Slovak divisions on the eastern front. Fraternal glory and infamy: Slovakia in World War II

08.07.2020

Many details of the war, which began on September 1, 1939 and went down in history under the name World War II, are still little known to the domestic reader.

For example, a simple question: the troops of which particular state were the first to take part in World War II as an ally of Germany? But few people are able to answer it correctly. This country is Slovakia.

The Polish researcher Stanislav Poberezhets in his work “The German-Polish War of 1939” emphasized: “Slovakia was the only ally of Germany that at that time took part in the hostilities on its side ... On September 5, Slovakia entered the war, and the Slovak army crossed the border at the Dukel Pass . After the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Germany on March 15, 1939, the Slovak Republic was declared sovereign state, and the Czech Republic was declared a protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. Preparing for an attack on Poland, Germany planned to involve the armed forces of Slovakia in this operation.

True, at the same time, the Polish historian for some reason forgot to mention that, by occupying Czechoslovakia in 1938-39, Germany shared with Poland, an accomplice to the partition, a piece of Czechoslovak territory.

It should be noted that in the last months of its existence before the partition, the border regions of Czechoslovakia became the scene of a real undeclared war with various claimants to its territory. In the German-speaking areas of the Sudetenland, the pro-German "Liberation Corps" was active, numbering about 15 thousand militants. Only for the period from September 12 to October 4, 1938, the Corps organized 69 attacks on Czechoslovak units. The most violent confrontation took place in locality Cesky Krumlevo, where Czechs and Slovaks used tanks in battles with German fighters. Fierce skirmishes also took place with the regular Hungarian army, which claimed the so-called Subcarpathian Rus (later this region went to the USSR) and Southern Slovakia. The most serious battles with the Hungarians took place in October 1938 in the region of Uzhgorod and Mukachevo. And, finally, the Poles were active from the north, in clashes with which the Czechoslovak troops also actively used tanks ... By the incomprehensible irony of history, in the fall of 1938, the Poles, eager to possess the Czechoslovak Teszyn region, acted as Hitler's accomplices.

Winston Churchill, in his memoirs on the role of Poland in the events of 1938, expressed himself with truly Anglo-Saxon frankness: "... The same Poland that only six months ago, with the greed of a hyena, took part in the robbery and destruction of the Czechoslovak state."

On October 1, 1938, Polish troops crossed the Czechoslovak border and received from Hitler their piece of territory - the Teszyn region. And 11 months later, in September 1939, the Slovak troops, together with the German allies, marched against Poland ...

175 aircraft from the German 4th Air Fleet were based on Slovak airfields. The army of Slovakia consisted of ground forces: cavalry, infantry, artillery and a certain number of armored units, as well as the air force. Armament was for the most part the former Czechoslovak army, handed over by the Germans after the occupation of the country to the Slovaks.

For combat operations against Poland, Slovakia allocated two operational groups formed on the basis of units of the 1st and 3rd infantry divisions. The first group was a brigade, which included 6 infantry battalions, 2 artillery batteries and an engineering company, under the overall command of Anton Pulanich. The second group was a horse-motorized brigade, consisting of 2 cavalry battalions (which also had motorcycles) and 9 mobile artillery batteries. This group was commanded by Gustav Malar. Both groups made a breakthrough through the Dukel Pass and captured the Tarnow region in southwestern Poland. The actions of the ground forces were supported by Slovak aviation. The Slovak Air Force was formed on the basis of Czechoslovak aviation and included 358 combat aircraft. Almost all combat aviation, with the exception of units transferred to Slovakia in September 1938 during general mobilization, was part of the 3rd Air Regiment named after General Stefanik. It consisted of 4 combat units (corresponding in number to regiments) and one spare. The former included 12 letok (squadrons), and the latter - various training and technical units. The main airbase was Pestany.

Slovak ace F. Hanovek shot down in dogfight September 6 Polish reconnaissance aircraft. On September 9, Slovak aviation suffered its first losses. During landing at the Ishla field airfield, the plane of the pilot Yaloviar crashed. By September 9, the 37th and 45th letkas moved to the Kamenitsa airfield, from where they flew to escort the German Ju-87 dive bombers bombing the Polish railway network in the Lvov region. A total of 8 such tasks were completed. On September 9, while returning after a raid on Drohobych and Stryi, V. Grun's plane was damaged by Polish anti-aircraft artillery and made an emergency landing at the enemy's location. The pilot was taken prisoner, from where he soon managed to escape, and the car was destroyed by the Polish infantry.

Aircraft of the 16th summer pilot during the period of fighting made 7 reconnaissance flights without losses. One of the machines from the training pilot until September 25 performed courier flights in the interests of the army. During the hostilities, shelling of Slovak Wehrmacht air defense aircraft took place, and therefore the identification marks were modernized: German black crosses were applied to the sides and planes, and blue circles were circled with a white border. As the situation on the fronts worsened, the Poles began to evacuate the remnants of their aircraft to neighboring countries.

