The "Night Witches"
by Giuseppe Zurla and Pierlino Bergonzi (translated by Erica Iannetta)
by Giuseppe Zurla and Pierlino Bergonzi (translated by Erica Iannetta)
The "Night Witches" was the nickname given by the German soldiers, engaged in Operation Barbarossa, to the Russian women who every night, on board "silent" biplanes, bombed their positions. It was the 588th Night Bombing Regiment of the Red Army, made up of women only.
Picture above: The "Night Witches". From left to right: Rufina Gasheva, Irina Sebrova, Nataliya Meklin, Marina Chechneva, Nadezhda Popova, Serafima Amosova-Taranenko, Evdokiya Nikulina, Evdokiya Bershanskaya commander of 588° Regiment, Mariya Smirnova and Evgheniya Zhigulenko. (Archive Olga Shirnina)
More than 70 years have passed since the end of the Second World War and even among the immense history that followed, events still emerge that we have not known about, but deserve to be known for their extraordinary nature. The story that is summarized below is so fantastic as to seem unbelievable. At the beginning of Nazi Germany’s invasion of the USSR , hundreds of thousands of women presented themselves or applied to the recruitment offices insisting on being sent to the front. Among these, a thousand girls, already patented civilian pilots at aeroclubs, asked to be employed in flight departments as pilots. They wanted, like men, to defend their homeland. It is noted that the Second World War remains the "Great Patriotic War" for the Russians. Not receiving answers the aspiring aviators sent "threatening" petitions to the famous pilot Marina Raskova, member of the Soviet Supreme, where they declared, with determination, that if they were not enlisted they were willing to steal the planes and go to the front... Raskova appealed to the Soviet Government to authorize the creation of some female regiments. The request was finally accepted with the establishment of 3 aeronautical regiments: 586 °, 587 °, and 588 °. The most famous was the latter, the only one which always remained entirely composed of girls. It was also the one that achieved the greatest successes and had the largest number of decorated pilots. Yet of the three it was equipped with the least modern means.
The Polikarpov Po-2 biplane
Photo above: the Polikarpov Po-2 biplane, the plane of the "Witches" (Piotr Strelecki Archive). Characteristics of the PO-2 aircraft: empty weight 770 kg; maximum take-off 1300 kg; equipped with Shvetsov radial engine with 125 horsepower; maximum speed 140 km / h; approach speed 60 km / h; tangency 3000 m; autonomy about 500 km.
For the duration of the conflict, the plane of which the enemies called "die Nachthexen" or the "Night Witches" was the Polikarpov Po-2, a tandem two-seater biplane built with wood and canvas that entered service in 1928. Slow, with no optical equipment or other equipment for night flights which was preponderant in the missions. The radio was also missing on board, and the pilots communicated with each other through the intercom, which was nothing more than a rubber tube with two funnels, one for each end. To save on the weight pilots and navigators flew without parachutes which in any case would have been effective from a minimum of 800 meters while at lower altitudes they were practically useless. Also, due to a defect in the lever for releasing the bombs, the navigator had to releasemanually, leaning out of the cockpit and clinging to the frame. A trapeze act but without a net. The plane, however, had the advantage of being very manoeuvrable and able to take off or land in a small space, practically anywhere. The very low stall speed of the Polikarpov Po-2 was expertly exploited by the Witches who, at the sight of the enemy fighters ready to fire, carried out a turnaround and set themselves at the minimum speed possible. The Messerschmitts, unable to travel at those speeds, had to make a wide circle to be able to reach them again, and the Witches repeated the manoeuvre ... These women had to have achieved extraordinary flying skills combined with an immediate shrewdness because, despite the superiority of the German fighters, the Polikarpov was not an easy prey, so much so that the Iron Cross was foreseen for those who shot one down.
Photo above: a Polikarpov Po-2, taken over during the Second World War ((Photo, Sovfoto/Uig, Getty Images)
Marina Raskova
Marina Raskova (Archive Olga Shirnina)
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Marina Raskova (Archive Olga Shirnina)
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Marina Mikhailovna Raskova was born in Moscow on March 28, 1912. Her father Mikhail Malinin was an opera singer, her mother, Anna Liubatovich, a teacher. She also had an aunt, Tatyana Liubatovich, who was also a singer. Everything pointed to her dedicating herself to music too, and in the early years she did so. But she later left behind the scores and studied chemistry. After graduation she married Sergej Raskov, with whom, in 1930, she had a daughter named Tanya. The following year she was recruited at the Academy of Soviet Military Aviation "Zukovsky" as a laboratory technician. Here she began her passion for flying. She applied to become a navigator in 1934 then later she applied to become a pilot. Marina had evidently found her way and not only succeeded in becoming a navigator and pilot, but a few years later, in 1937, aboard a Yakovlev Air-12, in a crew with Valentina Grizodubova, established the female world record of non-stop distance, 1445 kilometers. The following year in a civilian seaplane "Beriev MP-1 she reached a new record, 2241 kilometers, and in September of the same year (1938), together with Valentina Grizodubova and Polina Osipenko, flew non-stop from Moscow to Komsomolsk-on-Amur ( About 6,000 kilometers), in a Sukhoi ANT-37 called Rodina (Motherland). For these exploits she earned the title "Heroine of the Soviet Union." She died on January 4, 1943 in a plane crash while she was in command of a bomber directed at Stalingrad. The patrol commanded by her was composed of three planes that suddenly found themselves in a furious blizzard of snow and ice. In the attempt to make an emergency landing, her plane crashed on the banks of the Volga and no member of the crew managed to escape. Raskova received a state's funeral and her body was buried in the Kremlin.
