The Munich Agreement, which marked the beginning of World War II, brought by-effect. When all of “civilized humanity” in the person of England and France gave Czechoslovakia to the Germans and Poles to be torn to pieces, the small but proud state of Slovakia arose. Of course, under the strictest control of Hitler, she acted in a disciplined manner against the USSR during the Great Patriotic War.

During the signing of the Munich Agreement. From left to right: Chamberlain, Daladier, Hitler, Mussolini and Ciano

In September 1938, the leaders of the Western powers signed an agreement with Hitler in Munich: the Sudeten areas were transferred to Germany, Poland captured most of the Cieszyn region, southern regions Slovakia and Transcarpathian Ukraine were transferred to Hungary under the Vienna Arbitration.

Slovakia received autonomy, and on March 14, 1939, a protectorate regime was established in the country, and it formally gained independence. The moderate leader of the Slovak Glinka Party, priest Josef Tiso, who came to power, became the President of Slovakia, and in contrast to him, and on the “strong recommendation” of the Nazis, the posts of Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs were taken by the leaders of the radical wing of the party, Vojtech Tuka and Alexander Mach. According to the 25-year agreement, Germany received the right to station its troops in a special security zone in western Slovakia. The secret protocol on economic and financial cooperation provided for the complete subordination of the country to the economic interests of Germany, first of all, an increase in the supply of food and raw materials, as well as labor to Germany.

The Slovak army consisted of 4 infantry divisions, the armored forces included 69 LT-35 tanks and a dozen armored vehicles, aviation consisted of Avia B-534 fighters and short-range reconnaissance aircraft - S-328 light bombers, Czechoslovak vehicles of the class of our I-153 and P-5 , numbering about 200.

fighter Avia B-534

Slovakia did not formally declare war on the Soviet Union, but sent its troops to the Eastern Front - Hitler considered it possible to use them as occupation troops in Ukraine and Belarus.

In total, two infantry divisions, three separate artillery regiments (howitzer, anti-tank and anti-aircraft), a tank battalion (30 LT-35), an aviation regiment consisting of 25 B-534 fighters, 16 Bf.109E-3 fighters, 30 S-328 light bombers.

It cannot be said that the Slovaks somehow incredibly distinguished themselves in Eastern Front- however, the Germans did not give them such an opportunity, prudently believing that Slavs would not fight Slavs very fiercely. And so it happened - from the personnel of the Slovak units that, together with the Wehrmacht, rushed to the Caucasus (one infantry division, a separate howitzer artillery regiment and several separate companies and batteries), the majority of soldiers and officers by February 1943 found themselves on the opposite side; several military units (an infantry battalion, a howitzer artillery battery, an aviation maintenance division) went over to the side of the Red Army along with their weapons and standard military equipment.

Having been burned by such non-allied actions of the Slovaks, the Germans no longer placed them on the front line, sending both Slovak divisions replenished in the spring of 1943 in Ukraine to Belarus to guard the strategic lines of communication of Army Group Center.

But here, too, the Slovaks showed a clear reluctance to fight for the interests of the Reich. Most of the soldiers of the two Slovak divisions by July 1944 went over to the partisans and were sent to Moscow, where they all went to recruit the Czechoslovak Army Corps, created by the Soviet Union under an agreement with the exile government of Benes.

In total, of the 36,000 Slovak military personnel who fought on the Eastern Front from July 1941 to September 1944, less than 3,000 died, but more than 27,000 soldiers, officers and generals surrendered. The Czechoslovak Army Corps under the command of Brigadier General Kratochvil (and from September 10, 1944 - Brigadier General Svoboda), thanks to the Slovak Army, at the time of its arrival at positions near the city of Krosno (southern Poland) on September 8, 1944, consisted of 3 rifle brigades (each 3,450-3,700 military personnel), 2 artillery regiments, a tank brigade (40 T-70 and 20 T-34) and more than 12 separate units. In addition, on the night of September 18, the 2nd Czechoslovak Airborne Brigade (1,850 paratroopers) and the 1st Czechoslovak Fighter Aviation Regiment (27 Yak-3 fighters) were transferred to the command of the Slovak National Uprising.

The final collapse of the Slovak army occurred with the outbreak of the Slovak National Uprising on August 29, 1944. The East Slovak Corps (2 divisions) was disarmed by the Germans, the Slovak military aviation(consisting of 27 serviceable aircraft, of which 9 Foke-Wulf-189 reconnaissance aircraft, 9 Bf-109B fighters, 9 transport aircraft) together with the commander of the aviation regiment, Major Trinka, flew to the Lvov airfield. This ended Slovakia's participation in the war against the USSR. In general, if all Germany’s allies were the same as Slovakia, our armies would be replenished considerably...

In Slovakia itself, the Germans also could not feel as they did in France or even in the Czech Republic. And they behaved accordingly.

Sending Slovak Jews to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Time of filming: March 1942 Place of filming: Poprad station, Slovakia

In March 1942, Josef Tiso agreed to the expulsion of Jews from Slovakia, after which the Nazis staged a mass roundup in Bratislava. About 35 thousand people were deported to Auschwitz, Treblinka and Majdanek. In May-June, another 15 thousand people were expelled, mostly members of the expelled families. In total, more than 70 thousand Slovak Jews died in fascist concentration camps during the Second World War.

