(13. Hrvatska Pješačka Divizija)
by H.L. deZeng IV

Ordered formed on or about 1 December 1944 with Division HQ in Karlovac. There was a small German liaison team (DVK 313) assigned to the Division for coordination purposes. It was considered by the Germans, Partisans and Allies as being well armed and equipped with high morale among the Ustasha, but poor morale among the Domobran personnel. On formation it had a strength of approximately 10,000, but by February this had decreased to around 6,500. Following the reorganization in Apr 45, the strength stood at an estimated 6,000. (1)

Operational History

Dec 44 – Mar 45: Division responsible for the area Karlovac – Ogulin – Ozalj – Jaska – Zdenčina – Kamensko – Duga Resa. Tactically subordinated to German LXIX. Armeekorps to April and then to German LXXXXI. Armeekorps. Additional information can be found in the histories for the individual brigades.
24-26 Mar 45: two battalions from the Div. were heavily engaged around Slunj/41 km S of Karlovac.
Apr 45: around the middle of April the Division underwent a major reorganization. All of its units were consolidated as noted above.
13 Apr 45: Div. elements along with parts of German 20. Jäg.Rgt. lost the town of Tounj/31 km SSW of Karlovac during a strong attack by a brigade from 13th Division JA.
25-28 Apr 45: some components of the Division began withdrawing toward Zagreb to strengthen the defenses around the capital and along the rail line between Karlovac and Zagreb, while other remained in defense of the Karlovac area with German 104. Jäger-Div. and two police regiments.
4 May 45: Ozalj/15 km N of Karlovac was taken by units of the 34th Assault Division JA and 13th Croatian Inf. Div., now in considerable disarray, was forced back to Karlovac.
7-10 May 45: Karlovac fell to the Partisans on 7 May and the Division collapsed and disintegrated over the next several days.

Commanders

Ust. General Tomislav Rolf (c. 1 Dec 1944 - May 1945?)

Subordination

I Territorial Corps (c. 1 Dec 1944 - c. 15 Mar 1945)
I Ustasha Corps (c. 15 Mar 1945 - May 1945)

Order of battle (Dec 44 – Mar 45)

Div. HQ in Karlovac
III Ustasha Brigade (I – III Bn., plus 4 garrison battalions)
XVII Ustasha Brigade (I – III Bn., plus 1 garrison battalion)
12th Domobran Brigade (I – III Bn.)
I Artillery Gp.

Order of battle (Apr 45)

Div. HQ in Karlovac
28th Inf. Rgt. (I – III Bn.)
29th Inf. Rgt. (I – III Bn.)
V Ustasha Corps Reconnaissance Bn.
Ustasha Replacement Bn.
Ustasha Engineer Bn.
2 artillery batteries.

Footnotes

1. AVII Beograd, kut. 134a, reg.br. 3/1; [Vojnoistorijski institute]. Zbornik dokumenata I podataka o narodnooslobodilačkom ratu jugoslovenskih naroda, Tom V/36, pp.530, 747-57; V/37, pp.758-63; V/38, pp.697-703; XI/4; [Vojnoistorijski institute]. Hronologija oslobodilačke borbe naroda jugoslavije 1941-1945, p.1108; [Vojnoistorijski institute]. Oslobodilački rat naroda Juooslavije 1941-1945, vol. 2, p.567; NARA WashDC: RG 226 (OSS intelligence documents Nos. 109636, 110433 and 126034); RG 331 (roll 447-B).

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -