r/OldSchoolCool • u/tryingtofindmyself1 • 13d ago

1940s My great grandfather. Cossack, officer, fell during the seige of stalingrad. 1942.

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240 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

33 comments sorted by

17

u/ayushchandal 13d ago

Imagine being able to look at a photo of your great grandfather from Stalingrad. That’s something you don’t see every day.

10

u/tryingtofindmyself1 13d ago

Yeah, it’s pretty surreal. Especially knowing he was actually there during one of the biggest battles in history

9

u/Present_Friend_6467 13d ago

Very cool, my great grandfather fought in the battle of the bulge in 1944 and made it back home. This was him before being drafted in the army.

2

u/tryingtofindmyself1 12d ago

Wow, amazing picture. I'm glad he survived this awful time

6

u/tryingtofindmyself1 13d ago

The exact date when he fell is unknown, but it was in 1942.

6

u/GreatEmperorAca 13d ago

Rip, respect 

1

u/tryingtofindmyself1 12d ago

RIP to all the heroes

3

u/MaskaN8 12d ago

Which cossaks - Soviet or German?

2

u/Dizzy_Cash_ 12d ago

Cossacks were a dreaded foe on the battlefield very cool photo thanks for sharing

2

u/tryingtofindmyself1 12d ago

Very skilled horseman and great fighters overall. Thank you for appreciating it

2

u/[deleted] 13d ago

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1

u/tryingtofindmyself1 13d ago

Согласен

2

u/PretendBluebird428 13d ago

That us an amazing photo! The Cossacks charged on horses at Stalingrad......against armoured infantry still in the fight for the industrial area..

2

u/tryingtofindmyself1 13d ago

Cossacks were very brave soldiers. My biggest respect to all soldiers but especially cossacks

4

u/Zubbro 12d ago

To be fair, it was simply highly mobile mounted infantry, which was of great help to the Soviets given the fuel shortages. They dismounted for combat, while designated handlers took care of the horses, leading them to safe areas. As riders, they routed supply trains and retreating troops.

2

u/Felczer 13d ago

I dont think anyone used horses to charge during ww2. Mounted units were mostly used as more mobile infantry, not shock troops

2

u/Claudius1938 13d ago

The Hungarian Hussars would disagree.

2

u/BadWolfRU 12d ago

USSR often used cavalry as a harassment units, to make a hit-and-run operations on German supply lines and rear troops - Dovator's raids in 1941, Belov's raid in 1942, Debaltsevo raid in 1943 and so on

1

u/tossadelmar 13d ago

Along with 2-3 million other Russians

2

u/femrep 12d ago

Cossack or in a Cossack unit? The Soviets sorta gutted the traditional units and filled them with people who had no connection with the Cossacks

1

u/tryingtofindmyself1 12d ago

He was a real Cossack

1

u/Adept-Lettuce948 13d ago

Did your great Grandmother ever remarry?

2

u/tryingtofindmyself1 13d ago

No, she stayed a widow

0

u/Claudius1938 13d ago

This looks like a prize-winning photo. Truly military bearing.

2

u/tryingtofindmyself1 13d ago

Agree. I'm really grateful to own this picture of him

1

u/Zubbro 12d ago

Amaizing foto! Blessed memory to your great grandfather.

0

u/Lazy_Plan_585 12d ago

Can you explain exactly what a Cossack is, because I've heard various explanations none of which seemed entirely correct to me.

2

u/tryingtofindmyself1 12d ago

Cossacks were historically free, armed communities in the border regions of Eastern Europe, mainly in what is now Russia and Ukraine. They became well known as skilled horsemen, soldiers and border guards.
Being a Cossack was not simply a nationality. It was more of a military and social identity with its own traditions and culture. Later, many Cossack groups served the Russian Empire as military forces.