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+----- Thread: The 44 Non-Soviet Heroes Of The Soviet Union. (/Thread-The-44-Non-Soviet-Heroes-Of-The-Soviet-Union)
The 44 Non-Soviet Heroes Of The Soviet Union. - Al-muell - 03-02-2004
Taz Wrote:Guys,
Here is the article on a Czech Forum site that Al posted a bit from earlier, it mentions Vajda.
Are there please any Czech speakers out there.
I,ve tried Online translation and got somthing like " the scoundrel was shot in the head when he peered out of a manhole" :D
Needless to say that doesn't sound right!
Dňa 11.5.1945 boli totiž v Ostrave, v Komenského sadech, uložené ostatky (tzv. druhý pohreb) kpt. Stepana Vajdu - povýšeného na kpt. a vyznamenaného Zlatou hviezdou hrdinu ZSSR in memoriam. Tank
T 34/85 ŽIŽKA išiel v smútočnom sprievode a za vežou bola na tanku vezená rakva s ostatkami.
Až po tomto dátume dostal tank na zadný štít veže dva nápisy :
OSTRAVA 1945 a pod tým PRAHA 1945.
(ppor. Stepan Vajda padol 6.4.1945 pred 19-tou hodinou pri obrane predmostia pri mestečku Tworków. Odstrelovač ho trafil do hlavy, keď ju vysunul nad poklop veže z dôvodu prieskumu pred ústupom)
Analogicky sa dá predpokladať, že pri oprave prevodovky po zásahu bolo nutné opraviť alebo vymeniť aj pojazdové kolesá tanku. Tak sa stalo, že na ľavej strane boli štyri typy pojazdových kolies. Prvé je lisované, plné, s hladkou pryžovou obručou. Druhé koleso bolo liate, "paprskové" s vrúbkovanou pryžovou obručou. Tretie a piate koleso bolo liate, "paprskové" s hladkou pryžovou bandážou. Štvrté koleso bolo tak isto liate, "paprskové" s bandážou po obvode perforovanou kruhovými otvormi. Ich význam som doteraz nepochopil.
Prameň z ktorého som čerpal :
1. československá samostatná tanková brigáda v SSSR, autor Milan Kopecký, vydavateľstvp MBI, 1. vydanie Praha 2001
Eddie.
Ok, the first part seems to be simple (haven't noticed it before):
"Dňa 11.5.1945 boli totiž v Ostrave, v Komenského sadech, uložené ostatky (tzv. druhý pohreb) kpt. Stepana Vajdu - povýšeného na kpt. a vyznamenaného Zlatou hviezdou hrdinu ZSSR in memoriam. Tank
T 34/85 ŽIŽKA išiel v smútočnom sprievode a za vežou bola na tanku vezená rakva s ostatkami."
On 11.5.1945 there were in Ostrava, in Komenskeho Sady (I am not sure about this name) buried the remains (so-called second burial) of cpt. Ste'pan Vajda - promoted to cpt. and awarded with Gold Star HSU in Memoriam. the Tank T 34/85 Z'IZ'KA (????) was in the convoy and behind the turret was on the tank the coffin with the remains.
"Až po" - since?
"tomto dátume dostal tank na zadný štít veže dva nápisy :
OSTRAVA 1945 a pod tým PRAHA 1945."
that date the tank was "decorated" on the back side of the turret with two writings: Ostrava 1945 and under that Praha 1945"
I have tried the third thing before. It's not barricade, ith the "hatch of the turret" and it's says "because of", but I have no Idea what's "prieskum pred ústupom".
I don't understand the long text at all (to complicated) and the last thing:
"Prameň z ktorého som čerpal :
1. československá samostatná tanková brigáda v SSSR, autor Milan Kopecký, vydavateľstvp MBI, 1. vydanie Praha 2001"
The source I have citated:
1st czechoslovak independent tank brigade in USSR, author Milan Kopecky, editor MBI, 1st edition, Prague 2001
- gives one more publication to look in. I have the feeling it's not here as well.
The trouble is, that most of the form members register and never log in anymore. I think that the only way to find someone speaking czech is to search the member list for someone fom CzR...
The 44 Non-Soviet Heroes Of The Soviet Union. - Taz - 03-02-2004
Al,
That's still a great start!
As I mentioned earlier the online translators are unable to cope with the complicated Military Terms.
Z'IZ'KA could that be the name of the T-34/85 that the Tank crew gave it?
"Ostrava 1945 and under that Praha 1945" - Battle Honours obviously.
I also think he was mortaly wounded as he looked out of his Tank Turret hatch. (BTW didn't the T-34 have a large forward opening Commanders hatch?
That would mean either it was a lucky shot or he was climbing out.)
