I'm making some research on italian front and I'd like to have the opinion of German vets on italian partisans. Were they feared? German thoght partisan were dangerous opponents or gave them no consideration?
any answer is appreciated
Thanks
Lupo
italian front
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Lupo Solitario
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Partigiani Italiani in 1944
From my own observation, some of the units were well led (especially those that had Brit officers) and most others were a small nuisance.
Once, when my unit was out of ammo, we were sent on a pretty stupid mission: hunting down deserters of the Italian Republican Forces, and catch some partisans. To everyone's surprise, we caught a former aide-de-camp (Italian Air Force) of the king. He rather despised the "piccolo rotto", as he called him.
Lupo, you will enjoy this. It stuck in my mind for almost sixty years. That colonello stated, "Da qualsiasi punti di vista - militare, morale, e pederastico - e un cretino insufferabile"! That from the king's ADC!
We also caught a 17-year old partisan of the Brigata Garibaldi who knifed one of our man severely, stuck his stiletto in my left hand and then decided to leave this valley of tears after having suffered a bad case of lead poisoning.
On the other hand, one night some Brit-led partisans blew up a large Italian ammo dump quite close from where were located. So, you see, some were active and dangereous, and others just basked in the sunshine of "fighter-heroes" of the resistance.
To be just, the Soviet and Balkan partisans generally were much more effective and dangerous than the Italians throughout the war; the French from 1940 to early 1944 were not very effective, either. After about May 1944, the French got their stuff together and became much more effective, much more active, and thus more dangerous.
Hope this helps you in your research, Lupo. Ciao, amico. Joscha
Once, when my unit was out of ammo, we were sent on a pretty stupid mission: hunting down deserters of the Italian Republican Forces, and catch some partisans. To everyone's surprise, we caught a former aide-de-camp (Italian Air Force) of the king. He rather despised the "piccolo rotto", as he called him.
Lupo, you will enjoy this. It stuck in my mind for almost sixty years. That colonello stated, "Da qualsiasi punti di vista - militare, morale, e pederastico - e un cretino insufferabile"! That from the king's ADC!
We also caught a 17-year old partisan of the Brigata Garibaldi who knifed one of our man severely, stuck his stiletto in my left hand and then decided to leave this valley of tears after having suffered a bad case of lead poisoning.
On the other hand, one night some Brit-led partisans blew up a large Italian ammo dump quite close from where were located. So, you see, some were active and dangereous, and others just basked in the sunshine of "fighter-heroes" of the resistance.
To be just, the Soviet and Balkan partisans generally were much more effective and dangerous than the Italians throughout the war; the French from 1940 to early 1944 were not very effective, either. After about May 1944, the French got their stuff together and became much more effective, much more active, and thus more dangerous.
Hope this helps you in your research, Lupo. Ciao, amico. Joscha