Stalingrad Snipers

One of the most under-appreciated subjects in World War II history is the issue of post traumatic stress disorder, a condition that was not widely known to the soldiers at the time. Many symptoms were disregarded as personality quirks and eccentricities. In the harsh combat conditions characteristic of Stalingrad, many soldiers suffered from extreme cases of PTSD. Symptoms included talking to, and developing personal relationships with inanimate objects, as in the case of the sniper depicted right, who believes his shovel can provided him with crucial intelligence regarding the enemy's positions. Likewise, the sniper in the background is convinced that the helmet on the wall is able to act as a spotter, helping him locate enemy snipers. Similar cases were common on the other side of the conflict, although the German troops preferred conversing with objects related to efficiency, punctuality and authority (clocks, alarm clocks, megaphones, etc.).