32nd Zagorje Division

32nd Zagorje Division

(Tridesetdruga zagorska divizija)

History

Formed on 12 December 1943 in area of Kalnik mountain from brigades BraÄ‡a RadiÄ‡ and Matija Gubec. On the day of the forming it had 1764 fighters armed with:

992 rifles

62 light machine-guns

14 machine-guns

24 submachine-guns

5 mortars

3 anti-aircraft guns

Until 19 January 1944 under command of HQ of 2nd Operative Zone Croatia, then become part of 10th Corps of NOVJ. In January 1944 fought in Croatian Zagorje against parts of Poglavnik Bodyguard Brigade and Zagreb garrison battalion. Especially bitter fighting's division carried out on 4 January when capturing Gronje Batine and Beleca and 6-9 Jane around Zlatar, and later during Ustasha operation Dubrovnik (around 1700 Ustasha from elite Poglavnik Bodyguard Brigade) during advance towards Kalnik, near Novog Marofa and VaradÅ¾inskih Toplica (21-22 January). At the beginning of February strong NDH forces attacked liberated territory of Kalnik and by 12 February despite heavy resistance from 32nd Division and Kalnik partisan detachment captured Koprivnica, Ludberg, Ivance, PitomaÄa and several other places. Until end of February units of 32nd Division were engaged in clearing villages in Podravina from NDH troops and preventing repairs on KriÅ¾evci-Koprivnica railway. After fighting's around Ludbreg on 22/23 February, village Subotica on 25 February, Koprivnica on 29 February, on slopes of Kalnik mountain-range 4 and 5 March, 32nd Division moved to Bilo-gora from where during night 12/13 March starts movement over Moslavina and Kalnika into Croatian Zagorje fighting along the way parts of German 1st Cossack Cavalry Division and 1st Home Defence Mountain Brigade.

At the end of March 32nd Division received task that together with 1st Brigade of 33rd Division and Western group of partisan detachments of 10th Corps of NOVJ eliminates enemy strongholds and mobilize new soldiers in Croatian Zagorje and Prigorje. Fighting close to Zagreb, these units carried out bitter fighting's with NDH forces, on 28 March around strongholds Äurmaneca and Å½utnice, in April in area of Zlatar, near Tuheljskih Toplica, Klanjeca, Belca, Purge, MartinÅ¡Ä‡ine, BudinÅ¡Ä‡ine, Podruta, Zajezde and captured several enemy strongholds. Resulting success allowed mobilization of new soldiers in Zagorje and formation of 1st Zagroje Brigade on 10 May. In attempt to re-capture lost strongholds, 1st Ustasha Regiment of Poglavnik Bodyguard Brigade from directions of Novi Marof, Svetog Ivana Zeline, Zlatar and Ivanec attacked on 15 May 32nd Division and parts of 33rd Division which after two days of combat (15-16 May) near village Hum, HraÅ¡Ä‡ine, TrgoviÅ¡Ä‡a, Breznice, ViniÄna and other places moved over Kalnik and Bilo-gora into Moslavina. After unsuccessful attack on Veliko Trojstvo on 25 May, 32nd Division moved to Kalnik and from second half of June again fought in area of Bilo-gora and at the end of June back on Kalnik. In the meantime in second half of June it carried out fighting's at St. RaÄe, Dautana, Severina, Orovca, Hudovljana and Velikih Sredica. From 28 June to 2 July it repulsed strong attack by NDH troops and broken into Podravina. In July and August it again fights on Bilo-gora and in Moslavina.

Under general directive by Supreme Headquarters from 17 August for disruption of communication lines, in the beginning of September division target its attack on Zagreb-VaraÅ¾din railway. During 2 and 4 September division demolished 12,5 km of railway tracks. It distinguished itself during night attack on 7/8 September on Home Defence garrison in Sv. Ivan Zelina, on 13/14 September participates in attack on KriÅ¾evci, from 26 to 27 September in fighting's at Velike ÄŒreÅ¡njevice, 5 October in capturing of PitomaÄe, on 10 October division destroys parts of 6th Ustasha Brigade at Gornjih Mosta. As part of 10th Corps of NOVJ participates from 14 to 16 October in unsuccessful attack on NDH stronghold Koprivnica, after which was sent to Croatian Zagorje where until middle of November was attacking NDH garrisons and carried out demolition of VaradÅ¾in-Zabok railway. On 3 November division captured TrgoviÅ¡Ä‡e and HraÅ¡Ä‡inu, on 7/8 November heavy fighting's at Donja Zelina and from middle of November carried out demolitions of railway tracks between Zagreb and Dugo Selo and Zagreb and KriÅ¾evac.

