Martin Antonenko
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Wassilij Grigorjewitsch Saitsew
On December 15, 1991, the "Hero of the Soviet Union" Vasily Grigoryevich Saitsew dies at Kiev.
Saitsew was born on March 23, 1915 in the small village of Jeleninskoje (Tscheljabinsk Oblast) and grew up as the son of a shepherd in the Urals. There he learned how to use the rifle at an early age while hunting. After the start of the German attack on the Soviet Union, Saitsev was drafted into the Soviet Navy, where he worked in the administration ...:
In the following photo, which was taken in Stalingrad, he is still clearly wearing his naval belt ...:
In the late summer of 1942 Saitsew volunteered for service at the front, whereupon he was transferred to the 1047th Rifle Regiment of the 284th Rifle Division. This unit was used as part of the 62nd Army in Stalingrad.
According to official Soviet sources, Saitsew is said to have killed a total of 225 German soldiers as a sniper between November 10 and December 17, 1942 during the fighting for Stalingrad. According to Saitsew's own statements, 27 more should have been added by January 1943.
Saitsev also founded in the ruins of the chemical plant "Lazur" ...
... a "sniper academy" in which he trained 28 soldiers who in turn allegedly killed 3,000 German soldiers ...:
At the beginning of February 1943, Saitsew was seriously wounded by a German mine. For his achievements he was given the honorary title "Hero of the Soviet Union" on February 22, 1943 ...:
After his recovery, Saitsev continued to serve on the front lines.
He achieved the rank of captain by the end of the war and was also awarded the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner, the Order of the Patriotic War (1st class), the "Medal for the Defense of Stalingrad" and the "For Victory over Germany" medal. ..:
After the war, Saitsev ran a factory in Kiev.
He died in this city on December 15, 1991 at the age of 76.
He was first buried in Kiev, in a communal grave, in which his wife was also buried in 2011 ..:
But Saitsev's place in the grave is empty, because in 2006 his remains were reburied and, according to his last will, buried on Mamayev Hill next to the Stalingrad Memorial in what is now Volgograd ...:
His Mosin Nagant rifle Rype 1891/30 is on display in a museum located there.
Saitsew's work in Stalingrad is retraced with the actor Jude Law in the leading role in the 2001 film "Duel - Enemy at the Gates", even if not entirely historically correct - and there is now a 200 mm bust of "Alexandros" which to portray him, but shows the actor Law in the movie...:
The bust has the - unfortunately difficult to remedy - flaw that the ear flaps of the "Schapka Ushanka" fur hat are not shown quite correctly (much too long and wrong shape) and you - if it is to be absolutely historically correct - either rebuild or the version have to build with the "Pilotka" cap...:
On December 15, 1991, the "Hero of the Soviet Union" Vasily Grigoryevich Saitsew dies at Kiev.
Saitsew was born on March 23, 1915 in the small village of Jeleninskoje (Tscheljabinsk Oblast) and grew up as the son of a shepherd in the Urals. There he learned how to use the rifle at an early age while hunting. After the start of the German attack on the Soviet Union, Saitsev was drafted into the Soviet Navy, where he worked in the administration ...:
In the following photo, which was taken in Stalingrad, he is still clearly wearing his naval belt ...:
In the late summer of 1942 Saitsew volunteered for service at the front, whereupon he was transferred to the 1047th Rifle Regiment of the 284th Rifle Division. This unit was used as part of the 62nd Army in Stalingrad.
According to official Soviet sources, Saitsew is said to have killed a total of 225 German soldiers as a sniper between November 10 and December 17, 1942 during the fighting for Stalingrad. According to Saitsew's own statements, 27 more should have been added by January 1943.
Saitsev also founded in the ruins of the chemical plant "Lazur" ...
... a "sniper academy" in which he trained 28 soldiers who in turn allegedly killed 3,000 German soldiers ...:
At the beginning of February 1943, Saitsew was seriously wounded by a German mine. For his achievements he was given the honorary title "Hero of the Soviet Union" on February 22, 1943 ...:
After his recovery, Saitsev continued to serve on the front lines.
He achieved the rank of captain by the end of the war and was also awarded the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner, the Order of the Patriotic War (1st class), the "Medal for the Defense of Stalingrad" and the "For Victory over Germany" medal. ..:
After the war, Saitsev ran a factory in Kiev.
He died in this city on December 15, 1991 at the age of 76.
He was first buried in Kiev, in a communal grave, in which his wife was also buried in 2011 ..:
But Saitsev's place in the grave is empty, because in 2006 his remains were reburied and, according to his last will, buried on Mamayev Hill next to the Stalingrad Memorial in what is now Volgograd ...:
His Mosin Nagant rifle Rype 1891/30 is on display in a museum located there.
Saitsew's work in Stalingrad is retraced with the actor Jude Law in the leading role in the 2001 film "Duel - Enemy at the Gates", even if not entirely historically correct - and there is now a 200 mm bust of "Alexandros" which to portray him, but shows the actor Law in the movie...:
The bust has the - unfortunately difficult to remedy - flaw that the ear flaps of the "Schapka Ushanka" fur hat are not shown quite correctly (much too long and wrong shape) and you - if it is to be absolutely historically correct - either rebuild or the version have to build with the "Pilotka" cap...:
. The photos show Zaitsev used several different M91/30s with various telescopic sights and mounts. My guess is, due to the amount of tactical shooting he did, and to his stature as top sniper, he would have had access to a number of rifles. The museum exhibit is a later pattern 91/30 with round receiver and the PU-3 scope (of WW2 manufacture) on a quick detachable mount. Law's set-up in the movie is post-war with the final pattern PU-3 - possibly ex-Soviet satellite army. 
