Alexander Matrosov

Alexander Matveyevich Matrosov (Russian: Алекса́ндр Матве́евич Матро́сов; Ukrainian: Олександр Матвійович Матросов) (February 5, 1924 - February 22 or 27, 1943), born in Yekaterinoslav (now Dnipropetrovsk) was a famous Soviet infantry soldier during World War II. Monument To Alexander MatrosovAccording to Soviet sources, on 22 February 1943, in the battle for the village of Chernushki near Pskov, Matrosov threw himself onto a German pill-box, blocking the machine-gun with his own chest, to allow his unit to advance. For his self-sacrifice in battle, Matrosov was posthumously awarded the distinction Hero of the Soviet Union.[1]

Contrary to the Soviet account, M. J. Broekmeyer claims that Matrosov had been dragged in front of the post by the Germans when he tried to push down the barrel of the gun after having crawled up above the firing hole, and that his death was moved from February 27 to 22 to match the day of the creation of the Red Army.[2] {| class="toc" id="toc"

Contents
[hide] *1 Controversy about ethnic origin
 * 2 In popular culture
 * 3 References
 * 4 External links
 * }

[edit] Controversy about ethnic origin
Some sources in the last three decades[who?] claim that Alexander was actually Bashkir by origin, his original name being Shakiryan Yunusovich Mukhamedyanov (Bashkir: Мөхәмәтйәнов Шәкирйән Юныс улы).[citation needed]

[edit] In popular culture
Matrosov is the hero of the 1947 war film, Private Aleksandr Matrosov (Рядовой Александр Матросов), by director Leonid Lukov.

[edit] References
&nbsp
 * 1) ^ Biography (Russian)
 * 2) ^ M. J. Broekmeyer, Stalin, the Russians, and Their War: 1941-1945, University of Wisconsin Press, 2004, ISBN 0-299-19594-5, Google Print, p.206