Operation Virovitica

(Yugoslav town)

'Virovitica' was a German and Croat operation against the partisan forces of Josip Broz Tito in the puppet state of Croatia in Axis-occupied Yugoslavia (3/5 April 1943).

The undertaking’s objective was the destruction of undetermined partisan forces, with an estimated strength of 1,500 to 2,000, in the Moslavačka mountain region. The German contingent in the Axis forces comprised two battalions, two artillery batteries and divisional support units of Generalleutnant Josef Brauner von Haydringen’s 187th Reserve-Division, while that of the Croats was three battalions, one tank platoon of the 1st Light Tank Company and divisional support elements of Pukovnik Matija Čanić's 1st Mountain Division, elements of the 1st Bicycle Battalion, Croat Agricultural Guard Battalion, 6th Recruit Battalion, 1st Replacement Transfer Company/1st Regiment, and Replacement Transfer Company/2nd Regiment.

The operation was unsuccessful, and was called off just two days after it started. Except for a few stragglers, the partisans were not located, pinned and brought to action. The Germans admitted no Germans losses and just two Croats wounded, and claimed 15 partisan dead, nine wounded and 16 captured.