Reconstruction of the Drava Epopee of 1945
The Drava Epopee was a defensive operation against troops of the Third Reich that were in offensive in the region of Naghyatad-Heresne, in Hungary. From 6 March to 21 March 1945, German and Croatian troop units tried to establish a bridgehead on the northern bank of the Drava in order to stop the Soviet troops that were in their main offensive towards Berlin.
The German troops commanded by General Alexander Löhr were faced by First Bulgarian Army, 57th Soviet Army, Second Italian Army and units of Yugoslav guerillas.
The historic battle was performed by Brothers in Arms Club for Military-History Reconstructions.
After a heavy and unequal battle, the units of the Werhmacht were defeated. We lost the war for the ordinal time. Today, however, after the battle, for us remained the pleasure of being photographed, without participation in the event, with ‘veterans’ of 46th Mechanized Corps and units of 2nd SS Division ‘Das Reich.
Glory to the heroes! You are not forgotten!
Alexander Löhr – general, born in Turnu Severin, on 20 May 1885, died on 26 February 1947 in Belgrade.
In the Polish Campaign, he commanded 4th Air-Force Fleet, which on 25 September 1939 launched the first heavy bombardment on Warsaw.
During the Balkan Campaign, in 1941, he ordered the aerial attack on Belgrade of 6 April 1941.
In the March to the East, his air-force fleet supported Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd). From July 1942 to 1943, he was the commander-in-chief of 12th Army, and after that – of Army Group Southeast and Army Group E (Heeresgruppe E).
When the capitulation of the Third Reich was signed, the troops under his command reached the Austrian border. After negotiations with the British, General Löhr ordered his troops to surrender. Having been arrested and given to the Serbs, General Löhr was declared war criminal, sentenced to death by a Yugoslav court-martial, and shot.
In 1955, a commemorative slate to General Löhr was placed. In 2014, a councillor of ‘the Greens’ brought up the matter about the slab, and the authorities removed it in 2015.
Before its removal, the slab used to stand under a large, church relief of marble inscribed: "They shall rise again"!
The German troops commanded by General Alexander Löhr were faced by First Bulgarian Army, 57th Soviet Army, Second Italian Army and units of Yugoslav guerillas.
The historic battle was performed by Brothers in Arms Club for Military-History Reconstructions.
After a heavy and unequal battle, the units of the Werhmacht were defeated. We lost the war for the ordinal time. Today, however, after the battle, for us remained the pleasure of being photographed, without participation in the event, with ‘veterans’ of 46th Mechanized Corps and units of 2nd SS Division ‘Das Reich.
Glory to the heroes! You are not forgotten!
Alexander Löhr – general, born in Turnu Severin, on 20 May 1885, died on 26 February 1947 in Belgrade.
In the Polish Campaign, he commanded 4th Air-Force Fleet, which on 25 September 1939 launched the first heavy bombardment on Warsaw.
During the Balkan Campaign, in 1941, he ordered the aerial attack on Belgrade of 6 April 1941.
In the March to the East, his air-force fleet supported Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd). From July 1942 to 1943, he was the commander-in-chief of 12th Army, and after that – of Army Group Southeast and Army Group E (Heeresgruppe E).
When the capitulation of the Third Reich was signed, the troops under his command reached the Austrian border. After negotiations with the British, General Löhr ordered his troops to surrender. Having been arrested and given to the Serbs, General Löhr was declared war criminal, sentenced to death by a Yugoslav court-martial, and shot.
In 1955, a commemorative slate to General Löhr was placed. In 2014, a councillor of ‘the Greens’ brought up the matter about the slab, and the authorities removed it in 2015.
Before its removal, the slab used to stand under a large, church relief of marble inscribed: "They shall rise again"!
