Mansur Gizatulovich Abdulin (russian: Мансур Гизатулович Абдулин; 14 September 1923 – 2007) was a Soviet memoirist and soldier who was decorated for his efforts during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. Born in Anzherka,

Kemerovo Oblast Kemerovo Oblast — Kuzbass (russian: Ке́меровская о́бласть — Кузба́сс, translit=Kemerovskaya oblast — Kuzbass, ), also known simply as Kemerovo Oblast (russian: Ке́меровская о́бласть, label=non ...

in 1923, Abdulin worked as a gold miner before the war. He entered the army as a volunteer after the attack by Nazi Germany on Soviet Union. He fought in the

Battle of Stalingrad The Battle of Stalingrad (23 August 19422 February 1943) was a major battle on the Eastern Front of World War II where Nazi Germany and its allies unsuccessfully fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad (later re ...

as a member of the 1034th Rifle Regiment of the

293rd Rifle Division The 293rd Rifle Division began service as a standard Red Army rifle division shortly after the German invasion. It served in the defense of Kiev, and managed to escape encirclement, spending the winter along the front near Kursk. It fought in the ...

, which was renamed as the 66th Guards Rifle Division on Jan. 21, 1943. He later fought in the

Battle of Kursk The Battle of Kursk was a major World War II Eastern Front engagement between the forces of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union near Kursk in the southwestern USSR during late summer 1943; it ultimately became the largest tank battle in history. ...

and battles on the Dniepr River, where he was wounded and later demobilised. He served as a member of a mortar crew and an infantryman and received the Order of The Patriotic War 1st Class,

Order of the Red Star The Order of the Red Star (russian: Орден Красной Звезды, Orden Krasnoy Zvezdy) was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6 April 193 ...

and Medal "For Valour". In 1985, he published ''160 страниц из солдатского дневника'' (160 pages from the diary of a soldier), which was based on his diary. After recovery from the wounds, he returned to his mining profession. After the war, he wrote '' Red Road from Stalingrad'' () which was published in English in 2004. Abdulin was a resident of

Orenburg Oblast Orenburg Oblast (russian: Оренбургская область, ''Orenburgskaya oblast'') is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Orenburg. From 1938 to 1957, it bore the name ''Chkalov Oblast'' ...

until his death in 2007.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abdulin, Mansur Gizatulovich 1923 births 2007 deaths Russian memoirists Russian miners Soviet military personnel of World War II People from Kemerovo Oblast Recipients of the Medal "For Courage" (Russia) 20th-century memoirists