Figure 1.--. |
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Croatia (NDH) was a small country, but given its size made a substantial contribution to the Axis war effort. Pavelic organized actual Croatian units. The regular NDH army was the "Domobran" (traditional Home guard). These men were conscripted and had range of political views incluing largely apolitical views. Many were quite young. Most were patriotic Croatians, but not with Fascist attitudes despite fighting with the NAZIs. The Wehrmact did not have a great deal of respect for the Domobran and attempted to train units. Some of the training took place in the Reich. Pavelic's most loyal political supporters were members of the "Ustasas", the Croatian Fascist party. The police and army units (Ustaska Vojnica), corresponded to the NAZI SS and the Waffen-SS units. [Springer] They were responsible for terrible attrocities, both in Croatia and Bosnia. Many Croatians also volunteered to serve in German and to a lesser extent Italian units. Croatians served in all branches of the German Wehrmacht, the Waffen SS, and the SS Police. Some of the major German units included:
the 369th Reinforced Infantry Regiment, 369th "Devil's" Division, 373rd "Tiger" Division, 392nd "Blue" Division, the Croatian Airforce Legion, The Croatian Naval Legion, the 13th Waffen SS Mountain Division "Handschar", the 23rd Waffen SS Mountain Division "Kama", "Croatia" Police Regiments 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, Police Anti-Tank Company "Croatia", and Gendarmerie Division "Croatia". Units serving with the Italians included: the Light Transport Brigade and the Croatian Legion. [Milcic] The SS in addition recruited Muslim Crots in Bosnia and ethnic Germans in Croatia for the Handzar Division, also responsible for terrible attrocites.
The Royal Yugoslav Army was not formed with ethnic or national units. Thus there were no Croatian units to transfer to the NDH after the German invasion. There were of course many Croatians who had served in the Royal Yugoslav Army. Presumably Yugoslav authorities because of the deep-seated ethnic divisions were hesitant o form units with potentisal ethnic/egional loyalties.
Pavelic organized actual Croatian units. The Austro-Hungarian Imperial Croatian Home Guard was the Domobranstvo (HD). ) After the disolution of the Austro-Hungarian Army at the end of World War I, Croatia became a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which eventually became Yugoslavia. The Yugoslav army became the Yugoslav Royal Army. This was the country's only legal military force. The Domobranstvo and other armed groups in the country were disbanded. This resulted in several incidents. Domobranstvo men demonstrated in Zagreb (December 5, 1918). Serb units were accused of killing 20 unarmed Domobrans. After the German World War II invasion of Yugoslavia (April 1941), the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) was formed. The NDH in one of its first actions was to restore the Croatian Home Guard/Domobranstvo as its regular army. The Domobranstvo was composed of I Corps (Zagreb), II Corps (Brod) and III Corps (Sarajevo). Each had five infantry divisions numbered 1 to 5. Each division had three three-battalion regiments (1 to 15). The Domobranstvo also four engineer battalions, twelve artillery 'battalions' (but only equipped with four 105mm howitzers), a cavalry regiment, logistical services and some armored cars. The total force was 55,000 men. It had serious problems. The Italians who did not trust it, constantly interfered. There was a shortahe of trained officers and non-commissioned officers.
The HD army units differed in uniforms and insignias from all other Croatian units like the USTASKA VOJNICA (UV) and the Poglavnikov Tjelesni Sdrug (PTS). These men were conscripted and had range of political views incluing largely apolitical views. Many were quite young. Most were patriotic Croatians, but not with Fascist attitudes despite fighting with the NAZIs. The Wehrmacht did not have a great deal of respect for the Domobran and attempted to train units to imprive their fighting spirit and capability. Some of the training took place in the Reich. [Springer]
The NDH formed a small air force was formed, but the Italians who had seized the Adriatic coastal areas absolutely refused to allow the NDH to organize a navy.
The NDH set up four Gendarmerie (police) regiments (6,000 men) which controlled 7,500 civilian militiamen.
The HD army was revived by the NDH (1941-45). Afterwards the HD was abolished again by Tito's antifascist government and it remained so until Dr. Tudjman as President of the Republic of Croatia (RH) re-installed HD armed forces in 1991. The HD celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2007.
