R.W.
May 29th, 2009, 04:11 AM
Originally Posted by psychologicalshock
bla bla bla...
I'll discuss with you gladly but please try to control your self and your language. After all this is not some Neggro web-site were we bash our selves like animals, but we rather discuss and debate with civilized manners. If you cannot do that, maybe you are posting on a wrong site. Or just maybe you shouldn't post at all. To all your babbling, i'll have to respond with simple facts, pictures, documents. So, enjoy.
Now, here we go. I hope you know how to read. (here in this document you will find who was proclaimed as an enemy, and why)
Ante Pavelic
Excerpts from The Croat Question (1936)
A thousand years ago, the Croat people had already chosen the Western Culture and civilization. Standing on the border between East and West, it successfully defended this border, despite great sacrifices, against Byzantine and Turkish attacks in a struggle lasting for centuries, fighting in its own defense, but also in defense of all Europe. During these thousand years, the Croats stood on one side and the Serbs on the other of a frontier which also forms the border between Western Civilization and the Orient. . . .
The Croats, a people conscious of their thousand-year-old national individuality, cannot and will not ever give up this individuality, and will resist unconditionally, with all available means, its destruction. This Croat life force is a fact which cannot be affected by any reasons, explanations or arguments, a fact which is indisputable and not subject to discussion. Thus life itself demonstrates the falsehood of the arguments of the victors of the [First] World War. . . .
From the fact that the Croats are an independent ethnic personality and not a part of a fictitious Yugoslav nation, the other fact inevitably follows, that the Croats do not accept the contemporary Yugoslav state but reject it with all determination. This state was established against the will of the Croat people; the committee of the Zagreb National Diet which proclaimed the unification of Croatia and Serbia on 1 December 1918 was never empowered to do so by the Croat people. Within a few days of this unification, the Croat resistance had to be suppressed with machine guns. . . . Thus was Croatia cast into the confusion of a total Balkan chaos, overflowing with political and private amorality, where disorder and corruption characterize the normal form of state administration and immorality is the ideal of private life. . .
The Croat liberation movement demands the reconstruction of a free and independent Croat state comprising the entire historical and ethnic territory of the Croat people. It strives for this end because it corresponds to the will of the whole Croat nation and to its vital needs, because the Croat nation has an incontrovertible right thereto, and because no one is empowered to deny it this right under any pretext whatever. . . .
Principles of the Ustasha Movement (1941)
1. The Croat nation is an independent ethnic entity. It is a nation in itself, and, in respect of nationality, is not identical with any other nation, nor is it a tribe or branch of another nation. . . .
9. The Croat nation, taken as a whole, has a right to happiness and prosperity, and every Croat has the same right as a member of this whole. This happiness and prosperity can be achieved, either by the nation as a whole or by the individual as a member of this whole, only in a fully self-governing and independent Croat state, and therefore no part of it can ever become, in any form, a component of another state.
10. In consequence of its sovereign right, the Croat nation must alone rule in its state and alone decide all state matters and national concerns.
11. No one not of Croat race and Croat blood may participate in Croat state and national leadership. Similarly, no foreign state or foreign nation may decide the fate of the Croat nation and Croat state.
12. The peasantry is the foundation and source of all life, and as such is the chief vehicle of all state authority in the Croat state. However, all other classes in Croatia are part of the national whole, because the other classes of the Croat nation whose members are of Croat blood have not only their roots and ancestry but also an unbroken family relationship with the village. Whoever, in Croatia, is not of peasant descent is, in nine out of ten cases, not of Croat origin or blood but an immigrant foreigner.
13. All material and spiritual wealth in the Croat State is the property of the nation, and the latter alone is empowered to dispose of them and to exploit them. The natural resources of the Croat fatherland, and especially its forests and mines, cannot be the object of private trade. The land can only belong to him who cultivates it himself or with his family, that is, to the peasant. . .
15. The exercise of all official functions is bound with personal responsibility. Anyone who conducts any business in the name of the state or the nation must answer for his actions with his life and his property. Duty and responsibility before society must also be the guiding principle of every action in the private life of every member of the Croat nation.
16. The moral strength of the Croat nation consists in an orderly family life in accordance with religious principles; its economic strength lies in agriculture, in its social collective life, and in the natural wealth of the Croat land; its military strength lies in its organizational and soldierly qualities. . .
Industry, trade and commerce must cooperate for the benefit of the whole national economy. These branches must become a field for honest and honorable work and a source of appropriately dignified life for the worker, but never a means for accumulating national wealth in the hands of the capitalists. . . .
The Enemies of the Croat Liberation Movement
1. The Serbian Government
To estimate the difficulties of the Croat liberation struggle, we must look more closely at the question of its enemies. Here stands in the first place the Serbian government, which, with all the means at its disposal, exerting all its powers, strives to destroy the Croat movement. . . .
** 2. International Freemasonry **
The role played by freemasonry in Yugoslavia is little understood abroad. But a closer examination of this question shows that all state power is in the hands of freemasons. During the World War, freemasonry contrived the establishment of Yugoslavia. For this purpose, during the war, it organized and supported abroad the "Yugoslav Committee", which constituted the embryo of Yugoslavia. . . . As its own creation, international freemasonry has the Yugoslav state well in hand. From the foundation of the state to this day, all personalities occupying any important political position or any administrative position of importance have been lodge members. The highest patron of the Yugoslav freemasonry is the Karadjordjevic dynasty, and the king is also, as a rule, the grand master of the Yugoslav lodges. . . . It goes without saying that both the Yugoslav and international freemasonry has outlawed and excommunicated the Croat liberation movement. It tries to ruin any Croat in the country who is suspected of taking any part, however small, in the independence movement. Freemasonry does not attack any of the Croat party politicians who demand Croat autonomy on the basis of democracy in the framework of a Yugoslav state, because these are in part themselves connected with Jewry and freemasonry. It acts exclusively against our independence movement, which is neither masonic nor democratic, but which fights for the full liberation of Croatia and for an internal order built on sound nationalistic principles. . . .
