Shpak, Tamara Evgenievna

Версия 13:03, 30 января 2008

The Great Patriotic War was the most horrible time in the history of Russia. A lot of people were killed during it. From its very first days of it thousands of people went to the front. They sacrificed and risked their lives in the name of their Motherland. But not only men went to front, women were there, too. Young, beautiful, fragile, but at the same time strong and brave, they were ready to do everything. They volunteered for the army and fought not worse than men.

We would like to tell you about one of such women.

The Central school preparing women snipers was organized in the village Vishnyaki of Moscow region in December, 1942. Some girls from Berezniki came there, and Tamara Shpak was among them. At that school they were told to forget for some time that they were girls. At that time they were soldiers. No matter what difficulties were on their way, they had to overcome them.

They were taught to special snipers’ skills and they had a practical training. It was not an easy matter to get used to the demands of the service regulations. They had to be real snipers. They had to be cold blooded, patient and sturdy.

After they had graduated from that school they were sent to the Byelorussian front. They were met with distrust and disappointment. They were in new coats, not used to the difficulties of the war life and didn’t have any experience.

Fascists were not afraid of anything before the women-snipers arrived. They did everything what they wanted and were not punished. But hardly had a week since the girls’ arrival passed, when everything changed.

Tamara Evgenievna recollects the following situation. There was a German sniper who caused Russian soldiers lots of trouble, so that he even didn’t let them lift their heads. The Commander gave the task to the girls to find and to kill him. They camouflaged and were waiting and watching for a very long time, but they couldn’t see anybody. The following day they woke up very early and started their “hunting”. They watched everything, but they didn’t notice anything suspicious. Then some trees caught their eye. There were some bird’s-nests, but there was nothing special about them. Afternoon had already come and suddenly they heard a shot. The girls decided to shoot at one of the nests and changed their position. They aimed at it and fired. They saw that a man was falling down. It was the sniper. The fascist had camouflaged behind the trees. It was he who had been shooting at the soldiers and commanders. So the girls outwitted the enemy and fulfilled the commander’s task. They revenged on him for the dead soldiers. They felt that they had been taught enough and that they were able to do something useful. The general changed his opinion and praised them. Later the girls received rewards. ]]

The Great Patriotic War was the most horrible time in the history of Russia. A lot of people were killed during it. From its very first days of it thousands of people went to the front. They sacrificed and risked their lives in the name of their Motherland. But not only men went to front, women were there, too. Young, beautiful, fragile, but at the same time strong and brave, they were ready to do everything. They volunteered for the army and fought not worse than men.

We would like to tell you about one of such women.

The Central school preparing women snipers was organized in the village Vishnyaki of Moscow region in December, 1942. Some girls from Berezniki came there, and Tamara Shpak was among them. At that school they were told to forget for some time that they were girls. At that time they were soldiers. No matter what difficulties were on their way, they had to overcome them.

They were taught to special snipers’ skills and they had a practical training. It was not an easy matter to get used to the demands of the service regulations. They had to be real snipers. They had to be cold blooded, patient and sturdy.

After they had graduated from that school they were sent to the Byelorussian front. They were met with distrust and disappointment. They were in new coats, not used to the difficulties of the war life and didn’t have any experience.

Fascists were not afraid of anything before the women-snipers arrived. They did everything what they wanted and were not punished. But hardly had a week since the girls’ arrival passed, when everything changed.

Tamara Evgenievna recollects the following situation. There was a German sniper who caused Russian soldiers lots of trouble, so that he even didn’t let them lift their heads. The Commander gave the task to the girls to find and to kill him. They camouflaged and were waiting and watching for a very long time, but they couldn’t see anybody. The following day they woke up very early and started their “hunting”. They watched everything, but they didn’t notice anything suspicious. Then some trees caught their eye. There were some bird’s-nests, but there was nothing special about them. Afternoon had already come and suddenly they heard a shot. The girls decided to shoot at one of the nests and changed their position. They aimed at it and fired. They saw that a man was falling down. It was the sniper. The fascist had camouflaged behind the trees. It was he who had been shooting at the soldiers and commanders. So the girls outwitted the enemy and fulfilled the commander’s task. They revenged on him for the dead soldiers. They felt that they had been taught enough and that they were able to do something useful. The general changed his opinion and praised them. Later the girls received rewards.