Battle of Durkov Pass, Dec. 1944

Doug Nash · Post by **Doug Nash** » Wed Jul 16, 2003 6:37 am

I'm doing some research on an obscure division-level fight that took place in late Dec. 1944 in Eastern Slovakia involving the 101. Jaeger Division (subordinate to the XXXXIX.Armee-Korps, 1.Panzer Armee). I think it was called the Battle of Durkov Pass, which took place some 15 kilometers east of the town of Kosice. During this battle, the 101.Jg.Div. was heavily engaged and nearly overwhelmed by a superior Soviet force. It lost its defensive positions along the line Rozhanovce-Durkov-Slancik, though it was able to hold the Durkov pass which would have enabled the Soviets to reach the outskirts of Kosice. The Corps committed its Sturm-Regiment of two battalions and 8 StuGs in a counterattack, but it was repulsed with heavy losses as well as the loss of 5 StuGs. After a seesaw battle that raged for 2 days, the situation was finally stabilized when 1. Pz.Aree committed a Panzer Division that counterattacked and threw the Soviets back. Other than that, that's all I know about the fight. Anyone ever heard of this battle and does anyone know of any sources that cover it? Thanks!

2311Marine · Post by **2311Marine** » Wed Jul 16, 2003 10:55 am

Doug,

This is something you may already know, the commander I belive according to "Hitler's Legions" was Major General Assman at the time of the battle.

I am sure some will have far more for you.

Good Luck

Doug Nash · Post by **Doug Nash** » Wed Jul 16, 2003 11:05 am

Thanks! N/T

Benoit Douville · Post by **Benoit Douville** » Wed Jul 16, 2003 6:34 pm

Doug,

Do you mean the Battle of Dukla Pass. In late 1944 at the Dukla mountain pass (at the Polish border, near Svidnik, Slovakia), a particularly long and bloody battle occurred. Hitler positioned his crack SS troops to defend the land in Czechoslovakia. The Red Army attacked and in a battle lasting almost two months, 85 000 Red Army soldiers and several thousand Czechoslovak troops perished.

Here is a book that might interest you:

Keep up the good work and Best Regards

Jason Pipes · Post by **Jason Pipes** » Wed Jul 16, 2003 7:01 pm

Just something I found in searching online...

http://www.geocities.com/tarkulich/Dukla.html

I'll post more when I come across it!

Jerry · Post by **Jerry** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 4:39 am

The Dukla pass is about 75k north of Kosice, the Soviets took the Dukla pass on October 6.

Jerry

maartenswarts · Post by **maartenswarts** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 1:05 am

hello Doug/Jason

I`m afraid the battle of the Dukla Pass didnt happen.
In sept 44 the Russians did a halfhearted attempt to reach the
Slovakian insurgents behind the front in the Karpaten mountains
The attempt was carried out by the Czech corps fighting on the
russian side. The germans stopped this small offensive and crushed
the Slovakian rebellion in their back. It was Stalin`s way to get rid
of Czech nationalistic forces, just let do the Germans the work.
(the way he did in Poland).
Anyway it costs the Russians about 80000 men ( 25% dead).
of course the Czech corps had the highest losses.

After sept. the front in the mountains, Karpaten and Beskiden
got quiet to some degree.
The attack Dough describes did happen, but it was the normal
Russian procedure to find a gap in the frontline somewhere.
On that moment ( dec. 44) no panzer div. was in the neighbourhood.
After the war the communist leaders invented "the battle of the
the Dukla Pass" for propagandistic reasons.
Of course many people lost their lives and there was much misery
but it was not a major battle and almost no ss units were involved.
The fault is that many historians in the last century just took
over communistic information without checking.
And then something about the site Jason recommend.
It`s a very strange story. A lot of the battle should be left behind.
There should be no money and time to remove all those battle
relics.Unbelievably. Don`t you think the Czech`s or the Slovakians
who are living there don`t know they can make money from
those relics? come on they`re not stupid. And where are all those
pics. from abandoned war relics. That some lorries are lashed shut
doesn`t say anything to me. could be an 69 Gaz truck.
There is an impressing war memorial (see pic. on the site), so
there was some money to do something.
I can remember seeing an article about the Dukla Pass which describes
the situation now. I will look for it.