On 19 November 1944 Podravska brigade Pavlek Mihovil MiÅ¡kin was formed as its 3rd brigade. 32nd Division had 3450 soldiers armed with:

1380 rifles

146 submachine-guns

129 light machine-guns

25 machine-guns

16 mortars

11 anti-tank rifles

12 Piat launchers

On 28 November units of 20th Regiment from 1st Home Defence Division (1st Assault Division of HOS) and two companies of 1st Ustasha-Home Defence garrison brigade from KriÅ¾evci, Gornje Rijeke, Svetog Ivana Zeline and Vrbovca attacked 32nd Division in area of Zaistovec, Preseka, Slatina. Because together with division were moving refuges from Croatian Zagorje, hospital with wounded, workshops and warehouses division was forced to move during the night 28/29 November into area of ÄurÄ‘evca and Novigrada Podravskog. In December of 1944 and January 1945, division participated in fighting's for Virovitica bridgehead as part of 10th Corps of NOVJ. During 10 and 11 December division had bitter fighting's near Å½dale, on 18 December near Kalinovac, on 20 and 25 December at KloÅ¡tra Podravskog and Prugovca, 6 January 1945 at Å piÅ¡iÄ‡-Bukovice, Lozana and Starog Gradca, on 8 January near PitomaÄa.

On 11 February 1945 1st Zagroje Brigade enters division as its 4th brigade.

On 13 February units of 32nd Division repulsed attack of parts of German 1st Cossack Cavalry Division near Donje RaÅ¡enice and Bastaja, on the night 3/4 March they captured Bulinac, from 8 to 17 March fought bitter fighting's in Moslavina, on 2 April repulsed attack of Home Defence soldiers at Bereka. In second part of April and first half of May units of 32nd participated in liberation of Podravina, Bilo-gore, Kalnika and Croatian Zagorje. At the end of April 1945, 32nd Division had four brigades with total 3527 fighters equipped with:

1896 rifles

269 submachine-guns

235 light machine-guns

16 machine-guns

39 mortars

4 anti-tank rifles

Foreign nationals

Large number of foreign nationals served in the division this is a partial list:

Austrians

Walter Cavedo, joined 1944, killed

Bulgarian

Georgi Ivanov, Petar, born in 1914, PazaÄ‘ik, student, member of CPY, joined 1944

Germans

Valter Bauer, Horst, joined 1944

Karl Gobel, joined 1944

Ferdinand Hans, joined 1944

Vendel Jungvirt, joined 1944

Valter Kavedo Etuka, joined 1944

Artur Kvivald, Helmut, joined 1944

Eugen Menzer, Helmut, joined 1944

Silvestar Schteimenger, Ferdinand, joined 1944

August Taulend, joined 1944

Eugen Toth, joined 1944

Ernest Zoks, joined 1944, BraÄ‡a RadiÄ‡ brigade

Italians

Pietro Andreci, joined 1944, Matija Gubec brigade

Guiseppe Brilli, joined 1944

Gualiero Brilli, joined 1944, killed

Ettore Carociolo, joined 1944

Enrico Ciarleglio, joined 1944

Antonio Ciovachi, joined 1944

Fiorechi Faravelli, joined 1944

Floriano Faravelli, joined 1944

Mario Agostina Frigani, joined 1944

Alberto Gantara, joined 1944

Vigilio Gassia, joined 1944

Alberto Gollinaro, joined 1944

Guisepe Kalasmino, joined 1944

Foigilli Karac, joined 1944

Luigi Martonelli, joined 1944, Matija Gubec brigade

Pasquale Negro, Matija Gubec brigade

Benjamin Pauro, joined 1944, Matija Gubec brigade

Domeniko Poleta

Aldo Pratessi, joined 1944

Carmelo Randaco, joined 1944

Alfredo Rossi, joined 1944

Russians

Aksomev AleksejeviÄ‡, joined 1944, killed

Ivan Alfanasev, joined 1944, killed

Vasiljev Andrejko, joined 1944

Sergije Antunov, Mihajlo, joined 1944

Kalin Askara

Boltopek Bajsvanov, joined 1944

Ivanov Balagnjev, joined 1944, killed

Ivan Belokov, joined 1944

Kolak BiÅ¾anov, joined 1944

Nikolaj Bodovski, joined 1944, killed

Ivanov Bogurov, joined 1944, killed

Nikolaj Bolgorov, joined 1944

Andrej Capkov, joined 1943, killed, Matija Gubec brigade

Ivan Potrebnjanov, Matija Gubec brigade

Ivan Tatarenko, joined 1944

Konstantin Tatarov, joined 1944

Dimitrij Timorgov, joined 1944

Dimitrov Uljes, joined 1944, Matija Gubec brigade

Poles

Aleksander Hleksand Boniek, born 1926, Warsaw, joined 1944, killed 1945

Stefan Lihts, joined 1944, killed

Battles & Campaigns

Operation SISAK

Operation TREFOIL

Operation BERGWIND

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