From 17 to 26 September, several aircraft passed over Slovakia and reached Hungary. On September 26, the same Slovak pilot V. Grun attacked the RWD-8 training aircraft flying in a southerly direction and announced that he had shot it down. A military team sent to search for the remains did not find them. Perhaps the Polish pilot, not wanting to tempt fate, landed, and after the Slovak fighter left, took off again. This was perhaps the last combat episode in the skies of Slovakia in September 1939.

During the fighting, the Slovak army managed to capture small aviation trophies: 10 Polish gliders. It is worth noting that the Polish Air Force, in accordance with the order of its command, did not strike at the territory of Slovakia, limiting itself to aerial reconnaissance in the first days of the war, Special attention having given the airfield in Spisska Nova Ves, on which, in addition to Slovak aircraft, the German Air Force was located.

In the future, Slovak troops took part in the hostilities against the USSR. But, it should be noted that here there were often cases of voluntary transition of Slovaks to the side of the Red Army or partisans, flights of Slovak pilots to Soviet airfields. The German command did not consider the Slovak troops a reliable ally and did not trust them with important sectors of the front.

Allied relations between Slovakia and Germany ended at the end of August 1944, when a nationwide anti-fascist uprising began in Slovakia in the full sense ...

The policy of the occupiers in the protectorate: Formally, the Czech government was preserved in the protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, but in practice it was the main imperial reichsprector. Instead of the previously existing two parties - National Unity and the National Labor Party, one - National Solidarity was created. The media is promoting the senselessness of resistance. The occupiers transferred the ek-ku to the military rails, the entire industry worked for the needs of Germany. Germ subjugated the finance system, obligatory deliveries of food and raw materials were imposed on agriculture. Law on Aryanization - confiscation of property of Jews and sending them to concentration camps. From October 1941, Czechs were sent to concentration camps (the famous Terezin camp).

Resistance movement: The efforts of the occupiers ran into opposition from patriotic youth, intelligentsia, and leaders of the k-ry, they supported optimism, polemicized with propaganda. Polit Har-r was adopted by the manifestation on the day of national independence, October 28, 1939. During it, medical student Jan Opletal was wounded. He soon died and his funeral turned into a new manifestation. Repressions followed, and on 17 November. All higher education institutions were closed schools. This date after the war is celebrated as the International Day of Student Solidarity. By the summer of 1939, the first underground resistance groups took shape. For example, the "Politic Center" - there were members from all parties, the edge of the communists - the org-tion is not very massive, but influential - there are connections with the London Benes emigration center (since 1940). "Protection of the Nation" - the organization of the former military. "Petition Committee - we will remain faithful!" - creative intellectuals of the social dem orientation. Spring 1940 - the coordination center of the Resistance movement arose. But organizational independence was maintained by the communist underground. In addition to the London center for emigration, a communist center arose in Moscow, headed by Gottwald. The London emigrant gov- ernment entered anti-Hitler coalition. On July 18, 1941, Beneš concluded a Czechoslovak-Soviet agreement on mutual assistance and struggle against Germany. The significance is that the Soviet side recognized the Czechoslovak Committee in London as the government of sovereign Czechoslovakia and a partner in the anti-Hitl coalition. The response to the activation of the underground was the Nazi terror. In September, the post of protector was taken by Heydrich, with him - black \ n, an active struggle against the underground. On May 27, 1942, the London Center organized a successful assassination attempt on Heydrich. After that, even more terror, arrests, liquidation of all formed centers, the second in a row since the beginning of the occupation of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia was destroyed, but soon the communists created a third one, but communication with Moscow was restored only in 1943. Since 1942, the formation of Czechoslovak military units began in the USSR, they took participation in the battles for Kiev, etc., then turned into an army corps. With the growth of the authority of the USSR, Benes recognized the Moscow center of the Resistance movement as an equal partner. On December 12, 1943, in Moscow, Benes and Stalin signed an agreement on friendship and post-war cooperation. Negotiations between the leaders of the centers: the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia demanded the strengthening of the armed methods of struggle, the national - benesh refused to recognize the Slovaks as an original nation. The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia managed to insist on supplementing the pre-war system of power with new bodies - national committees. We outlined a program for the renewal of the country on a people's democratic basis. The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia refused the offer to join the emigrant government of Beneš, so there were only 2 centers left, although a line was outlined towards the creation of a united anti-fascist front.

