18th (Croatian) Eastern Bosnian brigade
Operation ZIETHEN
Soviet 236th Rifle Division
Hellgate: London
France Pirc (1899 - 1954)
Operation WINTERGEWITTER
Operation Winter Storm
History
Operation Wintergewitter was major German counterattack in Syrmia which begun on 17 January 1945. Germans used same codename for relief attempt of the German Sixth Army at Stalingrad in 1942 and for limited German-Italian offensive on the Gothic Line, Italy in 1944.
During November and December 1944 after successfully concluding Belgrade operation, Yugoslav partisans continued there advance through Syrmia with help of Bulgarian divisions and Soviet Air Force. Partisan division were hastily filled with fresh recruits and thrown into battle which resulted in heavy casualties while making frontal breakthroughs of prepared German position at Red and Nibelung line (Opatovac - Lovas - Tovarnik - Šid - Adaševac - Bosut) allowing German with newly arrived reinforcements to finally halt Yugoslavs at Green line (Sotin - Berak - Orolik - Otok - Bosut forest) and start launching counterattacks.
With last series of attacks repulsed and no further advance possible Partisans halted there offensive so that there combat bleed formations could be reformed and brought up to strength.
After a week of respite, in order to stabilize and shorten the front line, German 34th Army Corps launched its counterattack with 41st Fortress, 117th Jager and 7th SS Prinz Eugen divisions successfully surprising Partisans.
Germans managed to advance all the way back to Šid before being pushed back to Tovarnik line in Partisan counterattack on 19 January.
First Proletarian division suffered casualties of 20% of its strength - 243 dead, 648 wounded and 1638 missing in two days of combat
Fifth Proletarian suffered 434 dead, 727 wounded, 490 missing and 12 captured.
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