3. The Jews
Today, practically all finance and nearly all commerce in Croatia is in Jewish hands. This became possible only through the support of the state, which thereby seeks, on one hand, to strengthen the pro-Serbian Jews, and on the other, to weaken Croat national strength. The Jews also celebrated the establishment of the so-called Yugoslav state with great joy, because a national Croatia could never be as useful to them as a multi-national Yugoslavia; for in national chaos lies the power of the Jews. . . . In fact, as the Jews had foreseen, Yugoslavia became, in consequence of the corruption of official life in Serbia, a true Eldorado of Jewry. The latter shows its gratitude for the patronage of Belgrade by using its capital, squeezed out of the Croat people, against the Croat freedom struggle. . . . The entire press in Croatia is also in Jewish-masonic hands, because after the establishment of the military dictatorship in 1929, the Croat press was prohibited and destroyed. This press serves primarily to combat the Croat independence movement directly or indirectly, and also to misrepresent abroad the popular feeling in Croatia. . . .
4. Communism
Communism has not been able to penetrate wider layers of Croat society. Nevertheless, the Belgrade government has sent a large number of communist-infected Serbian students to attend the Croat university in Zagreb at the cost of the state. Together with the Jews, these students spread communist propaganda in Croatia, demonstrate at every opportunity and try to falsify before the outside world the true position of the Croat nationalist student body. . . .
Furthermore, the Comintern has adopted the fully justified standpoint that bolshevik aims will be far more easily achieved in an unconsolidated and corrupt Yugoslavia, disrupted by Serb-Croat struggle, than in a nationally homogeneous Croat state, whose national solidarity, sound peasantry, strong Central European cultural tradition, and historical mission as the bulwark of the West against the Orient would also make it a barrier against bolshevism. Therefore the Communists work for the survival of the Yugoslav state, and attack our independence movement with unexampled hatred.
I hope thats clear now.
Now let me address your unbiased claim about us as chauvinists. I oppose that of course, politics were an enemy and as it is written in the document above, Communists Serbs, Partisans and anti-NS Chetniks (just nationalist Chetniks) were the enemy. Those "national socialists" chetniks weren't the enemy.
here is a little picture where we can cleary see an Ustasha Lieutenant and Chetnik Commander side by side.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/91/Meeting_between_German%2C_Chetniks_and_Usta%C5%A1a_commander.jpg
German General Major Friedrich Stahl stands alongside an Ustasha officer and Chetnik Commander Rade Radic in central Bosnia
Only ones who shifted sides were Chetniks, because few years before the end of World War II majority of Serbian National Socialist Chetniks shifted side and were suddenly fighting against Croatian Ustashas and Germany, and massively joined Partisan ranks. Fact is that a large number of Chetniks couldn't be trusted, that's why Black legion was formed.
As for the Combat skills of Croatian Troops, where we obliterated chetniks who chauvinistically attack other nation:
Battle on Lijevča field (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_on_Lijev%C4%8Da_field)
Main battle
In the morning of April 5 at 2:00am, the Chetniks began a frontal assault on the bunkers, showering them with hand grenades and infantry gunfire. The Home Guard troops in the bunkers waited until the Chetniks came closer then opened fire with their machine guns and mortars which resulted in high losses to the Chetniks, as well as confusion among their ranks. This lasted for the remainder of the day and into the night.
Chetnik Mihajlo Minić later recalled the battle with these words: "The valley of Lijevča polja echoes with the thunder of exploding grenades and hand-bombs. Ustaša tanks snorted and sowed fire on all sides. Night turned to day."
However, on April 6 at 6:00am, Chetnik forces under captain Perišić succeeded in penetrating between bunkers and attacked the 3rd battalion from behind. General Pavlović with part of his own division blocked the Chetnik penetration point, and sent two tank companies to the road from Bukovac to Turjak to help the 3rd battalion. With his remaining troops Pavlović set off to hunt down the Chetnik group, which numbered about 1000 troops. Soon the tanks companies reached and set down the attack on the third battalion, killing around 500 Chetniks, while the survivors retreated towards Kozara.
The 3rd battalion, strengthened by the arrival of the armoured tank units, set out to find the remaining 500 Chetniks. Two days later a battalion from the 4. Croatian Infantry Division under the command of general Zdenko Begić came across these fleeing groups and completely destroyed the unit.
During the night of April 7, due to the work of the Ustaša, panic struck the Chetnik ranks all the way up to the top command and their forces began to flee across the Vrbas with the intention to spread out into the forests. In the morning the Ustaša gunners began to shoot down boats attempting the cross and in this way halted the retreat.
At this time, Partisan forces began to build up near Bosanski Petrovac and Sanski Most. As the Croatian Armed Forces did not wish to fight a battle on two sides, the commander of the 4. Division Josip Metzger decided to launch a final attack on the remaining Chetniks who numbered 27,000.
At 11:00am the 6. and 7. Croatian Infantry Divisions began to attack those Chetniks who had gathered around Razboj. Over Dolina and Glamočani towards Razboj turned the first Armoured Group led by 4 Tigers, along with a mobile artillery company and trucks with infantry. Another Armoured Group headed down the Brezovljani-Glamočani road. From the south the Armoured Group from the 6. Division chased the Chetniks from Kukolk towards Razboj. Behind them came a mobilized artillery company and two infantry battalions which began a frontal battle with the Chetniks. The Home Guard troops left their bunkers and returned sharp machine-gun fire.
Under the onrush of Ustaša tanks and turrets, the Chetnik right flank was crushed and Ustaša forces circled to the their rear and began to attack with machine-gun fire. The Chetnik Drina Corps began to crumble while Chetnik forces tried to close the Ustaša penetration. Under ceaseless fire from the Ustaša force accompanied by hand bombs, panic spread across the Chetniks. The Chetniks began to abandon their posts and attempted to flee, but they did so in vain as they were surrounded on all sides. The Croatian Infantry destroyed the resistance of the Chetniks, who soon surrendered. At 1:00pm the battle was over.
The Montenegrins who had earlier deserted the Chetnik ranks buried the dead. The spoils of war were great. Five thousand Chetniks were captured, among them voivoda Đurišić who had hid beneath a carriage hoping to escape by nightfall. He had to be closely guarded to ensure the Montenegrins did not kill him.
