18 April 2017

0218 | Photo | 369. (kroatische) Infanterie-Division



Operation "Black". A rare photograph of members of the "Devil's Division" (three NCOs) with a captured Partisan leader, in the mountains of Montenegro. The mutual hatred is clearly visible on their dusty, raw faces. The prisoner's fate is unknown.

Text: Ivan Ž.

Photographer: unknown.
Date: May 1943.
Location: unknown, Yugoslavia.
Original caption: "In the fight against Bolshevik gangs in the high mountains of Montenegro. A bandit leader is captured. With a Soviet star on his cap, he shows his unity with the Bolshevik instructors in the Soviet Union. Through sabotage and terror, he brings his countrymen suffering and misery, devastating their fields and destroying their homes."

File source: DPA / Alamy, FX97P0.

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.



Operacija "Crno". Retka fotografija pripadnika "Vražje divizije" (trojice podoficira) sa jednim zarobljenim partizanskim vođom, u planinama Crne Gore. Obostrana netrpeljivost jasno je vidljiva na njihovim prašnjavim, sirovim licima. Sudbina zarobljenika nije poznata.

Tekst: Ivan Ž.

Fotograf: nepoznat.
Datum: maj 1943.
Mesto: nepoznato, Jugoslavija.
Originalni natpis: "U borbi protiv boljševičkih bandi u visokim brdima Crne Gore. Jedan banditski vođa je zarobljen. Sovjetskom zvezdom na kapi on pokazuje jedinstvo sa boljševičkim naredbodavcima u Sovjetskom Savezu. Sabotažama i terorom, on donosi patnju i bedu svojim sunarodnicima, pustošeći im polja i uništavajući im domove."

Izvor fajla: DPA / Alamy, FX97P0.

NIJE DOZVOLJENO: uklanjanje naziva izvora sa fajlova – korišćenje teksta bez navođenja izvornog autora – korišćenje fajlova i informacija u političko-propagandne i komercijalne svrhe.

11 April 2017

0217 | Photo | 7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division "Prinz Eugen"



Partisan breakthrough into Serbia. After the Partisan Shock Group of Divisions (II and V divisions) failed to cross the Ibar at the end of March 1944, in early August of the same year, the Operational Group of Divisions (II, V and XVII) began forcing the river again, with the aim of deeper penetration into Serbia. The group headed towards the Ibar on 3 August, arranged in three columns. The middle column (II Proletarian Division) advanced with two of its brigades (III and IV) towards the Lešak–Leposavić section, which was defended by the incomplete 14th Regiment (minus III Battalion) and Pioneer Battalion of the SS Division "Prinz Eugen". As ordered, the SS men crossed the river first and rushed to meet the far more numerous enemy, in an attempt to block them on their side. Especially fierce battles were fought at Crni Vrh (west of Leposavić), in a forest, between the I and II battalions of the IV Proletarian (Montenegrin) Brigade and the SS division's I battalion, 14th regiment. The Banat SS men charged the Montenegrin Partisans shouting "Communists, you'll never enter Serbia!" while a "Forward, proletarians!" resounded from the opposite side. After six hours of hard fighting and as many as ten rejected German assaults, the Montenegrins finally broke through, crossed the river and defeated the German defence. The following day, on his way to Leposavić, Partisan photographer Pavle Bojčević took this photo of a dead young man, a member of the "Prinz Eugen" Division. His corpse was robbed, pants and boots removed, and his SS collar tabs torn off, and thrown onto his chest.

Text: Ivan Ž.

Photographer: Pavle Bojčević, Operational Group of Divisions.
Date: 4 August 1944.
Location: unknown (district of Deževa), Yugoslavia.
Original caption: "Operational Group of Divisions forcing the Ibar. In order to prevent us from crossing, the Germans transferred to our left bank during the night. After a strong clash with losses on both sides, the Germans were completely liquidated on our side of the river. Pictured, a dead German."

File source: Muzej Jugoslavije / Znaci, 4105.

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.