Slovakia: In Slovakia, after the declaration of an independent state, the Tiso regime was formed. In the hands of the country were supporters of fascisation about-va. According to the Constitution of 1939, the state was called the Slovak Republic, they created an army, police, state apparatus. - all this at first was in euphoria from independence. Slovakia, the only newly created state in Europe, is to Hitler for propaganda purposes. Slovakia achieved limited international recognition, including from the USSR in 1939-41. As fascisization progressed, liberal and left-wing opposition to the regime intensified. During 1939-1943, 4 Central Committees of the Communist Party of Slovakia were destroyed, the fifth managed to establish contact with the Moscow leadership of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. The Communists began to advocate for a free Slovakia as part of a liberated Czechoslovakia. The course for the preparation of the national dem revolution. As the crisis of the Tiso regime grew, anti-fascist sentiments intensified in the Slovak army. By the end of 1943, the Slovak National Council (SNC) was formed as a single center of resistance. This was the result of negotiations between the anti-fascist forces and the conclusion by them on December 25, 1943 of the so-called. Christmas agreement. The SNS advocated the renewal of the republic on new principles, for the equality of Czechs and Slovaks. Outside the framework of the SNA, the Schrobar group oriented towards Beneš operated. Spring 1944 - SNA agreement with the military, who recognized the terms of the Christmas agreement. Serious force-military-anti-fascists. By the summer of 1944, the activity of the partisans increased, the regime could not cope with them. On August 29, German troops crossed the Slovak border, which served as a signal for an armed uprising. Banska Bystrica became the center. An insurgent radio station was launched, the overthrow of the ruling regime of Tiso was announced on the territory of Zvolen-Banska Bistrica-Brezno and a people's democratic republic was proclaimed. The uprising is the beginning of the national dem rev-ii in Czechoslovakia. A new Slovak government-in-Corpus of Commissioners has been created. The government in London recognized the SNA as the supreme authority in Slovakia. Help from the Soviet side. Created the General Staff partisan movement. On September 8, 1944, in support of the Red Army, the Carpatho-Dukelsky operation began, but it dragged on, it was not possible to involve the military from East Slovakia, there is no clear coordination of actions. On October 27, 1944, the center of the Banska Bystrica uprising fell. Everything was disbanded, part fled to the mountains. Suppression - Nazi terror. The uprising takes a significant place in the anti-fascist struggle. Together with the Red Army, the Czechs and Slovaks fought in the north-east of Slovakia, on April 4, 1944, Bratislava was liberated, and by the end of April, almost all of Slovakia.

Formation of the National Front of Czechs and Slovaks and the liberation of the country: In March 1945, negotiations between representatives of the London emigration, the Moscow Center (CHR) and the SNS on the composition of the Czechoslovak government and the program of action. Basis-platform of the HRC. 6 parties took part - these forces soon created the National Front of Czechs and Slovaks. Benes resigned himself to the results. Kosice program (published in Kosice). The government that moved there was formed on an equal footing - 4 people from each party. Premier social dem Fierlinger. The program recognized the identity of the Slovak nation and its equality with the Czechs. Czechoslovakia was proclaimed the state of two equal peoples. There are different forces in the united National Front. The end of the war was preceded by the intensification of the resistance movement in the Czech lands. May 5 uprising in Prague. The National Committee took over, barricades appeared, to help the insurgents, the Soviet units. Insurgents are heavy forces unequal, help is delayed On May 8, the rebels signed an armistice agreement, according to which the Germans received the right to freely retreat, surrendering all heavy weapons. But they did not carry out all the burning and killing of the population. On May 9, Soviet help came - very handy, they did not have time to defeat Prague.

29) Poland in the years of 2 mv. 1 Sept. 1939 Germany attacked Poland... Sep 3rd. English and Franz. declared war on Ger. At Ger. Huge superiority in manpower and equipment. Germany struck from Pomerania, Vost. Prussia, Silesia, Czech Republic and Slovakia. On the 3rd day of the war, the Poles were defeated. Sep 8-27 - Siege of Warsaw. K ser. sept. it is clear that Poland lost. In the West, "Strange War". 17 Sept. - the USSR invasion of Poland under the pretext of protecting the population Zap. Ukraine and Zap. Belarus. On the night of 17 to 18 Sept. the civil and military leadership of the country left Poland. Losses of Poland - 65 thousand people, killed, 240 thousand in captivity. 28 Sept. signed in Moscow by Sovetsko-Ger. treaty of friendship and borders => territory. section of Poland => Lithuania in the sphere of interests of Moscow. Hitler dismembered Poland à West., part of the center. and sowing districts are included in Ger. (10 million people) => there is immediately terror against the Poles. ... The rest of Poland - General - Governorate with a center in Krakow => terror against the Gypsies and Jews. Zap was also hard. Ukraine and Zap. Belarus given to the Soviets à there is a class approach (deportation - the execution of the bourgeoisie, the intelligentsia, the prosperous peasantry). In total, about 400 thousand Poles were deported. In 1940, 21,857 Polish officers were shot. In total during 2 MB. Poland lost approx. 6 million people Polish resistance: 30 Sept. in Paris, a Polish government was created. in migration. In 1940 he moved to England. Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief Gen. V. Sikorsky. Formed Polish army - 84 thousand soldiers. Already in 1939, the occupier. ter. the Union of Armed Struggle is created (since 1942 - Home Army) => resistance to the Germans ... End of Dec. 1941 - thrown into the occupier. zone Polish communists => 5 Jan. 1942 the Polish Workers' Party (PPR) was formed. Another hotbed of resistance to the fascists was the creation of the People's Guard, from the spring of 1944 - the People's Army.