Aftermath
After the battle Đurišić, together with 1500 of his officers and elite Chetniks, were taken to the Ustaša camp at Stara Gradiška where they were killed a few days later. It is unknown what happened to the remaining 3500 Chetniks. It is likely that they were killed at another location.[citation needed]
Five thousand Montenegrins were moved to Sisak, where they were left armed and placed under Ustaša command as the Montenegrin People's Army. In May these troops were among the Ustaša and Home Guard forces, as well as Croatian civilians, who retreated at war's end towards Austria. At Bleiburg they surrendered, along with the Croatian Armed Forces, to the British Army which later returned them to the Partisans. Many were killed during the return trip to the new Yugoslav state, with those survivors being interned at various POW camps.
Or maybe fighting in Stalingrad against ugly communist soviets:
The Croatian 369th Reinforced Regiment
On the day of the German invasion of the Soviet Union, June 22, 1941, the "Poglavnik" (Leader) of the Independant State of Croatia, Ante Pavelic, met with the military and civilian leadership of Croatia to decide how best to support their German ally. All present were strongly in favour of the German attack, seeing the invasion as a battle between the progressive forces of Europe against the Communist forces in the East. All present agreed that Croatia should participate in the invasion alongside Germany. To this end the representative of the German military in Croatia, Edmund Glaise von Horstenau, was contacted.
Von Horstenau suggested that Pavelic prepare a letter to Adolf Hitler, offering the service of Croatian troops on the Eastern Front. Pavelic prepared this letter the following day, on June 23rd, 1941. In his letter, Pavelic explained to Hitler the wishes of the Croatian people to join the battle of "all freedom loving nations against Communism". Pavelic offered ground, sea and air forces, to be committed "as soon as possible" to fight alongside Germany. Hitler responded to Pavelic's letter on July 1st 1941, accepting the Croatian offer and thanking them for their service. Hitler was of the opinion that ground forces could be sent quickly, while air and sea forces would need a longer time to be properly trained and equiped. On July 2nd, 1941, Pavelic ordered that volunteers be called for from all branches of the Armed Forces of Croatia to join the struggle in the East.
The ground contingent of the planned Croatian formations was the first to be formed. The Croatians hoped for a total of 3,900 volunteers in order to form a regimental sized unit, but by the 15th of July 1941, 9,000 men had already stepped forward and volunteered for service! In light of such high numbers the criteria for acceptance was raised considerably.
When finally organized on July 16th 1941, the Regiment was given the title Verstarken Kroatischen Infanterie-Regiment 369, or 369th Reinforced Croatian Infantry Regiment. The Regiment had 3,895 officers, NCO's and men. As part of the Wehrmacht the men of the unit were to wear German uniforms and use German rank insignia. A Croatian armshield consisting of 24 red and white checkers with the title Hrvatska (Croatia) above it was to be worn on the left arm and on the left side of the helmet.
The Regiment consisted of a regimental staff, 3 infantry battalions and an artillery staff company. Each infantry battalion had a battalion staff, 3 infantry companies, a machine-gun company, an anti-tank company, a supply company, and an artillery battery. The Regiment was termed "reinforced" because of the attached artillery which was not normally organic in a unit of regimental size. The commander of the Regiment was Colonel Ivan Markulj. A training battalion for the Regiment was also organized at this time. It was based in the town of Stokerau in Austria shortly after its formation. Its main function was to process replacements for the Regiment fighting on the front.
Once fully organized, the Regiment was transported to Dollersheim in Germany where it was equipped and the men gave their oath to the Fuhrer, the Poglavnik, and to Germany and Croatia. This was followed by three weeks of training after which the Regiment was sent by train through Hungary to Dongena in Bessarabia. From there the Regiment set off on a 750km forced march through the Ukraine to reach the front lines. The march lasted 35 days with only one day of rest. After the 35 day march, the destination of Budniskaja in the Ukraine was reached and the Regiment received one week of respite. During the forced march, 187 members of the Regiment were sent back to Croatia for various health related reasons and two soldiers were executed for leaving their sentry positions. In Budniskaja, a group of experienced German NCO's joined the Regiment to assist in its final training and aclimatizing in the front lines.
On October 9th 1941, the 369th Regiment was assigned to the 100.Jäger-Division. On the 13th of October the Regiment participated in its first battle east of the Dnjeper River. From here on in battles were fought around the villages and towns of Petrusani, Kremencuga, Poltava, Saroki, Balti, Pervomajsk, Kirovgrad, Petropavlovsk, Taranovka, Grisin, Stalino, Vasiljevka, Aleksandrovka, Ivanovka, and Garbatovo. One particular aspect of the fighting during these battles that shocked the Croatians was the sheer numbers of surrendering Soviet troops. Literally thousands surrendered to the Croatians. It actually came to the point where the Regiment was so swamped they considered releasing some of their PoWs! Many of the Soviet soldiers, and especially the Russians and Ukrainians, prefered to surrender to the Croatians feeling that they would get better treatment from fellow Slavs.
After nearly a year in existance, In July of 1942, the Regiment fought towards the northeast, and then turned to the southeast along the Don River. Heavy losses were sustained by the Croats on the 25th, 26th and 27th of July in battles around the Collective Farm (Kolhoz) known as "Proljet Kultura" near the town of Selivanova. 46 Croatian soldiers were killed and 176 wounded. Much of the fighting was fierce hand to hand combat. A Croatian military cemetary was built next to the Kolhoz and the soldiers killed in action were buried there. On August 26th 1942, the first reinforcements arrived from the training battalion in Stokerau and the Regiment was sent to Glaskov for rest and refitting.