Prodor NOVJ u Srbiju. Posle propalog pokušaja prelaska Ibra od strane partizanske Udarne grupe divizija (II i V divizija) krajem marta 1944, početkom avgusta iste godine Operativna grupa divizija (II, V i XVII) ponovo je preduzela forsiranje reke, s ciljem dubljeg prodora u Srbiju. Grupa se prema Ibru uputila 3. avgusta, raspoređena u tri kolone. Srednja kolona (II proleterska divizija) nastupala je dvema brigadama (III i IV) prema odseku Lešak–Leposavić, koji su branili nepotpuni 14. puk (bez III bataljona) i inžinjerijski bataljon SS-divizije "Princ Ojgen". Po naređenju, esesovci su prvi prelazili reku i hitali u susret daleko mnogobrojnijem protivniku, pokušavajući da ga blokiraju na njegovoj strani. Posebno žestoke borbe vođene su kod Crnog vrha (zapadno od Leposavića), u šumi, između I i II bataljona IV proleterske (crnogorske) brigade i I bataljona 14. puka SS-divizije. Banatski esesovci kidisali su na crnogorske partizane uzvikujući "Komunisti, nećete u Srbiju!" dok je sa suprotne strane odzvanjalo "Napred, proleteri!" Posle šest sati mukotrpnih borbi i čak deset odbijenih nemačkih juriša, Crnogorci su se konačno probili, prešli reku i potukli nemačku odbranu. Narednog dana, na putu ka Leposaviću, partizanski fotograf Pavle Bojčević uslikao je ovog mrtvog mladića, pripadnika divizije "Princ Ojgen". Njegov leš je opljačkan, cokule i pantalone su mu skinute, a esesovske oznake sa kragne otrgnute, i bačene na prsa.

Tekst: Ivan Ž.

Fotograf: Pavle Bojčević, Operativna grupa divizija.
Datum: 4. avgust 1944.
Mesto: nepoznato (srez Deževski), Jugoslavija.
Originalni natpis: "Operativna grupa divizija vrši forsiranje Ibra. Da bi osujetili naš prelaz, Nemci su se u toku noći prebacili na našu levu obalu. Posle jačeg okršaja i obostranih gubitaka, Nemci su potpuno likvidirani na našoj strani reke. Na slici poginuli Nemac."

Izvor fajla: Muzej Jugoslavije / Znaci, 4105.

NIJE DOZVOLJENO: uklanjanje naziva izvora sa fajlova – korišćenje teksta bez navođenja izvornog autora – korišćenje fajlova i informacija u političko-propagandne i komercijalne svrhe.

05 April 2017

0216 | Photo | 13. Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS "Handschar" (kroatische Nr. 1)



Horsemen of the SS Division "Handschar" in conversation with an armed villager (allegedly a Chetnik), an elderly and ragged man, who explains in which direction the Partisans retreated. Judging by the wide smiles of the SS men, the atmosphere is either very warm or rather derisive.

Text: Ivan Ž.

Photographer: unknown.
Date: 1944.
Location: unknown, Yugoslavia.
Original caption: unknown.

File source: "Große Geschichte des Dritten Reichs und des Zweiten Weltkriegs" VIII (p. 154).

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.



Jahači SS-divizije "Handžar" u razgovoru sa jednim naoružanim seljakom (navodno četnikom), starijim i odrpanim čovekom, koji im objašnjava u kojem su se pravcu povukli partizani. Sudeći po širokim osmesima esesovaca, atmosfera je ili veoma srdačna ili prilično podrugljiva.

Tekst: Ivan Ž.

Fotograf: nepoznat.
Datum: 1944.
Mesto: nepoznato, Jugoslavija.
Originalni natpis: nepoznat.

Izvor fajla: "Große Geschichte des Dritten Reichs und des Zweiten Weltkriegs" VIII (str. 154).

NIJE DOZVOLJENO: uklanjanje naziva izvora sa fajlova – korišćenje teksta bez navođenja izvornog autora – korišćenje fajlova i informacija u političko-propagandne i komercijalne svrhe.

04 April 2017

0215 | Photo | 1. Gebirgs-Division



Operation "Ball Lightning". German mountain troopers, members of the III Battalion, 98th Regiment, 1st Mountain Division, pose in their half-tracks (Sd.Kfz. 10/4) in front of a huge Partisan slogan "Death to fascism – freedom to the people", written on the facade of Hotel "Čajniče" (which previously housed the Partisan headquarters). Still visible in the middle of the facade is a German "V" (Victoria, victory), which was overpainted by the Partisans with their five-pointed star. Staying in the town of Čajniče for the past week was the Partisan II Dalmatian Brigade (of the II Proletarian Division), which, faced with a clearly superior enemy, withdrew without a fight this time.

Text: Ivan Ž.

Photographer: unknown.
Date: 6 December 1943.
Location: Čajniče, Yugoslavia.
Original caption: unknown.

File source: Janusz Piekalkiewicz, "Krieg auf dem Balkan" (p. 237).

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.



