Two books-memoirs of the heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad V. Chuikov and A. Chuyanov, with autographs of the authors

We present to your attention an almost unique lot – the memoirs of two of the most famous leaders of the defense of Stalingrad, Marshal Vasily Chuikov, commander of the 62nd army defending the city, and Alexei Chuyanov, First Secretary of the Stalingrad Regional Committee. Their role in protecting the city is shown in detail in V. Pikul's book "Barbarossa". Both books contain handwritten signatures of the authors, and Chuikov's signature is on a greeting card with a new goal enclosed in the book, addressed to N.M. Shvernik, a member of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the CPSU (apparently, the book was intended as a gift). A wonderful lot for any researcher of the theme of the Battle of Stalingrad. Guarantee of authenticity.

1. Alexey Semyonovich Chuyanov (March 17 (30), 1905, Temryuk — November 30, 1977, Moscow) was a Soviet party leader. In 1938-1946, he was the First Secretary of the Stalingrad Regional Committee and the City Committee of the CPSU (b). Secretary of the Communist Party of Ukraine N. S. Khrushchev, member of the Military Council of the Front for the rear, Major General A. I. Kirichenko, 1st Secretary of the Stalingrad Regional Committee A. S. Chuyanov, Commander of the Southeastern (Stalingrad) Front, General A. I. Eremenko, Stalingrad, December 1, 1942. He was born on March 17 (30), 1905 in the city of Temryuk (now Krasnodar Territory), the thirteenth child in a loader's family. From June 22, 1938 to December 6, 1946 — 1st Secretary of the Stalingrad Regional Committee and the City Committee of the CPSU (b). Immediately after his appointment, he initiated a review of a number of investigative cases as unfounded during the mass repressions. During the Battle of Stalingrad, Chuyanov's organizational talent was vividly manifested. He dealt with the issues of the rear, as well as the reorganization of production for the needs of the front. With his assistance, work on the production of T-34 tanks and other military equipment, harvesting and processing of agricultural products, as well as the work of machinery repair enterprises was clearly organized. The Stalingrad Regional Party Committee, led by Chuyanov, did a lot of work on the formation and training of militia units, self-defense workers, and the evacuation of civilians and state valuables from the city. In 1942-1943, he was a member of the Military Council of the Stalingrad and Don fronts. On January 8, 1943, Chuyanov was transferred from members of the Military Council of the Southern Front to members of the Military Council of the Don Front. He died in 1977 in Moscow, and was buried in Volgograd, on Mamayev Kurgan.

1. Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov (January 31 [February 12] 1900, village of Silver Ponds, Venevsky District, Tula Province, Russian Empire — March 18, 1982, Moscow, RSFSR, USSR) was a Soviet military commander. Marshal of the Soviet Union (1955). Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1944, 1945). Commander—in-Chief of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (1949-1953), Commander of the Kiev Military District (1953-1960), Commander-in-Chief of the USSR Ground Forces - Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR (1960-1964), Chief of the USSR Civil Defense Forces (1961-1972). Member of the Central Committee of the CPSU (1961-1982). From 1942 to 1946— he was commander of the 62nd Army (8th Guards Army), which distinguished itself in the Battle of Stalingrad.

V. I. Chuikov was given the task of defending Stalingrad at any cost. The front command believed that Lieutenant General Chuikov was characterized by such positive qualities as determination and firmness, courage and a broad operational outlook, a high sense of responsibility and a sense of duty. The army under the command of V. I. Chuikov became famous for the heroic six-month defense of Stalingrad in street battles in a completely destroyed city, fighting on isolated bridgeheads on the banks of the wide Volga. In September 1942 alone, despite the numerical superiority of the enemy in manpower, tanks, and aircraft, units of the 62nd Army under the command of Lieutenant General Chuikov inflicted heavy losses in manpower (up to 20,000 German soldiers and officers were killed) and equipment on the Nazi invaders. By the end of the defensive operation, army troops held the area north of the Stalingrad Tractor Plant, the Barricades plant, individual workshops of the Krasny Oktyabr plant, and several blocks in the city center. In Stalingrad, V. I. Chuikov introduces melee tactics. Soviet and German trenches are located at a grenade throw distance. This makes it difficult for the German aviation and artillery to work, they are simply afraid to hit their own. Despite the fact that the superiority of the Wehrmacht's 6th Field Army under the command of Panzer General Friedrich Paulus in manpower is obvious, Soviet troops are constantly counterattacking, and mostly at night. This makes it possible to recapture the positions left during the day. For the Red Army, the battles in Stalingrad were the first serious battles in the city. The name of V. I. Chuikov is also associated with the appearance of special assault groups. They were the first to suddenly break into houses, and they used underground utilities to move around. Residential buildings (for example, Pavlov's house), ruins of workshops, basements became impregnable bastions, the defenders of which not only defended themselves, but also launched counterattacks. The Germans did not understand when and, most importantly, where to expect a counterattack. Later, this experience was useful to V. I. Chuikov during the capture of Berlin (April 16 — May 2, 1945). It was not for nothing that he was called the "general assault." For the unprecedented mass heroism and perseverance of the personnel in April 1943, the 62nd Army received the honorary name "Guards" and became known as the 8th Guards Army. V. I. Chuikov himself was presented with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the defense of Stalingrad, but at the last moment the idea was changed, and he received the Order of Suvorov I degree.