Biography
The image of Ludmila Pavlichenko was idealized by Soviet media. Few knew that the famous woman-sniper in the West was called "Miss Colt". Soviet censors were excluded from the fighting biography of Pavlichenko blunders and mistakes. And, according to modern historians, exaggerated its achievements.Childhood and youth
Pavlichenko became the most productive not only among Soviet snipers. By the number of enemies destroyed, the girl from a simple working family broke the world record. Among Belova's relatives, such a maiden name Sniper, there was no military. Father worked as a mechanic. True, participated in the Civil War.
Malaya Motherland Pavlichenko - White Church. In the early 30s, the family moved to Kiev. Lyudmila dreamed of becoming a history teacher. After school, he entered the university, but still being a high school student, worked at the factory. Lyudmila went to work at the insistence of a father who believed that the working biography compensates for the shortcomings of the origin: Pavlichenko's mother had noble roots.
At the plant, Lyudmila made a career. First performed a black job, then learned to Turner, and after it became a drawing room. In the youth environment in those years it was fashionable to purchase military specialties. Aviation Sport used specially popularity. Pavlichenko from an early years was afraid of heights, and therefore decided to try himself in shooting.
In the first lesson, yesterday's schoolgirl fell into the target. The first success inspired. Lyudmila began to engage in the shooting circle, successfully performed the standards. Sniper classes Pavlichenko did not leave even while studying at the historical faculty. Later, Lyudmila was invited to a sniper school. Here it was among the best.
Pavlichenko was in Odessa, when the war began. In the seaside city, which was already in the power of the German and Romanian military forces, Lyudmila passed the practice, in his free time, attended the local scientific library: she wrote the graduation work on Pereyaslav Rada.
Having heard the radio announcement of the beginning of the war, a student of Kiev University went to the military registration and enlistment office. There, only looking at the girl, stated that the doctors would call later. Explanations that it is not a medic at all, but a sniper, no one wanted to hear. But after five days later, an order was published about the appeal of graduates of sniper circles. Pavlichenko took the oath on June 28.
War
Lyudmila carefully kept the icon obtained after the end of the rifle school. When the war began, he decided that he would become a sniper and would certainly apply the surveyed skills in the present battle. However, the front was without a rifle.Weapons with recruits were not issued. It was simply not. Once in front of 25-year-old Pavlichenko, a soldier was killed. The rifle of the deceased became the first martial weapon. According to Biographers Pavlichenko, she shot aptive, and already in the first fights demonstrated amazing results. Soon she was given a sniper rifle.
In each rifle company there were two sniper. Pavlichenko went to the task together with Leonid Kitzenko. In early August, German-Romanian troops were already approaching Odessa. In the first days of defense of the city of Pavlichenko made a feat that for some reason was not marked by the Soviet command. On the task, she destroyed 16 fascists in 15 minutes. For the second time, Ludmila made ten successful shots. There were two German officers among the dead.
How did a young woman manage to make so many cold-blooded shots? This is the most frequent question that Pavlichenko's foreign journalists asked. A woman whose account was 309 deaths, once told the story that the Soviet media continues to translate. In her eyes, the soldiers died to which she managed to penetrate sympathy. This event gave rise to hatred of the enemy in Lyudmila, for which later, in a foreign press, it was called "Lady Death".
Achievements Pavlichenko today arouse disputes. Some historians argue that the effectiveness of an attractive sniper woman, the lovers of Stalin, are exaggerated. Others believe that Pavlichenko did not use the opposite sex, and therefore could realize himself in war.
In Sevastopol, Lyudmila spent eight months. Participated in battles and destroyed so many enemies as it was not a single Snayper who participated in the defense of the Crimean city. According to official information, Lyudmila spent the year at the front, and after the young snipers were trained.
In the autobiographical book, Pavlichenko tried to reveal the origins of her rare sniper gift. The accuracy, intuition and other qualities of Ludmila taught hatred of enemies who came to her native land and violated peaceful life. In the villages that the enemy managed, Pavlichenko saw the dead bodies of children and adults. Seen influenced the consciousness of a young woman. There is an assumption that Pavlichenko had an unusual structure of the eyeball.
The exploits "Miss Colt" today are subject to doubt. In the first months of the war, Pavlichenko shot 187 Germans and Romanians. A photo of a 25-year-old woman with slogans and appeals spread on the front to raise the combat spirit. But killing more than 200 enemies, Pavlichenko did not even receive medals. And in 1941 he was awarded even representatives of non-military specialties that did not happen on the front line.
Achievements of Pavlichenko could not boast any experienced sniper. Nevertheless, her name did not appear on the list of awarded until April 1942. Only then Pavlichenko received a medal. The hero of the Soviet Union became later - in 1943.
The army carried losses and, of course, needed serious replenishment. Men on the front lacked. To attract to the front of the girls, a heroic female image was required. The feats of the young partisan, burning and houses with the Germans, and stables belonging to civilians, in 1943 few people impressed. We needed new heroes and heroines.
In 1942, Pavlichenko visited the United States. Here I met and even made friends with Eleonor Roosevelt. And most importantly, the appeal to the Americans, who "hid too long for her back". Lyudmila hotly applauded. This scene is used in the film 2015 and with the light hand of cinematographers, it turned out so spectacular that many viewers believed: Senior Sergeant Pavlichenko managed to change the course of the war.
The delegation included Vladimir Pchelintsev. Sniper has already had the highest military award. Although in 1942 its results were much more modest results of Lyudmila (114 killed soldiers). The beefins willingly satisfy the curiosity of Americans, demonstrating their skills in shooting. Pavlichenko - a more experienced sniper - refused.
Personal life
Ten years before the start of the war, 15-year-old Lyudmila met Alexey Pavlichenko. The young man was older than her. Romantic relationships went too far. Soon, Lyudmila found out that she was waiting for a child. Rumors about pregnancy 15-year-old schoolgirls quickly separated around the district. Later, Pavlichenko did not like to talk about this fact from his biography.
Pavlichenko's father by that time worked in the NKVD. Fearing trouble in the service, insisted on marriage registration. In 1932, the son Rostislav was born. However, family life did not work out, and soon the girl returned to the Lono of the family. About the first husband Pavlichenko did not like to remember.
In 1941, Lyudmila met Lieutenant Kitzenko. Going to marry him. But Kitizko died in early 1942. Lyudmila received severe injuries and a strong nervous shock.
Shortly after the holidays received the second contusion. Numerous injuries and spiritual shock - the facts referenced by supporters of the version of the exaggerated achievements of a female sniper.
Details from Pavlichenko's personal life after the war is known little. Lyudmila Mikhailovna married Konstantin Shevelev, but she no longer had children.
Post-war years and death
Pavlichenko completed his studies, became a historian. However, I did not go to school. Eight years spent in the status of a scientist of the military headquarters. Engaged in public activities.Died in 1974. Buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery.
Memory
- In the city of Belarus, the Church in honor of Lyudmila Pavlichenko is named School.
- The name of the famous sniper got the street in Sevastopol.
- The American singer Woody Gutat in 1946 performed the song "Miss Pavlichenko".
- The film "Battle for Sevastopol", the role of the famous woman-sniper was performed by Julia Peresilde. In writing the scenario, Eleonora Roosevelt memories are used.
- In honor of Pavlichenko, a Lyuda rifle is named in the computer game "Borderlands 2".
Awards
- 1942 - Medal "For Combat Merit"
- 1943 - the title of "Hero of the Soviet Union"
- Medal "For victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War"
- Premium Weapon - Gun "Colt"