THE LAST MONTHS OF THE SDK: SRPSKI DOBROVOLJAČKI KORPUS IN SLOVENIAN TERRITORY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR Cover Image

THE LAST MONTHS OF THE SDK: SRPSKI DOBROVOLJAČKI KORPUS IN SLOVENIAN TERRITORY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR
THE LAST MONTHS OF THE SDK: SRPSKI DOBROVOLJAČKI KORPUS IN SLOVENIAN TERRITORY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR

Author(s): Klemen Kocjančić
Subject(s): Military history, WW II and following years (1940 - 1949)
Published by: Institut za strategijska istraživanja
Keywords: Second World War; Slovenia; Serbia; Serbian Volunteer Corps; Operations zone Adriatisches Küstenland; Waffen‐SS; Slovenian partisans; counterinsurgency

Summary/Abstract: Article covers the history of the Serbian Volunteer Corps during the last months of the Second World War, when it was operating in Slovenian territory. After the retreat from their homeland, Serbian volunteers, considered by Germans as their most valuable partners, were moved to Operationszone Adriatisches Küstenland to reorganize and to participate in counterinsurgency operations against Slovenian partisans. While undermanned, with limited weaponry and equipment, they were still considered by the partisans to be efficient fighters due to their knowledge and experience in (counter)insurgency tactics. Soldiers of the Serbian Volunteer Corps participated in the last battle on Austrian soil, before their surrender to British forces. Shortly afterwards, the British turned them over to Yugoslav forces and were later killed in mass executions.

  • Issue Year: 2019
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 166-184
  • Page Count: 19
  • Language: English