The commander of the SS Division "Handschar", SS-Standartenführer Desiderius Hampel, with one of the leading Majevica Chetnik commanders, Vojvoda Radivoje Kerović. After the completion of the German Operation "Full Moon", and the fierce fighting between the "Handschar" Division and the Partisan XVI Vojvodina Division – the Majevica Chetniks started combing the battlefields, walking off with the abandoned equipment, and even with some of the wounded. Wishing to recover the lost material (and men), commander of the SS division arranged a meeting with the Chetnik commander; a memoir of Hampel's guard, SS-Obersturmführer Hermann Schifferdecker (a quote from the book "Himmler's Bosnian Division" by George Lepre): "We drove with an escort to the pre-determined point near Lopare where several mounted Chetniks awaited us. Only Hampel and I were allowed to continue. The Chetniks placed us on mountain horses, blindfolded us, and we set off into the mountains. After about an hour the blindfolds were removed. Shortly thereafter, we came to a clearing in the forest where a few cabins and tents stood. About thirty heavily-armed Chetniks lingered about, including a few women. Their leader approached and introduced himself as Vojvoda (Chieftain) Radivoj[e] Kerović. He was an imposing man with a powerful beard and head of hair, as were his compatriots. After Hampel presented him with a gift (a hunting rifle), we were made to take places at a richly-decorated table inside one of the cabins. Only after the feast were we able to begin discussing the matter of the weapons. After tough negotiations, we managed to secure the return of the material, which was to be carried out in exchange for the delivery of several thousand rounds of small arms ammunition and a few cases of hand grenades. The return trip was made in the same manner, and we were quite happy to see our escort again!"
Text: Ivan Ž. / Hermann Schifferdecker.
Photographer: unknown.
Date: summer 1944.
Date: summer 1944.
Location: unknown (district of Tuzla), Yugoslavia.
Original caption: unknown.
File source: George Lepre, "Himmler's Bosnian Division" (p. 229).
NOT ALLOWED: removing source credits from the files – using text without crediting the original author – using files and information for political propaganda and commercial purposes.
Komandant SS-divizije "Handžar", SS-štandartenfirer Deziderijus Hampel, sa jednim od vodećih majevičkih četničkih komandanata, vojvodom Radivojem Kerovićem. Po završetku nemačke operacije "Pun mesec", i žestokih borbi između "Handžar" divizije i partizanske XVI vojvođanske divizije – majevički četnici su započeli prečešljavanje mesta okršaja, odnoseći napuštenu opremu, pa čak i neke od ranjenika. Želeći povratak izgubljenog materijala (i ljudstva), komandant SS-divizije je ugovorio sastanak sa četničkim komandantom; sećanje Hampelovog pratioca, SS-oberšturmfirera Hermana Šiferdekera (citat iz knjige "Himlerova bosanska divizija" Džordža Leprea): "Dovezli smo se s pratnjom na dogovoreno mesto u blizini Lopara, gde nas je čekalo nekoliko četnika na konjima. Samo Hampelu i meni je bilo dozvoljeno da produžimo. Četnici su nas posadili na brdske konje, vezali oči, i krenusmo u planine. Posle otprilike sat vremena, povezi su skinuti sa očiju. Ubrzo smo stigli na čistinu u šumi, gde se nalazilo nekoliko brvnara i šatora. Stajalo je tridesetak do zuba naoružanih četnika, uključujući i nekoliko žena. Njihov vođa nam je prišao i predstavio se kao vojvoda Radivoje Kerović. Bio je impozantan čovek, sa moćnom bradom i gustom kosom, kao i njegovi saborci. Nakon što mu je Hampel predao poklon (lovačku pušku), rečeno nam je da zauzmemo mesta za bogatom trpezom u jednoj od brvnara. Tek posle gozbe smo bili u prilici da započnemo raspravu na temu oružja. Posle teških pregovora, uspeli smo da obezbedimo povratak materijala, koji bi trebalo da bude izvršen u zamenu za nekoliko hiljada okvira streljačke municije i par sanduka sa ručnim bombama. Transport je u povratku sproveden na isti način, a mi smo bili prilično srećni da ponovo vidimo našu pratnju!"
Tekst: Ivan Ž. / Herman Šiferdeker.
Fotograf: nepoznat.
Datum: leto 1944.
Datum: leto 1944.
Mesto: nepoznato (srez Tuzlanski), Jugoslavija.
Originalni natpis: nepoznat.
Izvor fajla: George Lepre, "Himmler's Bosnian Division" (str. 229).
NIJE DOZVOLJENO: uklanjanje naziva izvora sa fajlova – korišćenje teksta bez navođenja izvornog autora – korišćenje fajlova i informacija u političko-propagandne i komercijalne svrhe.
