The Battle of the Dukla Pass, also known as the Dukla, Carpatho–Dukla, Rzeszów–Dukla, or Dukla–Prešov offensive, was the battle for control over the Dukla Pass on the border between Poland and Slovakia on the Eastern Front of World War II between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in September–October 1944. It was part of the Soviet East Carpathian strategic offensive that also included the Carpathian–Uzhgorod offensive. The operation's primary goal, to provide support for the Slovak rebellion, was not achieved, but it concluded the full liberation of the Ukrainian SSR.
The German resistance in the eastern Carpathian region was much stronger than expected. The battle which began on 8 September would not see the Soviet forces on the other side of the pass until 6 October, and German forces would stop their heavy resistance in the region only around 10 October. Five days to Prešov turned into fifty days to Svidník alone with over 70,000 casualties on both sides. Prešov that was to be reached in six days remained beyond the Czechoslovaks' grasp for four months.[4] The battle would be counted among the most bloody in the entire Eastern Front and the history of Slovakia;[5] one of the valleys in the pass, near the villages of Kapišová, Chyrowa, Iwla and Głojsce, would become known as the "Valley of Death".[6]
In summer 1944, Slovaks rebelled against the Nazis and the Czechoslovak government appealed to Soviets for help. On 31 August, Soviet marshal Ivan Konev was ordered to prepare plans for an offensive to destroy Nazi forces in Slovakia. The plan was to push through the old Slovak-Polish border in the Carpathian Mountains via the Dukla Pass near Svidník to penetrate Slovakia proper.[7]
In the meantime, however, the Germans had fortified the region, forming the Karpatenfestung ("Carpathian fortress") or Árpád Line.
Battleedit
The Soviet operation plan called for the Soviet forces to cross the pass and capture the town of Prešov within five days.[8]
The operation started on 8 September. It took the Soviets three days to take Krosno (it was liberated on 11 September). One of the biggest battles in the pass took place on and around Hill 534 in the northwest from the town of Dukla; the battle to capture this hill lasted from 10 to 20 September, and during that period the control of the hill changed more than 20 times.[8] The town of Dukla was librated on 21 September.[8] The area of the former Czechoslovak state border—heavily fortified by the Germans—was liberated on 6 October; it took almost a month for the Soviet forces to reach Slovakia.[8]
The Dukla operation did not end when the Soviets forced the pass. The combat zone shifted to Eastern Slovakia, with Soviet forces trying to outflank and push back the German forces, still strong and having many fortified positions. South of the pass and directly west of the village of Dobroslava lies an area that has come to be known as the "Valley of Death". Here Soviet and German armor clashed in a miniature reenactment of the great tank battle of Kursk.[6] Soviet and Czechoslovak forces would enter Svidník on 28 October.[6] A major German fortified position near the pass, Hill 532 "Obšár", would be secured as late as on 25 November 1944.[8]
Aftermathedit
The Slovak National Uprising was mostly crushed by the time Soviet units secured Slovak territories; one of the main reasons for this was that the German resistance in the Dukla Pass was much heavier than expected. Another factor was that the Slovak insurgent forces failed to secure the other side of the pass, as planned by the Slovak and Soviet commanders during early preparations.[7]
In 1949, the Czechoslovak government erected a memorial and cemetery southeast of the Dukla border crossing in Vyšný Komárnik village. It contains the graves of several hundred Soviet and Czechoslovak soldiers. Several other memorials and cemeteries have also been erected in the region.[7]
In 1956, the football club ATK Praha changed their name to Dukla Praha (Dukla Prague) in honour of those who had fallen in the battle.
^1st Czechoslovak Army Corps 2 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine
Referencesedit
Andrusikiewicz J., Boje o Przełęcz Dukielską (w:) "Wierchy" t. 37, Kraków 1968
Frieser, Karl-Heinz; Schmider, Klaus; Schönherr, Klaus; Schreiber, Gerhard; Ungváry, Kristián; Wegner, Bernd (2007). Die Ostfront 1943/44 – Der Krieg im Osten und an den Nebenfronten [The Eastern Front 1943–1944: The War in the East and on the Neighbouring Fronts]. Das Deutsche Reich und der Zweite Weltkrieg [Germany and the Second World War] (in German). Vol. VIII. München: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt. ISBN978-3-421-06235-2.
