Alexander Pylcyn
Encyclopedia
'Alexander Vasilevich Pylcyn Was born in 1923. He was a Soviet Commander
during the Great Patriotic War. Pylcyn commanded the 8th Independent Penal Battalion. During his experiences in the Soviet Army, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner
and the Order of the Red Star
. These were both highly recognized medals in the Soviet Union
.
to join the Battalion
. The disgraced soldiers came from the front line. If the company Commissar
observed soldiers making defeatist comments, or willingly surrendering territory, he could either; mark them up for a summary execution, or, force them to join a Penal Battalion
. Although the soldier got a second chance at life, sometimes being in a Penal Battalion was a fate worse than death. The prisoners of war were mostly German
prisoners captured by the Soviets. Generally many of these prisoners had lost the will to fight, and were bullied into Penal Battalions by Soviet generals and commissars. The few political prisoners that came into the Battalion were from the Gulag
in Siberia
. The Battalion favoured fighting in difficult terrain areas.
, commanded by the young Lieutenant Alexander Pylcyn. Pylcyn became respected by his men who saw him as a competent, and strong leader.
The Battalion's first major operation was the summer offensive of Operation Bagration in 1944. The operation went badly for the Battalion, it is estimated that over 80% of Pylcyn's men died during the operation. The Shtraf Battalions were usually the first to be thrown into the front line.
During the offensive the Shtraf probed through marshes, barbed wire defences and minefields. Pylcyn marked a safe path through the minefield with white flags. Pylcyn actually earned a reputation for being a skilled mine - clearer. The 8th Independent Penal Battalion would advance through quiet parts of the line, searching for weak - points in the German defences. The Battalion eventually came across a German fortification full of German infantry. The Battalion assaulted the fortification. It was here that 80% of the men lost their lives. The Battalion did still manage to take the fortification, however, Pylcyn was badly wounded.
Pylcyn was transported to a Soviet field hospital. While being treated in the hospital, he met a young nurse who would eventually became his wife. Her name was Rita Makarievskaya. The two were married before the war ended. When Pylcyn was discharged, he and Rita rejoined the Battalion, Rita acting as the Battalion nurse. Rita saved many lives in the Vistula - Oder operation. Pylcyn's last battle was the final assault on Berlin. Alexander Pylcyn and Rita Makarievskaya were married in the last to months of the war. Pylcyn survived the Great Patriotic War. After the war, Pylcyn wrote a book about his war experience called; Penalty Strike. He currently lives in St. Petersburg, Russia
.
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
during the Great Patriotic War. Pylcyn commanded the 8th Independent Penal Battalion. During his experiences in the Soviet Army, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner
Order of the Red Banner
The Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
and the Order of the Red Star
Order of the Red Star
Established on 6 April 1930, the Order of the Red Star was an order of the Soviet Union, given to Red Army and Soviet Navy personnel for "exceptional service in the cause of the defense of the Soviet Union in both war and peace". It was established by Resolution of the Presidium of the CEC of the...
. These were both highly recognized medals in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
8th Independent Penal Battalion
The 8th Independent Penal Battalion was part of the 11th Guards Army. It was made up of disgraced soldiers and officers, dangerous prisoners of war, and political enemies. These people were bought from throughout the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
to join the Battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
. The disgraced soldiers came from the front line. If the company Commissar
Commissar
Commissar is the English transliteration of an official title used in Russia from the time of Peter the Great.The title was used during the Provisional Government for regional heads of administration, but it is mostly associated with a number of Cheka and military functions in Bolshevik and Soviet...
observed soldiers making defeatist comments, or willingly surrendering territory, he could either; mark them up for a summary execution, or, force them to join a Penal Battalion
Shtraf Company
A Shtraf Company was a punishment or 'penal' company. It was regarded as a Soviet copy of the German 'straf' units. It was made up of a group of Soviet soldiers who had either ran from the enemy during combat, made defeatist comments or willingly surrendered territory. Also many political...
. Although the soldier got a second chance at life, sometimes being in a Penal Battalion was a fate worse than death. The prisoners of war were mostly German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
prisoners captured by the Soviets. Generally many of these prisoners had lost the will to fight, and were bullied into Penal Battalions by Soviet generals and commissars. The few political prisoners that came into the Battalion were from the Gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
. The Battalion favoured fighting in difficult terrain areas.
The Great Patriotic War
Alexander Pylcyn began his military career at 18 years old in 1941 when he volunteered to join the army. He fought in many minor battles throughout 1943. Eventually, Pylcyn became recognized as a brave and competent soldier. As a loyal Soviet soldier, Pylcyn was offered to command the 8ya Otdyelnaya Shtrafnoy Batalon - the 8th Independent Penal Battalion.Pylcyn accepted the offer.The newly formed penal battalion then began to fight it's first battles on the Eastern FrontEastern Front
Eastern Front may refer to one of the following:* Eastern Front * Eastern Front * Eastern Front * Eastern Front * Eastern Front * 1635: The Eastern Front...
, commanded by the young Lieutenant Alexander Pylcyn. Pylcyn became respected by his men who saw him as a competent, and strong leader.
The Battalion's first major operation was the summer offensive of Operation Bagration in 1944. The operation went badly for the Battalion, it is estimated that over 80% of Pylcyn's men died during the operation. The Shtraf Battalions were usually the first to be thrown into the front line.
During the offensive the Shtraf probed through marshes, barbed wire defences and minefields. Pylcyn marked a safe path through the minefield with white flags. Pylcyn actually earned a reputation for being a skilled mine - clearer. The 8th Independent Penal Battalion would advance through quiet parts of the line, searching for weak - points in the German defences. The Battalion eventually came across a German fortification full of German infantry. The Battalion assaulted the fortification. It was here that 80% of the men lost their lives. The Battalion did still manage to take the fortification, however, Pylcyn was badly wounded.
Pylcyn was transported to a Soviet field hospital. While being treated in the hospital, he met a young nurse who would eventually became his wife. Her name was Rita Makarievskaya. The two were married before the war ended. When Pylcyn was discharged, he and Rita rejoined the Battalion, Rita acting as the Battalion nurse. Rita saved many lives in the Vistula - Oder operation. Pylcyn's last battle was the final assault on Berlin. Alexander Pylcyn and Rita Makarievskaya were married in the last to months of the war. Pylcyn survived the Great Patriotic War. After the war, Pylcyn wrote a book about his war experience called; Penalty Strike. He currently lives in St. Petersburg, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.