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Posted

Im looking for some information about Vasiliy Zaitsev & Heinz Thorwald (spelling?)and world war 2 snipers in general. Does anyone know any good sources? It has to be historical facts (my searches keep coming up with the Enemy at the gates-movie)

Thanks for any help!

Posted

Check both Anthony Beevor's 'Stalingrad' and John Keegan's 'World War Two.' Neither has a lot of information on Zaitsev per se, but both devote a few pages to the Soviet concept of 'sniperism.' As for Thorvald, I'm not sure if he actually existed. I think he may have been an invention of 'The War of the Rats' author.

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Soy super bien, soy super super bien, soy bien bien super bien bien bien super super.

Posted

Interesting enough there are different ideas on the sniper duel in Stalingrad.

While some sources claims that it was fought between Vassili Zaitzev and SS Colonel Heinz Thorwald while others says that it was not Thorwald but infact Major Koenig, commander of the Heer sniping school at Zossen.

Apparently Zaitzev once commented on the incident and mentioned that the killed sniper infact was the commander of the sniping school, which as far as i know Thorwald never was.

Then of course there are some sources that state that this duel actually never took place. I guess it will be very hard to figure out what REALLY happened.

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< All gave some, some gave ALL>

Owner of MiNa's CMBO Page

http://www.combat-mission.com

[This message has been edited by Michlos (edited 10-04-2000).]

Posted

However, the book "Enemy at the Gates" is pretty good. I just finished "War of the Rats" a few weeks ago. I'd like to find out more of what actually went on. Think I'll check out Triggerhappy's link.

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"Both sides agree not to bomb civilians" - Washington Post, Sept 3, 1939

Guest Silesian-jaeger
Posted

I too would recommend "Enemy at the Gates."

I just picked up a copy on Ebay for not too much. I read somewhere that Zaitsev did kill a top German sniper, but his name was not Thorvald. Sorry can't help more.

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"In one (German) town, Private Honey stood next to an

elderly German man and a ten-year-old boy. As the Shermans and brand-new

Pershings rumbled by the boy said,'Deutsches Panzer lind besser.' Honey

looked down at him and asked,'If

German tanks are better,

why aren't they here?' "

quote from Stephen E. Ambrose, "Citizen Soldiers"

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