Born on March 23, 1915 in the village of Yelininsk, Agapovsky District Chelyabinsk region... He graduated from 7 classes and a construction college in Magnitogorsk, where he received the specialty of a fitter. From 1937 he served in the Pacific Fleet (clerk of the artillery department). After studying at the Military Economic School, he was appointed head of the financial department in the Pacific Fleet, in the Preobrazhenie Bay. It was in this position that he met the war.

By the summer of 1942, the foreman of the 1st article V.G. Zaitsev filed 5 reports on sending him to the front. From September 21, 1942 in the army, he defended Stalingrad. Already in the first battles, he showed himself to be a well-aimed shooter (and not surprising: from the age of 12 he went hunting). He destroyed his first enemies from a simple "three-line", then he was handed a sniper rifle. By order for the troops of the 62nd Army No. 39 / n dated October 25, 1942, for 40 destroyed enemies, Chief Petty Officer of the 1st article V. G. Zaitsev was awarded the medal "For Courage".

Zaitsev combined all the qualities inherent in a sniper: visual acuity, sensitive hearing, endurance, composure, endurance, military cunning. He knew how to choose the best positions, to mask them; usually hid from the Nazis where they could not even guess his location. On November 2, 1942, V.G. Zaitsev, a sniper of the 1047th Infantry Regiment (284th Infantry Division, 62nd Army of the Stalingrad Front), was presented to 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 feats on December 18, 1942, junior lieutenant V.G. Zaitsev was introduced by the command to the highest degree differences in the country. In January 1943, following the order of the division commander to disrupt the German attack on the right-flank regiment by a sniper group of 13 people, Zaitsev was seriously wounded and blind by a mine explosion. Only on February 10, 1943, after several operations performed in Moscow by Professor Filatov, his sight returned. By that time, his official account numbered 242 killed enemies (some sources round this figure to 245). By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 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).

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

Throughout the war, Vasily Zaitsev served in the army, in the ranks of which he began his military career, headed the school of snipers, commanded a mortar platoon, then was the commander of a separate anti-aircraft machine-gun company of the 79th Guards rifle division... He crushed the enemy in Donbass, took part 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 "six" sniper hunting technique used until now - when the same combat zone is blocked by fire by 3 pairs of snipers (shooter and observer). May 1945 Captain V.G. Zaitsev met the Guard in Kiev - again in the hospital.

He visited Berlin after the end of the war. There he met with friends who had gone from the Volga to the Spree. In a solemn atmosphere, V. G. Zaitsev was presented with his sniper rifle with the inscription: "Hero of the Soviet Union Vasily Zaitsev, who buried more than 300 fascists in Stalingrad." Now this rifle is kept in the Volgograd Museum of City Defense. There is a sign next to it: "During the street fighting in the city, the sniper of the 284th rifle division V. G. Zaitsev killed more than 300 Nazis with this rifle, taught 28 Soviet soldiers the sniper art. When Zaitsev was wounded, this rifle was transferred to the best snipers of the unit." ... According to the materials of the Soviet press, the final combat score of Vasily Zaitsev is "more than 300" destroyed enemies. Most likely, this number includes enemies destroyed by him not only from a sniper rifle (as in the last award list it is indicated that on May 10, 1944, he personally destroyed 18 enemies, but it is not specified from which type of weapon: rifle, machine gun, machine gun ...)

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

Decorated with the orders: Lenin (02.22.1943), Red Banner (04.12.1942, 10.10.1944), Patriotic War 1st degree (11.03.1985); medals.

* * *
From materials of award sheets V.G. Zaitsev:

From the press materials of the war years:

From the press materials of the post-war years:

Hero Soviet Union Vasily Grigorievich Zaitsev became a legend during his lifetime. From childhood accustomed to the taiga, to hunt, to arms, in Stalingrad the sergeant major of the 1st article Zaitsev killed 225 enemy soldiers and officers in a month and a half of fighting. Ten of them, the same snipers, hunted for him and his partners. The eleventh, specially for the soul of Zaitsev, who arrived from Germany itself, settled down forever there, in Stalingrad. The Russian hunter has always emerged victorious from deadly fights ...

