Stalin's Nemesis

by Michael James Melnyk

  Waffen-Grenadier Theo Andruszko:

  […] There was another incident that I remember well. Stopping in one village for the night, myself and another soldier were on night patrol duty when we heard a lot of commotion, footsteps and the hubbub of conversation. Getting our machine guns ready to fire we looked at each other really puzzled. Then we heard someone shouting in Ukrainian: ‘Don’t shoot! Mi svoi!’ (we are ours) In no time there were some 50—60 Slovakian soldiers, still armed and in uniform headed by one Ukrainian soldier. He said ‘Thanks’ these people have surrendered to me and I am taking them to our HQ. All they want is to be allowed to return to their homes. All have homes in this locality’. I must confess, later, as an after thought my flesh kept creeping on my back. What if the lot of them turned on us?—after all there were only three of us! Somehow we Slavs understood each other well. After surrendering their weapons they were allowed to go.100

  Other prisoners, mostly the younger Slovak nationals, Red Army officers and men and even downed American airmen101 were disarmed and sent to the rear for interrogation. In this way the Kampfgruppe was able to overcome many of the weapon deficiencies that had plagued it from the outset.102 The acquisition of this weaponry was however partly mitigated by a shortage of appropriate ammunition.103 The captured medical supplies (mainly quantities of poor quality Soviet made bandages), as well as supplies of footwear and various provisions such as coffee, sugar, bread and fat were equally as beneficial.104

  Waffen-Sturmmann Mychailo Kormylo:

  [In Zvolen] Waffen-Hauptsturmführer Tatarsky instructed us to prepare to rest at the far end of town where there was a school. We were exhausted. We had pursued the Slovaks through the night and as morning broke I could see how exhausted my men were. Half asleep they walked in single file some now holding the person in front by the belt. Even the ammunition horse behind us was half asleep.

  One officer, Waffen-Untersturmführer Volodymyr Vashkovych, fresh from officer school, who had been assigned to us for battle experience commented that he now understood the meaning of war. He had approached me saying that he had found the school where we were to rest. When we got there we found it to be clean but there was nothing to sleep on. My men fell on to the floor to sleep. Vashkovych informed us that there would be a meeting of NCOs in the school office to prepare for entry to Banska Bystrica.

  The discussion was started by Waffen-Hauptsturmführer Tatarsky with Vashkovych updating us on the situation outside Bystrica where the Slovaks had dug in to the left of our intended approach. Wildner had been well briefed about the enemy position and instructed us all to wait until after two in the afternoon. He had requested two light aircraft to reconnoitre the enemy situation. In the late afternoon we would advance with the sun behind us. Another battalion had taken up position on the right of the town and we were to attack from both flanks.

  As evening closed in, the sun was directly in their vision and we knew that they could not observe us well, while we saw them very clearly.[…] We moved even nearer to the forest beside Banska Bystrica, Waffen-Hauptsturmführer Tatarsky sending 30 soldiers to flank left, 30 to the right and 30 advancing in the seclusion of the deep ditches beside the road. We advanced with some powerful weaponry—our heavy machine guns, mortars, anti-tank guns and two anti-aircraft guns. As we advanced Bohdan Tarnawsky’s group were 500 m in front of us. He signalled a request for support cover from my heavy machine guns as he attacked. And this he did. The Slovaks retaliated firing at Bohdan’s group with handhelds. As soon as I saw where they were shooting from, I set the machine gun for 600 m, firing 300 rounds. After a 30 seconds pause Mychailo Baitala’s gun did the same. Behind us our mortars let loose. This was standard procedure. [My friend] ‘Wiking’ watched this and fired around 40 shells and soon once again the edge of the forest was ablaze. The Slovaks began a hasty retreat while we pursued them relentlessly.

  They made towards the town of Slovenska Lupca throwing away anything that could not be easily transported or carried. They left wagons, some still with horses, loads of ammunition and piles of discarded military uniforms. Our reserves, one kilometre behind us, commandeered everything that was of use to us, including weapons, ammunition and wagons with healthy horses.105

  Converging from several points, on 28 October 1944 the German forces finally breached the last defensive line and entered Banska Bystrica where the headquarters of the rebellion had been based so that now to all intents and purposes the insurrection was over. The last Soviet-led insurgents had evacuated the town and fallen back in a north-easterly direction to the mountainous area of the Low Tatras between Liptovska Osada and Brezno.