An important role in Slovakia began to be played by the Hlinkova Garda (Hlinka's Guard), a paramilitary organization of the Slovak People's Party in 1938-1945, named after Andrei Hlinka, the first leader of the SNP. Although the reason given for the founding was “ military training youth,” very soon the Glinka Garda began to carry out police duties and carry out military actions against Jews, Czechs, Gypsies and communists. In 1939, the Slovak fascist Alexander Mach became the commander of the Glinka Guard. Since 1941, members of the Glinka Garda underwent training in SS camps in Germany. In 1942, the Glinkova Garda carried out the “Aryanization of property” and the deportation of Jews to Auschwitz. In August 1944, during the Slovak People's Uprising, German troops used the Hlinkova Guard in battles against Slovak partisans.

In 1942, the first groups of anti-fascist partisans began to appear in the Slovak mountains. In December 1943, the Slovak National Council was created, which became the head of the underground resistance movement, in which communist and non-communist forces participated. The Council opposed the Tiso regime, recognized the need to restore Czechoslovakia on the basis of an equal partnership between Czechs and Slovaks, and began preparing an armed uprising.

On the night of July 25, 1944, a partisan group under the command of Soviet officer Pyotr Velichko was landed near Ružomberk, which had the task of organizing regular partisan detachments (in total, 1,200 people were landed before the end of the war). On August 9, 1944, the Slovak army received an order to conduct counter-partisan operations in the Low Tatras, but the partisans were warned, and the Slovak soldiers, having met some of the partisans, ignored the order to open fire. On August 21, 1944, Velichko’s partisan detachment captured Sklabinya and began blowing up railways.

On August 25, 1944, partisans openly distributed weapons in the square in Martin and signed up volunteers. At the same time, underground activities developed in the Slovak army itself, its center was Lieutenant Colonel Jan Golian. On August 27, communist partisans took Ružomberok, and the next day the Wehrmacht began the occupation of Slovakia. On August 29, Defense Minister Ferdinand Chatlos announced this on the radio. In response, Lieutenant Colonel Golian gave the order for the uprising, which began on August 30.

The rebels fought for two months; they managed to capture two defense ministers, F. Chatlosh and J. Turants (Chatlosh surrendered voluntarily and after the war served as an official in the city of Martin). However, the Soviet command did not launch the large-scale offensive necessary to help the Slovaks. More than 4,100 rebels died, 15 thousand were captured and sent to concentration camps and prison camps. Nevertheless, the uprising significantly disrupted the communications system of German troops in the rear. All this did not allow the Nazis to turn Slovakia into an advanced outpost of their defense in the Carpathians.
Slovak pilots after being awarded ZhK2 on September 8, 1941:
From left to right:
1 - Jozef Drlicka
2 - A. Kubovic
3 - Martin Daniel
IN Ladimir Krishko - shot down 9 Air Force aircraft for the Luftwaffe, but! In the Slovak uprising he fought against the Germans and shot down 3 Luftwaffe planes!
Commander of the parachute school Juraj Mesko

Slovak paratroopers on training in Germany. From left to right: Jozef Lachky, Jozef Pisarcik, Ladislav Lenart. Pay attention to the national yarns.

Briefing before the jump. Tri duby airfield.

On October 27, 1944, the Germans took Banska Bistrica, so from October 28 the rebels switched to partisan operations. On November 3, in Pogronsky Bukovec near Banska Bistrica, Jan Golian, together with General Rudolf Viest, was captured. German captivity and was executed at the Flossenburg concentration camp along with other Slovak officers in early 1945. However, the Nazis failed to completely destroy the partisans, who had been intensifying their sabotage operations since December. In mid-January 1945, as a result of offensive operations Soviet army A significant part of the country was liberated, on April 4 - Bratislava, and by the end of April - almost all of Slovakia. Partisan detachments, together with Red Army soldiers, stormed the cities of Brezno, Liptovsky Hradok and others.

The liberation of Slovakia lasted almost eight months. 144,000 died Soviet soldiers, of which approximately two thirds are in Slovakia.
Josef Tiso fled to Bavaria in April 1945, where he was detained by the American army on June 6, 1945 and extradited to Czechoslovakia. He was sentenced to hang “for treason.” On April 18, 1947 the sentence was carried out. Vojtech Tuka was also shot in 1946.

Alexander Mach fled to Austria on April 4, 1945, where he lived in the village of Mondsee and was captured by the Americans there. He was extradited to Czechoslovakia and imprisoned in Prague's Pankrac prison, later transferred to Bratislava. In 1947, Mach was convicted - he, contrary to expectations, received a surprisingly lenient sentence - 30 years in prison; on May 9, 1968 he was amnestied by President Ludwik Svoboda for health reasons. He served his sentence in Leopoldov, together with other political figures of fascist Slovakia - propaganda chief Tid Gašpar, General Josef Turanc, Senate President Pavel Opluštil, Minister of Economy Gejza Medrický and Minister of Finance Mikulas Pruzinki. After his release, he lived at his son’s dacha near Bratislava and wrote memoirs, which were then confiscated by state security agencies and given to the family only in 2003.

