Eastern Front Sniper is a long overdue and comprehensive biography of
one of World War II's most accomplished snipers.
Mathäus Hetzenauer, the son of a Tyrolean peasant family, was born in
December 1924. He was drafted into the Mountain Reserve Battalian 140 at
the age of 18 but discharged five months later.
He received a new draft notice in January 1943 for a post in the Styrian
Truppenübungsplatz Seetal Alps where he met some of the best German
snipers and learned his art.
Hetzenauer went on to fight in Romania, Eastern Hungary and in Slovakia.
As recognition for his more than 300 confirmed kills, he was awarded on
the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on April 17, 1945.
After nearly five years of Soviet captivity Mathäus Hetzenauer returned
to Austria on January 10, 1950. He lived in the Tyrol's Brixen Valley
until his death on 3 October of 2004.