Partisan units

In autumn 1943 the Partisan units shattered during the German offensive began to be rebuilt and new units were gradually formed. Conditions for the operation of Partisan units were good in the Brkini and Ilirska Bistrica areas, while conditions in Slovene Istria were different. Lack of forest and the good visibility afforded by the hilly terrain, combined with a dense network of roads and enemy posts – all this meant that operations in this area were limited to small units carrying out minor actions. On 18 September 1943 the area was separated from the framework of operations of the Primorska military leadership and, until the end of December 1943, placed under the command of the 14th Division and the 7th Corps. At the end of January 1945 it once again came under the Primorska command – now the 9th Corps. Recruits from Slovene Istria and the Brkini also augmented the units of the 7th Corps in the Dolenjska and Notranjska regions.

Around 1,200 fighters from Slovene Istria, the Brkini Hills, Vremska Dolina and Ilirska Bistrica fell on battlefields in the region and across Yugoslavia.

Oparational units

The ISTRIAN DETACHMENT was established gradually. Initially, on 7 and 8 October 1943, the greater part of the staff and one battalion were formed. The 1st Battalion was established between 15 and 20 October and the 2nd Battalion a month later. The 3rd Battalion was formed towards the end of 1943 in Dol pri Hrastovljah from the fighters of the former 1st Istrian Brigade and the Trieste Brigade, and named after the fallen commander of the Trieste Brigade. It was incorporated into the Istrian Detachment on or before 10 December 1943. The detachment’s functions were to gather weapons, munitions and equipment, mobilise, protect and deploy recruits and weapons, destroy road communications, attack the enemy and protect the civilian population. It operated in Slovene Istria (occasionally) and in the Brkini Hills. On 6 September 1944, following a reorganisation, it became the 4th Battalion of the 9th Brigade of the 18th Division, and then on 27 January 1945 was incorporated into the 30th Division as the 4th Battalion of the Basovizza Brigade.

The ALMA VIVODA BATTALION was officially part of the 14th Trieste Garibaldi Assault Brigade. It was created on 20 March 1944 at Socerb and was named after a fallen activist from Muggia. For the most part it was composed of Italians from towns in Istria, mainly Muggia. It operated in the Slovene and Croatian parts of Istria and until November of that year was led by Mario Tul, alias Cicogna. The battalion was destroyed between Kučibreg and Topolovec during the German offensive on 25 November 1944.

Other Italian units that included Italians from Slovene Istria were active in the National Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Slovenia: the Natisone Division in northern Primorska and the 24th Garibaldi Brigade (Brigata Garibaldi Fontanot) in Dolenjska.

Varnostno-obveščevalne enote

A Security and Intelligence Service (VOS) was established in Slovene Istria in November 1943 and in the Brkini Hills in December of the same year. The principal tasks of the VOS were to detect informers, collect information on the enemy’s strength and movements, provide escorts for military commanders and activists and carry out commando raids and other military actions. A reorganisation was carried out in April 1944: the three VOS groups of the Southern Primorska district were formed into four companies of the 5th BATTALION OF THE 1ST BRIGADE OF THE STATE SECURITY ARMY (VDV). The Istrian group became the 1st Company and continued to operate in Slovene Istria. In mid-April the Internal Affairs Section (ONZ) was established, with district branches. Each DISTRICT BRANCH OF THE ONZ had its own intelligence and security service, known as PEOPLE’S PROTECTION. In August 1944 the ONZ was reorganised and the DEPARTMENT FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE PEOPLE (OZNA) was established, with representatives in the newly created districts.

Final operations