However, military operations on the territory of Slovakia did not end in 1945. In September 1947, Bandera groups made their way to the West through the forests of Slovakia: they drove from their territory Polish army, and the Red Army did not give them the opportunity to return back to Ukraine. Bandera's supporters sought to get into the US occupation zones in Germany and Austria as quickly as possible. Military operation to block and detain them, it received the code name “Operation B.” More than 13 thousand military personnel of the Czechoslovak Army, as well as border guard units and groups of veterans took part in the operation partisan movement. Operation B was commanded by Brigadier General Julius Nosko, a participant in the Slovak National Uprising. The armed forces neutralized 350 Banderaites, 61 of them were killed while trying to resist. The Czechoslovak military suffered fewer losses: 32 killed and 26 wounded. At a time when there was already a peaceful life in Czechoslovakia, the war continued in the Tatra Mountains, although two years had passed after its end.

Many details of the war, which began on September 1, 1939 and went down in history as World War II, still remain little known to the domestic reader.

For example, a simple question: which country's troops were the first to take part in World War II as an ally of Germany? But few people are able to answer it correctly. This state is Slovakia.

Polish researcher Stanislav Poberezhets in his work “The German-Polish War of 1939” emphasized: “Slovakia was the only ally of Germany that at that time took part in hostilities on its side... On September 5, Slovakia entered the war, and the Slovak army crossed the border at the Dukel Pass . Following the German occupation of Czechoslovakia on March 15, 1939, the Slovak Republic was declared sovereign state, and the Czech Republic was declared a protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. Germany, preparing for an attack on Poland, planned to involve the armed forces of Slovakia in this operation.”

True, for some reason the Polish historian forgot to mention that, while occupying Czechoslovakia in 1938-39, Germany shared a piece of Czechoslovak territory with Poland, an accomplice in the partition.

It should be noted that in the last months of its existence before the partition, the border regions of Czechoslovakia became the scene of a real undeclared war with various claimants to its territory. In the German-speaking areas of the Sudetenland, the pro-German Liberation Corps, numbering about 15 thousand militants, was active. During the period from September 12 to October 4, 1938 alone, the Corps organized 69 attacks on Czechoslovak units. The most violent clash occurred in the village of Ceske Krumlevo, where Czechs and Slovaks used tanks in battles with German militants. Fierce clashes also occurred with the regular Hungarian army, which laid claim to the so-called Subcarpathian Rus (later this region became part of the USSR) and Southern Slovakia. The most serious battles with the Hungarians took place in October 1938 in the area of ​​Uzhgorod and Mukachevo. And finally, the Poles were active from the north, in clashes with which the Czechs Slovak troops tanks were also actively used... By an incomprehensible irony of history, in the fall of 1938, the Poles, eager to possess the Czechoslovak Cieszyn region, acted as Hitler’s accomplices.

Winston Churchill, in his memoirs about the role of Poland in the events of 1938, expressed himself with truly Anglo-Saxon directness: “... That same Poland, which just six months ago, with the greed of a hyena, took part in the robbery and destruction of the Czechoslovak state.”

On October 1, 1938, Polish troops crossed the Czechoslovak border and received from Hitler their piece of territory - the Cieszyn region. And 11 months later, in September 1939, Slovak troops, together with German allies, opposed Poland...

175 aircraft from the German 4th were based at Slovak airfields. Air fleet. The Slovak army consisted of ground forces: cavalry, infantry, artillery and a certain number of armored units, as well as the air force. The weapons were mostly from the former Czechoslovak army, transferred by the Germans to the Slovaks after the occupation of the country.

For combat operations against Poland, Slovakia allocated two operational groups formed on the basis of units of the 1st and 3rd infantry divisions. The first group was a brigade, which included 6 infantry battalions, 2 artillery batteries and an engineering company, under the overall command of Anton Pulanich. The second group was a horse-motorized brigade consisting of 2 cavalry battalions (also having motorcycles) and 9 mobile artillery batteries. This group was commanded by Gustav Malar. Both groups made a breakthrough through the Dukel Pass and captured the Tarnow region in southwestern Poland. The actions of ground forces were supported by Slovak aviation. The Slovak Air Force was formed on the basis of the Czechoslovak aviation and included 358 combat aircraft. Almost all combat aviation, with the exception of units transferred to Slovakia in September 1938 during general mobilization, was part of the 3rd Air Regiment named after General Stefanik. It consisted of 4 combat units (corresponding in number to regiments) and one reserve. The former included 12 letok (squadrons), and the latter included various training and technical units. The main air base was Pestany.

Slovak ace F. Hanovek shot down in air combat 6 September Polish reconnaissance aircraft. On September 9, Slovak aviation suffered its first losses. During landing at the Ishla field airfield, the plane of pilot Jaloviar crashed. By September 9, the 37th and 45th pilots were relocated to the Kamenitsa airfield, from where they flew escort missions to German Ju-87 dive bombers that bombed the Polish railway network in the Lvov area. A total of 8 such tasks were completed. On September 9, when returning from a raid on Drohobych and Stryi, V. Grun’s plane was damaged by Polish anti-aircraft artillery and made an emergency landing at the enemy’s location. The pilot was captured, from where he soon managed to escape, and the car was destroyed by Polish infantry.