Establishment of dual power: During Operation Bagration, the Red Army reached the 1941 state border. July 21 Sov. The army entered not ter. Poland. On the same day, the Polish Committee for National Liberation (PKNO)-> the government of the left forces was created in Moscow. PCNW announced the rules. self-proclaimed and guilty in the war in England ... Since 1943, the head of the Polish government in England was S. Mikolajczyk. August 1, 1944 - the uprising in Warsaw ... but no help came from the Soviets à the Germans drowned the uprising in blood ... January 1945 - the offensive of the Red Army in Poland => the entire territory of Poland was liberated. The Soviets lost 600,000 dead.

Participation of Slovakia in the Polish campaign

According to the German-Slovak agreement concluded on March 23, Germany guaranteed the independence and territorial integrity of Slovakia, and Bratislava undertook to provide free passage through its territory to German troops and coordinate with the Third Reich its foreign policy and development of the armed forces. When developing the plan "Weiss" ("White" plan for the war with Poland), the German command decided to attack Poland from three directions: an attack from the north from East Prussia; from Germany via western border Poland (main attack); attack of German and allied Slovak troops from the territory of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

At 5 am on September 1, 1939, simultaneously with the offensive of the Wehrmacht, the movement of Slovak troops began under the command of the Minister of National Defense, General Ferdinand Chatlos. Thus, Slovakia, together with Germany, became an aggressor country in World War II. Slovak participation in the hostilities was minimal, which was reflected in the losses of the Bernolak field army - 75 people (18 people killed, 46 wounded and 11 missing).

Minor fighting fell to the share of the 1st Slovak division under the command of General Anton Pulanich. She covered the flank of the advancing German 2nd Mountain Division and occupied the villages of Tatranska Yavorina and Yurgov and the city of Zakopane. On September 4-5, the division took part in clashes with Polish troops and advancing 30 km, by September 7, she took up defensive positions. From the air, the division was supported by aircraft of the Slovak air regiment. At this time, the 2nd Slovak division was in reserve, and the 3rd division of the Slovak army defended the 170-kilometer section of the border from Stara Lubovna to the border with Hungary. Only on September 11, the 3rd division crossed the border and, without resistance from the Poles, occupied part of the territory of Poland. On October 7, the demobilization of the Bernolak army was announced.

With minimal participation in real hostilities, which was largely due to the rapid defeat and collapse of the Polish armed forces, Slovakia politically won a significant victory. The lands lost during the 1920s and in 1938 were returned.

General Ferdinand Chatlosh.

Slovak armed forces against the Red Army

After the completion of the Polish campaign in the Slovak armed forces, a certain reorganization took place. In particular, in the Air Force, by the beginning of 1940, the old squadrons were disbanded and new ones were created: four reconnaissance squadrons - 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th and three fighter squadrons - 11th, 12th, 13 -I am. They were consolidated into three aviation regiments, which were distributed over three regions of the country. Colonel was appointed commander of the Air Force General Staff R. Pilfousek. The Slovak Air Force had 139 combat and 60 auxiliary aircraft. Already in the spring, the Air Force was reorganized again: the Command was established air force, it was headed by General Pulanih. The Air Force, anti-aircraft artillery and the surveillance and communications service were subordinate to the command. One reconnaissance squadron and one air regiment were disbanded. As a result, by May 1, 1941, the Air Force had 2 regiments: the 1st reconnaissance (1st, 2nd, 3rd squadrons) and the 2nd fighter (11th, 12th and 13th squadron).

On June 23, 1941, Slovakia declared war on the USSR, and on June 26, the Slovak Expeditionary Force (about 45,000 soldiers) was sent to the Eastern Front. Its commander was General Ferdinand Chatlosh. The corps was included in the Army Group South. It consisted of two infantry divisions (1st and 2nd). The corps was armed mainly with Czechoslovak weapons. Although during the war the German command carried out some deliveries of mortars, anti-aircraft, anti-tank and field guns. Due to the lack of vehicles, the Slovak Corps could not maintain a fast pace of the offensive, not keeping up with the German troops, so it was instructed to protect transport communications, important objects, and destroy the remaining centers of resistance of the Soviet troops.

