Operation Rübezahl

Operation Rübezahl was the beginning of a strategic retreat by Nazi German troops from Serbia after the front change of Romania and Bulgaria during World War II.[1]

Operation Rübezahl
Part of World War II in Yugoslavia
Date12–30 August 1944
Location
German-occupied territory of Serbia and German-occupied territory of Montenegro
Belligerents
Nazi Germany
Montenegrin Volunteer Corps
Free Arabian Legion
Independent State of Croatia
Kingdom of Bulgaria		 Yugoslav Partisans
Commanders and leaders
Artur Phleps
Casualties and losses
1,000 injured

History

In summer 1944, German soldiers were doing sweeps against communist-led Yugoslav Partisans under the overall command of Josip Broz Tito. But on 30 August, after Romania and Bulgaria split from their Nazi ally, Germany entered into a crisis on the Balkan front. While the forces of the Partisans were moving to unite with the Soviet Red Army in the German-occupied territory of Serbia, German troops tried to avoid defeat in that strategic area by implementing "Operation Rübezahl" to enable the organised retreat of Germans. Among them there were:[2]

Between 20-22 August, German troops surrounded and destroyed a particularly large Partisan unit moving westwards from the Independent State of Croatia to occupied Serbia. Only a few Partisans survived thanks to Allied planes which managed to land on battered airstrips, air-lifting about a thousand injured to hospitals located in Italy.[3]

References
  1. Giorgi, Alessandro (26 August 2015). Cronaca della Seconda Guerra Mondiale 1939-1945. p. 374. ISBN 9786050408539.
  2. "PRINZ EUGEN LA 7a DIVISIONE DA MONTAGNA DELLE WAFFEN SS – terza e ultima parte". Thule Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  3. Afiero, Massimiliano. "PRINZ EUGEN". www.maxafiero.it (in Italian). Retrieved 19 November 2019.

Bibliography
  • Bambara, Gino (1988). La guerra di liberazione nazionale della Jugoslavia (1941-1943). Mursia.
  • Deakin, Frederick William (1972). La montagna più alta. L'epopea dell'esercito partigiano jugoslavo. Club degli editori.
  • Gobetti, Eric (2006). L'occupazione allegra. Gli italiani in Jugoslavia (1941-1943). Carocci.
  • Bauer, Eddy (1971). Storia controversa della seconda guerra mondiale. vol. VII. De Agostini.
  • Gilas, Milovan (2011). La guerra rivoluzionaria jugoslava. 1941-1945. Ricordi e riflessioni. LEG. ISBN 978-88-6102-083-2.


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