  On 30 October 1944, a victory parade was held in Banska Bystrica. SS-Obergruppenführer Höfle was present in his capacity as overall commander as was the Slovakian state president Tiso along with delegations from the 18.SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Horst Wessel and KGr. Schafer which were also in attendance.106 On this occasion and in a statement made on 31 October President Tiso, publicly expressed his gratitude to the Waffen-SS and Army units involved (including the Galician Division) in freeing the Slovakia Republic from Bolsheviks and Communist partisans.107 The official OKW report announcing the collapse and destruction of the organised rebellion movement in Slovakia, followed a few days later.108

  In the meantime Kampfgruppe Wildner had moved up to occupy Kralova and Radvan in the suburbs of Banska Bystrica. After a few days it received orders to secure the larger villages in the region to the north east of Banska Bystrica and the surrounding mountains. Here it was to assault the remaining pockets of well-armed Soviet and Czech partisans and remnants of the II Czechoslovak Airborne Brigade which were still active and force them to disperse.

  During the advance Waffen-Unterscharführer Roman Drazniowsky’s 2 platoon encountered a group of Ukrainian refugees. He later wrote:

  […] Passing the village of Medzibrod my platoon from 10 company searched three freight cars at the railway station and discovered families of Ukrainian refugees—about 30–40 people in total including children hiding in them, who a few a days earlier had been in the hands of the Communist partisans. As the area had been secured by the Kampfgruppe I told them to head towards Banska Bystrica which was about 20 kms away.109

  In the nearby villages lots of weapons were lying around including Czech made rifles, pistols and automatic weapons of mixed Czech, Soviet and German origin although few had suitable ammunition.110 While for the most part these actions did not result in major confrontations, there was still some fighting during which the Kampfgruppe suffered further casualties in dead and wounded, before the last enemy groups surrendered. Among the prisoners captured at this time were four Soviet officers and one woman soldier who were transferred to battalion headquarters.111 Waffen-Sturmmann Mychailo Kormylo also recalled these operations during which he freed more Slovak prisoners:

  […] We entered Brusno and found no partisans. Locals told us that they had headed straight through the town in the direction of Podbrezova. We got there and noticed that the edge of town was very quiet with no sign of them. When we eventually penetrated the centre we learned that the Slovaks and Russians had fled past Hronec towards Cierny Balog. Waffen-Hauptsturmführer Tatarsky ordered us to make towards the town and pitch up. He intended that the next day we would pass through and follow them into the Tatra mountains. At the edge of town we came across a farmstead with no one apparently living there but in the kitchen there was still food on the table—the farmer and his family had obviously fled. We searched the place thoroughly and found straw and hay which would become our primitive bedding. Soon our field kitchen detachment arrived and brought us food. We finally rested, my men exhausted after the long chase.

  Tatarsky appeared with an order that Wildner wanted to see the officers in a separate room where he would explain the next day’s tactics. At 2000 hrs we went there and waited. Within a couple of minutes Wildner arrived and shook hands with us, obviously very pleased with the fact that our company had
hounded the Slovaks and Soviets without any great losses on our side.

  Wildner announced ‘Tomorrow we will make for the Tatras and chase those forces which are still powerful enough to cause us damage. We need to really sort these out because the Soviets may assist them by dropping in parachutists which would put us in a weakened position’.

  The next morning at sunrise we set off into the mountains carrying what ammunition we could. We soon began to really climb. On this first day the weather was very fine so we could see quite far through our binoculars. As we reached the peak of the first ridge I could see through my binoculars, on a hill about two kilometres to my left, a group of Slovak partisans about 50 strong, carrying only light weaponry.

  In comparison our companies had six heavy machine guns, six light mortars, six Ofenrohen [bazookas], eight light machine guns, plenty of hand grenades and each company also had rifle assisted grenades that could fire a maximum distance of 400 metres.

