Koenig vs. Zaitsev

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MuzzleBlast

New member
The winners get to write the history books. Koenig didn't survive to tell the story. Somehow I doubt that Zaitsev sent the killing shot down Koenig's scope, though.
 
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FLM

New member
When researching his book, Stalingrad, historian Antony Beevor did an exhaustive search of contemporary German and Soviet accounts of the battle. He found no mention of a Major Koenig or a sniper duel. The Germans were meticulous record keepers and the Soviets certainly would have made political capital of such a victory. It wasn't until well after the war that the sniper duel story began to appear. It was just Soviet propaganda. Makes a good story though.

Stalingrad - Beevor
The Road to Stalingrad- Erickson
Stalingrad - Schroter
 
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gordo b.

New member
I liked all the pictures (propaganda) of foxy looking Russian sniper chicks with their rigs. How come we dont have women sniper corps, whats all this political gender equity crap about?:)
 
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KSFreeman

New member
Because it's all a work of fiction by a totalitarian regime. It's the CCCP for goodness sake. The same regime that invented the helicopter and baseball.:rolleyes:

Remember socialism is a living lie. Soviet Lucy Brewers and superhero snipers keep morale up so that the glorious future of communism may be obtained.
 
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Schuey2002

New member
A *Major Koenig* did not exist...

The real "German Master Sniper" that Hitler sent to Stalingrad was named,.....Colonel Heinz Thorvald!;)
 
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Rmf33

New member
There is another book, 'Enemy At The Gates', by William Craig. It was published in the early 70's. Chapter 11 covers the duel in question; checking the chapter notes, it is derived primarily from an interview by none other than Tania Chernova. Additional info from Zaitsev, V. Yuriev, and from Vassili Chuikov. Sounds a bit slanted:).
However, this is one of the best war books I've ever read; I've read it at least a dozen times over the last 20 years or so. Obviously there are inaccuracies, but it is one good, scary, read. It's told from both sides in an eyewitness manner from both interviews of survivors and research. It's OOP, but if yiou can find a copy it's worth a read (Ballantine and later Bantam Books).
Bob
 
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Hkmp5sd

New member
The closest account of what really happened is told in the book War of the Rats by Dale L. Robbins. He takes all of the actual facts he can find along with interviews of survivors and creates a semi-fictional tale of the duel. A very good read.

From the Publisher

Stalingrad, August 1942 - the brutal siege of the city begins.. "Through this twisted carnage stalk two men - one Russian, one German - each the top sniper in their respective armies. These two marksmen are equally matched in both skill and tenacity. And each has his own mission..... "The young Russian sniper's credo of "one man, one bullet" has established his reputation as the Red army's top long-distance assassin. Nicknamed the Hare (Zaitsev), he's been put in charge of an impromptu sniper school, training both men and women to kill with chilling precision. To counter this threat, the Headmaster (Thorvald), leader of the Nazis' elite sniper school, is flown to Stalingrad. Each has been given similar orders - to find and kill his counterpart. And the extraordinary duel begins..... "Complicating matters is an American woman, Tania Chernova, trapped in Russia at the start of the war, who has come to Stalingrad from the Russian resistance. Seeking vengeance against the German army, the defiant American joins the Hare's team of snipers, becoming one of his most talented assassins - and possibly his greatest weakness.. "An electrifying novel based on a true story, this is the harrowing tale of two adversaries who will know each other intimately by the climax of their own private war; two soldiers whose story is the saga of Stalingrad itself and whose fortunes will help decide the fate of a world at war.
Click to expand...
 
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Schuey2002

New member
The book that HKmp5sd mentions is an excellent book on this subject.

P.S. It's available from Bantam Books and runs about $6.99..;)
 
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FLM

New member
Enemy at the Gates is a mishmash of fact and fiction. If you want to read fiction, read War of the Rats as Hkmp says. It's excellent. So is The End of the War by the same author. If you want to read a history of the battle, read Beevor's book.
 
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paratrooper

New member
Because it's all a work of fiction by a totalitarian regime. It's the CCCP for goodness sake. The same regime that invented the helicopter and baseball. KS Freeman

I am afraid you are sadly mistaken . The helicoptor , baseball , God and everything else worth having was invented by Al Gore . Did I mention the internet ??

:D
 
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