Operation MAIGEWITTER

Operation MAIGEWITTER

Operation May Strom / Operacija Majska oluja

History

Failure of offensive in Hungary resulted in German decision to withdraw from Sarajevo but before withdrawal could be carried out Yugoslav 2nd Army need to be pushed back east of Tuzla so it couldn't interfere and this would also secured southern flank of German troops on Syrmian front.

German intelligence was well informed based on wireless intercepts of planed Sarajevo operation and plans of Yugoslav 2nd Army to advance towards Doboj in order to cut off retreat route of 21st Mountain Corps form Sarajevo.

Initially planed for 15 March main attack had to postponed until 27 March until all formations reached their starting positions. On 18 March only 16th Regiment of the German 22nd Infantry Division advanced surprising 18th Serbian Brigade and capturing from Srnica and GraÄanica by 23 March. From 24 to 28 March short respite come used by both sides to strengthen their positions, German 117th Division was moved from Syrmiran front and from Vinkovci by rail to BrÄko and Bosanki Å amac.

Main attack was to be carried out by 22nd and 117th division advancing from GraÄnica and Srnica over Srebrenik towards Tuzla supported by 12th Croatian Division. At Doboj was battle group 'Geiger' (Feliks Geiger?) with 15th Croatian Division with task to advance from Doboj across GraÄanica to Tuzla. Around Sarajevo was 7th SS Division and on 6 March it started to group around VareÅ¡ with 14th SS Regiment was suppose to advance from VareÅ¡ to Ribnica in operation OSTERGLOCKE, BanoviÄ‡i to Tuzla but it was recalled to help surrounded parts of the 181st Infantry Division at Romanija. Advance of German and NDH formations was also supported by remains of Chetnik Trebava, Majevica, Ozren, Zenica and Romania Corps and Chetniks corps from Monte Negro, Herzegovina and SandÅ¾ak.

Attack begun at 4:30 on 28 March, same day as Yugoslav offensive on Sarajevo. Encirclement maneuver was carried out along Tinje river and Majevica mountain against 23rd Serbian division which was reinforced by 2nd Krajina brigade and parts of 16th Brigade. Next day German attack was renewed backed by tanks but halted 15 kilometers from Tuzla and pushed back. All other attack failed to achieve significant advance and were halted by 30 March. Failure of operation OSTERGLOCKE resulted in official end of operation MAIGEWITTER on 31 March.

...

German advance was halted at line GraÄanica - Srebrnik - Ä†eliÄ‡. Yugoslav 2nd Army estimated German casualties at around 1200 dead and wounded and 22 captured. 2nd Army suffered 231 dead, 686 wounded and 76 missing or captured.

Order of Battle

Axis ORBAT - around 45000 soldiers

32000 Germans

9000 NDH troops

5-6000 Chetniks

Yugoslav ORBAT

2nd Army - around 41114 soldiers

2nd Krajina Brigade - in reserve

17th Eastern Bosnian Division - around 7580, left on 28 March

28th Slavonian Division - around 7030

14th Serbian Corps - around 25818

23rd Serbian Division - around 9926

25th Serbian Division - around 6813

45th Serbian Division - around 7336

Axis equipment

14 Assault guns

120 Guns and Howitzers

16 Flak guns

Yugoslav equipment

22595 Rifles

622 Submachine-guns

554 Mortars

88 Guns and Howitzers

18 Anti-tank guns of 37mm, 47mm and 75mm

252 Anti-tank rifles

no tanks

174 Motor vehicles

5779 Horses and mules

Casualties

Germans

Yugoslav army

Aftermath

Operation succeed in its primary purpose of preventing 2nd Army interfering in retreat of 21st Army Corps retreat from Sarajevo but failure to make significant gains resulted in need to abandon Bijeljina in order to strengthen defense of BrÄko.

Reference

Za pobjedu i slobodu: Sarajevska operacija