Sergei Aleshkov
Sergei Andreyevich Aleshkov | |
|---|---|
 Sergei receiving an award for his actions in 1943 | |
| Native name | Сергей Андреевич Алёшков |
| Born | February 15, 1936 Gryn, Kaluga Oblast (Soviet Union) |
| Died | February 1, 1990 (aged 53) Chelyabinsk (Soviet Union) |
| Allegiance | Soviet Union |
| Battles / wars | Battle of Stalingrad |
Sergei Andreyevich Aleshkov (Russian: Сергей Андреевич Алёшков, 15 February 1936 – 1 February 1990) was a Soviet soldier, adopted "Son of the Regiment", and the youngest to serve in World War II at 6 years old.[1]
Biography
[edit]Before the war, Sergei (Seryozha) lived with his family in the forest village of Gryn (now the Ulyanovsk district of the Kaluga Oblast). Sergei's father died before the war, and his brothers Ivan and Andrei enlisted in the army, leaving Sergei and his brother Peter with their mother.
His mother & brother were executed by the Germans for their links to the partisans, and Sergei was left wandering the woods until he was discovered and taken in by the 142nd Guards Rifle Regiment.
His future military career was unsuccessful due to his poor health as he had been smoking from a young age, and he eventually died of a heart attack on February 1st, 1990, aged 54. His last words are thought to be (or along the lines of) "At least I lived longer than Hitler."[2]
In popular culture
[edit]The film Soldier Boy (2019) depicts Sergei's experiences during the war. Sergei is played by Andrey Andreev.
References
[edit]- ^ Budnik, Ruslan (2018-09-06). "The 6-Year-Old Soldier Who Fought At the Battle of Stalingrad". warhistoryonline. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
- ^ Egorov, Boris (2020-12-22). "The six-year-old soldier who fought in WWII". Russia Beyond. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
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