Between the end of August and the end of September 1942 the Regiment took part in various training and refitting duties behind the lines. On September 22nd 1942, Colonel Viktor Pavicic, until that time commander of the Croatian Military Academy, replaced Colonel Markulj as the CO of the Regiment. On September 24th 1942, Ante Pavelic made a visit to the Regiment to bestowe decorations upon various men of the unit and to lunch with General von Paulus of 6.Armee. Finally, on September 26th 1942, the Regiment received orders to move out. A forced march to the south-east through Gomcar and Gumnik followed. After a 14 hour march, the Regiment arrived in the fateful suburbs of Stalingrad. At 11:30pm of that same day, the 1st Battalion of the Regiment entered the front lines in Stalingrad itself. Early the next morning, the remaining portions of the Regiment also entered the front lines around Stalingrad. The 369th Regiment thus became the only unit of non-Germans to participate in the attack on Stalingrad. This was actually viewed as a great honor - a reward for its hard fought battles and excellent successes to this point. Some talk was even heard about re-naming the 100.Jäger-Division as the 100th German-Croatian Jager Division! None of this was to come to fruition though, as the streets of Stalingrad were to be the final resting place for the Regiment.
The Regiment's men participated in some of the hardest battles in the attempt to take Stalingrad. A typical day of fighting in Stalingrad for the men of the Regiment was described by the Commander of a platoon of the 3rd Company, Lt. Bucar:
"...When we entered Stalingrad, it was ruined and in flames. We took cover in trenches and bunkers, as the enemy was hitting us with artilley, Katusha rockets, and with aircraft. I was lucky not to lose any men, but the Second Platoon lost one man dead and 5 wounded, and the Third Platoon 13 dead and wounded. Around 6:00am, German Stuka aircraft bombed the area ahead of us, and an attack was ordered towards the northern part of the city. My platoon's mission was to, in conjuction with a German unit, clear the Freight Station, and then the railroad dike, and reach the Volga River. Night fell under constant bombardment. I didn't lose any men, but our transport unit was hit badly, and lost 10 men, 40 horses, and an equipment truck with ammunition..."
The Commander of the 2nd Battalion, Captain Ivan Coric, described the fighting in Stalingrad as follows:
"...During the night of 26/27 September, Russian aircraft flew extremely low, and bombed the area where my battalion was supposed to be encamped. However, expecting that this section might be hit, we had taken cover in ditches around the area. At 6:00am on the 27th of September, receiving fire from only one part of the city, I re-deployed my men in various deep ditches, and in covered areas. We remained in reserve until 1:00pm, when the Regimental commander ordered that my battalion move out towards the German 227th Regiment's positions. I requested that this move be postponed until dark as the Soviets were bombing the area with heavy artillery and Katusha rockets and I worried about the heavy casualties we would take moving in the open through this barrage. The Commander refused to consider my request, and at 2:00pm, under the heaviest of bombardments, I moved out with my Battalion towards the 227th Regiment, about 10km away. We moved in groups of 3-4 men, with myself and my Adjutant in the lead. After only a few hundred meters, we were hit by immense artillery fire, and my men began to die, one after another. Company Commander Tomas was wounded. About half way to the 227th, we were ordered to stop and for myself and my Adjutant to report to the Commander of the 227th Regiment. I arranged my men in ditches and cover in the surrounding area. The Commander of the 227th Regiment, Lt.Colonel Mohr, ordered my battalion to reinforce his weakened regiment, and for myself and my staff to remain in the vicinity of his HQ. Upon receiving these orders, and returning to my men, darkness had fallen. We moved out towards the positions of the 227th, crawling through ditches. Under a moonlight sky, Soviet airplanes easily noticed us and bombed us with Phosphorus bombs that burn upon explosion. Many of my men were in flames. It was a horrible sight. Healthy and wounded jumped in to try and save our burning comrades... My Battalion, now attached to the 227th Regiment, advanced with great difficulty, taking house by house. During the night of the 28th of September 1942, I was forced to leave my men due to a serious head wound I received from an airplane bomb. My Adjutant, Lt. Tomislav Jelic, was wounded in this explosion as well. I later heard that my men continued to fight heroically until the last man of the 2nd battalion had fallen."
By the 13th of October the 369th Regiment was down to one weak battalion and 2 weak independent companies consisting of only 983 men total out of the original Regiment, including all reinforcements arrived from Stokerau. Still on this day, the Regiment managed to advance a further 800 meters into the northern sector of Stalingrad.
On the 16th of October 1942, Colonel-General Sanne decorated Croatian Sergeant Dragutin Podobnik with the Iron Cross 1st Class for extreme heroism during the taking of the Red October factory on the 30th of September. Colonel Pavicic is also decorated with this medal for his excellent leadership of the Regiment.
During the remaining days of October 1942 the Regiment fought hard and its losses accumulated. The Red October factory was continously the center of fighting during this time. A Soviet counter-attack along the railway tracks near the Red October factory was just barely contained, and Russian civilians were even seen shooting Croatian and German soldiers, prompting an order to fire indescriminately on all civilians found in the battle zone. October 31st 1942 was spent defending Building number ten of the Red October factory.
On November 3rd 1942, the 369th Regiment had the following troops still available: 1 infantry company with 98 men and 8 light machine-guns, a heavy machine-gun company with 73 men and one operational heavy machine-gun, and an anti-tank company with 20 men and 6 cannon - only enough men to serve two! The total remaining Croatian soldiers was 191. Of this, only 4 were officers. This number does not include the artillery battery, whose men and weapons were scattered throughout various German units. On the 4th of November, a battalion of replacements arrived from Stokerau, but even these much needed men barely made the "reinforced regiment" a reinforced battalion!
On the 6th of November the remains of the unit were attached to the German 212th Infantry Regiment. Fighting continued in and around the Red October factory. On November 21st 1942, news of a Soviet attack on the flanks of the 6.Armee was heard. By November 25th 1942, the lines being held by the Regiment were so thinly manned that Soviet scouts were able to pass through poritions of the front into the Gemran rear. Every available man, including the sick and lightly wounded, were therefore sent to hold the line.
There were 5 officers, 9 NCO's and 110 soldiers left fighting at the end of November, 1942. Food was carefully rationed and consists of 120 grams of horse meat per meal along with some bread. Of the 3 daily meals, only one was considered large, and this consisted of only 1/2 of the required amount to sustain troops from day-to-day.