During the period of fighting, the aircraft of the 16th flight made 7 reconnaissance flights without losses. One of the vehicles from the training flight carried out courier flights in the interests of the army until September 25. During the fighting, there were attacks on Slovakian Wehrmacht air defense aircraft, and therefore the identification marks were modernized: German black crosses were applied to the sides and surfaces, and blue circles were outlined with a white border. As the situation on the fronts worsened, the Poles began to evacuate the remnants of their aircraft to neighboring countries.

From September 17 to 26, several aircraft passed over Slovakia and reached Hungary. On September 26, the same Slovak pilot V. Grun attacked a RWD-8 trainer flying in a southerly direction and announced that he had shot it down. The military team sent to search for the remains did not find them. Perhaps the Polish pilot, not wanting to tempt fate, landed, and after the Slovak fighter left, he took off again. This was perhaps the last combat episode in the skies of Slovakia in September 1939.

During the fighting, the Slovak army managed to capture small aviation trophies: 10 Polish gliders. It is worth noting that the Polish Air Force, in accordance with the orders of its command, did not attack the territory of Slovakia, limiting itself to aerial reconnaissance in the first days of the war, Special attention focusing on the airfield in Spisska Nova Ves, where, in addition to Slovak aircraft, the German Air Force was located.

Subsequently, Slovak troops took part in hostilities against the USSR. But, it should be noted that there were often cases of Slovaks voluntarily going over to the side of the Red Army or partisans, and flights of Slovak pilots to Soviet airfields. The German command did not consider the Slovak troops a reliable ally and did not trust them in important sectors of the front.

Allied relations between Slovakia and Germany ended at the end of August 1944, when a truly nationwide anti-fascist uprising began in Slovakia...

In April 1945, troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front liberated the capital of Slovakia, the city of Bratislava, from the Nazi invaders. Little was written about Slovakia's participation in World War II in the USSR. The only thing memorable from the Soviet history course is the Slovak National Uprising of 1944. And the fact that this country fought for five whole years on the side of the fascist bloc was mentioned only in passing. After all, we perceived Slovakia as part of the united Czechoslovak Republic, which was one of the first victims of Hitler’s aggression in Europe...

They copied the orders of Nazi Germany

A few months after the signing in September 1938 in Munich by the prime ministers of Great Britain, France and Italy Neville Chamberlain, Edouard Daladier, Benito Mussolini and Reich Chancellor of Germany Adolf Hitler agreement on the transfer of the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia to the Third Reich, German troops occupied other Czech regions, proclaiming them the “protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.” At the same time, Slovak Nazis led by a Catholic bishop Josef Tiso seized power in Bratislava and proclaimed Slovakia an independent state, which entered into an alliance treaty with Germany. The regime established by the Slovak fascists not only copied those operating in Hitler's Germany order, but also had a clerical bias - in addition to communists, Jews and gypsies in Slovakia, Orthodox Christians were also persecuted.

Defeat at Stalingrad

Slovakia entered the Second world war already on September 1, 1939, when Slovak troops, together with Hitler’s Wehrmacht, invaded Poland. And Slovakia declared war on the Soviet Union on the very first day of Germany’s attack on the USSR - June 22, 1941. A 36,000-strong Slovak corps then went to the Eastern Front, which, together with Wehrmacht divisions, passed through Soviet soil to the foothills of the Caucasus.

But after the defeat of the Nazis at Stalingrad, they began to surrender en masse to the Red Army. By February 1943, more than 27 thousand Slovak soldiers and officers were in Soviet captivity, who expressed a desire to join the ranks of the Czechoslovak Army Corps, which was already being formed in the USSR.

The people have spoken the word

In the summer of 1944, troops of the 1st and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts reached the borders of Czechoslovakia. The government of Josef Tiso understood that units of the Slovak army would not only not be able to hold back the offensive Soviet troops, but were also ready to follow the example of their comrades, who surrendered en masse to the Red Army in 1943. Therefore, the Slovak fascists invited German troops to the territory of their country. The people of Slovakia responded to this with an uprising. On the day the Wehrmacht divisions entered the country - August 29, 1944 - in the city of Banska Bystrica, the Slovak National Council, created by underground communists and representatives of other anti-fascist forces in the country, declared the Tiso government deposed. Almost the entire Slovak army, at the call of this council, turned its arms against the Nazis and their Slovak henchmen.

In the first weeks of fighting, 35 thousand partisans and Slovak military personnel who went over to the side of the rebels took control of the territory of 30 regions of the country, where more than a million people lived. Slovakia's participation in the war against Soviet Union actually ended.

Help for the Red Army

In those days, the President of the Czechoslovak Republic in exile Edward Benes turned to the USSR with a request to provide military assistance to the rebel Slovaks. The Soviet government responded to this request by sending experienced instructors in organizing the partisan movement, signalmen, demolitions and other military specialists to Slovakia, as well as organizing the supply of weapons, ammunition and medicine to the partisans. The USSR even helped preserve the country's gold reserves - from the Triduby partisan airfield, Soviet pilots took 21 boxes of gold bars to Moscow, which were returned to Czechoslovakia after the war.

