Jewish tank brigade commander twice made Hero of the Soviet Union, later chairman of the Anti-Zionist Committee
Born to a poor Jewish family in Svyatsk, Chernigov Governorate, he joined the Red Army in 1933 and fought at Lake Khasan. In the war with Germany he was intelligence chief of the 3rd Mechanised Corps and a brigade chief of staff, and in October 1943 took command of the 55th Guards Tank Brigade of the 3rd Guards Tank Army. For the Vistula crossing and the Sandomierz bridgehead, and for the assault on Berlin, he was twice made Hero of the Soviet Union, in 1944 and 1945. His family who stayed in his home town were murdered in 1942. He headed the Vystrel higher officer courses from 1969 to 1985 and chaired the Anti-Zionist Committee of the Soviet Public from 1983 until his death.
Also known as: David Dragunskii
Activities and affiliations
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1931–
Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks
Military command -
1933–1987
Soviet Union state institutionsMilitary and defenceMain
Military command
Career Timeline
- 1933.02Joined the Red Army
- 1938.07Tank company commander at Lake Khasan
- 1942.10Intelligence chief, 3rd Mechanised Corps; from November chief of staff, 1st Mechanised Brigade
- 1943.10–1945CO, 55th Guards Tank Brigade
- 1944.09.23Hero of the Soviet Union
- 1945.05.31Hero of the Soviet Union for the second time
- 1969.05–1985.10Head of the Vystrel higher officer courses
- 1970.11.06Colonel general of tank troops
- 1983.04.21–1992Chairman, Anti-Zionist Committee of the Soviet Public