regards:

Maarten Swarts
I

Doug Nash · Post by **Doug Nash** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 5:22 am

The Battle of the Dukla Pass and Durkov Pass are not the same thing - they happened at different times and were about 75 Km apart. I picked the named Battle of Durkov Pass because I couldn't find any official name for the action - it may well better be described as the battle of Kosice, but maybe that's already taken.
As many of you probably know, they are literally hundreds of major engagements/battles that took place in the East from 41 - 45 that have never seen the light of day or of any historical treatment, except by the Warsaw Pact nations. And of course most versions that they have cranked out are suspect - not necessarily untrue, but suspect. All have been tinged to a greater or lesser degree by the necessity of presenting communism and its virtues in the best possible light. The interesting thing is, many of these battles dwarf most of those that took place on the Western Front and were probably of greater military and/or political significance. So the Battle of the "Durkov Pass" is but one of those kind of actions.

Hofi · Post by **Hofi** » Sat Jul 19, 2003 2:16 pm

Dargov

Hofi · Post by **Hofi** » Sat Jul 19, 2003 2:36 pm

Doug: At first, sorry for my horrible English.
I am from Kosice, and I think I can help you a lot because I am also interested in this battle and this 101. Jager Division.

You are right: Dukla pass and Dargov pass are two different places.
The correct name of this place that you are interested in is "Dargovsky priesmyk" = Dargov Pass. It is placed in mountains called "Slanske vrchy" = Slanske mountains, several kilometres eastern from Kosice. "Dargovsky priesmyk" is placed between two villages: "Kosicky Klecenov" (nearer to Kosice) and "Dargov" (further to the east of Kosice)

In december 1944 in this area of eastern Slovakia there were fighting these german divisions: 101.,100. 97. Jager Divisionen, 254. Inf.D., 82. divsional group and 500. "criminal" (I cannot find the right word for this) Bataillon.
Concretly in area of Dargov pass (according to my informations) there were fighting 101. JgD. and 500. "criminal" Btl.

Against them there were fighting 1. soviet guard army (general colonel A.A. Grecko).
The main and the most important part of battle was taken by 3. guard mountain corps (genmjr. A. J. Vedenin) including 128. guard mountain rifle division, 242. and 318. mountain rifle division. And of course some other russian corpses and divisions.

I am very busy for this time but later I can write more , not only about battle of Dargov pass but also about battle of Dukla pass(which had of course happened). In slovak official military historian terminology we use the name "Karpatsko-duklianska operacia" = Karpato-duklian (or duklanian?)operation for this battle/operation.

PS: 1. Czechoslovakian army corps in USSR is correct name for this unit!!

Hofi · Post by **Hofi** » Sat Jul 19, 2003 3:18 pm

Some more facts:
1. soviet guard army belongs to 4. ukrainian front (general of army Ivan Jefimovic Petrov).

Karpatsko-duklianska operacia: (it is very difficult to describe this operation because there were written many many books about this operation, some are very good, some are only comunnistic propaganda)

It began on 8. september 1944 and ended on last days of november 1944.
Soviet army: 38. army (general colonel K. S. Moskalenko) of 1. ukrainian front (mashall I. S. Konev) and 1. Czechoslovakian army corps in USSR (gen . Kratochvil, later after 10.9. gen L. Svoboda)

Germans: Heeresgruppe Nord Ukraine, Armeegruppe "Heinrici" (Generaloberst G. Heinrici) : 1. german tank army and 1. hungarian royal army. 17. Armee also (northerly), but was not the part of the "Heinrici"

These german corpses and divisions were fighting against soviet and czechoslovak troops in this area (northeastern Slovakia, Slovak- Polish border) but !! not at the same time and at the same place, not during the whole time of this operation!!: XI. Armee Korps, XXIV. Panzer Korps, XXXXIX. Gebirgs Korps, XI. SS Armee Korps ; 1.,8. and 24. Panzer Div. , 1. Ski Jager Div. , 97.,100. 101. Jager Division, 68., 75., 78. (Sturm-),94., 96. 168., 208., 253., 254., 357., 544, 545. Infanterie Divisionen. (There may be some other divisions, this list is probably not complete) . 228. Stug. Abt.