  At one point Tatarsky commanded one of our mortars to fire a test shot at the opposing hill to ascertain its effectiveness. However having fired a trial shot it had no effect, falling short. The Slovaks continued without changing their pace. We continued to track them. As evening mist fell we began to lose sight of them. He instructed us to rest for the night but in full clothing and weapons covered and at the ready. ‘Tomorrow we’ll track but climb higher’ were his final instructions.

  Next morning we awoke although some men had been so cold through the night that they had hardly slept at all. About ten in the morning the mist finally lifted and the sunshine began to warm us. We had eaten a dry breakfast and began climbing even more. Through my binoculars I spotted a long line of Slovaks snaking along in groups of twenties, thirties and so on. Again an attempt to reach them with our mortars failed. We could observe each other clearly on opposing ridges and easily assess each other’s strength.

  Around midday, after lunching again on dry rations, we were parched as we had no water. Further downhill I spotted a farmstead with a stream running past it and I imagined there might be a well there. I offered to go and see. I asked my platoon to cover me and for two volunteers to accompany me. Only two from the company volunteered. We took our automatics and a couple of grenades each. Heading about 720 metres downhill, covered by a heavy machine gun with 300 rounds at the ready.

  We had only set off by about 300 metres when we noticed a group of 30 Slovaks heading towards us. They had not seen us as we had not yet emerged from the cover of thick bushes. ‘Ivan! Cover left! Vasyl! Cover right!’ The plan was straightforward. If possible we could capture them. We were so concealed that we could let them get as near as ten metres. I would shout Halt! And all three of us would shoot over their heads. As it happened they kept coming nearer and nearer. 40 metres, nearer and then, when they were about 5 metres away and almost upon us, I emerged from the bushes and shouted Halt! Ivan and Vasyl did the same. The Slovaks stopped in their tracks and put their hands in the air. I approached their officer, pointing my automatic in his face, while Vasyl disarmed him, removing a pistol and two grenades. I snapped ‘Search his cap!’ and sure enough there was hidden a small pistol. In his boots was a small dagger. I instructed him to tell his men to throw down their ammunition belts and any weapons.

  ‘Where are the Soviets who are meant to be with you?’

  ‘We left them in the farmhouse. They do not want to engage in battle with you. They are two officers and a female nurse.’

  I took a red flare, attached it to my pistol and discharged it into the farmhouse. This done, three of our mortars from behind us, let loose and the shells landed nearby. My covering heavy machine gun put 50 rounds into the building. The Slovak officer said ‘You’ve killed them and would have killed us if we had still been there. We don’t want to fight any more, we want to return home. We have not eaten for three days. Can you give us something to eat?’ I told him that behind us we had an artillery detachment where they might provide him with food. I enquired if he had a compass. I took him to the edge of the bushes and pointed in the direction of our detachment where they should surrender themselves. I tore a small piece from my diary and wrote in Ukrainian that ‘This group has surrendered without battle. Deal with them as you see fit. Mychailo Kormylo. Battalion Wildner’.

  Their officer shook my hand saying we might meet again in Zilina. His said his father had a dairy in Zilina. He invited me to visit it whenever or if ever in Zilina. All of his men shook our hands and thanking us, set off. No sooner had they departed when one of the mortar team came running down and asked if we were still intent on getting water from the farmhouse. I said we would and that we would still need cover as the three ‘katsapy’112 might still be alive. If so, we would finish them off.

  As we approached the farmhouse we saw nothing and heard nothing. I told Vasyl and Ivan that I would carefully venture in and that they should cover me left and right. I opened the door with extreme caution and saw nobody—just a small table covered in dried blood. At first I thought perhaps it was our fire that had seriously wounded them but the blood appeared so long dried they must have fled well before we advanced.

  I left the building searching for good water and just to the right of the yard came across a small spring. The trickle was small but it appeared to be clean. I asked Vasyl to prepare to fill the nine water bottles that he had strapped to him. Ivan and I stood well back guarding either side just in case the Muscovites were concealed somewhere nearby.