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Photo above left: A Po-2 (U-2) with the inscription on the fuselage "Revenging for Dusya Nosal". Photo above right: three "Witches" posing proud for the photo on their plane. (Archives Vlad Monster, www.ava.org.ru)
As already mentioned the person who planned and built the regiments of flight formed by women, talking directly to Stalin and managing to overcome the initial distrust was Marina Raskova. A professional in the sector who took on the task of organizing highly accelerated training courses, 6 months instead of the normal 3 years. Among the thousands of applications the girls chosen first were in possession of a license and who had already flown in aeroclubs or for civilian purposes, then places were also given to girls who became gunsmiths, or in charge or maintenance and supplies. A whole female flock. With courage equal to recklessness and with boundless patriotic pride, these rivals of the Kamikaze flew in shaky planes well aware of offering their existence for defence of their country. 40 crews were formed which over 3 years of fighting carried out 24,000 missions and 1100 nights of operations, totalling over 3,000,000 kg of bombs. When a crew did not return, there were many who wanted to take their place. Despite the limited speed of the planes, the front was close and it did not take much to reach the objectives; this meant that after the bombing the planes returned to the base, recharged and left immediately carrying out different missions each night. After the initial surprise the Germans reinforced the Flak, their effective anti-aircraft, which arrived in support of the Messerschmitt fighters, perhaps the most advanced of all the war. In short, for The Witches things became more difficult. If they were hit it was easy for the Polikarpov to catch fire and by flying without parachutes there was no chance of salvation. Unperturbed, they continued to fly. When the objectives were in sight, they launched flares to lighten the darkness then unhooked the bombs and aimed the machine guns. The Nazis who feared them admired them even more when they realized that those who hammered their positions every night were girls. The German ace Johannes Steinhoff said in this regard, in September of '42: "We can’t believe that the Soviet pilots who are giving us the biggest problems are women. They fear nothing, they come at night to torment us with their obsolete biplanes and do not let us shut our eyes for many nights." (1)
Photo above: the "Witches" in winter flight suit (Photo Archive flickr.com)
588th Night Bombardment Regiment
Photo above: the 588th Night-Bombing Regiment deployed (Archive Vlad Monster, www.ava.org.ru)
On October 8th 1941 Stalin signed the decree n. 0099 which authorized the constitution of three female aircraft regiments: the 586th Hunting Regiment, equipped with Yakovlev Yak-1 aircraft and commanded by Major Tamara Kazarinova; the 587th Daytime Bombardier Regiment, equipped with heavy Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers under the orders of Major Marina Raskova; finally, the 588th Night Bombardier Regiment in the old Polikarpov Po-2 with Major Evdokiya Bershanskaya in command. The members of the latter regiment had an average age of 22 and would become famous as "Night Witches". The name "Witches" was given by the Germans, some say it was Johannes Steinhoff, a German ace on the Russian front. Certainly it was born for their way of war: to arrive suddenly, always in darkness, to glide with the engine idling to make as little noise as possible, drop the bombs on the targets and "disappear" immediately, to return again with a another goal, and so on until dawn. Using the sky during the daylight hours, over an enemy who possessed highly efficient anti-aircraft weapons and the latest generation of fighter planes, with a World War I plane was tantamount to suicide ... The Germans also gave a nickname to the biplanes: "sergeant on duty" or "sewing machine"; while the "Night Witches" were also called "The Falcons of Stalin".
The staff of the newly formed 588th Regiment was sent to the Engel Air Force Base, a small town north of Stalingrad, on the Volga River. Here the training of pilots and specialists began. The period for the preparation of the crews was adjusted to the times of war and in just six months the "Witches", with an extraordinary commitment that lasted 15/17 hours a day, completed the course that in normal times took several years.