Grzywacz-Świtalski Ł., Z walk na Podkarpaciu, Warszawa 1971
Luboński P., Operacja dukielsko-preszowska (w:) Magury' 83, Warszawa 1983
Michalak J., Dukla i okolice, Krosno 1996
External linksedit
Post-Dukla 1944 Soviet Offensive Operations in Eastern Slovakia
Description of PL-SK border crossing events by units of the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps during operation 22 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine(in Slovak)
January 01, 1970
battle, dukla, pass, also, known, dukla, carpatho, dukla, rzeszów, dukla, dukla, prešov, offensive, battle, control, over, dukla, pass, border, between, poland, slovakia, eastern, front, world, between, nazi, germany, soviet, union, september, october, 1944, p. The Battle of the Dukla Pass also known as the Dukla Carpatho Dukla Rzeszow Dukla or Dukla Presov offensive was the battle for control over the Dukla Pass on the border between Poland and Slovakia on the Eastern Front of World War II between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in September October 1944 It was part of the Soviet East Carpathian strategic offensive that also included the Carpathian Uzhgorod offensive The operation s primary goal to provide support for the Slovak rebellion was not achieved but it concluded the full liberation of the Ukrainian SSR Battle of the Dukla PassPart of the Eastern Front of World War IIA monument to the battle on the Slovak side of the Dukla Pass Date8 September 28 October 1944LocationDukla Pass present day Slovakia Poland border49 25 3 425 N 21 41 57 736 E 49 41761806 N 21 69937111 E 49 41761806 21 69937111ResultInconclusive Soviet failure to join Slovak rebel troops Eventual Axis withdrawal from the areaBelligerents Germany Hungary Soviet Union CzechoslovakiaCommanders and leadersGotthard Heinrici Harald von Hirschfeld DOW Bela Miklos 8 16 Sept 1944 Dezso Laszlo 16 Sept 28 Oct 1944 Ivan Konev Andrei Grechko Kirill Moskalenko Ludvik SvobodaStrength100 000 soldiers2 000 artillery pieces350 tanks378 000 men 1 16 700 men1 517 artillery pieces1 724 mortars1 000 tanksCasualties and losses61 000 Czech estimates 2 70 000 modern Russian estimates 3 Soviet Union 10 060 killed 41 387 wounded 13 548 sick1 806 missing 2 modern Czech estimates 131 000 1 German historian Freiser Czechoslovakia 935 killed 4 518 wounded 756 missing 2 The German resistance in the eastern Carpathian region was much stronger than expected The battle which began on 8 September would not see the Soviet forces on the other side of the pass until 6 October and German forces would stop their heavy resistance in the region only around 10 October Five days to Presov turned into fifty days to Svidnik alone with over 70 000 casualties on both sides Presov that was to be reached in six days remained beyond the Czechoslovaks grasp for four months 4 The battle would be counted among the most bloody in the entire Eastern Front and the history of Slovakia 5 one of the valleys in the pass near the villages of Kapisova Chyrowa Iwla and Glojsce would become known as the Valley of Death 6 Contents 1 Background 2 Battle 3 Aftermath 4 Order of battle 4 1 Soviet Union 4 2 Germany 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksBackground editIn summer 1944 Slovaks rebelled against the Nazis and the Czechoslovak government appealed to Soviets for help On 31 August Soviet marshal Ivan Konev was ordered to prepare plans for an offensive to destroy Nazi forces in Slovakia The plan was to push through the old Slovak Polish border in the Carpathian Mountains via the Dukla Pass near Svidnik to penetrate Slovakia proper 7 In the meantime however the Germans had fortified the region forming the Karpatenfestung Carpathian fortress or Arpad Line Battle editThe Soviet operation plan called for the Soviet forces to cross the pass and capture the town of Presov within five days 8 The operation started on 8 September It took the Soviets three days to take Krosno it was liberated on 11 September One of the biggest battles in the pass took place on and around Hill 534 in the northwest from the town of Dukla the battle to capture this hill lasted from 10 to 20 September and during that period the control of