Dr. Uroš Košir
Uniforms, Equipment and Armaments of the Slovenes Mobilized into the German Army
Slovene boys and men found themselves in various armies in the Second World War. Many were forced to wear uniforms of German armed forces and were sent to various ends of Europe and beyond. At least 12,000 people from Gorenjska and 1,000 from Koroška were mobilized (Kokalj Kočevar 2017, 197). Mobilized Slovenes served in various branches of the armed forces (Wehrmacht), which were split into army (Heer), air force (Luftwaffe) and navy (Kriegsmarine). Some individuals also found themselves in uniforms of police units (Polizei) and the SS (Schutzstaffel). Most of them served in the army and a few in the air force or the navy (Kokalj Kočevar 2017, 188). Preserved photos and documents enable us to learn about the uniforms, equipment and weapons of the Slovenes in the German military and the testimonies of the survivors supplement the information. This contribution succinctly reviews only the basic types of uniforms, equipment and weapons that were used by mobilized Slovenes, any exhaustive description or even just listing of all types of uniforms, equipment and weapons would require a
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