The baptism of fire took place on June 8, 1942 near Voroshilovgrad (now Luhans'k), in eastern Ukraine: a squadron of three planes with commander Bershanskaya in the first one, bombed a German headquarters. The mission was a success, despite the loss of a biplane and its crew.
The staff of the newly formed 588th Regiment was sent to the Engel Air Force Base, a small town north of Stalingrad, on the Volga River. Here the training of pilots and specialists began. The period for the preparation of the crews was adjusted to the times of war and in just six months the "Witches", with an extraordinary commitment that lasted 15/17 hours a day, completed the course that in normal times took several years.
The baptism of fire took place on June 8, 1942 near Voroshilovgrad (now Luhans'k), in eastern Ukraine: a squadron of three planes with commander Bershanskaya in the first one, bombed a German headquarters. The mission was a success, despite the loss of a biplane and its crew.
Photo above: map of the numerous movements of the "Witches" during the war (Archivio Milanetti)
The 588th Regiment was dislocated, as the war changed front, to different "airports" (which were nothing but flat fields of a few hundred meters long, prepared in a hurry to allow safe takeoffs and landings), always close to the front lines for tactical-logistical reasons. The first camp was near Stalingrad, then in Krasnodar, Novorossiisk, Kerch, Sevastopol, Minsk, Warsaw, and finally Berlin.
The targets assigned to the "Witches" were deposits of fuel and ammunition, troop encampments, bridges, enemy commands, etc, but they were also used for missions to supply food and ammunition to Russian detachments surrounded by Germans. The 588th Regiment in all its operational life, carried out 23,672 raids and dropped about three thousand tons of explosives. In 1943, for merits of war, the 588th Regiment took the name of the 46th Regiment of the "Taman" Night Bombardment Guards. It was the most decorated flight section of the entire Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. 23 "Witches", from a staff of just over two hundred girls, earned the title of "Heroines of the Soviet Union", the highest honour of their country.
The targets assigned to the "Witches" were deposits of fuel and ammunition, troop encampments, bridges, enemy commands, etc, but they were also used for missions to supply food and ammunition to Russian detachments surrounded by Germans. The 588th Regiment in all its operational life, carried out 23,672 raids and dropped about three thousand tons of explosives. In 1943, for merits of war, the 588th Regiment took the name of the 46th Regiment of the "Taman" Night Bombardment Guards. It was the most decorated flight section of the entire Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. 23 "Witches", from a staff of just over two hundred girls, earned the title of "Heroines of the Soviet Union", the highest honour of their country.
Photo above: some "Witches" engaged in removing a truck sunk in the mud (Archive Olga Shirnina)
The attack tactics that followed the "Witches" were many and were meticulously studied to provoke the greatest possible damage to the Germans, especially of a psychological nature, in order to undermine their fighting spirit. The payload they could carry was small: some bombs from a few tens of kilograms each. They were mainly "terrorist" missions: to arrive at the target by surprise, hit it and leave the place quickly. With the planes they used, it was not conceivable to combat in flight: they had a maximum speed lower than the stalling speed of the enemy aircraft, there were no weapons onboard capable of shooting down German aircraft, the only way of salvation was escape. They arrived near the point to be bombed at a high altitude, then put the engine at idle and glided in "silence" to avoid attracting the attention of the Germans, for whom it was too late by the time they noticed them. They dropped the bombs at a height of about 400 meters so as not to be hit by the fragments themselves, and then returned flying low to evade radar and enemy fighters. For the objectives considered important, such as Stalingrad, the Germans had powerful searchlights with which they could lighten the dark sky up to thousands of meters. In these cases the "Witches" studied another tactic: the attack team was usually composed of three planes, the first two had the task of being identified by the searchlights, once intercepted they performed a turn of ninety degrees, one opposite to the other, to be chased by the light beams, while the third biplane that followed at a distance entered the centre of the dark cone, lowered and struck. Then they changed the roles until all the planes had dropped their cargo ... The enemy anti-aircraft was always alert and when the biplanes returned to base, several holes were often visible in the fuselage.. If they were hit by an incendiary bullet the chances of survival of the crew of that plane was very low as the canvas that covered the wings of the biplanes would light up immediately like a torch ...