The command decided to form a mobile unit from the motorized units of the corps. All mobile units of the corps were brought together in a mobile group, under the command of Major General Augustin Malar (according to other sources, Colonel Rudolf Pilfousek). In so-called. The “fast brigade” included a separate tank (1st and 2nd tank companies, 1st and 2nd companies of anti-tank guns), motorized infantry, reconnaissance battalions, an artillery battalion, a support company and an engineering platoon. From the air, the “fast brigade” was covered by 63 aircraft of the Slovak Air Force.

The "Fast Brigade" advanced through Lviv in the direction of Vinnitsa. On July 8, the brigade was subordinated to the 17th Army. On July 22, the Slovaks entered Vinnitsa and continued their offensive through Berdichev and Zhitomir to Kiev with battles. The brigade carried big losses.

In August 1941, on the basis of the “fast brigade”, the 1st motorized division (“Fast Division”, Slovak Rýchla divízia) was formed. It consisted of two incomplete infantry regiments, an artillery regiment, a reconnaissance battalion and a tank company, about 10 thousand people in total (the composition was constantly changing, other parts of the corps were attached to the division). The remaining parts of the corps became part of the 2nd security division (about 6 thousand people). It included two infantry regiments, an artillery regiment, a reconnaissance battalion and an armored car platoon (later transferred to the Fast Division). It was deployed on the territory of Western Ukraine in the rear of the German troops and was initially engaged in the liquidation of the encircled Red Army units, and then the fight against partisans in the Zhytomyr region. In the spring of 1943, the 2nd security division was transferred to Belarus, to the Minsk region. The morale of this part left much to be desired. Punitive actions oppressed the Slovaks. In the autumn of 1943, due to the increasing cases of desertion (several formations completely went over to the side of the partisans with weapons), the division was disbanded and sent to Italy as a construction brigade.

In mid-September, the 1st motorized division was advanced to Kiev and took part in the assault on the capital of Ukraine. After that, the division was taken to the reserve of Army Group South. The respite was short-lived and soon the Slovak soldiers took part in the battles near Kremenchug, advancing along the Dnieper. Since October, the division fought as part of the 1st tank army Kleist near the Dnieper. The 1st motorized division fought near Mariupol and Taganrog, and in the winter of 1941-1942. was located on the border of the Mius River.

Badge of the 1st Slovak division.

In 1942, Bratislava offered the Germans to send the 3rd division to the front in order to restore a separate Slovak corps, but this offer was not accepted. The Slovak command tried to carry out a quick rotation of personnel between the troops in Slovakia and divisions on the Eastern Front. In general, the tactics of maintaining one elite formation at the forefront - the "Fast Division", up to a certain time, was successful. The German command spoke well of this formation, the Slovaks proved to be "brave soldiers with very good discipline", so the unit was constantly used on the front line. The 1st motorized division took part in the assault on Rostov, fought in the Kuban, advancing on Tuapse. In early 1943, the division was led by Lieutenant General Stefan Jurek.

Bad days for the Slovak division came when the war came to a turning point. The Slovaks covered the retreat of German troops from the North Caucasus and suffered heavy losses. The "Fast Division" was surrounded near the village of Saratovskaya near Krasnodar, but part of it managed to break through, abandoning all equipment and heavy weapons. The remnants of the division were taken by air to the Crimea, where the Slovaks guarded the coast of the Sivash. Part of the division ended up near Melitopol, where it was defeated. More than 2 thousand people were captured and became the backbone of the 2nd Czechoslovak airborne brigade, which began to fight on the side of the Red Army.

The 1st Motorized Division, or rather its remnants, was reorganized into the 1st Infantry Division. She was sent to guard the Black Sea coast. The Slovaks, together with the German and Romanian units, retreated through Kakhovka, Nikolaev and Odessa. The morale of the unit fell sharply, deserters appeared. The Slovak command offered the Germans to transfer part to the Balkans or to Western Europe. However, the Germans refused. Then the Slovaks asked to withdraw the division to their homeland, but this proposal was also rejected. Only in 1944, part was transferred to the reserve, disarmed and sent to Romania and Hungary as a construction team.

When the front approached Slovakia in 1944, the East Slovak Army was formed in the country: the 1st and 2nd infantry divisions under the command of General Gustav Malar. In addition, the 3rd division was formed in Central Slovakia. The army was supposed to support the German troops in the Western Carpathians and stop the advance of the Soviet troops. However, this army was unable to provide significant assistance to the Wehrmacht. Because of the uprising, the Germans had to disarm most of the formations, and some of the soldiers joined the rebels.

A large role in organizing the uprising was played by Soviet groups landed in Slovakia. So, before the end of the war, 53 organizational groups numbering more than 1 thousand people were sent to Slovakia. By the middle of 1944, two large partisan detachments were formed in the Slovak mountains - Chapaev and Pugachev. On the night of July 25, 1944, a group led by Soviet officer Pyotr Velichko was dropped in the Kantor Valley near Ruzomberk. It became the basis for the 1st Slovak Partisan Brigade.