As December arrived, the few remaining Croatian soldiers were frozen, hungry and in the midst of a general lack of ammunition and weapons. The commanding officer, Colonel Pavicic, was by now living in his own world writing out irrelevant daily orders to troops and units that no longer existed. On the 17th of December, the Volga River froze over allowing the Soviets to open another front on that side of the city as well.
On Christmas Day, 1942, Lt. Korobkin wrote:
"...Today, December 25, 1942, around noon, the enemy attacked from Building number 4 into Building number 2 (Red October Factory), which is our left flank. The enemy fought his way into number 2. Our defenders are under constant fire from the 'small white house' accross from Building number 2. A cannon shot by the enemy has destroyed our heavy machine-gun. At the same time as this attack on our left flank, the enemy attacked our right flank. Despite cross-fire and artillery support, this attack was thrown back. This success is mostly due to the heroism of Corporal Ivan Vadlje. In the evening we received a message from Lt.-Colonel Eichler, congratulating us for holding out. When night fell, we took advantage of the dark, and counter-attacked on our left flank. Using hand grenades, we destroyed the enemy unit, and re-took our previous positions. Lt-Colonel Eichler, upon hearing of this success, sent us a new message, in which he says that the Grenadiers of the 212th Regiment are proud to have warriors like us Croats in their midst. Sergeants Ante Martinovic and Franjo Filcic were killed in this counter-attack. 12 men are wounded."
On January 10th, 1943, Colonel Pavicic, in his report to the 100.Jäger-Division, wrote:
"I must say that, in the period from September 27, 1942, when we arrived at Stalingrad, till today, my men have had only 4 days of rest. The last day of rest, on the 30th of December for 24 hours, was insufficient even for required sleep, as after 3 days and nights of constant battles in and around the Red October, they were so over-tired, that they slept like they were dead, and never even had time to wash, shave, or cut their hair. Immediately after this short rest, they were again thrown into the thick of battle, holding a small salient in our lines. They held this position until the 9th of January, 1943, when they were pulled back into our current position. We are under attack here again today."
On the 16th of January 1943, the Soviets launched an attack from three sides of the Croatian positions. They were pushed several streets back and a group led by Lt. Fiember was cut off. Under heavy attack, this group ran out of ammunition and was later over-run. Lt.Colonel Kuhlwein attempted to save young Fiember and his men by counter-attacking, but all of the men of this attack were killed, including Lt.-Colonel Kuhlwein. Lieutenants Zubcevski, Korobkin and Vadlja, with a few surviving soldiers, continued to battle against this Soviet attack and soon all three were seriously wounded. The German command then ordered that the last survivng Croats be pulled from the battle lines and be employed in digging fortification lines around the former Soviet Airforce Academy, which would serve as the last defense point of the unit.
Shortly after, Colonel Pavicic requested from the 100.Jäger-Division that he be replaced. As he has no more men, just a few wounded, he felt he was useless. He suggested that Lt.-Colonel Mesic (Commander of the artillery battery) replace him, and that he (Pavicic) be flown out of Stalingrad back to Stokerau where a German-Croatian Division was being formed to fight the partisans in the Balkans (This would be the 369th "Devil's" Division, see below). On the 20th of January 1943, Colonel Pavicic attempted to fly out of Stalingrad. It is a complete mystery what happened to him. Two possibilites exist, one that his plane was shot down and the other that he had attempted to leave without the orders of the Divisional Command and was executed in those last mad days of the Stalingrad pocket. The former is more likely the truth, as there is a witness (Sergeant Ervin Juric) amongst the surviving Croatians that claims to have seen the orders arrive for Pavicic from General Sanne.
On the 23rd of January 1943, 18 wounded Croatians were flown out of Stalingrad. They were the last Croatians to leave Stalingalive. Amongst these lucky souls was Croatian Sergeant Juric, who wrote and carried with him to safety the Kriegstagbuch (unit war diary) of the 369th Reinforced Regiment, thereby saving for posterity the ultimate memorial to these brave men. The only entry in the diary after January 23rd 1943 is "February 2, 1943, Stalingrad has fallen".
Lt.-Colonel Mesic remained in Stalingrad after January 23rd 1943 with the few surviving men of the Regiment. Most died in the desperate battles at the end. Mesic and a handfull of soldiers survived and surrendered to the Soviets. They were forced to walk with no warm clothes and no food, all the way to Moscow. Here, they were thrown into a fenced field where they had to dig holes in the snow for protection from the elements. They were fed once a day and in 1945, Mesic was sent to Yugoslavia where the Communists government had him liquidated.
The remnants of the 369th that had been evacuated by air from Stalingrad due to wounds, sickness, etc, were sent to Stockerau where they alongside the replacement battalion of the former Regiment, formed the core of a new Croatian infantry unit, the 369th Vrazja Division, or Devil's Division. There were approximately 1,000 of these former veterans of the original Croatian Regiment. They were all awarded a special honor badge called the "Croatian Legion Badge - 1941" shaped as a Linden leaf with the Croat checkerboard and the words "Hrvatska Legija - 1941" on it.
The 369th (Croat) Infantry Division
In mid-1941, seeing the success of the Croatian soldiers on the Eastern Front, and begining to need as many men as possible for the ongoing war, the German Army decided to raise a Croatian Legion Division. The plan was to send this division to fight in Russia as well.
The Division began formation on August 21st 1942 in Stokerau, Austria. Training Battalion personnel and recovered wounded of the Croatian 369th Regiment were the nucleous of the Division. By December of 1942, about 1,000 veterans of the 369th Regiment were in this new unit. Added to these men were a group of fresh volunteers from Croatia. The Commander of the Division became German Lt.-General Fritz Neidholt, and a sprinkling of German officers and NCO's served to bolster the Division's ranks.