the hill changed more than 20 times 8 The town of Dukla was librated on 21 September 8 The area of the former Czechoslovak state border heavily fortified by the Germans was liberated on 6 October it took almost a month for the Soviet forces to reach Slovakia 8 The Dukla operation did not end when the Soviets forced the pass The combat zone shifted to Eastern Slovakia with Soviet forces trying to outflank and push back the German forces still strong and having many fortified positions South of the pass and directly west of the village of Dobroslava lies an area that has come to be known as the Valley of Death Here Soviet and German armor clashed in a miniature reenactment of the great tank battle of Kursk 6 Soviet and Czechoslovak forces would enter Svidnik on 28 October 6 A major German fortified position near the pass Hill 532 Obsar would be secured as late as on 25 November 1944 8 Aftermath editThe Slovak National Uprising was mostly crushed by the time Soviet units secured Slovak territories one of the main reasons for this was that the German resistance in the Dukla Pass was much heavier than expected Another factor was that the Slovak insurgent forces failed to secure the other side of the pass as planned by the Slovak and Soviet commanders during early preparations 7 In 1949 the Czechoslovak government erected a memorial and cemetery southeast of the Dukla border crossing in Vysny Komarnik village It contains the graves of several hundred Soviet and Czechoslovak soldiers Several other memorials and cemeteries have also been erected in the region 7 In 1956 the football club ATK Praha changed their name to Dukla Praha Dukla Prague in honour of those who had fallen in the battle Order of battle editSoviet Union edit Elements of 1st Ukrainian Front Marshal Ivan Konev commanding 38th Army Kirill Moskalenko Czechoslovak 1st Army Corps Ludvik Svoboda 9 Elements of 4th Ukrainian Front Soviet 1st Guards Army Andrei Grechko Germany edit Army Group Heinrici 1st Panzer Army Gotthard Heinrici Elements of Hungarian First Army Dezso Laszlo Notes edit a b Frieser et al 2007 p 863 a b c Jaroslav Hrbek Vit Smetana Vladimir Pilat a Petr Hofman Draze zaplacena svoboda I Paseka Praha 2009 str 351 Velikaya Otechestvennaya bez grifa sekretnosti Kniga poter Moskva 2009 str 152 Vladimir Baumgarten General Ludvik Svoboda Commander of the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps Battle of the Dukla Pass Lecture a b c The Carpatho Dukla Operation Archived from the original on 6 August 2016 Retrieved 15 February 2008 a b c Battle for Dukla Pass a b c d e Facts about Carpathian Dukla s Operation 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps Archived 2 August 2008 at the Wayback MachineReferences editAndrusikiewicz J Boje o Przelecz Dukielska w Wierchy t 37 Krakow 1968 Frieser Karl Heinz Schmider Klaus Schonherr Klaus Schreiber Gerhard Ungvary Kristian Wegner Bernd 2007 Die Ostfront 1943 44 Der Krieg im Osten und an den Nebenfronten The Eastern Front 1943 1944 The War in the East and on the Neighbouring Fronts Das Deutsche Reich und der Zweite Weltkrieg Germany and the Second World War in German Vol VIII Munchen Deutsche Verlags Anstalt ISBN 978 3 421 06235 2 Grzywacz Switalski L Z walk na Podkarpaciu Warszawa 1971 Lubonski P Operacja dukielsko preszowska w Magury 83 Warszawa 1983 Michalak J Dukla i okolice Krosno 1996External links editPost Dukla 1944 Soviet Offensive Operations in Eastern Slovakia Maps of operations in the Carpathian Mountains including the battle of the Dukla Pass http rkkaww2 armchairgeneral com maps 1944SW 1UF CZ s17 Carpatians Sep Nov44 eng jpg http www rkka ru maps dukl gif https web archive org web 20080529154931 http rkkaww2 armchairgeneral com maps 1944SW 1UF CZ 38A Dukla s04 Sept27 Nov8 44 gif Diorama painting and Google Earth view of the pass Description of PL SK border crossing events by units of the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps during operation Archived 22 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine in Slovak Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Battle of the Dukla Pass amp oldid 1217657361, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