At the beginning of August 1944, the Slovak army received an order to conduct an anti-partisan operation in the mountains, but the partisans were warned in advance, having soldiers and officers sympathetic to their cause in armed forces. In addition, Slovak soldiers did not want to fight against their compatriots. On August 12, Tiso introduced martial law in the country. In the 20th of August, the partisans intensified their activities. Police formations and military garrisons began to cross over to their side. The German command, in order not to lose Slovakia, on August 28-29 began the occupation of the country and the disarmament of the Slovak troops (of which two more construction brigades were created). Up to 40 thousand soldiers participated in the suppression of the uprising (then the number of the group was doubled). At the same time, Jan Goliang gave the order to start the uprising. At the beginning of the uprising, there were about 18 thousand people in the ranks of the rebels, by the end of September the rebel army already numbered about 60 thousand fighters.

The uprising was premature, because the Soviet troops could not yet provide significant assistance to the rebels. German troops were able to disarm two Slovak divisions and blocked the Dukel Pass. The Soviet units reached him only on September 7th. On October 6-9, the 2nd Czechoslovak Airborne Brigade was parachuted to help the rebels. By October 17, German troops had driven the rebels out of the most important areas into the mountains. On October 24, the Wehrmacht occupied the centers of concentration of insurgent forces - Brezno and Zvolen. On October 27, 1944, the Wehrmacht occupied the "capital" of the rebels - the city of Banska Bystrica and the Slovak uprising was crushed. In early November, the leaders of the uprising were captured - division general Rudolf Viest and the former chief of staff of the Fast Division, head of the Slovak ground forces, Jan Golián. The Germans executed them in the Flossenbürg concentration camp in early 1945. The remnants of the rebel forces continued to resist in partisan detachments and, as the Soviet troops advanced, they helped the advancing Red Army.

In the conditions of the general retreat of the Wehrmacht and its allies, on April 3, the government of the Republic of Slovakia ceased to exist. On April 4, 1945, the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front liberated Bratislava, Slovakia was again proclaimed a part of Czechoslovakia.

Rudolf Viest.

In April 1945, the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front liberated the capital of Slovakia, the city of Bratislava, from Nazi invaders. Little was written about the participation of Slovakia in World War II in the USSR. From the Soviet course of history, only the Slovak National Uprising of 1944 is memorable. And the fact that this country fought for five years on the side of the fascist bloc was mentioned only in passing. After all, Slovakia was perceived by us as part of the unified Czechoslovak Republic, which was one of the first victims of Hitler's aggression in Europe...

They copied the orders of Nazi Germany

A few months after the signing in September 1938 in Munich by the Prime Ministers of Great Britain, France and Italy Neville Chamberlain, Edouard Daladier, Benito Mussolini and Chancellor of Germany Adolf Hitler agreement on the transfer of the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia to the Third Reich, German troops occupied other Czech regions, declaring them a "protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia." At the same time, the Slovak Nazis, led by a Catholic bishop Josef Tiso seized power in Bratislava and proclaimed Slovakia an independent state, which concluded an alliance treaty with Germany. The regime established by the Slovak fascists not only copied the orders in force in Nazi Germany, but also had a clerical bias - in addition to communists, Jews and gypsies, Orthodox Christians were also persecuted in Slovakia.

Defeat at Stalingrad

Slovakia joined the Second world war already on September 1, 1939, when Slovak troops, together with the Nazi Wehrmacht, invaded Poland. And Slovakia declared war on the Soviet Union on the very first day of the German attack on the USSR - June 22, 1941. The 36,000th Slovak corps then went to the Eastern Front, which, together with Wehrmacht divisions, passed through Soviet soil to the foothills of the Caucasus.

But after the defeat of the Nazis near Stalingrad, they began to surrender en masse to the Red Army. By February 1943, more than 27 thousand Slovak soldiers and officers were in Soviet captivity, who expressed a desire to join the ranks of the Czechoslovak Army Corps, which was already being formed in the USSR.

The word was spoken by the people

In the summer of 1944, the troops of the 1st and 2nd Ukrainian fronts reached the borders of Czechoslovakia. The government of Josef Tiso understood that parts of the Slovak army would not only be unable to hold back the advance of the Soviet troops, but were also ready to follow the example of their comrades who massively surrendered to the Red Army in 1943. Therefore, the Slovak fascists invited German troops to the territory of their country. The people of Slovakia responded to this with an uprising. On the day the Wehrmacht divisions entered the country - August 29, 1944 - in the city of Banska Bystrica, the Slovak National Council, created by the underground communists and representatives of other anti-fascist forces of the country, declared the government of Tiso deposed. Almost the entire Slovak army, at the call of this council, turned its weapons against the Nazis and their Slovak henchmen.