The men were organized into two Infanterie-Grenadier Regiments, the 369th and the 370th Croatian Regiments. Each consisted of three infantry battalions and a mortar company. An artillery regiment, the 369th Croatian Artillery Regiment, itself of two light battalions of three batteries and one heavy battalion of 2 batteries each, was also formed alongside various support units such an engineer battalion, a signals battalion, a supply troop, a maintenance company, three administration companies, a medical company, a veterinary company, and a military police detachment. The division received the title "369th (Croat) Infantry Division", but was referred to by its members as the "Vrazja" ("Devil's") Division. The "Vrazja" name dates back to a Croatian division (the 42nd) of the Austro-Hungarian Army in WWI. The Germans, on the other hand, preferred to call the division the "Schachbrett" or "Chessboard" Division, due to the distinctive armshield of the Croatians. The Division wore German uniform and rank insignia, and only the Croat armshield to identify it as a unit of Croatian volunteers. Unlike the former 369th Regiment, the new 369th Division wore its armshield on the right sleeve. Note that, with the original 369th Regiment destroyed at Stalingrad, the new division titled one of its regiments "369" to honor their fallen comrades on the Eastern Front.
In January 1943 it was decided that the situation in Croatia was becoming critical due to the Communist Partisan uprisings in the region and the Division was instead sent to the Balkans rather than the Eastern Front. Upon arrival in Croatia, the Division had approximately 14,000 men in its ranks.
The first operation it participated in was titled "Weiss" (White), in northern Bosnia. This battle is sometimes referred to as the Battle of the Neretva. Begining on January 20th 1943, and lasting until the end of March 1943, the operation turned out to be a tactical victory for the Axis, but failed to destroy the Partisans. The Division fought well from the area of Sisak-Kostajnica south to Prijedor towards Bosanski Petrovac, where it hooked up with the SS "Prinz Eugen" Division. Unfortunately, the Partisans escaped the planned trap at the Neretva River by fighting their way through Italian areas of operation and destroying a Serbian Cetnik blocking force.
After this first battle the 369th Division was assigned an area of operation that ran roughly from the city of Karlovac in the west, to the Croatia-Serbia border on the Drina River in the east, and from the Croatian Adriatic coast in the south, to the Sava River in the north. Most operations, however, were in the Sarajevo-Mostar regions within this area.
The next major operation the 369th Division participated in was "Schwarz" (Black), in May of 1943. The operation is also referred to as the "Battle of the Sutjeska". Large Partisan forces, numbering 4 divisions and 2 brigades, were surrounded in the Montenegro-Bosnian border area. The Partisans made several breakout attempts, and managed to break through the surrounding forces at Foca on the Sutjeska River. Escaping in a northwesterly direction, 3 divisions of Partisans ran into a blocking force of the 369th Division near the town of Balinovac. A heavy battle ensued, with the Communist guerillas managing to tear several gaps in the Division's lines and escape. Losses were heavy on both sides.
After resting and rebuilding, the 369th next fought the Partisans in December of 1943 in the area of Travnik (central Bosnia). Operations "Kugelblitz" (around the town of Visoko, central Bosnia), "Schneesturm" (eastern Bosnia) and "Waldrausch" (also eastern Bosnia) were then participated in. Ending in late January 1944, these operations netted over 11,000 Partisan dead, but failed to destroy the guerilla movement. Smaller scale operations continued throughout 1944.
By November the military situation in Croatia had become critical for the Axis. The 369th Division was in the Mostar region trying to defend a large area with only a few fortress battalions added as reinforcements. In late January of 1945 a large Partisan offensive on Mostar threatened to overwhelm the outnumbered 369th, and February 15th 1945, Mostar was abandoned. The 369th was forced to retreat westwards, leaving much of its heavy equipment behind. The slow, terrible fighting withdrawl of the Axis forces from Croatia into Austria continued, and the 369th Division was a part of this movement. Heavy losses were incurred by the division and by late April of 1945 it had only about 500 men per regiment remaining!
On May 11th, 1945 the 369th Division surrendered to British armored forces near Bleiburg, Austria. Most of the Croatian soldiers were promptly sent by the British into Partisan hands where they were for the most part executed.
The 373rd (Croat) Infantry Division
On January 6th 1943, the German Army formed a second German-Croatian Division at Dollersheim (Germany), for service in Croatia on anti-Partisan duties. Titled 373.Infanterie-Division (Kroat.) or 373rd Infantry Division (Croat), the Division was nicknamed "Tigar" (Tiger) by its men. The Commander was German Lt.-General Emil Zellner. Most of the officer cadre was German, as were a large number of NCO's. Uniforms and rank insignia were German, with the Croatian armshield on the right sleeve.
The Division was organized into 2 Infantry-Grenadier Regiments - the 383rd and the 384th Croatian Regiments (of 3 Infantry Battalions and a Mortar Company each), an Artillery Regiment - the 373rd Croatian Artillery Regiment (2 Light Battalions of 3 Batteries and 1 heavy Battalion of 2 Batteries), and support units (Pioneer Battalion, Signals Battalion, Supply Troop, Maintenance Company, 3 Administration Companies, Medical Company, Veterinary Company and a Military Police Detachment). The Supply Company was horse-drawn.
The 373rd Division was assigned an Area of Operation, reaching from Karlovac in the east, to Sarajevo in the west, and from the Adriatic coast of Croatia in the south, to the Sava River in the north. Most of the anti-Partisan drives were in the Banja Luka - Bihac areas.
In May of 1944, the 373rd participated in Operation "Rosselsprung" (Knight's Move), the attempt to capture the Communist Partisan leader Tito. In the Fall of 1944, the Division absorbed the 2nd Jager Brigade of the Croatian Army as its 3rd Regiment (385th Croatian Infantry Regiment). On December 6th 1944, the 373rd participated in the defence of Knin, where it was heavily mauled. Survivors retreated to the northwest towards Bihac. By January of 1945, the Division's remnants were fighting in the Bihac area as part of German XVth Mountain Corps. Battles continued with the Division moving to the Kostajnica region in late April of 1945. Survivors surrendered to the Partisans west of Sisak in May of 1945.
The 392nd (Croat) Infantry Division
On August 17th 1943, the German Army formed the last of the German-Croatian Divisions. Like the 373rd before it, the 392nd was founded at Dollersheim (Germany) for service in Croatia on anti-Partisan duties. Titled 392 Infanterie-Division (Kroat.) or 392nd Infantry Division (Croat), the Division was nicknamed "Plava" (Blue) by its men. The Commander was German Lt.-General Hans Mickl. Most of the officer cadre was German, as were a large number of NCO's.
