Boris Shteifon
Encyclopedia
Boris Aleksandrovich Shteifon (December 6, 1881 – April 30, 1945) was a general in the Imperial Russian Army
, who subsequently served as a general in the Russian anti-communist White army
, and as the leader of the Nazi-allied Russian Corps
in Serbia
during World War II
.
). His father was a Jewish merchant (converted to Orthodox Christianity
), his mother was the daughter of a Russian Orthodox deacon.
Shteifon graduated from the Chuguyivske Junker Infantry School, one of the premier schools of the Imperial Russian Army
, and went to serve as a second lieutenant in the 124th Infantry Regiment based at Voronezh
. He first saw combat during in the Russo-Japanese War
of 1904–1905, during which he was injured with a concussion. He was also awarded for bravery and excellence five times, receiving the Order of St. Vladimir
along with other decorations. He was promoted to lieutenant in September 1905.
In 1911, Shteifon completed the Imperial Nikolaevsky Military Academy
with the rank of captain. He was subsequently assigned to serve in Russian Turkestan, and was a staff officer of the 2nd Turkistan Army Corps in 1914.
With the start of World War I
, Shteifon served on the Caucasus front
against the forces of the Ottoman Empire
. He was Assistant Chief of Intelligence in the staff of the Russian Caucasian Army, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1915. He played a key role in the Battle of Erzurum under General Nikolai Yudenich and was awarded the Order of St. Anne
and Order of St. George
for conducting intelligence operations. In January 1917 he was appointed Chief of Staff of the 161 Infantry Division and then in August of that year, the head of the Finnish 3rd Infantry Division. In 1917 he was promoted to colonel.
In the wake of the October Revolution
and the collapse at the Russian front, Shteifon returned to his native Kharkov where he headed an underground
organization to recruit and relay officers who want to join the Volunteer Army
. In the fall of 1918 he arrived at Volunteer Army headquarters in Ekaterinodar. He became Chief of Staff of the 3rd Infantry Division of the Volunteer Army in April 1919, and commander of the 13th Infantry Regiment from July. He was active in operations throughout the Ukraine and parts of Poland
and Romania
through the end of the year. In January 1920 Shteifon was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general.
However, with the growing collapse of the White movement
, he was forced to evacuate into Poland with his men, then arrived in Crimea
to continue active duty under General Pyotr Wrangel. He evacuated with the remnants of Wrangel's forces to Constantinople
and arrived to the Gallipoli
camp for White Russian refugees. On April 25, 1921, he was put in charge of the exiled 1st Army Corps, and relocated to Bulgaria
. In 1922, the Bulgarian government expelled Shteifon, and he found refuge in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes.Living in Belgrade
, he actively participated in the Officers' Union, but was removed by General Wrangel for insubordination.
During the 1920s and 1930s, Shteifon published a series of military tactical and historical works, and became a professor of military sciences.
With the occupation of Yugoslavia
by Nazi Germany
in World War II
, Shteifon was offered a position as chief of staff of the Russian Corps
organized by former Russian general Mikhail Skorodumov
in 1941, becoming its commander three days later. Under his command the Russian Corps fought with Yugoslav partisans, and then with the regular units of the Red Army
after their entry in late 1944 to the Balkans. Over the lifetime the Russian Corps, Shteifon attempted to win the maximum amount of independence and better equipment from the Germans. He managed to send its representatives to the occupied areas of the Soviet Union, and recruited around 5000 new volunteers. Shteifon, who suffered from liver disease, died of a heart attack in Zagreb
, Croatia
, on April 30, 1945. He was buried in Ljubljana
, Slovenia
, at a German military cemetery (block VIII, row 6, grave 16).
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
, who subsequently served as a general in the Russian anti-communist White army
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
, and as the leader of the Nazi-allied Russian Corps
Russian Corps
The Russian Corps was an armed force composed of anti-communist Russian emigres that existed during the Second World War in German-occupied Serbia...
in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Biography
Shteifon was born on December 6, 1881 in the city of Kharkov (currently UkraineUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
). His father was a Jewish merchant (converted to Orthodox Christianity
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
), his mother was the daughter of a Russian Orthodox deacon.
Shteifon graduated from the Chuguyivske Junker Infantry School, one of the premier schools of the Imperial Russian Army
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
, and went to serve as a second lieutenant in the 124th Infantry Regiment based at Voronezh
Voronezh
Voronezh is a city in southwestern Russia, the administrative center of Voronezh Oblast. It is located on both sides of the Voronezh River, away from where it flows into the Don. It is an operating center of the Southeastern Railway , as well as the center of the Don Highway...