In the first weeks of the fighting, 35,000 partisans and Slovak soldiers who went over to the side of the insurgents took control of the territory of 30 regions of the country, where more than a million people lived. Participation of Slovakia in the war against Soviet Union actually ended.

Help for the Red Army

In those days, the President of the Czechoslovak Republic in exile Edward Benes turned to the USSR with a request to provide military aid rebellious Slovaks. The Soviet government responded to this request by sending experienced instructors in organizing the partisan movement, signalmen, demolition workers and other military specialists to Slovakia, as well as organizing the supply of weapons, ammunition and medicines to the partisans. The USSR even helped to preserve the country's gold reserves - from the partisan airfield Triduby Soviet pilots 21 boxes of gold bars were taken to Moscow, which were returned to Czechoslovakia after the war.

By September 1944, the rebel army in the mountains of Slovakia already numbered about 60 thousand people, including three thousand Soviet citizens.

Bandera they called "the most bastard"

In the fall of 1944, the Nazis threw several more military formations against the Slovak partisans, including the SS Galicia division, staffed by volunteers from Galicia. Slovak partisans deciphered the letters SS in the name of the division "Galicia" as "the most bastard." After all, the Bandera punishers fought not so much with the rebels as with the local population.

The Soviet command, specifically to help the rebellious Slovaks, from September 8 to October 28, 1944, held the Carpathian-Dukla offensive operation. 30 divisions, up to 4,000 guns, over 500 tanks and about a thousand aircraft took part in this battle on both sides. There has never been such a concentration of troops in mountainous conditions in the history of wars. Having liberated a significant part of Slovakia in the most difficult battles, the Red Army provided decisive assistance to the rebels. However, even before the arrival of Soviet troops on October 6, 1944, the Nazis stormed Banska Bystrica, captured the leaders of the uprising, executed several thousand partisans, and sent about 30 thousand to concentration camps.

But the surviving rebels retreated to the mountains, where they continued the fight.

by the way

During the national uprising in Slovakia, Soviet officers Pyotr Velichko and Aleksey Yegorov commanded large partisan brigades (over three thousand each person). They destroyed 21 bridges, derailed 20 military echelons, destroyed a lot of manpower and military equipment of the Nazis. For courage and heroism, Yegorov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. And in Czechoslovakia, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising, a Chest sign"Egorov's Star".

Slovaks do not glorify Hitler's accomplices

Of course, the Slovak rebels played a significant role in the liberation of their homeland, but even today in Slovakia no one doubts that without the Red Army their victory over the Nazi invaders would have been impossible. The liberation of the main part of the country's territory and its capital city of Bratislava became part of the Bratislava-Brnov operation of the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, commanded by the Marshal of the Soviet Union Rodion Malinovsky . On the night of March 25, 1945, several advanced divisions of the 7th Guards Army of this front suddenly crossed the flooded Gron River for the enemy. On April 2, the advanced units of the army broke through the line of fortifications on the outskirts of Bratislava and reached the eastern and northeastern outskirts of the capital of Slovakia. Another part of the forces of the 7th Guards made a roundabout maneuver and approached the city from the north and northwest. On April 4, these formations entered Bratislava and completely crushed the resistance of its German garrison.

Josef Tiso managed to escape from the country with the retreating German troops, but was arrested by the military police of the US Army and handed over to the Czechoslovak authorities. On charges of high treason and cooperation with the German Nazis, a Czechoslovak court in 1946 sentenced him to death penalty through hanging.

Today in many states of Eastern Europe there is a revision of the history of the Second World War. However, Slovakia considers itself the legal successor not of the Slovak state of Josef Tiso, but of the Czechoslovak Republic common with the fraternal Czech Republic. According to polls, most of the country's citizens consider the period of Slovakia's history from 1939 to the start of the national uprising to be at least not deserving of a positive attitude, or even simply shameful. It never occurs to anyone in Slovakia to announce Josef Tiso national hero, although his last words, spoken before his execution, were the high-flown phrase: "I am dying as a martyr for the sake of the Slovaks."

Like Stepan Bandera , Josef Tiso was a nationalist. Like Bandera, he sided with Nazi Germany, allegedly in order to solve "the political problems of his nation." But unlike the current Ukrainian leadership, which glorifies Bandera, the Slovaks did not forgive their "national leader" for cooperation with Hitler.

So in 2015, when, obeying a shout from Washington, the leadership of a number of EU countries refused to participate on May 9 in the celebrations in Moscow in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Victory, a large delegation headed by the Prime Minister of Slovakia arrived in the Russian capital Robert Fico .

