110. Day, May 7, 2021
From the beginning I wanted to find out who the man the bust is showing.
That was more difficult than expected - not to mention the language problem! - because there are hundreds of photos of him, but very little background information.
Since working on the bust, I've literally "fled" hundreds of Russian websites, all of which had to be laboriously translated back and forth in order to get biographical information. In total, around 20 hours went into this research alone.
Nevertheless, I was able to collect a few things:
The man's name is
Lew Aleksandrovich Gitsewitsch!
He was born in Moscow in 1928.
And even if he wears many medals that he has not acquired himself, one thing cannot be denied: He is a real war veteran!
Wait a minute, you will say:
"Born in 1928, then he was just 13 years old in 1941!"
Right!
When the German attack on the Soviet Union began, Gitsewitsch fought his way through to the front on his own initiative and ended up in the 1134th Rifle Regiment in July 1941 (he says himself!) Or in September 1941 (say those who examined his life!) "Strelkowy Polk", the Soviet name for infantry regiments), which belonged to the 338th Rifle Division.
The following picture shows members of this unit ...:
He began his military career as a so-called "regimental son" (Полк сын).
This happened very often in the Red Army during the war. "Regimental sons" were mostly boys who had lost their family members as a result of the effects of the war - in order to somehow survive, they joined a military unit and were, so to speak, "adopted" by it.
They were given a uniform, normal soldiers' food, a place to sleep and were initially allowed to do all kinds of low-level work.
If such a "regimental son" proved himself, he was given a weapon and thus became a fighter and soldier and served himself as normal ...:
Many "regimental sons" acquired high - and highest - awards until the end of the war and ended the Great Patriotic War as corporals or even sergeants ...:
"Regimental sons" are still highly respected today in the successor states of the Soviet Union - several monuments have been erected for them ...
... books written about them ...
... and movies made about them ...:
Our hero was discharged from the Red Army in 1947 ...:
Despite the most intensive search, I have not found a single piece of evidence that Lev Gitsewitsch received any order during the war - apart from the battle medals awarded summarily.
It was not until June 4th, 1985 that he was awarded the (anniversary) "Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class" by decree of the Defense Minister of the USSR ...:
And now you also know why I absolutely wanted this miniature copy to be "old and worn" on my base!
At this point it should not be overlooked that Gitsewitsch is today close to right-wing ultra-nationalist circles ...
... and of these - in fantasy uniform - is often used for propaganda campaigns ...:
Nevertheless - he is a real war veteran, he is listed in the Russian State Archives under the veteran number 1645576.
Even if it plays a certain propaganda "role" ...
That's why my bust is now also getting its name tag!
Nothing is forgotten and nobody is forgotten!
Cheers
