(also as: “Sonnenwende 44 Nr. 4”)
Part of the Anti-Partisan Operations in Croatia series by H.L. deZeng IV

Dates: 22 – 24 June 1944. (1)

Objective: To destroy Partisan groups gathered in the Plesivica Mountains/32 km west of Zagreb, especially around Gorica Svetojanska/30 km WSW of Zagreb.

Enemy Forces: 34th Division NOVJ and elements of the 3d Assault Brigade/8th Assault Division NOVJ.

Axis Forces:
German
Jäger-Reserve-Rgt. 1
Polizei-Freiwillige-Rgt. 4 Kroatien
Croatian
X Ustasha Battalion (elements)
XXX Ustasha Battalion (elements)
IV Bn./Domobran Zagreb Garrison Brigade

Conduct of Operations and Results: Closing in from Samobor, Jastrebarsko and Novaki, the attacking force brought the Partisans to battle, but after a lively fire fight the Partisans broke up into small groups and slipped off in the direction of Samobor, Jastrebarsko and Petrovina while their rear guard delayed the Germans and Croatian advance.

Losses (from German records)
Germans: 7 killed and 25 wounded.
Croatians: not found, but possibly included in the German totals.
Partisans: 75 counted dead, plus an estimated 170 further dead, and 12 captured.

Footnotes
1. [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Hronologija oslobodilačke borbe naroda jugoslavije 1941-1945 (Belgrade, 1964), p.792; NARA WashDC: RG 242 (T-314 roll 1545/824 and 828).