369th (Croatian) Reinforced Infantry Regiment - Battle of Stalingrad

Battle of Stalingrad

The 100th Light Infantry Division, including the 369th Croatian Reinforced Infantry Regiment, was involved in the heavy fighting for the "Red October" factory and for Mamayev Hill during the Battle of Stalingrad. By November 1942 the fighting in their sector had become a locked stalemate with little progress. By December 1942 the regiment had seen such intense combat that it was at 1/3 strength. Despite the harsh conditions, the German high command credited the regiment with maintaining 'proper and military bearing'.

Sergeant Dragutin Podobnik was awarded Iron Cross Second and First Class as well as many Croat decorations including one personally from Pavelic in September 1942 for his actions at Stalingrad. Pavicic ordered a strategic building to be captured in the Red October factory, however the armored vehicle support was delayed. Podobnik and his 18 men surprised the Soviets and captured the building without loss, then handed it over to units from the German 54th Army Group. Sergeant Podobnik was later wounded and evacuated from Stalingrad and was killed in spring 1945 whilst serving in Pavelic's elite unit.

Several distinctions and citations are noted in war diaries and official military documents. There are several citations for bravery, valor, and leadership under fire for men of all ranks, including Lieutenant Rudolf Baričević. In addition, the regimental doctors received distinction for their actions and success in saving lives. One notable citation is that of Captain Madraš, who was wounded and was to be flown out of Stalingrad, but refused and instead stayed and fought with his men.

Despite the honorable distinctions, there were of course acts of insubordination, dereliction of duty, and cowardly behaviour also cited in reports. This was common for the demoralized and surrounded German and German-allied troops at Stalingrad, as the conditions were extremely harsh on the soldiers. Major Tomislav Brajkovic is noted to have desperately attempted to keep morale and discipline high. However due to major disagreements with other officers, including his commanding officer, he was transferred out of the regiment.

By 14 January the regiment's section of the front line had reduced to 200m held by some 90 remaining troops, all suffering from extreme cold, hunger, fatigue and lack of ammunition. Colonel Viktor Pavicic reportedly left a resignation letter and disappeared from the theater for good. He recommended Colonel Mesić to General Sanne to be his successor. General Sanne officially reported that Pavicic was a deserter, but Sgt. Erwin Juric claimed that Pavicic had received written orders signed by Sanne to leave Stalingrad by air on 15 January. During its last days at Stalingrad, the Legion was desperately retraining about 700 inexperienced artillery and support soldiers to infantry combat duty. The last official report from 21 January 1943 counted 443 infantry and 444 artillery soldiers in Stalingrad. Just before the surrender of the 6th Army at the end of January, about 1,000 wounded were flown out, and of the remaining men in the regiment, nearly 900 became prisoners of war.

Among the last Wehrmacht soldiers to leave Stalingrad by air were a group of 18 wounded and sick Croat legionnaires, including Lt. Barićević, who were flown out by Luftwaffe pilots and were landed on the last serviceable German airfield at Staljingradskaja near the 369th's artillery section positions on the night of 22 to 23 January 1943. The regiment's war diary and other documents were also saved in this evacuation. The previous night, several Luftwaffe planes had crashed attempting to take off and land perilously close to fast-advancing Soviet forces, thus fewer planes flew in for rescue missions. During the day of 23 January Stalingradskaja airfield fell into Soviet hands.

Elements of the regiment fought as long as they could but ultimately surrendered to the Soviet General Vasiljev on the 29th or 30 January 1943. In the three months between 21 October 1942 and 21 January 1943 they had lost 540 of 983 troops fighting for the Red October factory.

On 31 January 1943 General von Paulus announced the surrender of the German 6th Army. On 2 February the Legion became Soviet prisoners of war including all officers, approximately 100, mostly wounded, sick, and frostbitten combat soldiers, as well as some 600 other legionaries from artillery and support units. In the two weeks leading up to the capitulation the 369th Regiment had lost 175 soldiers.

The Legion assembled at Beketovka on river Volga where they were joined by some 80,000 mainly German as well as Italian, Romanian and Hungarian POWs. They were sent on a forced march to Moscow where they were joined by Croatian legionnaires from the Light Transport Brigade who had been attached to Italian forces on the Eastern Front. From there, they were sent to work camps in Siberia. Many died on the march due to starvation, hypothermia or disease.