Grigoriy Shtern

Grigori Mihailovich Shtern
Grigori Mihailovich Shtern
Born	(1900-07-24)July 24, 1900 Smila, Russian Empire
Died	October 28, 1941(1941-10-28) (aged 41)
Allegiance	Soviet Union (1922–1941)
Service/branch	Red Army
Years of service	1919 - 1941
Rank	Colonel General
Commands held	1st Red Banner Army Far Eastern Front 8th Army
Battles/wars	Spanish Civil War, Battle of Lake Khasan, Battle of Khalkhin Gol (Nomonhan), Winter War
Awards	Hero of the Soviet Union among others

Grigori Mihailovich Shtern (Russian: Григорий Михайлович Штерн, 24 July (6 August) 1900 – 28 October 1941) was a Soviet officer in the Red Army and military advisor during the Spanish Civil War. He also served with distinction during the Soviet-Japanese Border Wars and the Winter War.

Shtern was born into a Jewish family in Smila, Kiev Governorate in 1900. He started his military career as a Commissar of a Red Army brigade in 1919, the same year he joined the Bolshevik Party. Shtern graduated from the Military Academy of the Red Army in 1929 and was working for the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs. He was appointed as the Commander of the 7th Cavalry Division in 1936. Shtern was a Military Advisor in the Spanish Civil War between January 1937 to April 1938.

Shtern commanded the Battle of Lake Khasan as the Chief of Staff of Far Eastern Front in 1938. He commanded the Battle of Khalkhin Gol in July 1939. He was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union on 29 August 1939. It is important to consider the fact that the battle currently is being associated only with Georgy Zhukov, who commanded a Corps and, thus, was under the command of Shtern who was in command of the front-line.