The history of this regiment is so fantastic that it seems far-fetched even for its own protagonists. The "Witch" Nadya Popova, after many years wondered: "Nadya, how could you have done this?" (2)
The history of this regiment is so fantastic that it seems far-fetched even for its own protagonists. The "Witch" Nadya Popova, after many years wondered: "Nadya, how could you have done this?" (2)
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Photo above left: Commander Evdokiya Bershanskaya gives a briefing to his "Witches". Photos above right: Yekaterina Krasnokutskaya in winter equipment for aviators, these are the same clothes as male pilots. (Archives Vlad Monster, www.ava.org.ru)
The commander of the 588th, Major Evdokiya Bershanskaya
Photo above: Evdokiya Bershanskaya, commander of the 46th Guards Taman (ex 588th) gives the latest instruction to his crew before take-off, Evdokiya Nosal and Nina Ulyanenko. (Olga Shirnina Archive)
The commander of the "Witches", from the first moment was Major Evdokiya Bershanskaya, born in Dobrovolnoye, Russia, on 6 February 1913. The command was assigned by Raskova herself. At first Bershanskaya was hesitant because she had solid flight experience as an instructor and civilian pilot, but felt inadequate to command a military regiment, with short notice. Colonel Marina Raskova, who had studied the personality of her employee, assured her and told her that she would be a great commander. Raskova was right: Evdokiya led the 588 ° Light Night Bombardment Regiment from its Constitution to the end of the war as best she could, in a continuous crescendo of successes. Another fact that makes the history of the 588th Night Bomber unrepeatable is that Bershanskaya was the sole and only commander, from its foundation to its dissolution. Evdokiya was a natural commander and beloved by her subordinates, one of his "Witches", Natalya Meklin quoted: "She was a strict commander, but right, she also knew how to be gentle in the delicate moments we spent in those difficult days. She had great self-control and a piercing look: one glance was enough for you to feel guilty if you acted badly or feel happy if you did good things." (3)
Photo above: the "Witches" report to the commander for instructions (Photo, cdn.history.com credit Sovfoto / Uig Getty)
Bershanskaya, endowed with a rare intelligence and a profound practical sense, turned out to be an extra ordinary organizer and knew how to make the most of the potential of her "Witches" and of the poor means of war provided. She became a point of reference for her superiors, to whom she guaranteed readiness and efficiency. At all times she had always crews and airplanes available for the missions in which she often participated. Drawing on her experiences in the field and taking advantage of her large operational autonomy, she developed new systems of attack that gave gratifying results. As time passed her results were also noticed by the high commands and decorations for herself and her "witches" rained down. She was in fact one of the most honoured flight commanders of the USSR. She was the only woman awarded the Order of Suvorov (a recognition for exceptional leadership skills during the war). At the end of the war she left her "Witches" a last example, perhaps the most important: she had been promoted to Colonel and earned honours as no other woman before, but rather than capitalize on her medals, as did most in the military, she retired to private life by marrying one of her fellow officers, with whom she had three daughters. She died on September 16, 1982, at the age of 69, from a heart attack and was buried in the hero cemetery in Novodevichy, Moscow.
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Photo above left: the commander of the "Witches" Evdokiya Bershanskaya along with other senior Soviet officers, in front of the Brandenburg Gate on 7 May 1945 (Archive Milanetti). Photo above right: May 2, 1945 Ira Sebrova and Natalya Meklin circling over the Brandenburg Gate, ideally at the controls of the little Polikarpov there are all the young "Witches" fallen in the fight against the Third Reich ... (Photo Archive Anatoly Plyac)
The faces of aviators
Rufina Gasheva (848 war missions) and Nataly Meklin (980 war missions) of the 46th Guardie Taman, ex 588 °, 1945, both decorated Heroines of the Soviet Union (Archives Vlad Monster, www.ava.org.ru)
Hiuaz Dospanova, 46th Taman Guards (Archive Olga Shirnina)
Evdokiya Nikulina (Archive Olga Shirnina)
The commander of the 588th Evdokiya Davidovna Bersanskaja aboard her biplane Polikarpov Po-2 (Photo taken from www.madrerussia.com)
Rufina Gasheva (Archive Olga Shirnina)
Evdokiya Bershanskaya and Valentina Matyukhina, 1943 (Archive Olga Shirnina)
Tatyana Makarova (Wikipedia)
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Evdokiya Pasko (Archive Olga Shirnina)
Maria Dolina (Archive Olga Shirnina)
Natalya Meklin Kravtsova (Archive Olga Shirnina)
Yekaterina Budanova and Lydia Litvyak (Archive Olga Shirnina)
Yekaterina Ryabova (Archive Olga Shirnina)
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Antonina Lebedeva, fighter pilot, 1916-1943 (Archive Olga Shirnina)
Marina Raskova (Archive Olga Shirnina)
Nina Ulyanenko (Archive Olga Shirnina)
Yekaterina Ryabova (Archive Olga Shirnina)
Yevgeniya Zhigulenko (Archive Olga Shirnina)
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Staff of the 46th Regiment of the Nightly Bombing Guards "Taman", ex 588, May 1945. First row, from left to right: Nina Vlkova, Irina Rakobolskaya (deputy commander of Regiment), Anna Elenina. Second row: Maria Marina, Olga Fetisova, Hiuaz Dospanova. (Olga Shirnina Archive)
In the light of all this fighting fervour, some might think of the exploits of Amazons, the warrior women of Greek mythology that perhaps have not even existed and are generally portrayed with severe and grim features, but by focusing on the beautiful and simple faces of the protagonists of this epic tale, you can catch a glimpse of the serene tranquillity of country housewives or the sweet gaze of mothers. Most probably the god in the heavens in his infinite mercy extended his protective wing over those expeditions since only 32 did not return; certainly not a few but could have been much more.
