1st Austrian Partisan Battalion
Contributed by Klemen
								This page was updated the last time on 12 March 2002
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		The 1st Austrian Partisan Battalion was formed on 24 November 1944 in the village of Tribuce in the Bela krajina. At the time it was formed, it consisted of all in all 120 men in two companies. Though its strength changed over time, its organization did not. The Battalion was sent to Austria, where it arrived in 7 June 1945 and was disbanded.
			Subordination
		24 November 1944 - 24 January 1945                                     : Partisan Main HQ for Slovenia 24 January 1945 - 15 May 1945                                                 : Partisan Brigade "Ivan Cankar"
				Unit History
	On 24 November 1944 the 1st Austrian Partisan Battalion was formed in the village of Tribuce in the Bela krajina as part of Slovenian Partisan Army. The Austrian partisans and guests proudly saluted the Austrian and Slovenian flag, in front of which they swore together with Slovenian partisans to fight against Fascism and Nazism. At the ceremony in Tribuce were present: in the name of GS NOV and POS General Jaka Avsic and Major Ante Novak and from the Austrian side were present representatives of the Central Committe of the Austrian Communist Party Fridl Fürngerb and Franz Honen, which were the first who saluted the men. After the ceremonial speech, that was held by the deputy of Main HQ NOV and POS General Jaka Avsic, the partisans swore. When formed, the two companies of the battalion had about 120 men, 20 of them even flown by plane from Moscow. From the personnel list of the 1st Austrian Battalion is visible that from 24.11.1944 to 26 May 1945, when they reached Feldbach in Austria, 159 men fought in the battalion. Among them were 7 Slovenes, who all spoke German fluently. HQ of battalion was formed from battle-experienced men. Max Bair became commander, and political commessar was Roman Füchsel, both participants of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). When later wounded, Bair was replaced by Leopold Stanzel. Both companies of the battalion received operative officers, both experienced Slovenian partisans, that spoke German: Boris Butina, from the Kocevska region was sent to 1st Company and Leopold Lesnik-Fridl, from Zelezna Kapla from Koroska, was send to the 2nd Company. The Austrian Battalion was well equipped, it was dressed in partisan uniforms and wore a armshield in Austrian national colours red-white-red on the left sleeve. The Battalion went from the village of Tribuce to the village of Jama near Dvor na Krka, where they immediately took positions in order to prevent a German-Slovenian Domobran Group, advancing from Zuzemberk in crossing the Krka River. On 19 January 1945 the battalion experienced its baptism of fire. The enemy occupied Dvor na Krki and tried to take the partisan positions above the village of Jama near Dvor by storm over the bridge. The partisans refused all German-Domobran attacks. In the night of 19/20 january 1945, the  battalion was transferred to Podhosta near Dolenjske Toplice, where it was the target of heavy artillery fire shelling in the afternoon. The first two men were wounded: Austrian partisan Schutz and the battalions operations Officer Joze Zaletel. On 24 January 1945 the battalion was incorporated into the Slovenian brigade "Jan Cankar" as its 4th battalion by order of HQ of 15th Division NOVJ. The battalion received 5 additional men from the brigade as interpreters (all spoke German well), so that the Austrians could communicate with other Slovenian partisans and the civillian population. Many Austrian partisans even learned a little bit of Slovenian. The Battalion was for several months engaged in some very heavy battles in the Suha krajina, where German and Slovenian Domobran units tried to sourround and destroy the 7th Corps NOVJ. At the beginning of April 1945, the battalion returned to the Suha krajina. In April 1945 it fought its heaviest battles: Near St:Peter above the village of Ambrus it fought in the morning with Slovenian Domobran troops, which tried to surround and destroy the battalion. After fierce battles the battalion had to retreat. It re-assembled the same day in Visejc. Some of the Austrian partisans showed outstanding courage in this battle. There was a case in which two wounded Austrian partisans refused to go to the hospital, because they didnt want to leave their comrades on the battlefield. In the village of Klopce the Battalions Commander decorated four men and commanders of 1st Austrian Battalion for their performance in battle. The HQ of the 7th Corps NOVJ send temporarily the battalion away from the Brigade "Ivan Cankar" and transferred it to the vicinity of Novo mesto in order to reinforce the units of the 18th Division NOVJ, which were blocking Novo mesto. At this time 11 new Austrian partisans also came to the battalion. Then the battalion went towards Kocevje, where it again joined the Brigade "Ivan Cankar". On 3 May 1945 the Battalion took part in an attack on Kocevje with the entire 15th Division NOVJ. They held positions and kept the connection between the brigade "Ivan Cankar" and the 12th Brigade NOVJ, which were attacking the city from the direction Klinje-Rudnik. The fighting for Kocevje lasted the entire 3 of May, and only in the night of 4 May did the partisan units finally enter the city. German and Slovenian Domobran units retreated supported by tanks towards Ljubljana. So the Austrian Battalion went on 5 May 1945 together with other units of Slovenian Brigade "Ivan Cankar" through Mala gora and Sv.Ana (here they took the Slovenian Domobran post) and arrived on 6 May 1945 before town of Grosuplje, which was attacked by Brigade "Ivan Cankar" and during night battles also taken. The enemy retreated towards Ljubljana. After they had also retreated from that city, the battalion entered it as part of the brigade "Ivan Cankar" on 9 Mary 1945. So the battle history of Austrian Battalion ended on 15 may 1945, although there were still Austrian partisans in various parts of Slovenia until 29 May 1945. In period from 23 May-29 May 1945, when battalion was in Ljubno, following men joined to this unit: Franz Iro, Ludwig Weibel, Ernest Marx, Josef Englerin and Josef Wimmer. In its half-year campaign the battalion casualties were: 11 dead and 20 wounded. Josip Broz Tito decorated 8 men with Red hrabrosti (Medal for courage), 18 men received Znak hrabrosti (Badge of courage). The battalion was comprised from men from all over Austria: Salzburg, Vienna, Raab, Graz, Innsbruck etc... The oldest Austrian partisan in battalion was Ferdinand Chlum, born on 20 August 1890 in Neuberg and the youngest Austrian partisan was Josef Hornig, born on 11 March 1927 in Völkermarkt, Kä rnten-only 18 years old. All men, born between 1919 and 1927 were in battalion exactley 58. The rest of them were born mainly between 1900 and 1918 and many of them were veterans of World War I. The Austrian Battalion then went back to Austria, and arrived in Vienna on 7 June 1945, where four other Austrian Volunteer Battalions had already been waiting since 12 May 1945. Men of all five battalions volunteered into the security forces of the (at that time) temporary Austrian government.