“For us, the soldiers and commanders of the 62nd Army, there is no land beyond the Volga. We have stood, and we will fight to the death! " V. zaytsev

short biography

Childhood

Vasily Grigorievich Zaitsev was born on the twenty-third of March 1915 in the village of Elenkina, Orenburg province (Chelyabinsk region), in an ordinary peasant family. From early childhood he was taught how to shoot a hunting rifle by his grandfather Andrei Alekseevich, and at the age of 12 he received a rifle as a gift. Vasily recalled: “In my memory, childhood is indicated by the words of my grandfather Andrei, who took me with him on a hunt, there he handed me a bow with homemade arrows and said:

“You need to shoot accurately, in the eye of every animal. Now you are no longer a child ... Use your ammo sparingly, learn to shoot without missing. This skill can be useful not only for hunting four-legged ... "

It was as if he knew or foresaw that I would carry out this order in the fire of the most cruel battle for the honor of our Motherland - in Stalingrad ... I received from my grandfather the letter of taiga wisdom, love for nature and everyday experience. "

Vasily's incomplete secondary education fit into seven classes, after which the guy entered the construction technical school in Magnitogorsk, which he graduated in 1930. In 1937, he entered the service in the Pacific Fleet as a clerk of the artillery department.

War years

The Great Patriotic War found him at the post of chief of the financial unit in the Preobrazhenie Bay. In the summer of 1942, after several reports with a request to send to the front, Vasily Zaitsev got into the 284th Infantry Division. And in September 1942 he took part in the battle for Stalingrad.

From the very beginning, Vasily Grigorievich showed himself to be a skillful and extraordinary sniper, from a distance of 800 meters he could destroy three opponents at once from an ordinary soldier's rifle

For his courage and outstanding sniper abilities he was awarded the medal "For Courage" and a sniper rifle. The fame of an outstanding sniper spread on all fronts. The sniper rifle handed to the shooter that day is now on display in the Volgograd State Panorama Museum "Battle of Stalingrad" as an exhibit. In 1945, the rifle was made named. After the Victory, an engraving was attached to the butt: “To the Hero of the Soviet Union, Guard Captain Vasily Zaitsev. He buried more than 300 fascists in Stalingrad. "

Postwar years

WITH military career Vasily Zaitsev graduated in the post-war years, studied at the All-Union Institute of Textile and Light Industry, worked in Kiev as the director of a garment factory "Ukraine", led the technical school of light industry. The war hero met his wife Zinaida Sergeevna while holding the position of director of an auto repair plant, and she worked as a secretary of the party bureau of a machine-building plant.

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 in the defeat of the Nazi troops in the Battle of Stalingrad, V. G. Zaitsev was awarded the title of "Honorary Citizen of the Hero City of Volgograd." The hero is depicted in a panorama Stalingrad battle.

Zaitsev remained accurate until old age. He was once invited to evaluate the training of young snipers. After the shooting, he was asked to demonstrate his skills to the young fighters.

65-year-old soldier, taking a rifle from one of the young soldiers, knocked out the top ten three times

That time, the cup was awarded not to excellent marksmen, but to him, an outstanding master of shooting.

Vasily Zaitsev died on December 15, 1991. He was buried in Kiev at the Lukyanovskoye cemetery. Subsequently, the testament of the warrior-hero was fulfilled - to bury him in the blood-soaked land of Stalingrad, which he defended so heroically. And on January 31, 2006, the last will of the legendary sniper was carried out, his ashes were solemnly reburied at the Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd.