15 raids a night, you sleep in turn: one in the first leg and the other back
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Frames taken from the film-documentary "Night Witches, 588th Night Bomber Regiment" by Gunilla Bresky
The summer nights were short and at most five to seven sorties were done (each flight lasting on average 20 to 50 minutes depending on the distance from the target to hit), but during the winter nights they got fifteen missions each night, snow storms permitting, and so on to the next night, without interruption. The "Witches" Katya Ryabova and Nadya Popova overnight made 18 raids over the German lines. A psycho-physical stress able to down a rhinoceros, but not the very determined "Witches". The winter temperatures in this part of the world were always sub-zero by two digits, easily the minimum reached less than 30 ° (in the winter of '42 they touched minus 54 °). They worked endlessly, clenching their teeth in a continuous coming and going with their hearts beating madly. The women of the ground services, once they fueled and reloaded the planes, had a moment's pause in the warmth of the tent, but the pilots and the navigators remained oudoors for the duration of the infernal night. They often did not even get out of the cockpit in during refueling to save energy, they drank a cup of hot coffee huddled in their seats. As the night goes on, fatigue, cold and stress, brought their bodies to the point of collapse, they felt faint, and then they agreed that, to recover that minimum of energy to survive, one sleeps on the way out, one on the way back ...
An average of 800 war missions each
The "Witches" with their commander, Evdokiya Bershanskaya, in the foreground on the right (Photo Archive flickr.com)
For the flight crews of the American bombers during World War II the limit of employment was fixed at 25 war missions: after that pilots and specialists had the right to return to service flights at home or on routes deemed safe. There was also a time limit, which of the two came first ... In reality, many crews would exceed this limit, either for operational reasons or voluntarily, a less frequent case. However, a participation threshold was set for high-risk flights. The "Witches" fought for 1100 consecutive days, every night, even in prohibitive weather conditions, and would complete an average of 800 missions each ...
Russian postage stamp dedicated to Marina Raskova
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Russian stamp dedicated to the "Night Witches"
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Gian Piero Milanetti
Gian Piero Milanetti is the author of the book "Le Streghe della notte, la storia non detta delle eroiche ragazze-pilota dell'Unione Sovietica nella Grande Guerra Patriottica".
Milanetti is a full-fledged researcher: he analyzes archival documents, visits places where events happened, finds and interviews the remaining protagonists and hears the testimonies of who is well informed on the subject: then he cross references the collected data and make a summary. Easy? Not really, especially if the investigations are conducted thousands of kilometers away, in an unknown land, a difficult language, a society that still has difficulty in opening the cabinets for the consultation of documents; not to say the costs of live research: the trip, the stay, the costs of the interpreters, etc., all against him. Thanks to his consistency and prolonged commitment, he has contributed considerably to make a page of history "neglected" by the insiders and almost never told in classrooms known again. A page of history made by the heroic Russian women who, in order to defend their homeland, have decided to make war on the front lines like their fathers, brothers and husbands. These women not only lived up to the comparison with the males, but on several occasions they overcame them. The awards that the "Witches" have received are, in proportion to the male wards, far superior. 23 "Witches" in a department that counted a few hundred received the highest honors and became "Heroines of the Soviet Union". A unique case in the world.
Milanetti is a full-fledged researcher: he analyzes archival documents, visits places where events happened, finds and interviews the remaining protagonists and hears the testimonies of who is well informed on the subject: then he cross references the collected data and make a summary. Easy? Not really, especially if the investigations are conducted thousands of kilometers away, in an unknown land, a difficult language, a society that still has difficulty in opening the cabinets for the consultation of documents; not to say the costs of live research: the trip, the stay, the costs of the interpreters, etc., all against him. Thanks to his consistency and prolonged commitment, he has contributed considerably to make a page of history "neglected" by the insiders and almost never told in classrooms known again. A page of history made by the heroic Russian women who, in order to defend their homeland, have decided to make war on the front lines like their fathers, brothers and husbands. These women not only lived up to the comparison with the males, but on several occasions they overcame them. The awards that the "Witches" have received are, in proportion to the male wards, far superior. 23 "Witches" in a department that counted a few hundred received the highest honors and became "Heroines of the Soviet Union". A unique case in the world.
