In her life, this girl personified a real example of fearlessness, courage and heroism. Rosa Shanina, a woman sniper, fought for her Motherland to the last drop of her blood and without batting an eye, gave her life for her.
Childhood and youth
On April 3, 1924, Roza Yegorovna Shanina was born in a simple rural family in the Vologda region. Her parents were peasants, there were six children in the family. Anna Alekseevna, Rosa's mother, worked as a milkmaid in the village. The girl's father, Yegor Mikhailovich, was the chairman of the commune. The name Rose was given in honor of the revolutionary Luxembourg, who was respected in the family.
Life in the village was not easy. The primary school was located in their village, so the journey to it was short. But the secondary school was located in another village. And Rose had to travel 13 kilometers every day to get to school. Children in those days were tempered not only physically, but also in spirit, so no one complained.
Pedagogical activity
After graduating from high school, the girl chose the profession of a teacher. The pedagogical school was located in Arkhangelsk, so Shanina had to move there. The student years were hungry and cold, but cheerful. Rose fell in love with Arkhangelsk with all her heart, speaking warmly about it in her memories.
In the pre-war period, tuition was paid, and many students had to earn extra money. The girl did not want to ask her parents for help, and she got a job as an assistant in a kindergarten. In the kindergarten she was greeted cordially: the work collective was so attached to her that they did not want to let her go. By mutual agreement, it was decided to keep the girl at home. Thanks to her natural friendliness, Rosa managed to get along with everyone: with colleagues, children, parents. Perhaps she would have remained working in the kindergarten if the war had not started.
Sniper school
In 1942, the Soviet command was actively recruiting female snipers. The emphasis on women was dictated by logic. The calculation was as follows: girls are more flexible, which allowed them to move silently, dexterous and stress-resistant.
In 1943, Rose was drafted into service. She was first sent to a training school. There she successfully completed her training. She met the girls who later became her fighting friends - Alexandra Yakimova and Kaleria Petrova. Shanina was offered to remain an instructor and recruit new recruits, but the girl was categorical. She in no way wanted to sit out in the rear when her compatriots gave their lives in battles. Persistently seeking her way, Rose still managed to get a referral to the front.
In her memoirs, Rosa writes about the first shot, which stood before her eyes for a long time. She pulled the trigger, and from the first accurate hit she killed the fascist. And then, shocked by what was happening, she rushed into the ravine and sat there for a long time, unable to move away from what had happened. The first shot was followed by a second, and then a third. The psychological bar was broken. Six months of the war pulled the nerves to the limit and toughened the character. The girl admitted in her diary that after a while she was already shooting at people in cold blood, her hand no longer shook, and pity disappeared somewhere. Moreover, Rosa said that only in this she saw the meaning of her life.
Shanina was a professional in her field. In 1944, she, the only girl, received the Order of Glory. The leadership noticed her outstanding combat abilities, and the girl was transferred to the commander. In June 1944, her name was mentioned in the newspaper.
Shanina's track record included 18 killed Nazis. The command in every possible way tried to save Rose from obvious death. But the girl was by nature a very courageous person, so she often begged for direction on the most dangerous tasks. From the surviving archives it was known that the girl only returned home for three days to see her family and friends. The rest of the time she was in the service. She received the Order of Glory and the Medal of Courage three times. No one of the girls could boast of such successes.
First wound
In late 1944, Rose was shot in the shoulder. The Germans considered it an honor to kill a Russian sniper. But this time their plan failed. The wound was not deep. The girl herself treated him with disdain, considering it a mere trifle. The command thought otherwise, and she was forcibly sent to the hospital. The brave Shanina was not used to resting for a long time and, as soon as the wound healed a little, she again asked to go to the front.
Already in the winter of 1945, the girl was allowed to return to service and continue to participate in the battles. Shanina went to an operation in East Prussia. The offensive was difficult and took place under incessant Nazi fire. The losses were enormous. The advantage was clearly not in favor of the Russian soldiers. The battalion was melting before our eyes. Of the 80 people, only six survived.
Heroic Doom
In mid-January, Rosa wrote in her diary that she might soon die. She could not leave the self-propelled gun, because the fire did not stop for a minute. One day, when the forces were already running out, the platoon commander was wounded. Rose, trying to cover him, did not save herself and was seriously injured by the explosion of the shell. Shanina was sent to the hospital. There was no hope … The wound was too severe, the shell ripped the girl's stomach. In those days, medicine was powerless against such a case. Shanina, realizing that there was no chance, and not wanting to suffer, begged her comrade to shoot her right on the battlefield.
On January 28, 1944, the female hero passed away. The nurse, who was with her until the last breath, recalled: "She only regretted that she had not yet done everything to win." Rose did not live to see a happy day for only a year. But, if not for such heroes as her, who knows - what would be the outcome of the war …