Vasily Zaitsev - the hero of the Battle of Stalingrad

From the memoirs of Vasily: “At night we crossed the Volga - to Stalingrad. The city was burning ... At the ruins of houses I saw the corpses of women and children. That night I arrived at the front for the first time. And I immediately saw a terrible picture of the crimes of Hitler's bandits ... I am a simple, gentle character. Born in the Urals, he worked as an accountant. In my life I have not experienced such anger as I inflamed that night. And I decided to take merciless revenge on the enemy. "

Already in the first battles with the enemy, Zaitsev showed himself to be an outstanding shooter. Once Zaitsev, from a distance of 800 meters from a window, firing from an ordinary three-line rifle, destroyed three enemy soldiers. As a reward, Zaitsev received a cash prize, a sniper rifle with a telescopic sight and a medal "For Courage". By that time, from a simple "three-line" Zaitsev had killed 32 enemy soldiers. Soon they started talking about him in the regiment, division, army. Zaitsev combined all the qualities inherent in a sniper - visual acuity, sensitive hearing, endurance, composure, endurance, military cunning. He knew how to choose the best positions, to mask them; usually hid from enemy soldiers where they could not even imagine a Soviet sniper. The renowned sniper beat the enemy mercilessly.

In the period from November 10 to December 17, 1942, in the battles for Stalingrad, Zaitsev destroyed 225 enemy soldiers and officers, including 11 snipers

In total, Zaitsev's group destroyed 1,126 enemy servicemen in four months of fighting. Zaitsev's companions in arms were Nikolai Ilyin, who had 496 Germans on his account, Pyotr Goncharov - 380, Viktor Medvedev - 342. It should be noted that the main merit of Zaitsev is not in his personal battle account, but in the fact that he became deployment of sniper movement among the ruins of Stalingrad. Zaitsev especially glorified a sniper duel with a German "super sniper", whom Zaitsev himself calls Major Koenig (Heinz Torvald) in his memoirs.

Legendary battle with the German "super sniper"

In order to bring down the activity of Russian snipers and thus raise the morale of its soldiers, the German command decides to send the head of the Berlin SS sniper Colonel Heinz Torvald to the city on the Volga to destroy the “main Russian hare”. Thorvald, transferred to the front by plane, immediately challenged Zaitsev, shooting down two Soviet snipers with a single shot. Now the Soviet command was already worried, having learned about the arrival of the German ace. The commander of the 284th Rifle Division, Colonel Batyuk, ordered his snipers to eliminate Heinz at any cost.

The task was not easy. First of all, it was necessary to find a German, to study his behavior, habits, handwriting. And that's all for one single shot. Thanks to his vast experience, Zaitsev perfectly studied the handwriting of enemy snipers. By camouflaging and firing each of them, he could determine their character, experience, courage. But Colonel Thorvald puzzled him. It was in no way possible even to understand in which sector of the front he was acting. Most likely, he quite often changes positions, acts with great caution, tracking down the enemy himself.

Once at dawn, together with his partner Nikolai Kuznetsov, Zaitsev took a secret position in the area where their comrades had been wounded the day before. But the whole day of observation did not bring any results. But suddenly a helmet appeared over the enemy trench and began to move slowly along the trench. But its rocking was somehow unnatural. "Bait," Vasily realized. But for the whole day not a single movement was noticed. This means that the German lay all day in a hidden position, not giving himself away. By this ability for patience, Zaitsev realized that in front of him was the head of the sniper school. On the second day, the fascist again did not give himself away. Then we began to understand that we are facing the same guest from Berlin. The third morning in position began as usual. A battle flared up nearby. But the Soviet snipers did not move and only watched the enemy positions. But then political instructor Danilov, who went with them into an ambush, could not resist. Deciding that he had noticed the enemy, he very little and only for a second leaned out of the trench. This was enough for him to be noticed, to take aim and shoot the enemy shooter. Fortunately, the political instructor only wounded him. It was clear that only a master of his craft could shoot like that. This convinced Zaitsev and Kuznetsov that it was the guest from Berlin who was shooting, and, judging by the speed of the shot, is right in front of them. But where exactly?
There is a bunker on the right, but the embrasure is closed. There is a damaged tank on the left, but an experienced shooter will not get there. Between them, on level ground, lies a piece of metal heaped with bricks. Moreover, it has been lying for a long time, the eye is accustomed to it, you will not immediately pay attention. Maybe a German under the sheet? Zaitsev put a mitten on a stick and raised it over the parapet. Shot and accurate hit. Vasily lowered the bait in the same position as he raised it. The bullet entered smoothly, without drift. Like a German under an iron sheet. The next task is to make it open. But today it is useless to do it. Never mind, the enemy sniper won't leave a good position. It is not in his nature. Russians need to change their position.