Operacija "Loptasta munja". Nemački brdski lovci, pripadnici III bataljona 98. puka 1. brdske divizije, poziraju na svojim poluguseničarima (Sd.Kfz. 10/4) ispred ogromne partizanske parole "Smrt fašizmu – sloboda narodu", napisane na fasadi Hotela "Čajniče" (u kojem je prethodno bio smešten partizanski štab). Na sredini fasade još uvek se vidi nemačko "V" (Viktorija, pobeda), preko kojeg su partizani nacrtali svoju petokraku. U gradu Čajniču proteklih je nedelju dana boravila partizanska II dalmatinska brigada (II proleterske divizije), koja se ovog puta, suočena sa vidno nadmoćnijim neprijateljem, povukla bez borbe.

Tekst: Ivan Ž.

Fotograf: nepoznat.
Datum: 6. decembar 1943.
Mesto: Čajniče, Jugoslavija.
Originalni natpis: nepoznat.

Izvor fajla: Janusz Piekalkiewicz, "Krieg auf dem Balkan" (str. 237).

NIJE DOZVOLJENO: uklanjanje naziva izvora sa fajlova – korišćenje teksta bez navođenja izvornog autora – korišćenje fajlova i informacija u političko-propagandne i komercijalne svrhe.

03 April 2017

0214 | Photo | SS-Freiwilligen-Division "Prinz Eugen"



Operation "Black". Members of the III Battalion, 2nd Regiment, SS Division "Prinz Eugen", interrogate a captured Chetnik (a member of the Trebinje Corps) in Stolac. With the help of an interpreter (far right), the prisoner is being personally interrogated by the battalion commander, SS-Hauptsturmführer Otto Meckelburg (second from the left). This operation, whose overall objective was the destruction of all armed formations that did not belong to the regular German, Italian or Croatian armed forces, and whose primary objective was the destruction of headquarters of Army General Dragoljub Mihailović, was presented in the postwar Yugoslav historiography in a shortened (censored) version, which excluded any clashes between Axis forces and formations that did not belong to the Partisan movement. In the original German reports, on the other hand, apart from the generally poor Chetnik resistance and the strong Italian opposition to their disarmament (which were mentioned in Yugoslav historiography), there are also reports on the fighting between the Germans and the Chetniks, Partisans and Chetniks, Partisans against united Chetniks and Germans, Germans against united Chetniks and Partisans, Chetniks and Croats against the Partisans, and the fighting between the Italians and the Chetniks (there are also photographs that show Germans disarming members of a Muslim militia, and a report that mentions Germans and Muslim militia fighting united against the Chetniks). The Axis forces, however, did indeed fight their main battles against the Partisans, who also suffered the heaviest losses during the operation.

Text: Ivan Ž. 

Photographer: Kollik, SS War Correspondent Battalion.
Date: 15 May 1943.
Location: Stolac, Yugoslavia.
Original caption: unknown.

File source: National Archives, 242-JRP-89-1-21A.

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.



Operacija "Crno". Pripadnici III bataljona 2. puka SS-divizije "Princ Ojgen" ispituju zarobljenog četnika (pripadnika Trebinjskog korpusa) u Stocu. Uz pomoć prevodioca (sasvim desno), zarobljenika saslušava lično komandant bataljona, SS-hauptšturmfirer Oto Mekelburg (drugi sleva). Ova operacija, čiji je opšti cilj bio uništenje svih oružanih formacija koje ne pripadaju regularnim nemačkim, italijanskim ili hrvatskim oružanim snagama, a primarni cilj uništenje štaba armijskog generala Dragoljuba Mihailovića, u posleratnoj jugoslovenskoj istoriografiji predstavljena je u skraćenoj (cenzurisanoj) verziji, koja je isključivala bilo kakve okršaje između osovinskih snaga i formacija koje nisu pripadale partizanskom pokretu. U originalnim nemačkim izveštajima, s druge strane, osim većinom slabog otpora četnika i snažnog protivljenja Italijana njihovom razoružavanju (koji se pominju i u jugoslovenskoj istoriografiji), navode se i borbe između Nemaca i četnika, partizana i četnika, partizana protiv udruženih četnika i Nemaca, Nemaca protiv udruženih četnika i partizana, četnika i Hrvata protiv partizana, i borbe između Italijana i četnika (postoje i fotografije koje prikazuju razoružavanje pripadnika muslimanske milicije od strane Nemaca, i izveštaj u kojem se pominju borbe udruženih Nemaca i muslimanske milicije protiv četnika). Glavne borbe, međutim, osovinske snage jesu zaista vodile protiv partizana, koji su i pretrpeli najteže gubitke u ovoj operaciji.