Uniforms and rank insignia were German, with the Croatian armshield on the right sleeve. The Division was organized into 2 Infantry-Grenadier Regiments - the 364th and the 365th Croatian Regiments (of 3 Infantry Battalions and a Mortar Company each), an Artillery Regiment - the 392nd Croatian Artillery Regiment (2 Battalions with 3 Light Batteries each), and support units (Pioneer Battalion, Signals Battalion, Supply Troop, Maintenance Company, 3 Administration Companies, Medical Company, Veterinary Company and a Military Police Detachment). The Supply Company was horse-drawn.
The 392nd Division was assigned an Area of Operation, reaching from southern Slovenia, along the Croatian Adriatic coast, to the city of Knin. The Division fought mostly in the northern coastal area of Croatia, with its islands. It also took part in the German attempt to construct a security line around the Otocac - Bihac area, in January, 1945, after the fall of Knin.
Under severe Partisan attack, the 392nd made a fighting withdrawl westward until April 24th 1945 when north of Rijeka (Fiume) the German cadre released the Croatian soldiers from further service and surrendered to the Partisans.
The Croatian Airforce Legion
When Ante Pavelic's call on Croatian volunteers for the Eastern Front went out (July 2nd 1941), an airforce unit was quickly organized. A large number of volunteers had come forward, mostly from the already existing Croatian Airforce, and many had to be turned away.
Colonel Ivan Mrak was selected as the Commander of the Legion. The Legion itself was organized into a Fighter Squadron (commanded by Lt.Colonel Franjo Dzal) and a Bomber Squadron (commanded by Lt.Colonel Vjekoslav Vicevic). The Fighter Squadron was itself further divided into 2 Wings, as was the Bomber Squadron. The Air Legion departed from Croatia for training in Germany on July 15th 1941.
The Fighter Squadron:
One Wing of the Fighter Squadron was sent to the area of Furth, Germany, for training, the other to Herzogen Aurah Airfield, nearby. Training commenced on July 19th 1941, on Arado 96 and Me D aircraft, and lasted to the end of September 1941 at which time the Legionnaires were deemed ready for the Eastern Front and received Messerschmitt Bf109 fighter planes. During the course of their training, the men had been issued Luftwaffe uniforms adorned with the Croatian armshield and the Croatian Airforce Legion badge on the right breast pocket.
The Squadron received the official designation '15.(Kroatische)/JG 52', and arrived to its first Eastern Front airfield on October 6th 1941, near Poltava. On October 9th 1941, the Squadron has its first taste of action, when, in the Ahtijevka-Krasnograd area, a Soviet R10 was shot down. The kill was given to the German liason pilot to the Squadron, Lt. Baumgarten. The Squadron was transfered at the end of October 1941 to Taganrog, and stayed in this area till December 1st 1941. The first kill by a Croatian pilot occured in this time period by Captain Ferencina, and the second by Lt.Colonel Dzal.
On December 1st 1941, the Squadron transfered to Marinpol. Attacks were made on Soviet armoured columns around Pokorovskoje, Matvejeva, Kurgan, Jeiska and Uspenskoje, and on the railway line Marinpol-Stalino. As well, the Squadron escorted German bombers on their missions. By the end of January 1942, the Squadron had shot down 23 Soviet airplanes (of this, 4 were MIG-6 fighters). At the end of March 1942, the Squadron received a telegrams from the Commander of 4.Fliegerkorp, General Flugbeil, and the Commander of 4.Luftflotte, Colonel-General Lohr, congratulating them on their successes. In April 1942, the Squadron flew escort missions for Stuka bombers, guarded the Marinpol airfield, and strafes Soviet troops in the Azov Sea area. Nine more Soviet airplanes were shot down in this period.
In May, the Squadron was transfered first to the Krimea, and shortly thereafter, to the Artemovka-Konstantinovka region. From this base of operation, the Squadron flew escort missions for bombers attacking Sevastopol and patrolled the Azov Sea area. Four more Soviet planes were downed, and a Soviet patrol boat was also sunk. From the end of May, till June 21st 1942 (the date of the Squadron's 1000 flight), 21 more Soviet planes were shot down. From this date till the end of July 1942, 69 more planes are shot down.
The Squadron continued with its fine performances until July 1944 when it was returned to Croatia to combat the increasing Partisan menace. By this time, the Squadron had tallied 283 kills, had 14 pilots with Ace status, and 4 pilots (Culinovic, Galic, Milkovic and Kauzlaric) that had been decorated with the EKI and EKII.
The Fighter Squadron's losses during their service on the Eastern Front totaled an incredibly low 2 planes and 5 pilots!
The Bomber Squadron:
Officially designated '15.(Kroatische)/KG 53'., the bomber squadron was equipped with Dornier Do17 aircraft. It arrived on the Eastern Front on October 25th 1941, after training at the Grosse Kampfflieger Schule 3, in Greifswald, Germany. Their first area of operations was near Vitebsk. The rest of the Bomber Squadron's assignments were in the Northern Sector of the Eastern Front, including the bombing of Leningrad and Moscow. On November 9th 1941, the Squadron was congratulated by Fieldmarshall Kesselring for its actions thus far. After flying 1247 sorties on the Eastern Front, the Squadron was disolved in December of 1942, and integrated into the Croatian Airforce for battle against the Partisans. During the time it was active, 5 aircraft and 20 men were lost by the Squadron.
The Croatian Naval Legion
Soon after Pavelic's call for Croatian volunteers to fight on the Eastern Front went out on July 2nd 1941, enough naval officers and men came forward to form the Croatian Naval Brigade. This Brigade had all together 343 members, of which 23 were officers, 220 NCO's and 100 sailors.
It is interesting to note that Italy had vetoed the forming of a Croatian national Navy that would serve in the Adriatic Sea, so all of the best naval personnel in Croatia stepped forward into German service. (The Italians had no problems with the formation of a Croatian Legion unit that would serve on the Eastern Front).