By September 1944, the rebel army in the mountains of Slovakia already numbered about 60 thousand people, including three thousand Soviet citizens.

They called Bandera’s members “the very bastards”

In the fall of 1944, the Nazis sent several more military formations against the Slovak partisans, including the SS Galicia division, staffed by volunteers from Galicia. Slovak partisans deciphered the letters SS in the name of the division “Galicia” as “the very bastard.” After all, Bandera’s punitive forces fought not so much with the rebels as with the local population.

The Soviet command, specifically to help the rebel Slovaks, conducted the Carpathian-Duklinskaya from September 8 to October 28, 1944 offensive operation. Thirty divisions, up to four thousand guns, over 500 tanks and about a thousand aircraft took part in this battle on both sides. Such a concentration of troops in mountainous conditions has never happened before in the history of wars. Having liberated a significant part of Slovakia in difficult battles, the Red Army provided decisive assistance to the rebels. However, even before the approach of the Soviet troops on October 6, 1944, the Nazis stormed Banska Bystrica, captured the leaders of the uprising, executed several thousand partisans, and sent about 30 thousand to concentration camps.

But the surviving rebels retreated to the mountains, where they continued the fight.

By the way

During the national uprising in Slovakia Soviet officers Pyotr Velichko and Alexey Egorov commanded large partisan brigades (over three thousand people each). They destroyed 21 bridges, derailed 20 military trains, destroyed a lot of manpower and military equipment fascists. For his courage and heroism, Egorov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. And in Czechoslovakia, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising, the “Egorov’s Star” badge was established.

Slovaks do not glorify Hitler's collaborators

Of course, the Slovak rebels played a significant role in the liberation of their homeland, but even today in Slovakia no one doubts that without the Red Army their victory over the Nazi invaders would have been impossible. The liberation of the main part of the country's territory and its capital city of Bratislava became part of the Bratislava-Brnov operation of the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, commanded by the Marshal of the Soviet Union Rodion Malinovsky . On the night of March 25, 1945, several advanced divisions of the 7th Guards Army of this front suddenly crossed the flooded Gron River for the enemy. On April 2, the advanced units of the army broke through the line of fortifications on the approaches to Bratislava and reached the eastern and northeastern outskirts of the capital of Slovakia. Another part of the 7th Guards forces made a roundabout maneuver and approached the city from the north and northwest. On April 4, these formations entered Bratislava and completely suppressed the resistance of its German garrison.

Josef Tiso managed to flee the country with the retreating German troops, but was arrested by the US Army military police and handed over to the Czechoslovak authorities. On charges of treason and collaboration with the German Nazis, a Czechoslovak court in 1946 sentenced him to death by hanging.

Today in many countries of Eastern Europe The history of the Second World War is being revised. However, Slovakia considers itself not the legal successor of the Slovak state of Josef Tiso, but of the common Czechoslovak Republic with the fraternal Czech Republic. According to surveys, the majority of the country's citizens consider the period of Slovak history from 1939 to the start of the national uprising to be at least undeserving of a positive attitude, and even simply shameful. No one in Slovakia thinks of declaring Josef Tiso national hero, although it last words, spoken before the execution, was a pompous phrase: “I am dying as a martyr for the sake of the Slovaks.”

Like Stepan Bandera , Josef Tiso was a nationalist. Like Bandera, he formed a bloc with Nazi Germany, ostensibly in order to solve “the political problems of his nation.” But unlike the current Ukrainian leadership, which glorifies Bandera, the Slovaks have not forgiven their “national leader” for collaborating with Hitler.

So in 2015, when, having obeyed the shout from Washington, the leadership of a number of European Union countries refused to participate in the May 9 celebrations in Moscow in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Victory, a large delegation headed by the Prime Minister of Slovakia arrived in the Russian capital Robert Fico .

Number

About 70 thousand Slovaks fought on the side of the fascist bloc from 1941 to 1944

• Published in No. 68 of 04/19/2017

In March 1939, Germany took advantage of the activity of the Slovak separatist movement to dismember Czechoslovakia.

The new state, Slovakia, had no choice but to accept German patronage and become a loyal ally of Germany.

On March 23 - 25, 1939, armed clashes between Slovak troops and Hungarian troops took place, and the city of Spiszka Nova was bombed by Hungarian aircraft. As a result, the Slovaks lost 22 military personnel and 7 civilians. Further developments stopped German intervention.

In Slovakia, they hastened to create an army that received Czechoslovak weapons, which were stored in warehouses on the territory ceded to Slovakia. Slovak officers were graduates of the Czechoslovak Armed Forces, and the new armed forces inherited much of what was inherent in this highly professional army.

The infantry divisions created in Slovakia were traditional “triangular” formations with partially motorized reconnaissance units and horse-drawn artillery.

By the beginning of World War II, the Slovak army consisted of 3 infantry divisions.

The Slovak sector was in the combat zone of Army Group South. Germany's ally fielded the Bernolak army under the command of General Ferdinand Chatlos ( Ferdinand Čatloš).

General Ferdinand Chatlosh

Bernolak included:

1st Infantry Division (2nd Rank General Antonin Pulanich ( Antonin Pulanich) - 2 infantry regiments and 1 separate infantry battalion, 1 artillery regiment and 1 division.