The Czech version of the Milanetti book
The English version of the Milanetti book
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Milanetti visits the museum dedicated to the "Witch" Tanya Makarova
Milanetti with Elena Mirovna Maliutina, pilot of the 587th BAP / 125 GvBAP, ahead of the Bolshoi, 2 May 2010
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Milanetti next to the Tanya Makarova monument, erected in front of the school she attended
Painting dedicated to the "Witches"
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Through lines of his book you read a true story, at times moving, which comes to light due to the commitment and thoroughness of the author, who tries to give a little more justice to the great merits that, the female universe deserved. In the book there are details of the curricula of the girls from their life before enlisting up to the missions that ended with honors and acknowledgments or, often, with death. For completeness of information a few pages, with the same detail, is reserved for the Axis of Hitlerian aviation who likewise fought with valour. From reading it appears very evident that also "the other half of the sky" made a decisive contribution to the great victory. In the opening pages Galina Brock-Beltsova, veteran of the Great Patriotic War and vice-president of the Russian aviation group, sincerely and from the bottom of her heart expresses gratitude to the author for his laborious efforts to write and publish a book about heroic women- pilots.
The Milanetti book is accompanied by many photographs with detailed captions. Below some photos taken from the book.
Recruits of 122° Group, 1941. Many girls still have long hair, which they will then cut by Raskova's order. (Photo, Milanetti archive)
Evdokiya Bershankaya, before being appointed commander of 588 ° NBAP. (Milanetti archive photo)
Commander Evdokiya Bershanskaya reviews his "Witches". (Plyac Photo)
"Witches" at the break in Novorossiysk in September 1943. Standing Nadezhda Popova, sitting in the center Irina Sebrova, in the foreground Vera Belik. (Photo Evghenij Chaldej)
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The "Witches" load the bombs on the aircraft. (Plyac Photo)
Some "Witches" all Heroes of the USSR. From right to left: Irina Sebrova (record of war missions with 1008 raids); Natalya Meklin (992 missions); Evgheniya Rudneva (killed during her 645th mission, Evdokiya Nikulina (774 missions), Mariya Smirnova (935 missions), Serafina Amosova- Taranenko (deputy commander of the "Witches".) (Photo Plyac)
Motorists at work, from left to right: Ekaterina Titova, Alla Kazantseva and Taisa Korobeinikova (Photo Plyac)
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Evdokiya Nikulina, a pilot and mechanic "Witch" (Photo Plyac)
Natalia Meklin (Photo Plyac)
The "Witches" Katya Ryabova, navigator and Marina Chechneva, pilot. (Plyac Photo)
Waiting for the dark to leave on a mission the "Witches" dance the "Gopachek". (Plyac Photo)
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Two songs in honor of the "Witches"
Gian Piero Milanetti, author of the aforementioned book "Le Streghe della Notte", is also a songwriter and has dedicated two songs to the brave Russian women who defended their land against the attack of the Nazis and Fascists during the Second World War. Hereunder the videos granted to the Grac by the author.
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What the spirit can do ...
It is easy to perceive, even if "military strategy" has not been studied, that a department of soldiers sent behind the enemy lines to make successful blows should necessarily possess certain qualities: depth and consolidated training in the armed struggle; commanded by a head of proven ability and experience; equipped with the most modern and effective weapons; formed by motivated, athletic, robust and resistant staff. In our opinion, the components of the 588th Regiment had only one of these parameters when they started fighting: a strong motivation in the fight against the invader. For the rest it seemd they were doomed for total failure: a newly created flight department made up of inexperienced people (all the components had received only a few months of military training); conducted by a subject without any command experience (until recently she was a commercial pilot); they had use of the most backward aircraft of the conflict and could carry a laughable war load; finally, they were all twenty-year-old women. And that’s not all yet. At the same time, these girls had to face another "war", psychologically no less exhausting, against an internal "enemy": the cultural backwardness of the male soldiers. When the "Witches" arrived at the front they were received coldly by the commanders and scorned by "colleagues", who had renamed their department "The regiment of the silly girls". (4)
In theory it was the most "fragile" military unit of the Second World War and it had to fight against the toughest, best-trained, best-equipped and most capable army of all time in the art of war. A pot of earthenware among iron pots ... According to the logic the 588th Regiment would have succumbed completely after the first confrontation with the "warriors of the swastika". Instead the "Witches" found the fighting vigor in their spirit and knew how to transform their weaknesses into strength. They remained united under the wise leadership of their commander, treasured experiences, became as cunning as snakes, and fought like tigers. Many medals were earned on the field, including the recognition of their male comrades and the esteem of beaten enemies. They became legend ...
