Yes he did live. In fact he died sometime in the early 90's. The real mystery is whether a Maj. Konig(the man vasily zaitsev killed in Enemy at The Gates) actually existed.
I'm reading a book wich is called "Stalingrad" and the writer says that Zaitsev invented a rocketlauncher with a sniper-scope on it, but it was uneffective. Yes, Major König did exist. They say that his sniper-scope was the most valuable trophy Zaitsev had. It is now on the War museum in Volgograd (former Stalingrad).
sorry but that is incorrect. This König chap also had several different names. He is not listed in the deceased of German truppen at Stalingrad and neither are any other Waffen SS soldiers either. The Sturmbannführer König or whatever his name was supposed to be was to have commanded the W-SS sniper school at Zossen but in reality the school for W-SS snipers here was not activated until sometime after the engagements at Stalingrad. Zaitslev shot a gefreiter or an unteroffizier of the Heer. and this so-called König sniper scope is a bogus peice of equipment. I have been in touch since this movie came out with a German/Soviet historian who is going to write a book about the sniper escapades on the Ost front and nowhere in his huge files does this sniper duel even existed....his sources are well researched and he has interviewed many Soviet and German veterans for his planned work ~E
In the movie Enemy At The Gates the sniper Zaitsev kills was ordered to take off his dog tags. I doubt this ever happened in real life, but it's intresting nonetheless.
First, there were no Waffen SS troops at Stalingrad. Second, that sniper rifle-scope at Stalingrad's Museum is very much like many Soviet propaganda items: FALSE! There were indeed some sniper schools for the Army men, but of course that any high-ranking sniper was sent to fight Zaitsev. Zaitsev was not a thing to fear, Zaitsev and his other 200 mates were the ones to fear! And there were a lot of non-major duels in that city! But none as the film portrays. There was no major König and no SS Standartenführer Torwalt...
The movie did not seem to follow the book for what it was worth. Thoirwalt or König were suppose to both be the same guy who led the W-Ss sniper schule at Zössen.......untrue as the guy never existed anyway. The Soviet sniper was supposed to have taken the K 98k from the dead German and kept the scope now at the Moscow museum. König/Thorwalt's name is suppose to be inscirbed into the scope which was a big no, no......so again a negative case against the reports out there that the man existed. ~E heck with movies anyway.....
The saying that Konings scope is in the museum is very false!Zaitsev said when him and Kulikov went over to the dead German sniper(the so called Koning)they took his rifle and papers and turned them into higher ranks,Zaitsev did not keep the rifle or scope! The duel happened but it has been highly exaggerated over the years,Rather the German snipers name was Koning or not the duel did happen but its nothing as big as enemy at the gates.Zaitsev and Chuikov both say the snipers name was Koning,I think their going on what the captured German told them though. Zaitsev was wounded by a shell that landed close to him while he was trying to take prisoners,he got shrapnel in his eyes but was sent to Moscow when the battle ended where he recovered and was awarded Hero Of The Soviet Union.He then returned to battle and faught the rest of the war. Zaitsev over all performed his duty to the fullest and is a hero to my people.Theres not a Russian I know that doesnt know the name of Vassili Zaitsev! I did not like the movie Enemy at the gates at all - and im sure Zaitsev wouldnt be too fond of it either! I recomend Zaitsevs book Notes Of a Sniper and the Video Russia's war series which features Zaitsev on it telling his story of the war-the video is very rare though. Zaitsev finished the war on the Dniester and when news came that the war ended he allowed himself to take one shot into the sky.After the end of the war Zaitsev visited Berlin,where he met friends who served with him.After the war he managed a factory in Kiev,He died in 1991 of a painfull disease.His wife said before he died he was still a great shot. Best regards to you all - SM