Number

About 70 thousand Slovaks fought on the side of the fascist bloc from 1941 to 1944

Published in No. 68 dated 04/19/2017

Resistance movement: The efforts of the occupiers ran into opposition from patriotic youth, intelligentsia, and leaders of the k-ry, they supported optimism, polemicized with propaganda. Polit Har-r was adopted by the manifestation on the day of national independence, October 28, 1939. During it, medical student Jan Opletal was wounded. He soon died and his funeral turned into a new manifestation. Repressions followed, and on 17 November. All higher education institutions were closed. This date after the war is celebrated as the International Day of Student Solidarity. By the summer of 1939, the first underground resistance groups took shape. For example, the "Politic Center" - there were members from all parties, the edge of the communists - the org-tion is not very massive, but influential - there are connections with the London Benes emigration center (since 1940). "Protection of the Nation" - the organization of the former military. "Petition Committee - we will remain faithful!" - creative intellectuals of the social dem orientation. Spring 1940 - the coordination center of the Resistance movement arose. But organizational independence was maintained by the communist underground. In addition to the London center for emigration, a communist center arose in Moscow, headed by Gottwald. The London emigrant government entered the anti-Hitler coalition. On July 18, 1941, Beneš concluded a Czechoslovak-Soviet agreement on mutual assistance and struggle against Germany. The significance is that the Soviet side recognized the Czechoslovak Committee in London as the government of sovereign Czechoslovakia and a partner in the anti-Hitl coalition. The response to the activation of the underground was the Nazi terror. In September, the post of protector was taken by Heydrich, with him - black \ n, an active struggle against the underground. On May 27, 1942, the London Center organized a successful assassination attempt on Heydrich. After that, even more terror, arrests, liquidation of all formed centers, the second in a row since the beginning of the occupation of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia was destroyed, but soon the communists created a third one, but communication with Moscow was restored only in 1943. Since 1942, the formation of Czechoslovak military units began in the USSR, they took participation in the battles for Kiev, etc., then turned into an army corps. With the growth of the authority of the USSR, Benes recognized the Moscow center of the Resistance movement as an equal partner. On December 12, 1943, in Moscow, Benes and Stalin signed an agreement on friendship and post-war cooperation. Negotiations between the leaders of the centers: the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia demanded the strengthening of the armed methods of struggle, the national - benesh refused to recognize the Slovaks as an original nation. The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia managed to insist on supplementing the pre-war system of power with new bodies - national committees. We outlined a program for the renewal of the country on a people's democratic basis. The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia refused the offer to join the emigrant government of Beneš, so there were only 2 centers left, although a line was outlined towards the creation of a united anti-fascist front.

Slovakia: In Slovakia, after the declaration of an independent state, the Tiso regime was formed. In the hands of the country were supporters of fascisation about-va. According to the Constitution of 1939, the state was called the Slovak Republic, they created an army, police, state apparatus. - all this at first was in euphoria from independence. Slovakia, the only newly created state in Europe, is to Hitler for propaganda purposes. Slovakia achieved limited international recognition, including from the USSR in 1939-41. As fascisization progressed, liberal and left-wing opposition to the regime intensified. During 1939-1943, 4 Central Committees of the Communist Party of Slovakia were destroyed, the fifth managed to establish contact with the Moscow leadership of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. The Communists began to advocate for a free Slovakia as part of a liberated Czechoslovakia. The course for the preparation of the national dem revolution. As the crisis of the Tiso regime grew, anti-fascist sentiments intensified in the Slovak army. By the end of 1943, the Slovak National Council (SNC) was formed as a single center of resistance. This was the result of negotiations between the anti-fascist forces and the conclusion by them on December 25, 1943 of the so-called. Christmas agreement. The SNS advocated the renewal of the republic on new principles, for the equality of Czechs and Slovaks. Outside the framework of the SNA, the Schrobar group oriented towards Beneš operated. Spring 1944 - SNA agreement with the military, who recognized the terms of the Christmas agreement. Serious force-military-anti-fascists. By the summer of 1944, the activity of the partisans increased, the regime could not cope with them. On August 29, German troops crossed the Slovak border, which served as a signal for an armed uprising. Banska Bystrica became the center. An insurgent radio station was launched, the overthrow of the ruling regime of Tiso was announced on the territory of Zvolen-Banska Bistrica-Brezno and a people's democratic republic was proclaimed. The uprising is the beginning of the national dem rev-ii in Czechoslovakia. A new Slovak government-in-Corpus of Commissioners has been created. The government in London recognized the SNA as the supreme authority in Slovakia. Help from the Soviet side. Created the General Staff of the partisan movement. On September 8, 1944, in support of the Red Army, the Carpatho-Dukelsky operation began, but it dragged on, it was not possible to involve the military from East Slovakia, there is no clear coordination of actions. On October 27, 1944, the center of the Banska Bystrica uprising fell. Everything was disbanded, part fled to the mountains. Suppression - Nazi terror. The uprising takes a significant place in the anti-fascist struggle. Together with the Red Army, the Czechs and Slovaks fought in the north-east of Slovakia, on April 4, 1944, Bratislava was liberated, and by the end of April, almost all of Slovakia.