....Reburied, I wonder what that means, Transported on the back of his Tank in Honour to be Buried with his fallen comrades after the Battle maybe.
1st czechoslovak independent tank brigade in USSR- His Unit.
Al,
you are right everything else is speculation, we really do need a Czech speaker.
Eddie.
Tank Turret Markings
The 44 Non-Soviet Heroes Of The Soviet Union. - Taz - 03-02-2004
Another piece of the puzzle!
As is known the First Czechoslovak Army Corps was raised in the Soviet Union. The corps' composition included the 1st Separate and 3rd Rifle Brigades, the 2nd Airlanding Rifle Brigade (inserted into Slovakia, September 1944), and a tank brigade. Ludvik Svoboda was chosen to lead the corps into combat following the removal of "incompetent" Bohuslav Kratochvil, in September as well. The first battle success of this tool of the Comintern was Dukla Pass, occupied on 6 October 1944 at the cost of 844 Czech KIA, 4,068 WIA, and an unknown number of political sanitation cases. This seems to have torn the guts out of the corps as it never again behaved aggressively or to much success.
During January of the following year, Svoboda's corps was active along the Carpathian rim with the 3rd Brigade winning the honorific "Poprad" for its role in capturing that town. As the corps subsequently passed from Russian army to army, little fighting seems to have taken place despite the hoopla probably due to the paucity of resistance on the one hand and poor troop control on the other hand. Only a thousand additional Czech and Slovak casualties were reported to have falled during the closing months of the conflict
As the war wound down, the tank brigade took on the cipher "1st Separate" and was detached from Svoboda's command to reinforce the Russian 38th Combined Arms Army in the First Ukrainian Front.
:) ----------------------------------------------------------------------
One tank commander, battalion commander S. Vajda was elevated to Hero of the Soviet Union status during this detached service. Under Russian command and control this brigade seems to have done the lion's share of Czechoslovak fighting in 1945.
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An additional formation entered the Soviet order of battle during these heady days, namely the 1st Czechoslovak Combined Aviation Division which included the reckless 1st Fighter Aviation Regiment that had flown into the Slovak uprising area, during the previous autumn, and a shtormovik aviation regiment. The flyboys supported Fourth Ukrainian Front operations in the Carpathians. How effective they proved to be in unknown to me.
At the end, the Czechoslovak tank brigade entered Prague on 10 May immediately prior to the Communist politicians selected by Moscow to run the country, the Kosice crowd.
Honors and medals rained down.
The 1st Rifle Brigade garned the Order of Suvorov Second Class
The 3rd Rifle bragged of its Order of Alexander Nevsky
The 4th Rifle (a 1945 addition to the Corps) bore its Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky Second Class with honor.
The parachutists were forgotten, it seems, when congratulations were ballyhooed yet this may not be as surprising as we might think. From this 2nd Brigade, most likely, the SPETZAZ types were drawn for special ops during the autumn of 1944, and spring of 1945. Those sorts of wet missions were customarily rewarded behind closed doors. The tankers became identified with the Order of Suvorov Second Class. No Czech or Slovak unit would ever be associated with the liberation of any big town or city which should tell us something about how they were used.
The 44 Non-Soviet Heroes Of The Soviet Union. - Taz - 03-02-2004
Nice Pic wrong guy, :(
A Czechoslovak tank commander in his commanders cupola in a Soviet T-34 model 1943.
Czech patriots fought alongside the Soviets on the eastern front.
Eddie.
The Tank Commander in the picture is Lt. R. Tesarik.
The 44 Non-Soviet Heroes Of The Soviet Union. - Al-muell - 03-02-2004
I cannot check it, but maybe it's not the bullet as I previously said, but a fragment. But maybe I am wrong this time.
The 44 Non-Soviet Heroes Of The Soviet Union. - Kim - 03-04-2004
I found a nice painting of Jan Nálepka, one of the czech HSU.
The 44 Non-Soviet Heroes Of The Soviet Union. - Nota Bene - 03-04-2004
Guys,
Here's some information about Goranov in Russian (from one of the sites I've emailed Eddie about). I appologize for not translating it - I can do it over the weekend, so I am publishing it in case another Russian speaking member can do it sooner:
Горанов Волкан Семёнович (настоящие фамилия и имя Захариев Захари Семёнович) - лётчик-истребитель добровольческой авиационной группы в войсках республиканской Испании, полковник.
Родился в Болгарии в 1904 году. Болгарин. В начале 20-х годов XX-го века эмигрировал в Советский Союз, вступив в ряды Красной армии. Обучившись лётному делу, в 30-х годах стал инструктором в Тамбовской авиационной школе. Участник гражданской войны в Испании 1936-39 годов, на стороне республиканцев.