The next night they took up a new position and waited for dawn. In the morning, another battle broke out between infantry units. Kulikov fired at random, illuminating his cover and intriguing the enemy shooter. Then the whole first half of the day they rested, waiting for the sun to unfold, leaving their shelter in the shadow, and illuminating the enemy with direct rays. Suddenly, in front of the leaf, something shone. Optical sight. Kulikov slowly began to raise his helmet. The shot clicked. Kulikov screamed, got up, and immediately fell without moving. The German made a fatal mistake by not counting the second sniper. He leaned out a little from under the shelter right under the bullet of Vasily Zaitsev. Thus ended this sniper duel, which became famous at the front and was included in the list of classic sniper techniques around the world.

During the Battle of Stalingrad, in a month and a half, the legendary sniper of the Great Patriotic War Vasily Zaitsev destroyed more than two hundred German soldiers and officers, including 11 snipers.
WARRIOR
The war found Vasily Zaitsev serving in the Pacific Fleet as head of the financial department, to which he was appointed thanks to his education. But Vasily, who received his first hunting rifle as a gift from his grandfather at the age of 12, did not even think of sitting out in the accounting department. He wrote five reports with a request to send him to the front. Finally, the commander heeded the requests, and Zaitsev went to the active army to defend his homeland. The future sniper was enrolled in the 284th Infantry Division.
DESERVED "SNIPER"
After a short military training, Vasily, along with other Pacific people, crossed the Volga and took part in the battles for Stalingrad. From the very first meetings with the enemy, Zaitsev showed himself as an outstanding shooter. With the help of a simple "three-line", he skillfully killed an enemy soldier. In the war, his grandfather's wise hunting advice came in handy. Later, Vasily will say that one of the main qualities of a sniper is the ability to disguise and be invisible. This quality is essential for any good hunter.
Just a month later, for his military zeal, Vasily Zaitsev received a medal "For Courage", and in addition to it ... a sniper rifle! By this time, the well-aimed hunter had already disabled 32 enemy soldiers.


SNIPER BRIGHTNESS
A good sniper is a live sniper. The feat of the sniper is that he does his job over and over. To succeed in this difficult task, you need to perform a feat every day and every minute: beat the enemy and stay alive!
Vasily Zaitsev knew firmly that the template is the path to death. Therefore, he constantly came up with new hunting models. The hunt for another hunter is especially dangerous, but even here our soldier was always on top. Vasily, as if in a chess game, outplayed his opponents. For example, he made a realistic sniper doll, while he disguised himself nearby. As soon as the enemy revealed himself with a shot, Vasily began to patiently await his appearance from hiding. And time didn't matter to him.

FROM SWEET TO SCIENCE
Zaitsev commanded a sniper group and, taking care of their growth and their professional skills, accumulated considerable didactic material, which later allowed to write two textbooks for snipers. Once, two riflemen, returning from a firing position, met their commander. The punctual Germans went to lunch, which means you can take a break yourself - you still can't catch anyone in the crosshair of the sight. But Zaitsev noticed that now is the time for zeroing. It turns out that even when there was no one to shoot at, the smart hunter calmly calculated the distances to the places of possible appearance of the enemy and entered them into a notebook so that, on occasion, without wasting a second, hit the target. After all, there may not be another chance.

DUEL WITH A GERMAN "SUPER SNIPER"
The Soviet shooter greatly annoyed the German "machine", so the German command sent from Berlin to the Stalingrad front its best shooter: the head of the school of snipers. The German ace was tasked with destroying the "Russian hare." In turn, Vasily received an order to destroy the German "super sniper". A game of "cat and mouse" began between them. By the actions of the German, Vasily realized that he was dealing with a seasoned professional. But as a result of several days of mutual hunting, Vasily Zaitsev outwitted the enemy and emerged victorious.
This duel made our sniper famous all over the world. This plot is reflected in modern cinema: in the Russian film of 1992 "Angels of Death" and in the western film "Enemy at the Gates" (2001).