Tekst: Ivan Ž. 

Fotograf: Kolik, Ratnodopisnički bataljon SS-a.
Datum: 15. maj 1943.
Mesto: Stolac, Jugoslavija.
Originalni natpis: nepoznat.

Izvor fajla: National Archives, 242-JRP-89-1-21A.

NIJE DOZVOLJENO: uklanjanje naziva izvora sa fajlova – korišćenje teksta bez navođenja izvornog autora – korišćenje fajlova i informacija u političko-propagandne i komercijalne svrhe.

02 April 2017

0213 | Photo | Comparison



Allies vs Axis: propaganda. Two remarkably similar photographs of two Yugoslavs, taken in the space of just a couple of months, for propaganda purposes of the warring world powers: a young Partisan girl (Vera Križman) standing beside a picture of her leader, Tito, in British uniform with the Soviet five-pointed star on a Partisan cap, at an Allied camp and during an Allied training – and a young Muslim standing beside a picture of his religious leader, al-Husseini, in German uniform with Nazi insignia on the traditional fez, in German barracks and during a German training. The British photo was published in the magazine "The War Illustrated", in March 1944, and the German was published in the "Cologne Illustrated Newspaper" (Kölnische Illustrierte Zeitung), in December 1943.

Text: Ivan Ž.

Photographer: a) unknown; b) Werner Mielke, SS Regiment "Kurt Eggers".
Date: a) 21 January 1944; b) November 1943.
Location: a) Gravina in Puglia (province of Bari), Italy; b) Neuhammer am Queis (district of Sprottau), Germany.
Original caption: a) "Yugoslav Partisan fighters recuperate and train at Allied rest camp in Italy. Twenty-year-old Yugoslav Partisan standing beside picture of her leader, General Tito. She is credited with having killed 20 Germans and is recovering from a wound received while engaged in guerilla war against Nazis in Yugoslavia." b) "With SS volunteers from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem is the supreme religious leader of all Muslims. The young Bosnians decorate a room in the barracks with a portrait of the Grand Mufti."

File source: a) NordicPhotos / IMS Vintage Photos, 519907; b) Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe, 2-16103.

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.



Saveznici i Osovina: propaganda. Dve izuzetno slične fotografije dvoje Jugoslovena, snimljene u razmaku od samo par meseci, za propagandne potrebe zaraćenih svetskih sila: mlada partizanka (Vera Križman) koja stoji pored slike svog vođe, Tita, u britanskoj uniformi sa sovjetskom petokrakom na partizanskoj kapi, u savezničkom logoru i na savezničkoj obuci – i mladi musliman koji stoji pored slike svog verskog poglavara, el Huseinija, u nemačkoj uniformi sa nacističkim oznakama na tradicionalnom fesu, u nemačkoj kasarni i na nemačkoj obuci. Britanska fotografija je objavljena u časopisu "Ilustrovani rat" (The War Illustrated), marta 1944. godine, a nemačka je objavljena u "Kelnskim ilustrovanim novinama" (Kölnische Illustrierte Zeitung), decembra 1943.

Tekst: Ivan Ž.

Fotograf: a) nepoznat; b) Verner Milke, SS-puk "Kurt Egers".
Datum: a) 21. januar 1944; b) novembar 1943.
Mesto: a) Gravina (provincija Bari), Italija; b) Nojhamer na Kvisi (okrug Šprotau), Nemačka.
Originalni natpis: a) "Jugoslovenski partizani na oporavku i obuci u savezničkom logoru za odmor u Italiji. Dvadesetogodišnja jugoslovenska partizanka stoji pored slike njenog vođe, generala Tita. Ona je zaslužna za smrt 20 Nemaca i oporavlja se od rane zadobijene u gerilskom ratu protiv nacista u Jugoslaviji." b) "Kod SS-dobrovoljaca iz Bosne i Hercegovine. Veliki muftija jerusalimski je vrhovni verski poglavar svih muslimana. Mladi Bosanci ukrašavaju sobu u kasarni portretom velikog muftije."

Izvor fajla: a) NordicPhotos / IMS Vintage Photos, 519907; b) Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe, 2-16103.

NIJE DOZVOLJENO: uklanjanje naziva izvora sa fajlova – korišćenje teksta bez navođenja izvornog autora – korišćenje fajlova i informacija u političko-propagandne i komercijalne svrhe.