Croatian anti-aircraft legion Kroatische FLAK Legion
(autor :Krešimir Musić)
Very little is known about Croatian antiaircraft(FLAK) legion , since most of Luftwaffe records were destroyed in the war. Probably around 6500 people served in the Legion some were volunteers and others were conscripts.
Its known that 3500 soldiers served in Flak on Russian front , at the beginning of 1943 they were under command of major.Strmec and most likely stationed in the Crimea. After retreat from Crimea and Ukraine soldiers were dispersed among many Flak units in Western Europe. Some sources say they mostly served in the defence of the Reich around cities of Munster and Munich.
At the end od 1943 additional 3000 soldiers were recruited , they were trained in France(around Auxerre and Bordeaux) , in Germany and in Olmutz then Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.
After completing their training they were stationed in Germany around Munich, Frankfurt am Main and around Furth
Croatian antiaircraft legion was part of German homeland antiaircraft defence (Heimatflak), the unit was never used as whole, instead soldiers were dispersed in many antiaircraft sections (Abteilung) that were under direct German command. The Legion as a unit served only on paper for recruiting purposes , and had liaison headquarters in Gračani near Zagreb ( today part of the city)
On Croatian territory served only one Abteilung from legion : Gem.Flak-Abt.172 was stationed in Zemun in 1944.
In sources on internet and books only sketchy notes about Legion can be found , and only 4 units are listed as mostly Croatian :
Gem.Flak-Abt. 175
Gem.Flak-Abt. 172
schw.Flak-Abt. 382,
and one battery of an Abteilung - 8.bat..(kroat.)/schw.Flak-Abt. 524.
It is written that unit recruited soldiers that were deemed unreliable; soldiers of eastern ortodox faith, muslims , former partisan soldiers and men partially unfit for regular army service. Was this really the case or not , i dont know....
Feldpost
Letters with round cancel of training unit "Ergänzungs- und Ersatz-Abteilung der Kroatischen Legion" exist . I have seen them with counter number 1 and 2 , cancelled with Olmutz postmark from 12.1943 and 4.1944. ,this unit was part of Flakersatz-Regiment 6.
Letters set to Croatia from numerous Flak Abteilung have been seen , on this blog you can see ones in my possession , curiously enough none of them is from the above listed "Croatian" Abteilungs.
Feldpost numbers of "Croatian" Abteilungs
Feldpost numbers :
Stab Fp.60649 ( 23.5.1944)
1. Batterie Fp.61053 (4.4.1944)
2. Batterie Fp.63272 (4.4.1944)
3. Batterie Fp.62381 (4.4.1944)
4. Batterie Fp.61315 (4.4.1944)
5. Batterie Fp.62469 (5.9.1944)
6. Batterie Fp.63493 (5.9.1944)
2. gem.Flak-Abt. 172 :
Formed in Zemun in 6.1944 with 3 heavy batteries and 2 light batteries, from 8.1944 is in East Prusia. Abteilug is part od Flak-Regiment 38 under 20. Flak-Division , disbanded in 11.1944
Feldpost numbers:
Stab Fp.52751 (23.4.1944)
1. Batterie Fp.54223 (23.4.1944)
2. Batterie Fp.53608 (23.4.1944)
3. Batterie Fp.55155 (23.4.1944)
4. Batterie - unknown
5. Batterie Fp.52892
3. schwere.Flak-Abt. 382 : is in Germany in the area of Kirchhellen-Gladbecku/Dorsten, at the end of 1944 is in the area of Dusseldorf
Fp.33381 (12.3.1943-7.9.1943) Stab schwere Flak-Abteilung 382 (o).
Fp.34948 (12.3.1943-7.9.1943) 1. Batterie schwere Flak-Abteilung 382 (o).
Fp.34843 (12.3.1943-7.9.1943) 2. Batterie schwere Flak-Abteilung 382 (o).
Fp.39850 (12.3.1943-7.9.1943) 3. Batterie schwere Flak-Abteilung 382 (o).
Fp.38724 (12.3.1943-7.9.1943) 4. Batterie schwere Flak-Abteilung 382 (o).
Fp.52973 (25.11.1944-8.5.1945) 5. Batterie schwere Flak-Abteilung 382 (o).
8.battery of heavy antiaircraft section(Abteilung ) 524- (8.(kroat.)/schw.Flak-Abt. 524) : is in the area of an airport near river Rhine .(Fliegerhorst Rheine , Bentlage ?/Hopsten?)
Fp.52953 (8.9.1943-22.4.1944) 13.10.1943 8. Batterie schwere Flak-Abteilung 524 (o) (kroat)
Other known unit that had Croatian soldiers is :
7.bat./s. Flakabteilung 463-(0), 22. Flak-Div)
Fp.55770 (12.3.1943-7.9.1943) 7. Batterie schwere Flak-Abteilung 463 (o),
Fp.63276 (23.4.1944-24.11.1944) 7. Batterie schwere Flak-Abteilung 463 (o)
Letters sent to Croatia from Croatian soldiers have been seen from the following units:
Fp.17528 2.Batterie Liechte Flak-Abt. 989 (letter-1944)
Fp.L55681 2. Batterie schwere Flak-Abteilung 280 (o). (12.1944)
Fp.L00304 4. Batterie schwere Flak-Abteilung 301 (3.1944)
Fp.L37486 2. Batterie leichte Flak-Abteilung 980 (5.1944)
Fp.L51715 2. Batterie schwere Flak-Abteilung 666 (o) letter-4.1944)
Fp.L28365 Luftnachrichten-Ausbau-Kompanie 2. (10.1943)
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