GROUP HUNTING
Unfortunately, there was no time to triumph over the victory in a principled duel. The division commander Nikolai Batyuk congratulated Vasily and entrusted him with a group of snipers a new important task. It was necessary to disrupt the impending German offensive on one of the sectors of the Stalingrad front. “How many fighters are at your disposal,” the commander asked. - "13". "Well, I hope you can handle it."
Fulfilling the task, Zaitsev's group applied a new tactics of combat at that time - group hunting. Thirteen sniper rifles targeted the most attractive points in the enemy's position. The calculation is as follows: Hitler's officers will go out for the last inspection of the offensive zone - fire!
The calculation was fully justified. The offensive was thwarted. True, an experienced fighter Vasily Zaitsev, in the heat of battle, went into an open attack on the German infantry, not expecting that the German artillery would fire a volley at friendly and foes ...


RETURN TO THE FRONT
When Vasily came to his senses, darkness clouded him. As a result of the severe injury, her eyes were seriously injured. In his memoirs, he admits that when his hearing became acute, he thought about picking up a rifle ... Fortunately, after several operations, his sight returned, and on February 10, 1943, the sniper Zaitsev saw the light again.
For the displayed military skill and valor, the sniper group commander was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, awarded the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal. However, as in the beginning combat pathVasily did not even think to stay away from the main events and soon returned to the front. He met the victory in the Great Patriotic War with the rank of captain.

A famous sniper of the Second World War. Streets are named after him; most people in the post-Soviet space know about him. History remembered Vasily as one of the most productive shooters.

Vasily Zaitsev: biography

Vasily was born on March 23, 1915 in the village of Eleninka, Orenburg region (now Chelyabinsk) in an ordinary peasant family. He studied at a rural school, where he graduated from 7 classes. At the age of 15 he graduated from a construction technical school, where he studied to be a fitter.

Since childhood, Vasily's grandfather, Andrei, often took him and his brother with him on a hunt. Already at the age of 12, the future sniper had a gun. Grandfather taught his grandchildren the subtleties of hunting, tracking, patience and a small flair. 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 beginning of the 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 the 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!"

62nd Army Sniper

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

Hunt for the hunter

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

Rumors about Vasily Zaitsev reach the Nazi leadership. They understand its importance in the propaganda plan, so they send their best sniper ace on a mission to kill a Soviet shooter. This ace was Major Koenig (according to other sources - Heinz Torvald, possibly Koenig - callsign). He trained snipers in a special school and was a real professional. Immediately upon arrival, he wounds one Red Army rifleman and hits the weapon of another. Conventional sniper rifles zoom in 3-4 times, since it is already difficult for the shooter to work with high magnification. The increase on the rifle of the Nazi major was tenfold! This speaks of Koenig's professionalism and virtuosity.

Scramble with Major

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

After a long stalking, Vasily discovered Koenig's position. The long wait was justified: a ray of the sun reflected for a moment 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. Hero of the Soviet Union will later describe in detail

After the war, he stayed to live in Kiev. He worked as a manager at a garment factory.

He died in 1991. 15 years later, he was reburied with honors in Stalingrad, as he bequeathed.

Vasily Zaitsev: film

The figure of the Soviet sniper was widely reflected in the culture: many documentaries and a considerable number of works have been written. The most famous feature film about Vasily Zaitsev is "Enemy at the Gates" of American production. Jude Law as Zaitsev.

The main storyline revolves around the duel between Vasily Zaitsev and Koenig. Also, in parallel, there is a love line with a sniper girl and a friend of Vasily. Filmed in 2001, the film boasts great visual effects. The scene of the crossing of the Volga and the landing soviet troops in Stalingrad turned out to be extremely colorful and catchy. It demonstrates the heavy losses of Soviet troops: everywhere there is blood, the dead lie next to the living, pain, screams, panic. The scenery of Stalingrad itself also turned out to be quite good: devastation, a concrete desert - it all looks very atmospheric. A large crowd allows you to assess the scale of the battles

But the film was filmed by the Americans, so it was not without propaganda. The Soviet leadership is shown entirely as cowards, bloodthirsty killers, tyrants. The scene when only newly arrived recruits go into a frontal attack on the tank with one rifle for two, 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 Sergeyevich 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 we discard the explicit American component, then you can watch with pleasure.