2nd Infantry Division (until September 5 - Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Imro ( Ivan Imro), from September 5 - General of the 2nd rank Alexander Chunderlik ( Alexandr Čunderlik) - 1 infantry regiment, 3 infantry battalions, 1 artillery regiment.

3rd Division (Colonel Augustin Malar ( Augustin Malar) - 2 infantry regiments, 2 infantry battalions, 1 artillery regiment and 1 division. This division was part of the German 18th Mountain Corps.

In addition to the Bernolak army, the Slovak invasion forces included:

Group "Shibka" (command took over on September 5 by Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Imro), 2 artillery regiments, armored train "Bernolak", 1 communications battalion "Bernolak", battalion "Topol", 2 separate infantry battalions

The total number of Slovak troops was 50,000.

During the fighting in the Tatras, the Slovaks lost 18 soldiers killed.

This cooperation helped secure Slovakia's status as a loyal ally of Germany and prevented the state from being absorbed by Hungary. The Slovak government and army command believed that it would be more profitable for them to offer assistance to the Germans in the war against the USSR. Therefore, Slovakia became in fact the first country among Germany's allies.

Slovak soldiers. 1941

Major General Augustin Malar

Since July 1941, the Slovak Army Corps (45,000 soldiers and officers) under the command of General Ferdinand Chatlos was part of Army Group South. The corps included the 1st and 2nd infantry divisions. Due to the lack of vehicles, they were used mainly to protect communications. The most effective Slovak military unit It turned out to be a “mobile brigade” under the command of Major General Augustin Malar, consisting of separate tank, motorized infantry, engineer battalions and an artillery battalion.

It was covered from the air by 63 aircraft Slovak Air Force.

Slovak troops advanced through Lviv in the direction of Vinnitsa. On July 8, 1941, its units came under the operational command of the 17th German army. By July 22, they entered Vinnitsa, continuing to advance with heavy fighting through Berdichev and Zhitomir to Kyiv.

In August 1941, it was decided to withdraw the infantry divisions back to Slovakia and form a 10,000-strong mobile division and a 6,000-strong security division.

The mobile division had two small infantry regiments, an artillery regiment with 3 9-gun batteries and 1 reconnaissance battalion (all mechanized units), as well as a tank company armed with 12 Czechoslovak tanks LTvz 35, 38 and 40. The security division also had 2 regiment with 1 horse-drawn artillery regiment, a partially mechanized reconnaissance battalion and an armored car platoon, which was later transferred to the mobile division. These divisions were transferred to the German army, although command remained with the Slovak generals.

In mid-September 1941, a motorized division under the command of General Gustav Malar was advanced to Kyiv. After participating in the assault on the capital of Ukraine, she was transferred to the reserve of Army Group South. The Slovaks took part in the battles near Kremenchug, advancing along the Dnieper. On October 2, the 1st Motorized Division fought as part of the 1st German Tank Army on the territory of right-bank Ukraine. Then she fought fierce battles near Mariupol and Taganrog. Winter 1941-1942 the Slovak division met at the turn of the Mius River.

2nd stage of the war with the USSR

In 1942, the Slovaks proposed sending the 3rd Division to the front to form the Slovak Corps, but this proposal was not accepted.

On the Eastern Front, the Slovak army used mainly the weapons of the former Czechoslovak army, although the Germans supplied it with certain types of mortars, anti-tank, field and anti-aircraft guns. Slovak tactics boiled down to ensuring rapid rotation between the internal army and divisions located in the USSR.

The command even went so far as to release conscripts from service if their term of service expired during the war.

In general, the tactic of maintaining one elite field formation was successful, at least until 1943. The Germans spoke well of the mobile division and constantly used it on the front line.

Slovak paratrooper. Spring 1944

In the winter of 1941/42, the elite mobile division fought in the Mius area, where, as one German officer noted, the Slovaks proved themselves to be “brave soldiers with very good discipline.” The division also took part in the capture of Rostov, fighting side by side with the SS Viking division, then fought in the Kuban as part of the 1st Tank Army, where it launched an offensive on Tuapse.

The division then helped cover the retreat from the North Caucasus after Battle of Stalingrad and found herself surrounded near the village of Saratovskaya near Krasnodar, but managed to escape, abandoning all heavy weapons and equipment. Then the surviving soldiers and officers were evacuated by air to Crimea, where they took part in protecting the Sivash coastline.

All this time, the security division served along railway Kyiv - Zhitomir.

3rd stage of the war with the USSR

During 1943, the mobile division was reorganized into the 1st Infantry Division, removed from the front and assigned to guard duty. Black Sea coast. Together with German and Romanian troops, the Slovaks retreated in battle through Kakhovka, Nikolaev and Odessa.

The security division was transferred to Ukrainian Polesie, where it took part in battles with Soviet and Ukrainian partisans.

The morale of the soldiers began to decline sharply, and desertion became widespread in both divisions. In December 1943, 1,250 Slovak soldiers of the Security Division went over to the side of the Soviet partisans.