Вступив в Интернациональную бригаду, он воевал под именем турка Халила Экрема, на счету которого было несколько уничтоженных франкиских самолётов. В одном из боёв Экрем-Горанов, сбив очередной самолёт противника, был ранен, и с горящим двигателем успел приземлиться на нейтральной территории.
За проявленные при выполнении интернационального долга мужество и героизм Горанов Волкан Семёнович 31 декабря 1936 года был удостоен звания Героя Советского Союза. После учреждения знака особого отличия "Золотая Звезда" ему была вручена медаль № 22.
По возвращении из Испании, В.С. Горанов продолжает службу в ВВС Красной Армии, а затем назначается руководителем Управления учебных заведений Гражданского Воздушного Флота СССР. В 1940 году ведомство Горанова получило задание подготовить всего за один год 10 тысяч летчиков. Но уже к середине 1941 года были обучены лётному делу не десять, а двенадцать тысяч человек! Десятки учеников славного сына Болгарии в последствии получили звание Героя Советского Союза.
В годы Великой Отечественной войны Горанов В.С. готовил кадры для авиации действующей армии. Являлся Депутатом Верховного Совета СССР.
После войны Горанов В.С., уже под настоящими именем и фамилией Захари Захариев, возвратился в Болгарию и стал командующим ВВС - заместителем министра обороны Народной Республики Болгарии. Затем был назначен военным атташе в Москве.
В 1974 году Герой Советского Союза, генерал-полковник Болгарской Народной Армии Захариев Захари Семёнович за свои огромные заслуги перед родиной (по сути, именно он является создателем болгарской реактивной авиации) был удостоен звания Героя Болгарии...
После выхода в отставку Захариев-Горанов плодотворно работал в столице Болгарии в Комитете болгаро-советской дружбы, написал мемуары "Доблесть", рукопись которых пока не опубликована…
Умер в Софии 29 апреля 1987 года, где и похоронен.
The 44 Non-Soviet Heroes Of The Soviet Union. - Taz - 03-04-2004
Kim Wrote:I found a nice painting of Jan Nálepka, one of the czech HSU.
Kim,
That's a nice Painting, are there any other Czech Heroes portrayed on that site?
Eddie.
The 44 Non-Soviet Heroes Of The Soviet Union. - Kim - 03-05-2004
The only other HSU on that page was three-star pilot Pokryshkin. So no more luck.
I was also looking threw the mondvor site. On the the HSU page they mention a third foreigner awarded the same day as Gibelli and Goranov: Ernst Schacht. He is listed in the number book as
15 Shakht Ernst Genrikhovich 31.12.1936 died 1941
Why isn't he listed in other references? Was he a soviet citizen by then, only German by birth? Perhaps stateless as Adolf was not found of his kind in Germany?
I tried to find more on the Internet, but failed. Does anybody have any info about Schacht?
/Kim
The 44 Non-Soviet Heroes Of The Soviet Union. - Taz - 03-05-2004
Shakht Ernst Genrikhovich
Awarded - 31.12.1936 died 1941
The Austrian revolutionary, lyotchik-bomber, the Hero of Soviet Union (1936), the general-major of aircraft. Since 1922 of veins in the USSR. In 1924 has ended Borisoglebskuju airschool. Spain odered about 1 bombing squadron. After returning in the USSR was the assistant to the commander of the Air Forces of district on high schools:
Kim,
That is the direct Translation.
Since 1922 of veins in the USSR. I take it that means he became a Soviet Citizen in 1922 so he was a Russian when he recived the award.
He was awarded 2 Orders of Lenin and the the Red Banner.
On May, 30, 1941 according to Archive of the President of the Russian Federation, he was arrested, " as a German spy and the participant of anti-soviet military plot together with Laurel and Gajdukevichem, he gave the Germans espionage data on Soviet aircraft construction " (AP the Russian Federation, op. 24, business 378, a sheet 200).
Executed? on January, 29, 1942. he was posthumously rehabilitated.
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This is another version from a different site which states he was up untill 1936 a Swiss citizen.
Shakht Ernst Genrikhovich born 1904, the German, till 1936 the Swiss citizen, parents germansko-citizens, former member VKP/b/since 1926. Before arrest - the assistant to the commander of Air Forces ORVO, the general-major of aircraft.
He was arrested on 30 May-1941. He is convicted, as a German spy by evidence from LINDA, VTAND. From evidence also given up by LEVIN and JUSUPOVA. He is convicted, as a participant of an anti-soviet military plot.
He confessed, that since 1922 he was a German spy. And since 1936 a member anti-soviet military plot.
The Background - VOLE and MUNDT is connected to German agents MEYER. Transferred to the Germans espionage data on Soviet aircraft construction.
Eddie.