Shortly after formation, the Brigade received the title "Croatian Naval Legion" (Hrvatska Pomorska Legija), and became a part of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine). The first commander was Frigate Captain Andro Vrkljan. He was later replaced by Battleship Captain Stjepan Rumenovic.
The Naval Legion was sent for training to Varna, Bulgaria, on the Black Sea. Upon arrival in Varna on July 17th 1941, the Croatian Legionnaires received their uniforms and started with training on German minesweepers and submarines, as they were to be the future crews of these ships in the Black Sea. The training during this period, over and above the required naval training on the boats, consisted of infantry training, signals training, rowing, and German language instruction. German Admiral Schuster was one of the dignitaries that paid a visit to the Croatian Legionnaires during their training in Bulgaria.
Training was completed on September 22nd 1941, and on the same day the Legion set off for the Soviet Union, where they arrived on the 30th of September 1941. The official military designation for the Legion was 23.Minesuch-Flottilla, or 23rd Minesweeping Flotilla.
At the end of September 1941, the Legion was stationed in Geniscek. The town was fortified shortly after the unit arrived and patrolling commenced - both shore patrols and patrols along the coastline. A report from this period indicated that the Croatian sailors were "eager to do battle".
An attack on Geniscek in late 1941 by the Soviets was destroyed thanks to Luftwaffe intervention. At the time only the Croatian Legion, a squad of Romanian cavalry and a small German garrison were present to defend the town. The Winter was passed in digging bunkers, and keeping warm. During this period Captain Vrkljan of the Legion was travelling with a German inspection team throughout the region. Amongst other adventures, the Inspection team fought as infantry in the town of Teodozija during a Soviet attack. During these long, cold, boring Winter months, the Soviets attempted to destroy the troop moral by continuously dropping propaganda leaflets, which, among other things, poked fun at the Germans for having a bad Christmas, and trying to convince them that only surrender will bring about the possibility of ever having another good one. All leaflets ended with "Long live Moscow! Down with Hitler". The Croatian Legionnaires used the leaflets in their stoves.
At the begining of April 1942, the ice in the Geniscek harbour finally began to loosen, and the Croatians prepared to depart from Geniscek. Being well liked by the locals, the Town Council of Geniscek named a street "Hrvatska" (Croatia) in their honor.
By mid-April, the ice was almost gone, and the Croatian ships could once again set sail. Mines were ordered placed around the harbour entrance as a defense against possible Soviet attack, however, in a catastrophic accident during the laying of the mines, 25 Croatians were killed and 2 boats destroyed. On May 25th 1942, the Croatian naval flotilla sailed out of Geniscek. They had manned their positions in this small town for 8 months, and had defended it from all attacks with poise and courage, and had sustained minimal losses.
In August of 1942, the Legion was at Marinpol. The Legion at this time had 31 MFK's (Motorfischkuter), and 35 other motor boats under their command. Including the command ship "Tovaris" (captured from the Soviet navy) and other smaller boats, the Legion was 130 boats strong. The Legion's commander, besides his Croatian crews, also commanded 200 German sailors that had been assigned to the Legion. The German contingent was commanded by Ensign Plautz.
Just prior to New Years Eve, 1942, the Legion transfered their ships to new crews, and were sent to Croatia for rest. After this, they were sent to Germany for further training, and after this back to Varna. In October of 1943, the Legion was transferred to Trieste, where men of the Legion were assigned to various Kriegsmarine ships, thereby officially ending the Croatian's service as a single unit of the German Navy.
It is interesting to note that, during their tour of duty in the Crimea, Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, the Croatians managed to recruit into their ranks several former Red Army sailors of Ukrainian nationality. Some of these Ukrainians brought their ships with them to the Croatians!
A Croatian Coastal Artillery Battery was also attached to the Legion in the summer of 1943.
The Croatian Legionnaires wore regular Kriegsmarine uniforms with only the red-white checkerboard shield of Croatia on their left arm to distinguish them. The coastal artillery wore German field grey, with the arm-shield.
There are many more examples that i could show, but somehow i doubt you will ready any of this i have posted. Since you are here only to troll and ruin this thread.
As for the hidden jews in Ustashe ranks, those things are rumors. But even if they are true, tell me are you going to be so hypocritical, two-faced and bash us for that while in the German Wehrmach that was a friggin few hundreds of half-jews serving the army. Even the commander of Luftwaffe was a jew decendant. The kid on the Wehrmach propaganda posters that said, "this is the perfect German soldier/Aryan" was a jew.
Here, i'll quote it to you.
On Dec. 1 1939 Werner Goldberg joined the Wehrmacht. He took part in the invasion of Poland on September 1 1939. Shortly after the beginning of the war his picture appeared in the Sunday edition of the Berliner Tageblatt with the caption "The Ideal German Soldier". Werner was a half-Jewish German.
http://www.stengerhistorica.com/History/Ehrenrettung/Riggs/Images/Goldberg.jpg
And now what, should i act like a brainless person and attack whole german B&H movement, and their history because of this? Wouldn't that be stupid, yes it would. And thats just the thing you are doing, because your lack of knowledge, intelligence and your personal agenda against us.
I mean, things like that happens, i don't agree with them but they do happen.
Will you attack whole national socialist movement because of that? I mean you are attacking us for like 2 jews in the friggin country, why don't you go on a German sub-forum and attack that about having few jews in wehrmach as well. Seriously, discussing with you is like talking to a 2-year old child. Actually this isn't discussing at all, i'm tutoring you.
Originally Posted by psychologicalshock
Alex I am just pointing out a deficiency - all these glamor shots and yet no pictures of Ustashe in action, whats up with that?
42 Minutes Ago 02:22 AM
Are you blind? You don't see any pictures in action? Seriously, are you just kidding me or you need a pair of glasses?
P.S.- You sir are an liar, emotional one. You are just trolling, arguing about something you obviously don't have a clue about. If you need any private tutoring just PM me and i will help you. Rather stop attacking others, and stick to the subjects about which you know something, tho i doubt i'll see that.
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