War in Slovenia 6.4. - 14.4.1941

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K.Kocjancic
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War in Slovenia 6.4. - 14.4.1941

#1

Post by K.Kocjancic » 11 Nov 2003, 12:34

I'm starting a new thread, dedicated to first phase of WWII in Slovenia - German-Italian-Hungarian attack on Yugoslavia and with this also on Slovenia.

============================================================

First I would like to just list units, which were involved in fighting from 6.4. to 14.4.'41 on territory of Slovenia.

German units:
a) 2. Armee with:
- 46. Mot.Korps (attacked from Hungary),
- 49. Gebirgs-Armeekorps (1. Geb., 79. Inf. and 538. Grenze-Div.),
- 51. Armeekorps (132. and 183. Inf.Div.) and
- 52. Armeekorps (125. Inf. and 100. Light-Div.)
- reserve: 169. and 197. Inf.Div.

b) Luftflotte 4

c) reserve (never used):
- 4., 12. and 19. Pz.Div.
- 20. Mot.Div. and
- 100. Leicht-Div.
Last edited by K.Kocjancic on 11 Nov 2003, 12:49, edited 1 time in total.

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#2

Post by K.Kocjancic » 11 Nov 2003, 12:38

Italian units:
a) 2. Army with:
- 3. Alpine Detachment,
- 11. Corps (Div. "Re" and "Isonzo"),
- 6. Corps (Inf.Div. "Ravenna", "Sassari", "Assiette" and "Friuli"),
- 5. Corps (Inf.Div. "Bergamo" and "Lombardia"),

b) reserve:
- Mot.Corps (Mot.Div. "Torino" and "Passubio"
- Armoured-Div. "Littorio",
- 1. Fast-Corps (1., 2. and 3. Fast-Div.)


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#3

Post by K.Kocjancic » 11 Nov 2003, 12:39

Hungarian units:
-unknown??

Did Hungarian Army even participated in attack? Or just occupatied its territory after the capitulation?
Last edited by K.Kocjancic on 11 Nov 2003, 12:54, edited 1 time in total.

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#4

Post by K.Kocjancic » 11 Nov 2003, 12:48

Yugoslav army's units:
a) 1. Army-Group with:
- 4. Army (Detachment "Ormož")
- 7. Army ("Dravska" Div., "Ljubljanska" Div., "Triglav" Alpine Detachment)
- 4 (four) Fort-Rgt. (on border with Third Reich)
- independant Btl. (?) (on border with Third Reich)
- 4 (four) Art.Detachments (on border with Third Reich)
- 4 (four) Fort-Rgt. (on border with Italy)
- 2 independant Btl.s (?) (on border with Italy)
- 4 (four) Art.Detachments (on border with Italy)

Altogether there were:
- 13 Rgt.s (7 Fort, 4 Inf., 1 Mout. and Reserve-Rgt.),
- 1 independent Detachment,
- 5 Fort-Art.Detachments,
- 1 MG-Btl. +
- Border-Guards


========================================================================

If you know any other units (Axis or Yugoslav), that were present in Slovenia at that time, please post the info.

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Orok
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#5

Post by Orok » 11 Nov 2003, 17:56

Kocjo wrote:Hungarian units:
-unknown??

Did Hungarian Army even participated in attack? Or just occupatied its territory after the capitulation?
The Royal Hungarian Army crossed into Yugoslavia between the Danube and the Tisza at 1400 on 11.04.1941. The Yugoslav "Potiska" Div. had left only token forces in the Bacska area so there was no large scale fightings between the two forces. The Hungarians occupied the whole Bacska area by 14.04.1941.

Royal Hungarian Army units involved:

THIRD ARMY (Gen. vitez Gorondy Novak)

-Mobile Corps (Gen. Miklos)
---1st Motorized Brigade
---2nd Motorized Brigade
---2nd Cavalry Brigade

-I Corps (Gen. Decleva)
---1st Infantry Brigade
---2nd Infantry Brigade
---3rd Infantry Brigade

-IV Corps (Gen. vitez Horvath)
---10th Infantry Brigade
---11th Infantry Brigade
---12th Infantry Brigade

-V Corps (Gen. vitez Feketehalmy-Czeydner)
---13th Infantry Brigade
---14th Infantry Brigade
---15th Infantry Brigade

-VII Corps (Gen. vitez Nagy)
---19th Infantry Brigade
---20th Infantry Brigade
---21st Infantry Brigade

-1st Parachute Battalion (Lt.Col. vitez Bertalan)

-Elements of the River Flotilla

Of the above troops, the I Corps and VII Corps did not see any action.

Hungarian casualties: KIA: officers 7, men 113; WIA: men 223; MIA: officer 2, men 11. total: 346.


Source: Niehorster: The Royal Hungarian Army, 1920-1945.

Best Regards!