The Slovak command proposed to transfer its units to the Balkans or to Western Europe, but the Germans refused them. Then the Slovaks asked to be allowed to return to their homeland, but even here the Germans refused, although they agreed not to use them on the front line without the prior consent of the Slovak command. When another Soviet offensive forced the Germans to break this promise, the Slovak units could no longer be relied upon.

In 1944, they were put into reserve, disarmed and converted into construction brigades (the 1st was used in Romania and Hungary, and the 2nd in Italy).

4th stage of the war with the USSR

During 1943, 2 new divisions (1st and 2nd infantry) were formed in Slovakia for fighting in the Carpathians. Another 1 division was being formed in Central Slovakia when the anti-German uprising began at the end of August 1944.

Slovak uprising 1944

August 28 - German troops occupied Slovakia. From the disintegrated 42,000-strong Slovak army, 18,000 went over to the side of the rebels. From a tactical point of view, the attack turned out to be premature, and the Germans managed to disarm 2 field divisions. The rebels continued to fight until the end of October. They were assisted by a Czechoslovak air brigade airlifted from the Soviet-German front, which included many former soldiers of the mobile division who were captured by the Soviets in 1942.

By October 17, German troops managed to push the rebels away from the important centers of the country into the mountains.

On October 19, the German command presented the Slovak rebels with an ultimatum to surrender. The Slovak National Council rejected it.

On October 27, 1944, German troops occupied the “capital” of the rebels - the city of Banska Bystrica and finally suppressed the Slovak uprising.

The Tiso government remained in power thanks to the support of the armed “Glinka Guard” and part of the military units loyal to the government, which by February 1945 numbered 1 infantry regiment, 1 anti-aircraft regiment and 1 artillery battery. All Slovak Germans were transferred to Wehrmacht units in exchange for German citizens of Slovak origin. From several disarmed Slovak detachments, 2 more construction brigades were formed.

In April 1945, Slovak formations surrendered to Soviet troops.

Composition of Slovak divisions on the Eastern Front:

Mobile Division(in 1943 - 1944 1st Infantry): 20th, 21st Infantry, 11th Artillery Regiments, 5th Reconnaissance Battalion, 11th Medium Tank Company (disbanded in 1943).

Security Division: 101st, 102nd Infantry, 31st Artillery Regiments, 12th Reconnaissance Battalion.

1st Infantry Division(1941 and 1944): 1st, 2nd, 3rd Infantry, 1st Artillery Regiments, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion.

2nd Infantry Division(1941 and 1944): 4th, 5th, 6th Infantry, 2nd Artillery Regiments, 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion.

In March 1939, Adolf Hitler summoned the leaders of the Slovak People's Party to Berlin and threatened them that if they did not withdraw Slovakia from Czechoslovakia, he would allow the Hungarians to take over their country. And the Slovaks decided to join the Axis. In the twentieth anniversary between the two world wars, relations along the Warsaw-Prague line were, to put it mildly, strained. By the beginning of the Second World War, a significant amount of mutual claims had accumulated between the two states, Poland and Czechoslovakia. The disintegration of Czechoslovakia, which began after the Munich Agreement, led to the inclusion of Cieszyn Silesia (Zaolzia) into Poland, and the conduct of a sabotage operation by Polish intelligence on Czechoslovak territory under code name"Scrap" and the emergence of a new power on the European map - the Slovak Republic.

The declaration of “independence” took place on March 23, but the territory of Transcarpathian Rus', which was part of Slovakia, was occupied by Hungary, and on March 23 Bratislava signed an agreement with the Third Reich. With this document, Berlin guaranteed Slovakia the integrity of its borders, but at the same time the Slovak authorities were not to interfere with the passage of German troops through their territory. By signing a pact with Berlin, the Slovaks, in fact, assumed allied obligations in relations with Nazi Germany. At the same time, the Third Reich well understood that in a future war with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the southern, Slovak flank could play a significant role.

Warsaw also understood this, so immediately after the organization of the Polish embassy in Bratislava, its employees began working to establish a dialogue with the Slovak authorities and even hoped for possible military cooperation with them. On March 21, Polish Ambassador Mieczyslaw Chalupczynski informed his leadership that General Ferdinand Czatlas spoke positively about the development of Polish-Slovak relations and asserted that “cooperation with Germany is a bitter necessity for his country.” On June 15, 1939, the Polish embassy informed Warsaw that "Catlash refused to participate in the development of an operational plan for a German attack on Poland." But the reality turned out to be somewhat different.

Already in the spring of 1939, officers of the German General Staff, with the help of the Slovak authorities, began to actively study the territories bordering Poland. In accordance with the Weiss plan, a strike from the territory of Slovakia was of very important strategic importance and was supposed to lead to the encirclement of parts of the Polish Army east of the Vistula. In addition, the offensive from the south eliminated the possibility of organizing logistical support for the Polish troops. In the summer of 1939, anti-Polish propaganda intensified in the Slovak press. The development of events was also influenced by information from Slovak diplomats in Warsaw that politicians of the Second Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth were seriously considering the issue of the possibility of dividing Slovakia between Poland and Hungary.

