Military operations during the German occupation of Ilirska Bistrica and its surroundings during the Second World War

Abstract

Between 1918 and 1946, the area of present-day Ilirska Bistrica fell under the Kingdom of Italy; Italy’s capitulation in September 1943 was followed by the period of the German occupation. Due to its geostrategic position on the rail and road junction between Postojna and Rijeka, Ilirska Bistrica had an important military role and hence a strong garrison. Whereas initially, the latter was only composed of German units, starting with 1944, the area also witnessed the arrival of the members of the Slovenian National Defence Corps and finally also the members of the Serbian Volunteer Corps and the Četnik Dinara Division. The presence of these forces prevented the Partisans from launching a direct attack on Ilirska Bistrica, which therefore only witnessed major battles in the very last month of the war.