#9

Post by Janne » 08 Nov 2006, 13:52

BTW has anyone bothered to trace the story in Finnish literature? The books where I've read it simply repeat one or another version of the story (which differ on what his exact words were and on whether it was a satchel charge or a handgrenade he dropped into the open hatch), assure the reader that the story is true, but give no sources.



The story about an anonymous "smallsized soldier from the Savo area" appeared immediately and several cartoons depicting the scene were published in newspapers in foreign press as well as in Finland - but when did the incident begin to be linked with Schadewitz?



FWIW I find it entirely credible that he destroyed a tank in the manner depicted in the story, but it could well be that the legendary words only appeared him later or that some Finnish or foreign journalist couldn't resist improving on the story. Did Schadewitz ever confirm the story himself?



He fought in JP3 at the time, so there might be something in its war diary - but to get proof we would of course need to have a testimony from a witness who actually heard what he said and some kind of assurance that the witness is credible and that his memory hasn't been corrupted by hearingor reading the famous story...