In theory it was the most "fragile" military unit of the Second World War and it had to fight against the toughest, best-trained, best-equipped and most capable army of all time in the art of war. A pot of earthenware among iron pots ... According to the logic the 588th Regiment would have succumbed completely after the first confrontation with the "warriors of the swastika". Instead the "Witches" found the fighting vigor in their spirit and knew how to transform their weaknesses into strength. They remained united under the wise leadership of their commander, treasured experiences, became as cunning as snakes, and fought like tigers. Many medals were earned on the field, including the recognition of their male comrades and the esteem of beaten enemies. They became legend ...
...all the flowers on earth...
The Free French pilots of the "Normandie-Niemen Fighter Regiment", engaged on the Russian front from 1942 to 1945, often flew and fought alongside the "Night Witches" and at the end of the war dedicated this thought to them: "Even if it were possible to gather and place at your feet all the flowers on earth, this would not constitute sufficient tribute to your valor". (5)
Sabaton (band)
The Sabaton is a Swedish heavy / power metal band founded in 1999, they too have dedicated a song to the "Witches" ... here below the link to listen to it
The "Witches" still take off... every day at sunset
It is reassuring to imagine that the Witches are still in circulation; and that every night, granted by the good God to the miserable and suffering humanity, they still take off to fight all the "isms" that "wander endlessly like wild beasts in search of prey to devour" ...
Note
(1) Pamela Dell, The Soviet Night Witches. Brave Woman Bomber Pilots of World War II, Capstone Press, Minnesota, 2018
(2) Bruce Myles, Night Witches, the amazing story of Russia's women pilots in World War II, Academy Chicago Publishers, 1990
(3) Jessica Leigh Bhuvasorakul, Unit Cohesion Among the Three Soviet Women's Air Regiments during World War II", University Libraries Florida State , 2004
(4) Ritanna Armeni, Una donna può tutto. 1941: volano le Streghe della notte, Editore Adriano Salani, Milano ,2018
(5) Claudia Hagen, Tonight We Fly! the Soviet Night Witches of Wwii, Createspace Independent Pub, 2017
(1) Pamela Dell, The Soviet Night Witches. Brave Woman Bomber Pilots of World War II, Capstone Press, Minnesota, 2018
(2) Bruce Myles, Night Witches, the amazing story of Russia's women pilots in World War II, Academy Chicago Publishers, 1990
(3) Jessica Leigh Bhuvasorakul, Unit Cohesion Among the Three Soviet Women's Air Regiments during World War II", University Libraries Florida State , 2004
(4) Ritanna Armeni, Una donna può tutto. 1941: volano le Streghe della notte, Editore Adriano Salani, Milano ,2018
(5) Claudia Hagen, Tonight We Fly! the Soviet Night Witches of Wwii, Createspace Independent Pub, 2017
Thanks
The Grac thanks:
- Gian Piero Milanetti for sharing his research, granting photos and videos;
- Olga Shirnina for having made available information and many photos of the "Witches" (she re-elaborated in color);
- Vlad Monster which allowed the Grac to use the photos of its site http://ava.org.ru/index.htm;
- Piotr Strzelecki who has made available some photos of his site https://www.airplane-pictures.net;
- Gunilla Bresky for the photos taken from his documentary film "Night Witches, 588th Night Bomber Regiment".
The Grac thanks:
- Gian Piero Milanetti for sharing his research, granting photos and videos;
- Olga Shirnina for having made available information and many photos of the "Witches" (she re-elaborated in color);
- Vlad Monster which allowed the Grac to use the photos of its site http://ava.org.ru/index.htm;
- Piotr Strzelecki who has made available some photos of his site https://www.airplane-pictures.net;
- Gunilla Bresky for the photos taken from his documentary film "Night Witches, 588th Night Bomber Regiment".
