's call sign). He trained snipers in a special school and was a true professional. Immediately upon arrival, he wounds one Red Army rifleman and falls into the weapon of another. Conventional sniper rifles zoom in 3-4 times, since working with high magnification is already difficult for the shooter. The magnification on the Nazi major’s rifle was tenfold! This speaks volumes about Koenig's professionalism and virtuosity.

Fight with the Major

Having learned about the arrival of a super sniper in the city, the Soviet leadership gives the order to destroy him personally to Zaitsev; later this battle will be considered legendary. It reflected not only the battle of two snipers, but also the battle of two peoples, two ideologies.

After long tracking, Vasily discovered Koenig's position. The long wait paid off: a ray of sun momentarily reflected from the German’s optics. This was enough for Vasily; a second later the Nazi fell dead. Soviet propaganda joyfully informed the people: Vasily Zaitsev won. The Hero of the Soviet Union will later describe in detail

After the war, he remained to live in Kyiv. He worked as a manager at a clothing factory.

Died in 1991. 15 years later he was reburied with honors in Stalingrad, as he had bequeathed.

Vasily Zaitsev: film

The figure of the Soviet sniper was widely reflected in culture: many documentaries were shot and a considerable number of works were written. The most famous feature film about Vasily Zaitsev is “Enemy at the Gates,” an American production. Jude Law plays the role of Zaitsev.

The main storyline revolves around the fight between Vasily Zaitsev and Koenig. There is also a parallel love story with a sniper girl and Vasily’s friend. Shot in 2001, the film boasts magnificent visual effects. Scene of crossing the Volga and landing Soviet troops in Stalingrad turned out to be extremely colorful and catchy. It demonstrates the heavy losses of the Soviet troops: blood everywhere, the dead lying next to the living, pain, screams, panic. The scenery of Stalingrad itself also turned out quite good: devastation, concrete desert - it all looks very atmospheric. A large crowd allows you to appreciate the scale of the battles.

But the film was shot by Americans, so there was some propaganda involved. The Soviet leadership is shown entirely as cowards, bloodthirsty killers, and tyrants. The scene when newly arrived recruits launch a frontal attack on a tank with one rifle between them, and then the commanders shoot their own in the back, makes you think. There are also a number of inconsistencies. For example, the commander of Zaitsev and the entire Stalingrad Front was Khrushchev, who in reality was not even close there. It’s just that the colorful figure of Nikita Sergeevich is very familiar to American people.

"Enemy at the Gates" is a good movie from a purely technical point of view, but spoiled by propaganda. However, if you ignore the obvious American component, you can watch it with pleasure.