No SS divisions were fighting in this operation. XI. SS Armee Korps included no SS divisions.

Some SS units were fighting against "Slovenske narodne povstanie" = Slovak national uprising: 14. Gren .D. SS Galizien, 18. PzGren. D. SS "Horst Wessel", SS Brigade Dirlewanger, and some Kampfgruppen , for example Kgr. Schill, Kgr. Schaffer and some other smaller SS units.

Hofi · Post by **Hofi** » Sat Jul 19, 2003 4:23 pm

See some pictures and maps:

map of Dargov pass area: (Dargov pass is not where the red dart points, there is a village named Dargov, Pass is a little bit left:) http://kamvyrazit.sk/kosice/lyze/dargov_/

foto of the war monument at Dargov pass: http://www.juznyzemplin.sk/dargov.htm

Military muzeum Svidnik (near to Dukla pass):
http//:www.muzeum.sk/muzeum/default.php?co=vhu_vmsk

exposition of heavy fighting technique in area of Military muzem Svidnik and map of Dukla pass battlefield:http//:www.lemrouch.sh.cvut.cz/tanciky_ascii/dukla2.html

Doug Nash · Post by **Doug Nash** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 1:11 pm

Hofi,
Thanks for helping to fill in the blanks. I knew someone out there had heard of this battle. Unfortunately, the one link to the battle did not work - could you send me those links again? (The one for Kamvrazit). Yes, you have the German units correct, but I wonder which Panzer Division was used for the counterattack.
The outline of the battle from the perspective of the German 101. Jaeger Division can be found in the book "Crack of Doom" by Willi Heinrich. Heinrich served as an officer in the 101.Jg.Div. and experienced this battle firsthand. It does a very good job of depicting how that division almost disintegrated under the Soviet (and Slowak) assaults and how they almost lost the mountain pass east of Kosice that you mention. The division was on the point of being totally wiped out when the Panzer Division counterattacked and saved them. Is there any English language versions of the battle that you are aware of? I would even accept the Soviet version, because it will still give an idea of the overall outline of the battle. Also, is there an area west of Kosice in the mountains called the "Golden Table"? Apparently, that is where the Slovak partisans maintained their operations base.
Thanks much - look forward to hearing more from you.
Regards,
Doug

Jason Pipes · Post by **Jason Pipes** » Wed Jul 23, 2003 12:43 pm

Doug, I checked Bibliographie zur Geschichte der Felddivisonen der Deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS 1939-1945 and came up with the following sources of interest to you:

Aus der Schlinge gezogen. Die Sturmkompanie 101 als Nachhut in der Ostslowakei, end November 1944. In Alte Kameraden 11/1979, pages 20-21.

Die Schreie unserer Kameraden... Mit der Sturmkompanie 101 in der Ostslowakei, end November 1944. Alte Kameraden 8-9/1980, pages 37-37.

In Uberschlangendem Einsatz zuruck. Mit der Sturmkompanie in der Ostslowakeiim Spatherbst 1944. Alte Kameraden 11/1980, pages 21-22.

Zwei Granaten in die Luken. Die Sturmkompanie 101 in der Ostslowakei, end November 1944. Alte Kameraden 4/1980, pages 25-26.

I don't have access to any of these otherwise I'd offer to make copies for you. Hopefully these articles will help somewhat!

Jason Pipes · Post by **Jason Pipes** » Thu Jul 24, 2003 10:34 pm

Another tidbit of info... According to the divisions offical war service data and the info found in Deutsche Rote Kreuz Suchdienst, Divisionsschicksale, the 101st was in the area of Ungvar in 1.45 - Ungvar is just east of Dargov, and Dargov is just east of Kosice.

Feldgrau.net