At the request of Germany, Slovakia quickly formed three divisions: the 1st Infantry Division "Janosik" (commander - General of the Second Rank Anton Pulanich); 2nd Infantry Division "Shkultety" (Second Rank General Alexander Chunderlik); 3rd Infantry Division "Razus" (certified Colonel Augustin Malar). All of them were united into the Bernalak army. In addition to the divisions, the army included the mobile group "Kalinchak" under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Jan Imr.

The Slovak army had at its disposal 50 light tanks LT vz.35; 27 light tanks LT vz. 34; 30 wedges Tc.Vz. 33; three Skoda armored vehicles; 18 Tatra armored vehicles. In addition, the Slovaks were armed with 271 anti-tank gun, 24 medium-caliber anti-aircraft guns, 62 small-caliber anti-aircraft guns, 375 light field guns, 151 heavy howitzers, 150 mortars. The Air Force of the Army of the Slovak Republic consisted of 90 Czechoslovak-designed fighters, 88 reconnaissance aircraft and 3 bombers. The overall command of the Slovak army was assumed by the Minister of Defense, General Ferdinand Čatlas. The task of the Slovak troops during military operations against Poland was to cover the eastern wing of the 14th German Army (Army Group South) under the command of General Wilhelm List. At the same time, the Slovaks had to be prepared for a possible Polish offensive on their own territory. German officers led by General Erwin Engelbrecht were seconded to the main headquarters of the Slovak army. Also on the territory of Slovakia, the Luftwaffe headquarters was formed, which coordinated German air raids on Warsaw and Krakow.

And so at 5 o’clock in the morning on September 1, 1939, the Slovak army crossed the Polish border. This ally of Hitler operated in the Zakopane-Bukovina-Jurgau directions; Piwniczna-Nowy Soncz-Grybov-Tylich; Kamancha-Sanok-Lesna-Cisna. The first blow of the Slovaks was taken by the outposts of the Polish border guard. Under enemy attacks, units of the Border Guard Corps in most areas were forced to retreat. But in the Pivnichnaya area, the Slovak units were repulsed by the Polish border guards, and the soldiers of the 1st company of the KPO "Zhatyn" even went on a counter-offensive and were able to take control for some time of the Slovak villages of Mniszak nad Paprad, Kacze and Pilhavcek. However, in other areas the situation for the Poles was catastrophic. Near Barvinov, a platoon of Polish border guards "Karpaty" fell into a Slovak ambush, resulting in the death of its commander, Lieutenant Raymond Sventakhovsky. In response, the Poles crossed the border and destroyed the building of one of the Slovak border posts along with its garrison.

The 1st Slovak Infantry Division under General Anton Pulanić occupied Jaworzyn and Zakopane, and then began to advance towards Nowy Targ. These actions forced units of the 3rd Polish Mountain Brigade to retreat, and the Slovaks then captured the town of Jaslisk. The 2nd Infantry Division practically did not participate in the fighting. The 3rd Division advanced in the direction of Jasly-Krosny-Sanok and penetrated 90 km into Polish territory.

On September 17, 1939, Slovak aviation attacked a Polish military train that was transporting... units of the Czechoslovak Legion as part of the Polish Army. As a result of the bombing, several legionnaires were wounded and one was killed. Even earlier, on September 6, 1939, a Slovak fighter piloted by Sergeant Hanowiec shot down a Polish reconnaissance plane in the Astravana area.

Soon the "Polish campaign" of the Slovak troops was completed. The losses of the Slovak military were 18 dead, 46 wounded and another 11 people missing. During the fighting, the Poles managed to shoot down two Slovak aircraft and destroy one armored car. But the Slovaks captured 1,350 soldiers and commanders of the Polish Army. In January 1940, the Slovak authorities handed over about 1,200 prisoners to the German and Soviet authorities, and the rest were placed in a special camp in Lesce.

On the territory of Spis, local residents joyfully greeted the Slovak troops. For example, in Jaważyna Spišska, local residents built " triumphal gate", similar to those that were built in some places in Western Ukraine and Western Belarus as a sign of welcome to the Red Army units that came there during the so-called Liberation campaign in September 1939. Among those who rejoiced at the arrival of the Slovaks were representatives of the Ukrainian national minority.

At the end of September 1939, Hitler publicly thanked the leadership of “independent” Slovakia for their assistance in the Polish campaign. Soon, new ones appeared in the Slovak system of awards - the “Military Cross” and the “Javažina-Arava” medal. In the town of Zakopane, the Slovaks held a “victory parade”, which was hosted by General Ferdinand Chatlash. Finally, on November 21, 1939, the main event for Slovakia took place - it was given part of the territories conquered from Poland (the northern part of Spis and Arava - approximately 770 sq. km with 34.5 thousand inhabitants). During the Second World War, the new authorities pursued a brutal policy of “Slovakization” in these lands, destroying everything that reminded them of these territories being part of Poland.

Interesting fact is that the Slovak ambassador in Warsaw Ladislav Shatmar was critical of Slovakia’s attack on Poland and in the first days of the war, in a conversation with Polish diplomats, admitted that he really would not want “fate to grant Slovakia participation in the war on the side of Nazi Germany.”

Sources: Melnik I. Myazha la Zaslavya 1921-1941. - Minsk: Galiyafi, 2015. - 328 p.
Translation from Belarusian is our own. :)