Deutscher Eisenbahn-Sicherungs-Stab Kroatien(eng)

Deutscher Eisenbahn-Sicherungs-Stab Kroatien(ENG.)
autor Krešimir Musić

Railway line Zagreb(Dobova)-Zemun was of upmost importance to the Reich and in securing it German and Croatian unit were involved both under German command.
In 1942 Domobran Railway security battalions were formed(ŽESTRA) at first 18 battalions were raised with their number rising to 24 during the war

Command over railway transport had
Fpnr :57021   (12.3.1943) Feldeisenbahn-Kommando 7,  also called  2-12.1943 Deutscher Transport-Bevollmachtigter Kroatien,  later again known under first name.

German command center of railway security  was located in Brod na Savi , called Deutsche Eisenbahn Sicherungs Stab Kroatien,
Security duty on railway line Zagreb -Zemun was divided into 6 local commands(Stab)
They were called Stab A-F,only Stab C and F have separate Feldpsot numbers, others use central Fp.number

Fp.08646  (25.1.1943-31.7.1943) Dtsch.Eisenbahn-Sicherungs-Stab Kroatien,
Fp.57035  Deutscher Eisenbahn-Sicherungs-Stab Kroat.Sicherungs-Abschnitt C.

Fp.20278 (24.3.1944) Deutscher Eisenbahn-Sicherungsstab Kroatien Abschnitt F.

List of Croatian ŽESTRA battaloins under German  command.
My reconstruction of battalion Stab , location of Headquaters , railway line it protects and Žestra number

STAB  : Location of Headquaters  : Railway line : ŽESTRA number
Stab A: ZAGREB :  Dobova-Zemun  (from Zagreba to Novske ):  ŽESTRA 4,5,6,7
Stab B: BROD      :  Dobova-Zemun  (from Novske to Vinkovci):  ŽESTRA  8 ,9
Stab C: RUMA      :  Dobova-Zemun (Brod-Zemun and Vinkovci-Osijek): ŽESTRA 11,12,13,19
 (11. Vinkovci , 12. Hr.Mitrovica , 13. Stara Pazova , 19 Slavonija: Našice, Slatina,Pakrac,Pleternica)
Stab D : DOBOJ     : Brod-Sarajevo and  Brod-Tuzla  : ŽESTRA:14,15,16,17
Stab E  :CAPRAG  : Zagreb-Sisak-Novska      :   ŽESTRA:10 , from 1944  ŽESTRA 6
Stab F : BOS.NOVI: Sisak-Bihać- Banja-Luka    :    ŽESTRA: ?


Following  ŽESTRA were not under Deutscher Eisenbahn-Sicherungsstab Kroatien
 ŽESTRA 1,2,3  PRUGA: Zagreb-Karlovac-Gospić (Lika 1,2,3)
 ŽESTRA 18      PRUGA: Zagreb-Križevci-Bjelovar
 ŽESTRA  20     PRUGA; Zagreb-Karlovac.

ŽESTRA  battalions 11,12 and  13 manned by Croatian Germans(Volksdeutscher) were transferred to direct German control and received Fp.numbers
Fp.56283 (8.9.1943-22.4.1944)28.1.1944 Stab u.1.-4. Kompanie Eisenbahn-Sicherungs-Bataillon 11.
Fp.59037 (8.9.1943-22.4.1944)28.1.1944 Stab u.1.-4. Kompanie Eisenbahn-Sicherungs-Bataillon 12,
Fp.57780 (8.9.1943-22.4.1944)28.1.1944 Stab u.1.-4. Kompanie Eisenbahn-Sicherungs-Bataillon 13
These 3 battalions in March 1944 formed  Polizei-Freiwilligen-Regiment 3, also sometimes these 3 battalions were called   Polizei-Freiwilligen-Batallions 11,12 and 13

Following German units were also used in railway security duty
Landesschützen-Bataillone 265 - Fp.56835
Landesschützen-Bataillone 356 - Fp.56866
Landesschützen-Bataillone 823 - Fp.31775
Landesschützen-Bataillone 924 - Fp.41471
Landesschützen-Bataillone 925 - Fp.36811
Sicherungs-Bataillon 812   Januar 1944 Fp.39795 -  Sriem
Sicherungs-Bataillon 1023  Juli 1944  Fp.46549 Agram
Sicherungs-Bataillon 1024  Juli 1944  Fp.19401 Brod
Sicherungs-Bataillon 1025  Juli 1944  Fp.23502 Sarajevo

Jäger-Regiment 25.   formen on   01.02.1944 u NDH (as part of  42 Jager div) it was stationed in Batrina - Nova Kapela  , an important railway junction
Regimentsstab   Fp. 58410
I. Bataillon Fp.       44733 A-F
II. Bataillon Fp.      41364 A-F  gestr. Jul/44   ab Jul/44  Fp.18073 A-F
III. Bataillon Fp.     41477 A-F
Pionier-Komp. Fp.  14191


Croatian railwaymen and German members of folloving units were employed in maintaining traffic on the railway line

Feldeisenbahn-Betriebs-Abteilung 22 Fp.26248 A-E (1-4komp.)od 1944 B.Luka, Prijedor ,Agram
Feldeisenbahn-Betriebs-Abteilung 5   Fp.04799 A-E (1-4.komp.)  od 1944 u Sl.Brodu
Feldeisenbahn-Betriebs-Abteilung 3  Fp.17021 A-E (1-4.komp.)  od 1944 u Varaždinu
Feldeisenbahn-Betriebs-Abteilung 8  Fp.02759    od 1944 u NDH :
1.Kompanie (112)  Fp.06297 (ab 20.3.1944)
2.Kompanie (113)  Fp.00377 (ab 20.3.1944)
3.Kompanie (114)  Fp.11140 (ab 20.3.1944)
4.Kompanie (115)  Fp.05148 (ab 20.3.1944)

Feldeisenbahn-Maschinen-Abteilung 1 Fp. 43026 , am 19. September 1943 dem Feldeisenbahn-Kommando 7 in Kroatien unterstellt
Feldeisenbahn-Betriebs-Abteilung 22  Fp.26248   am  8.1944 in  Kroatien