Operation UNGEWITTER

Operation UNGEWITTER

Operation Storm (Thunderstorm) / Operacija Oluja

History

Anti-partisan operation of the German 42nd JÃ¤ger Division from 26th April to 7th May in area of Suhopolje, Vocinm, Slavonska PoÅ¾ega and Papuk against Yugoslav Partisans 6th Slavonian and partially 10th Zagreb Corps.

Slow and cautious German advance and small area covered allowed 6th Corps HQ to order to hold northern column and attempt counterattack which was also slow and poorly coordinated and run into dug in German troops and failed.

Orders of Battle

Germans and NDH committed around 33000 soldiers with some 100 tanks supported by substantial artillery and aircraft.

Axis

42nd Jager Division (?Group Schirovski from Slavonska PoÅ¾ega, Group Hofmann from Virovitica?)

1st SS Police Regiment advancing from Podravska Slatina

6th and 9th Police Battalion

3rd Ustasha battalion

16th Ustasha battalion

Croatian Home Defense

4th Mountain Brigade partially from Daruvar

6th Rifle Brigade

2nd Battalion from Mobile Brigade

several smaller units

NOVJ ORBAT

Casualties

Operation was specific as the first in Slavonia in which Germans besides attempting to destroy Partisans also targeted infrastructure in Partisan held territory. Result was destruction of 197 buildings, 3 hospitals (without wounded), two dozen different workshops, 6 watermills and larger number of depots. Several villages and Partisan rear area bases were burned, large amount of cattle and agricultural tools was taken and partially mobilization was carried out amongst local population.

Aftermath

Heavy fighting continued after operation official end. Failure to eliminate Partisans forced new attack (codename ?) in second half of the May on 12th Slavonian division by German 1st Cossack Cavalry Division and 4th Mountain Brigade in region of Dilj and SE of PoÅ¾ega valley.

Reference

Zdravko B. CvetkoviÄ‡: OsjeÄka udarna NOU brigada