[Sprnger]
Pavelic's most loyal political supporters were members of the Ustaše (Ustashas or Ustashi), the Croatian Fascist party.
The Ustasha organized its own militia. There wre initially five 700-man battalions, two railway security battalions, and the elite Black Legion and Poglavnik Bodyguard Batakllion/Brigade. The Ustasha expanded its militia to 15 battalions during the course of the War.
The term Ustašewas derived from the Italian word "insurgere" (= to stand up). There were both police and army units corresponding to the NAZI SS and the Waffen-SS units. [Springer] The Ustas(h)a political units were the USTASKA VOJNICA (UV). This was Pavelic's personal guard. The military force was the Poglavnikov Tjelesni Sdrug (PTS). This was the core Ustasa military force, comparable to the German Waffen-SS. [Springer]
They units were responsible for terrible attrocities, both in Croatia and Bosnia.
Ethnic Germasns in Croatias formed one railway security and three Jager (rifle) battalions in the Army, and an independent four-battalion 'Einsatzstaffel' which dressed in SS-like uniforms.
Many Croatians volunteered to serve in German and to a lesser extent Italian units rather than Croatian NDH formations. I am unsure what the motivation here was. Croatians served in all branches of the German Wehrmacht, the Waffen SS, and the SS Police. Some Croatians served in the German military. They were not conscripted, but volunteered for service with the Germans.
There were several German unit. The 369th Reinforced Infantry Regiment was formed and deployed in the Soviet Union. It was destroyed in Stalingrad.
Other units included the 369th "Devil's" Division, 373rd "Tiger" Division, 392nd "Blue" Division, the Croatian Airforce Legion, The Croatian Naval Legion, the 13th Waffen SS Mountain Division "Handschar", the 23rd Waffen SS Mountain Division "Kama", "Croatia" Police Regiments 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, Police Anti-Tank Company "Croatia", and Gendarmerie Division "Croatia".
The Italians also organized Croatian units: the Light Transport Brigade and the Croatian Legion. [Milcic] The Italians sent the 1,200-man 'Croat Legion' to fight with the Italian Army in the Soviet Union. They also organised a 20,000-strong paramilitary 'Voluntary Anti-Communist Militia' (MVAC) to fight the partisans.
The SS recruited divisions in Yugoslavis, both Bosnia and Kosovo. The hear of these divisions were Moslems, although they were trained and led by Reich SS Germans. The SS did not recruit a division in Croatia. We are not entirely sure why. Croatian did serve in various other SS units. We do not know if the project was considered. Probably if Himmiler did consider it, Pavelic would have opposed it as he wanted Croatian manpower for the NDH military units. One source writes,
"There was no military/strategic or political need for the Waffen SS to form such a unit. The need for manpower by the forces of the NDH would have precluded the Poglavnik from allowing such a large number of NDH citizens of military age to transfer to the Waffen SS. This is specially true when the number of Croats already serving in the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and SS Police is taken into consideration." I would not agree aree that there was no strategic need, but would agree that Pavelic would not have wanted Croatian manpower further drained. Unfortunately we have no details on actual consideration by Himmler. We suspect, however, that he may not have been entirely confident as to the loyalty of the Croatians. It was the Muslims in Yugoslavia that he concluded with be the most lyal to the SS.
The SS in addition recruited Muslim Crots in Bosnia and ethnic Germans in Croatia for the Handzar Division. There was also a small number of Croatian Catholics, sabout 10 percent of the Division. The Division was also responsible for terrible attrocites. The Division might be referrred to as a Bosnian division, but there was no Bosnian government in NAZI occupied Yugoslavia. Most of Bosnia was administered by Croatia.
Croatians also joined both the Chetniks and Partisans. Tito himself was part Croat. I do not yet have details on the Croat participation in the Resistance.
Milcic, Allen. "Croatian Volunteers in the German Wehrmacht in WWII".
Springer, Zvonko. "D-DAY's 50th Anniversary" (February 23, 1994).
Springer, Zvonko. E-Mail message, May 16, 2007.
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