Bibliography
Svetlana Alexievich, The Unwomanly Face of War, Penguin Random House, UK, 2017
Ritanna Armeni, Una donna può tutto. 1941: volano le Streghe della notte, Editore Adriano Salani, Milano ,2018
Jessica Leigh Bhuvasorakul, Unit Cohesion Among the Three Soviet Women's Air Regiments during World War II, University
Libraries Florida State , 2004
D'Ann Campbell, Women in Combat: The World War II, experience in the United States, Great Britain, Germany, and the Soviet Union,
The Journal of Military History 57, April 1993, Published by: Society for Military History
S.J. McCormack, Night Witch, Sandra McCormack, 2015
Pamela Dell, The Soviet Night Witches. Brave Woman Bomber Pilots of World War II, Capstone Press, Minnesota, 2018
Angelo Emiliani e Paolo Varriale, L'altra metà del cielo, l'epopea delle donne volanti, Regione Emilia Romagna, 2014
Will Fowler, Russia 1941-1942, Ian Allan Publishing, 2003
Historical Studies Branch USAF Historical Division, Combat Crew Rotation, World War II and Korean War, Aerospace Studies
Institute Air University Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, January 1968
Claudia Hagen, Tonight We Fly! the Soviet Night Witches of Wwii, Createspace Independent Pub, 2017
Kevin Kane, Morale maintenance in World War II US Army ground combat units : European theater of operations, 1944-45,
University of Richmond, 2013
Kristall L.M. Alfonso, Femme fatale: an examination of the role of women in combat and the policy implications for future American
Military Operations, Shool of Advanced Air and Space Studies Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, June 2008
Gian Piero Milanetti, Le Streghe della notte, la storia non detta delle eroiche ragazze-pilota dell'Unione Sovietica nella Grande Guerra
Patriottica, IBN Editore, 2011
Bruce Myles, Night Witches, the amazing story of Russia's women pilots in World War II, Academy Chicago Publishers, 1990
Anne Noggle, A Dance With Death: Soviet Airwomen in World War II, Texas A & M Univ Pr, 2002
Rochelle Nowaki, Nachthexen: Soviet Female Pilots in WWII, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Hohonu, 2015, Vol. 13
Reina Penningtonin, In World War II, Soviet women were air combat pioneers. Not Just Night Witches, in Air Force Magazine, October
2014
Marina Rossi, Le Streghe nella notte. Storie e testimonianze dell'aviazione femminile in Urss (1941-1945), Unicopli Editore, 2003
Samantha Vajskop, Elena's war: Russian Women in Combat, Ashbrook Statesmanship Thesis, 2008, Charles E. Parton Award
Lyuba Vinogradova, Defending the Motherland: The Soviet Women Who Fought Hitler's Aces, Quercus Publishing, 2016
Janice Wilson, Gender-based issues in aviation, attitudes towards female pilots: a cross-cultural analysis, University of Pretoria, 2005
Svetlana Alexievich, The Unwomanly Face of War, Penguin Random House, UK, 2017
Ritanna Armeni, Una donna può tutto. 1941: volano le Streghe della notte, Editore Adriano Salani, Milano ,2018
Jessica Leigh Bhuvasorakul, Unit Cohesion Among the Three Soviet Women's Air Regiments during World War II, University
Libraries Florida State , 2004
D'Ann Campbell, Women in Combat: The World War II, experience in the United States, Great Britain, Germany, and the Soviet Union,
The Journal of Military History 57, April 1993, Published by: Society for Military History
S.J. McCormack, Night Witch, Sandra McCormack, 2015
Pamela Dell, The Soviet Night Witches. Brave Woman Bomber Pilots of World War II, Capstone Press, Minnesota, 2018
Angelo Emiliani e Paolo Varriale, L'altra metà del cielo, l'epopea delle donne volanti, Regione Emilia Romagna, 2014
Will Fowler, Russia 1941-1942, Ian Allan Publishing, 2003
Historical Studies Branch USAF Historical Division, Combat Crew Rotation, World War II and Korean War, Aerospace Studies
Institute Air University Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, January 1968
Claudia Hagen, Tonight We Fly! the Soviet Night Witches of Wwii, Createspace Independent Pub, 2017
Kevin Kane, Morale maintenance in World War II US Army ground combat units : European theater of operations, 1944-45,
University of Richmond, 2013
Kristall L.M. Alfonso, Femme fatale: an examination of the role of women in combat and the policy implications for future American
Military Operations, Shool of Advanced Air and Space Studies Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, June 2008
Gian Piero Milanetti, Le Streghe della notte, la storia non detta delle eroiche ragazze-pilota dell'Unione Sovietica nella Grande Guerra
Patriottica, IBN Editore, 2011
Bruce Myles, Night Witches, the amazing story of Russia's women pilots in World War II, Academy Chicago Publishers, 1990
Anne Noggle, A Dance With Death: Soviet Airwomen in World War II, Texas A & M Univ Pr, 2002
Rochelle Nowaki, Nachthexen: Soviet Female Pilots in WWII, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Hohonu, 2015, Vol. 13
Reina Penningtonin, In World War II, Soviet women were air combat pioneers. Not Just Night Witches, in Air Force Magazine, October
2014
Marina Rossi, Le Streghe nella notte. Storie e testimonianze dell'aviazione femminile in Urss (1941-1945), Unicopli Editore, 2003
Samantha Vajskop, Elena's war: Russian Women in Combat, Ashbrook Statesmanship Thesis, 2008, Charles E. Parton Award
Lyuba Vinogradova, Defending the Motherland: The Soviet Women Who Fought Hitler's Aces, Quercus Publishing, 2016
Janice Wilson, Gender-based issues in aviation, attitudes towards female pilots: a cross-cultural analysis, University of Pretoria, 2005
Page published on April 28th 2018