. He first saw combat during in the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
of 1904–1905, during which he was injured with a concussion. He was also awarded for bravery and excellence five times, receiving the Order of St. Vladimir
Order of St. Vladimir
The Cross of Saint Vladimir was an Imperial Russian Order established in 1782 by Empress Catherine II in memory of the deeds of Saint Vladimir, the Grand Prince and the Baptizer of the Kievan Rus....
along with other decorations. He was promoted to lieutenant in September 1905.
In 1911, Shteifon completed the Imperial Nikolaevsky Military Academy
General Staff Academy (Imperial Russia)
The General Staff Academy was a Russian military academy, established in 1832 in St.Petersburg. It was first known as the Imperial Military Academy , then in 1855 it was renamed Nicholas General Staff Academy and in 1909 - Imperial Nicholas Military Academy The General Staff Academy was a...
with the rank of captain. He was subsequently assigned to serve in Russian Turkestan, and was a staff officer of the 2nd Turkistan Army Corps in 1914.
With the start of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Shteifon served on the Caucasus front
Caucasus Campaign
The Caucasus Campaign comprised armed conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire, later including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Central Caspian Dictatorship and the UK as part of the Middle Eastern theatre or alternatively named as part of the Caucasus Campaign during World War I...
against the forces of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. He was Assistant Chief of Intelligence in the staff of the Russian Caucasian Army, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1915. He played a key role in the Battle of Erzurum under General Nikolai Yudenich and was awarded the Order of St. Anne
Order of St. Anna
The Order of St. Anna ) is a Holstein and then Russian Imperial order of chivalry established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp on 14 February 1735, in honour of his wife Anna Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great of Russia...
and Order of St. George
Order of St. George
The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George (also known as Order of St. George the Triumphant, Russian: Военный орден Св...
for conducting intelligence operations. In January 1917 he was appointed Chief of Staff of the 161 Infantry Division and then in August of that year, the head of the Finnish 3rd Infantry Division. In 1917 he was promoted to colonel.
In the wake of the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
and the collapse at the Russian front, Shteifon returned to his native Kharkov where he headed an underground
Resistance during World War II
Resistance movements during World War II occurred in every occupied country by a variety of means, ranging from non-cooperation, disinformation and propaganda to hiding crashed pilots and even to outright warfare and the recapturing of towns...
organization to recruit and relay officers who want to join the Volunteer Army
Volunteer Army
The Volunteer Army was an anti-Bolshevik army in South Russia during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1920....
. In the fall of 1918 he arrived at Volunteer Army headquarters in Ekaterinodar. He became Chief of Staff of the 3rd Infantry Division of the Volunteer Army in April 1919, and commander of the 13th Infantry Regiment from July. He was active in operations throughout the Ukraine and parts of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
through the end of the year. In January 1920 Shteifon was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general.
However, with the growing collapse of the White movement
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
, he was forced to evacuate into Poland with his men, then arrived in Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
to continue active duty under General Pyotr Wrangel. He evacuated with the remnants of Wrangel's forces to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and arrived to the Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
camp for White Russian refugees. On April 25, 1921, he was put in charge of the exiled 1st Army Corps, and relocated to Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. In 1922, the Bulgarian government expelled Shteifon, and he found refuge in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes.Living in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, he actively participated in the Officers' Union, but was removed by General Wrangel for insubordination.
During the 1920s and 1930s, Shteifon published a series of military tactical and historical works, and became a professor of military sciences.
With the occupation of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Shteifon was offered a position as chief of staff of the Russian Corps
Russian Corps
The Russian Corps was an armed force composed of anti-communist Russian emigres that existed during the Second World War in German-occupied Serbia...
organized by former Russian general Mikhail Skorodumov
Mikhail Skorodumov
Mikhail Skorodumov was a Russian general who participated in World War I, the White movement, and founded the Nazi-alled Russian Corps in Serbia during World War II....
in 1941, becoming its commander three days later. Under his command the Russian Corps fought with Yugoslav partisans, and then with the regular units of the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
after their entry in late 1944 to the Balkans. Over the lifetime the Russian Corps, Shteifon attempted to win the maximum amount of independence and better equipment from the Germans. He managed to send its representatives to the occupied areas of the Soviet Union, and recruited around 5000 new volunteers. Shteifon, who suffered from liver disease, died of a heart attack in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, on April 30, 1945. He was buried in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
, at a German military cemetery (block VIII, row 6, grave 16).