On November 4, 1942, the newspaper of the 284th Infantry Division "For Victory" published a correspondence on the front page under the title "Beat the Germans more angrily and more accurately, exterminate them like a sniper V. Zaitsev" ...

On November 4, 1942, the newspaper of the 284th Rifle Division "For Victory" published a correspondence on the front page under the title "Beat the Germans Angrier and more accurate, exterminate them like a sniper V. Zaitsev".

“The courageous defender of Stalingrad, - said in the correspondence, - Vasily Zaitsev, whose fame thunders all over the front, tirelessly increases his battle score. Entering the pre-October competition, V. Zaitsev pledged to exterminate at least 150 invaders by the 25th anniversary of October. V. Zaitsev fulfills his obligation in good faith. In less than a month, he killed 139 Germans. "

In conclusion, the editorial board cited the combat score of Vasily Grigorievich Zaitsev:

5.X. - destroyed 5 Germans, 6.X. - 4, 8.X. - 3, 10.X. - 10, 11.X. - 5, 13.X. - 6, 14.X. - 4, 16.X. - 3, 21.X. - 12, 22. X. - 9, 24.H. - 15, 25. H. - 2, 26. X. - 10, 27. X. - 4, 28. X. - 7, 29. X. - 11, ZO.Kh. - 7, 31. X. - 6, 1.XI. - 6, 2.XI. - 7, 3.XI. - 3.

At the end of November 1942, a telegram came to the Pacific Fleet from the editor of the front-line newspaper: “Your pupil, Chief Chief Vasily Grigorievich Zaitsev is fighting on the streets of Stalingrad. He behaves like a hero, like a true Russian warrior. Zaitsev sniper. In just a month of fighting in Stalingrad, he exterminated 149 Nazis from a sniper rifle. In addition, Zaitsev trained 10 snipers directly in battles. Each of his students opened a battle account for the extermination of the Nazis. The entire Stalingrad Front knows about Zaitsev's affairs. "

The divisional newspaper worked creatively and with initiative. As a result, 62 snipers grew up in the division, who relentlessly hunted for enemies. The sniper leader was Vasily Zaitsev. For 3 months of fighting for Stalingrad, the division destroyed 17,109 enemy soldiers and officers, including 3037 snipers.

The commander of the 62nd Army, General VI Chuikov, wrote: “I personally met with many notable snipers of Stalingrad, talked with them, helped them as much as I could. Vasily Zaitsev, Anatoly Chekhov, Viktor Medvedev and other snipers were on my special account, and I often consulted with them. "

Zaitsev combined all the qualities inherent in a sniper - visual acuity, keen hearing, endurance, composure, endurance, military cunning. He knew how to choose the best positions, to mask them; usually hid from the Nazis where they could not and assuming a Soviet sniper. The renowned sniper beat the enemy mercilessly. Only in defensive battles near Stalingrad, from November 10 to December 17, 1942, he destroyed 225 fascists, including 11 snipers (among whom was Erwin Koenig), and his comrades in arms in the 62nd Army - 6,000.

Once Zaitsev made his way to a burned down house and climbed into a dilapidated black oven. From this unusual position, two entrances to the enemy dugouts and the approach to the basement of the house, where the Germans were rooting food, were clearly visible. 10 fascists were killed by a sniper that day.

…Night. Vasily made his way to the front line by a narrow path. Somewhere not far away a fascist sniper took refuge; it must be destroyed. For about 20 minutes Zaitsev examined the area, but the lurking enemy "hunter" could not be found. Pressing firmly against the wall of the shed, the sailor stuck out his mitten; she jerked violently out of her hand. After examining the hole, he moved to another place and did the same. And again the shot. Zaitsev clung to the stereo tube. Began to carefully scan the area. A shadow flickered across one of the hills. Here! Now you need to lure the fascist out and take aim. Vasily lay in ambush all night. At dawn, a German sniper was destroyed.

