Slovensko domobranstvo

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Slovensko domobranstvo (German: Slowenische Landeswehr, English: Slovene Home Guard) or SD for short, was a collaborationist force, formed in September 1943 in the area of present day Slovenia (then a part of Yugoslavia). It functioned like most collaborationist forces in Axis-occupied Europe during World War II, but had limited autonomy, and at first functioned as an auxiliary police force that assisted the Germans in anti-Partisan actions. Later, it gained more autonomy and conducted most of the anti-Partisan operations in the Slovenian area.

Much of the SD's equipment was Italian (confiscated when Italy dropped out of the war in 1943), although German weapons and equipment were used as well, especially later in the war.

The majority of the SD forces consisted of infantry units, although they also possessed artillery units, which were, however, seldom used. The SD had no armoured units (except for a few armored trains), even though several tank crews were sent to Germany and received training.

The chief inspector of Slovensko domobranstvo until 1945, when he was made its leader, was general Leon Rupnik. He was executed after the war. Almost all SD members fled Slovenia and took refuge in the Southern Austrian land of Carinthia in May 1945. Most of them were returned to Yugoslavia by the British military administration, and were executed by the new communist regime (the total number of deaths is estimated at roughly 10,000).