Major Konig & the Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad took place between the German and Soviet armies beginning on June 22, 1941. The battle lasted for seven months, and the overall warfare spanned from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. Major Erwin Konig was believed to be a sniper during the Battle of Stalingrad.
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Major Konig
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A sniper is a skilled long-range gunman. Erwin Konig was supposedly a German sniper schooled in Berlin, and sent to Stalingrad to dispose of Soviet sniper Vasily Grigoryevich Zaitsev. Konig was thought to be a nobleman, whereas Zaitsev was a shepherd hailing from the Ural Mountains. During the Battle of Stalingrad, Zaitsev was known as a premier Soviet sniper who killed 40 German troops in the first 10 days of warfare. Konig's existence is documented in official Soviet war records, but German records deny he was a sniper involved in the Battle of Stalingrad. Konig was killed by Zaitsev during battle. The German sniper was fictitiously portrayed by actor Ed Harris in the movie, "Enemy at the Gates."
Operation Barbarossa
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The battle was seen as a defining victory for Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. Operation Barbarossa began the Battle of Stalingrad, as German troops descended upon the city without notice. Soviet Air Force troops caught off-guard subsequently perished. German troops gained hold of over 90 percent of the city. The Soviets launched a counter-offensive, essentially trapping German troops within Stalingrad and halting the German advance.
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Aftermath
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Over 850,000 German troops are thought to have perished at the battle. More than 1 million lives were lost during the Battle of Stalingrad, and this epic battle is thought to be the first sign of the decimation of German troops during World War II.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit war car image by yaros from Fotolia.com sniper image by Alexander Ivanov from Fotolia.com tank image by Daniel Dvorak from Fotolia.com row of graves image by Stephen Orsillo from Fotolia.com