The actions of Soviet snipers alarmed the enemies, and they decided to take urgent action. On a dark September night, our scouts captured a prisoner. He said that Major Koenig, the European champion in bullet shooting, the head of the Berlin school of snipers, was brought to the Stalingrad area from Berlin by plane, who was tasked to kill, first of all, the "main" Soviet sniper.

The division commander, Colonel N. F. Batyuk, summoned the snipers and said:

- I think that the fascist super sniper arriving from Berlin is a trifle for our snipers. Right, Zaitsev?

“That's right, Comrade Colonel,” Vasily answered.

- Well, we need to destroy this super sniper, - said the division commander. - Just proceed carefully and wisely.

The fascist sniper that appeared on the front sector was experienced and cunning. He often changed positions, settling himself in a water tower, in a damaged tank, or in a pile of bricks.

“I knew the 'handwriting' of fascist snipers,” recalls Vasily Zaitsev, “by the nature of the fire and camouflage, I could easily distinguish more experienced shooters from novices, cowards from stubborn and determined ones. But the character of the head of the school of enemy snipers remained a mystery to me. The daily observations of our comrades gave nothing definite. It was difficult to say where the fascist was.

But then an incident happened. To my friend Morozov from Urals, the enemy broke the telescopic sight, and wounded the soldier Shaikin. Morozov and Shaikin were considered experienced snipers; they often emerged victorious in difficult and difficult battles with the enemy. There was no doubt now - they stumbled upon the fascist "super sniper" I was looking for. "

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

Nikolai Kulikov was waiting all the time for the order to fire in order to attract the attention of the enemy. And Zaitsev watched. So the whole day passed.

Before dawn, the warriors again went into ambush. Zaitsev in one trench, Kulikov in another. There is a signal rope between them. Time dragged on painfully. Airplanes hummed in the sky. Shells and mines burst somewhere close. But Vasily paid no attention to anything. He did not take his eyes off the iron sheet.

When dawn broke and the enemy's positions were clearly visible, Zaitsev pulled the rope. At this prearranged signal, his comrade lifted the mitten put on the board. The expected shot did not come from that side. An hour later, Kulikov raised his mitten again. The long-awaited clap of a rifle shot rang out. The hole confirmed Zaitsev's assumption: the fascist was under an iron sheet. Now it was necessary to take aim at him.

However, one should not rush: you can frighten off. Zaitsev and Kulikov changed their positions. They watched all night. We waited for the first half of the next day. And after lunch, when the direct rays of the sun fell on the enemy's position, and the rifles of our snipers were in the shadows, the fighting friends began to act. At the edge of the iron sheet something sparkled. Accidental glass shard? Not. It was the telescopic sight of a Nazi sniper 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 a 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 cover. And then Zaitsev pulled the trigger. Hit well. 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. The soldiers found the corpse of a fascist officer behind a sheet of iron. It was Major Erwin Konig, the head of the Berlin Sniper School.

When presenting the first government award, Vasily Zaitsev was asked what he would like to convey to Moscow.

“Tell me,” Zaitsev replied, “that until the enemy is defeated, there is no land for us beyond the Volga!

In these simple words, which became the motto for the defenders of Stalingrad, expressed the adamant determination of the Soviet soldiers to achieve the complete defeat of the fascist invaders.

Vasily Zaitsev was not only a great master of sniper, but also an excellent instructor. Directly at the forefront, he taught sniper fighters and commanders, trained 28 snipers.

“A sniper,” he taught young fighters, “is obliged to develop keen observation in himself. Taking new positions, he should not rush. We must first carefully study the terrain, establish what, where and when the enemy is doing, and then, armed with this data, start hunting the Fritzes ... Once, a group of comrades and I were instructed to take up new positions. There were six of us. At the new location, the Germans were a little scared, and some of the snipers were impatient.