Stalin Battalion
| Stalin Battalion | |
|---|---|
| File:Battaglione Stalin.png Flag of the partisan unit | |
| Active | 1943–1945 |
| Disbanded | 14 May 1945 |
| Country | File:Flag of Italian Committee of National Liberation.svg Republic of Carnia File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy |
| Allegiance | Brigate Garibaldi |
| Type | Partisan battalion |
| Colors | Red |
| Engagements | Operation Ataman Battle of Ovaro |
| Commanders | |
| Commander (Until November 1944) | Daniil Varfolomeevič Avdeev |
| Political director | Valentin Bobkov |
The Stalin Battalion was the term used for two partisan divisions that worked within the Brigate Garibaldi and operated in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The battalion was mostly composed of Soviet partisans of Russian, Polish, Georgian, Ukrainian and Cossack descent.[1]
Activities
[edit | edit source]The battalion was made of 361 partisans, and was founded on 8 September 1943.[2]
Initially, the party operated mostly in Cavazzo Carnico and Amaro, and its political director for most of the war was Valentin Bobkov, known as "Silos".[3]
Their main targets were the German Army and the Cossack SS divisions stationed and governing Kosakenland.[4] The Stalin batallion had two divisions, the first division which operated in Carnia, and the second one which operated in most of Friuli.[1]
Most of the Georgians living in Carnia during the rule of Kosakenland started to develop a favourable opinion of Joseph Stalin due to their discrimination by other groups settled in the area, and also started to idolize the Italian partisans; Multiple would join the Stalin batallion.[5][6]
Aftermath
[edit | edit source]A few days after the end of the war, on 14 May 1945, 150 partisans of the batallion departed towards the Allied-occupied Austria where they joined the Soviet forces and were pardoned, also bringing along two willing Carnese women.[7]
97 partisans within the battalion had died by the end of the war.[2]
References
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- ^ M.ROSSI, Soldati sovietici nelle formazioni partigiane del Friuli – Venezia Giulia» in Angelo Ventura (a cura di), La società veneta dalla Resistenza alla Repubblica – Atti del convegno di studi Padova 9 – 11 maggio 1996, Istituto Veneto per la Storia della Resistenza e dell’età contemporanea, Padova, Anni 17-18 1996-1997, p. 253.