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Lupo Solitario
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#6

Post by Lupo Solitario » 11 Nov 2003, 19:25

Hi Kocio

the complete italian OOB could be seen at:
http://www.comandosupremo.com/Yugoslavia.html

Anyway Slovenia was target for XI Corps

bye
Lupo

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#7

Post by K.Kocjancic » 12 Nov 2003, 00:34

Thanks for the link!

Orok, so if I understand correctly - Hungarian army didn't participated in attack on SLovenia (Backa region is not in Slovenia :wink: ).

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#8

Post by Orok » 12 Nov 2003, 01:17

Kocjo wrote:Orok, so if I understand correctly - Hungarian army didn't participated in attack on SLovenia (Backa region is not in Slovenia :wink: ).
That is correct. Hungary did not have territorial claim against Slovenia.

Hungary had a non-agression treaty with Yugoslavia, so the Hungarian Army only entered Yugoslav territory after Croat declared independence. So "officially" Hungary was not at war with Yugoslav, but with the Serbian government.

The Hungarians refused to advance further into Yugoslavia after it had occupied only half of the territory it considered having a claim. Hitler put a lot of pressure on Admiral Horthy but to no avail. This is but the first of many times the Hungarians would irritate the Germans by their reluctance to cooperate! :lol:

Don't forget that the Hungarian prime minister count Pal Teleki committed suicide to protest the immence German pressure on Hungary to assist in the invasion. He was the first Hungarian casualty of the conflict!

Best Regards!

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#9

Post by K.Kocjancic » 12 Nov 2003, 01:31

Orok wrote:Hungary did not have territorial claim against Slovenia.
But part of Slovenia (Prekmurje) were occupied by Hungary. :?

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#10

Post by Orok » 12 Nov 2003, 01:48

Kocjo wrote:But part of Slovenia (Prekmurje) were occupied by Hungary. :?
Yes Kocjo, I forgot Muravidék and Muraköz! :D These were occupied at the same time but by some units of the border guards and civilian police units peacefully. No regular army units were involved.

So it might be an oversimplification to say that Hungary did not have a claim against Slovenia. :lol:

Best Regards!

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#11

Post by K.Kocjancic » 12 Nov 2003, 01:50

Thanks again for your help Orok!

Regards,
Kocjo

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#12

Post by michael mills » 12 Nov 2003, 13:40

Orok wrote:
Hungary had a non-agression treaty with Yugoslavia, so the Hungarian Army only entered Yugoslav territory after Croat declared independence.
Do you have any details of how the Croat declaration of independence came about?

I know that at the time of the German invasion at the beginning of April 1941, there was an autonomous Banovina of Croatia, established in 1939 under the sporazum. The Banovina was self-governing, and was subject to the Yugoslav Government only for foreign affairs and defence purposes.

The Banovina included not only historical Croatia-Slavonia and Dalmatia, but also large parts of Bosnia and the Vojvodina, in fact all areas with an ethnic Croat population. The Ban of Croatia was Ivan Subasic, a Croat who had served in the Serbian army during the First World War, and was acceptable to the Royal Yugoslav Government. After the German invasion, Subasic went into exile with the king, but then switched his allegiance to Tito.

Was it that the government of the Banovina was taken over by the Ustasha, which arrived with the Italian army, and independence then declared, or did the Banovina of Croatia declare its independence even before being taken over by the Ustasha?

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#13

Post by Orok » 12 Nov 2003, 16:10

michael mills wrote:Do you have any details of how the Croat declaration of independence came about?
Hi Michael,

I am sorry but I think a Croat member here is better equiped than me to answer the question.

Best Regards!

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#14

Post by Miki » 12 Nov 2003, 23:37

michael mills wrote: Do you have any details of how the Croat declaration of independence came about?

I know that at the time of the German invasion at the beginning of April 1941, there was an autonomous Banovina of Croatia, established in 1939 under the sporazum. The Banovina was self-governing, and was subject to the Yugoslav Government only for foreign affairs and defence purposes.

The Banovina included not only historical Croatia-Slavonia and Dalmatia, but also large parts of Bosnia and the Vojvodina, in fact all areas with an ethnic Croat population. The Ban of Croatia was Ivan Subasic, a Croat who had served in the Serbian army during the First World War, and was acceptable to the Royal Yugoslav Government. After the German invasion, Subasic went into exile with the king, but then switched his allegiance to Tito.

Was it that the government of the Banovina was taken over by the Ustasha, which arrived with the Italian army, and independence then declared, or did the Banovina of Croatia declare its independence even before being taken over by the Ustasha?
Croatian declaration of independance came from Ustashas lead by
Ante Pavelic. In the 10.04. 1941. Pavelic deputy Slavko Kvaternik, in the name of the Poglavnik Pavelic proclaimed the Independent State of Croatia in its entire historical area. That include Banovina Croatia[Ustasha regime give up of some regions to Hungary (Medjimurje and Baranja) and Italy (Istria, Rijeka, most of the islands and Dalmatian coast)]and whole Bosnia.

regards
Miki

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#15

Post by michael mills » 13 Nov 2003, 01:11

Miki,

Thanks for your reply.

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