  He filled the nine bottles and handed one to us. I told Ivan to have a drink first but he hardly left me any he was so thirsty. I handed it back for a refill and I also swallowed a whole bottle. We had not drunk a thing during the previous eighteen hours and were absolutely parched. With refills complete we headed back up the hill, bottles strapped to each of us, where they were awaited eagerly. Still fearful of the Muscovites I instructed that we three return in single file, ten metres apart, so that if they were hidden in the bushes they would find it hard to fire on all three of us. I felt sure they were hidden nearby and that we were being observed. Dealing with the Slovaks had seemed straightforward compared with Muscovite partisans.

  We headed uphill slowly, turning completely round frequently, with automatics at the ready. Soon we were half way back with no fire from the Muscovites. As soon as we were within a hundred metres of our boys some of them began running down to meet us, desperate for the water we were carrying. I told them that we had to exercise self-control. I proposed one bottle to be shared among four at the moment. My group got two bottles and were thankful even for the small portions of distributed water.

  Waffen-Untersturmführer Volodymyr Vashkovych ran up to me angrily. ‘You Kormylo, why did you not call me when you arrested the Slovaks? There might have been a high ranking officer amongst them. You took control of the whole situation and let them go free!’ I turned on him and said, ‘Who are you Vashkovych to question us? I had every right to do what I did and there was no need for me to report to you Vashkovych, especially to one who has never been at the real front line and who wants to lecture me, a veteran of Brody and here in Slovakia! Before I went for water I sought volunteers from the battalion and from four companies only two men who had been at Brody, were my fearless companions in fetching water! And you Volodymyr, why didn’t you volunteer? Vashkovych, get back to your light company where you were and don’t do my head in with this matter of the Slovaks!’

  Vasyl and Ivan had distributed the water bottles and said the men were extremely grateful for what I had done. However Tatarsky soon appeared and reprimanded me saying that what I had done was successful but extremely dangerous. ‘Do not do this again Kormylo, we need soldiers like you to be alive!’

  He then informed us that we had a march of five or six kilometres ahead of us to a hill summit rest point, where we would spend the night. When the morning mist had cleared we would continue to another rest and observation point in the hills for the next two days. The plan was to then proceed to Zilina where HQ had
promised us a couple of weeks’ break.[…]113

  After returning to Podbrezova the Kampfgruppe received orders to proceed to Hronec and then Cierny Balog. By 16 November it was back in Banska Bystrica/Kralova for a few days rest before it received transportation to the Povazska Bystrica and Turcianske Teplice regions to the south-west and south-east of Zilina respectively,114 where parts of it were involved in short but heavy fighting as it cleared these areas of partisans before rejoining the Division in Zilina.

  After ten weeks in combat, it finally arrived in Zilina on 29 November 1944,115 where it was greeted by the commander of WGR 29, SS-Standartenführer Dern with the regimental staff.116 Waffen-Grenadier Theo Andruszko recalled the occasion: ‘On entering Zilina we were met by full Divisional orchestra. Tired as we were, we managed to fall in step, chest out, proudly marching through the city streets’.117

  The soldiers were given two days rest before being assigned to security duties in Zilina.118 Having been in the field for an extended period, Waffen-Grenadier Volodymyr Keczun recalled that priority was sanitation:

  […] We were ordered to rejoin our 12 Company in Zilina. We managed to brand our new horse with the company brand, otherwise we would have been ‘in hot water’. Once we reached our company we were assigned a barrack and told to leave all our equipment on the beds and report outside the camp, where two carriages were parked on the railway. In the first we left all our clothes for fumigation and in the second we had a special shower to kill all lice. In the meantime a special sanitary unit fumigated our barrack and our equipment. Sadly the cleanliness didn’t last long because somehow nobody noticed that Ziemba went exploring and missed fumigation. In a few days we had nearly as many lice as before and we had to go through the same process again.119

  The wounded were transferred for treatment to the Division’s hospital in the city, where according to a report about the rationing situation for the patients submitted by SS-Obersturmbannführer Dr Max Specht, (headed of Section IVb [Medical] of the Division’s staff), the allotment of meat, fat and sugar was minimal and totally inadequate for recuperating patients.120