Russian Bigfoot?

[tilly50]

Does anyone have any information about the story that Stalin ordered soviet scientists to develop apemen as "ultimate warriors" during WW2?

Are there any reliable sources for this claim? I came across the statement while following links to do with the recent Georgia Bigfoot hoax.

If it is true it backs up a wild tale I was told as a child by a rather disreputable uncle. Some of his stories might have to be given the benefit of the doubt.

 

[PeniG]

There's a thread on this in Cryptozoology, but no shame in your not finding it. It hasn't been posted in for about three years and we all know the search engine's wonky.

Stalin's Man-Ape Army

Please please please relate your disreputable uncle's stories! Why do you think we come here?

Edit: Hmmm...that link doesn't look active...

stu edit - link code sorted out, now active

 

[tilly50]

Found it, thanks Peni.

My uncle was a great story-teller in the old tradition. He was my grandfathers brother, a few years older, born about 1905. He worked in the docks (on the Wirral side) during the war.

It was during a family trip to the zoo way back in the 1960s that he told us of a strange ape-like animal that he saw on a ship berthed in Birkenhead docks. It happened just after the war had ended and the ship was from the USSR. He said that he saw a large ape carrying heavy boxes about on the deck of the ship. When some of the officers saw that they were being watched they quickly got the animal below decks. He always maintained that the Russians had vast numbers of trained apes that did the heavy work for them onboard the ships as they were less trouble than ordinary human sailors.

I was, of course facinated by his tale and asked again and again for more details. He said he was sure that the animal walked upright, was covered in dark hair and had no tail. I remember that he could not add much more to the story, but it left a firm impression in my mind at the time.

 

[stu neville]

Edit: Hmmm...that link doesn't look active.

BB Code having a funny five minutes - not your fault. I've fixed the link in your post now.