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The Armored train Štefánik was a military train used during
The Armored train Štefánik was a military train used during World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
(during the Slovak National Uprising
The Slovak National Uprising ( sk, Slovenské národné povstanie, abbreviated SNP) was a military uprising organized by the Slovak resistance movement during World War II. This resistance movement was represented mainly by the members of the ...
) in Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
.
The building of the armored train started on September 4, 1944. It was finished on September 18, 1944, in a Railway Manufacture in Zvolen
Zvolen (; hu, Zólyom; german: Altsohl) is a town in central Slovakia, situated on the confluence of Hron and Slatina rivers, close to Banská Bystrica. It is surrounded by Poľana mountain from the East, by Kremnické vrchy from the West ...
, Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
.
It was equipped with:
* the 75mm Czechoslovak mountain cannon
A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...
vz. 15 in a cannon carriage
* 2 37mm cannon
A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...
s in two tank carriages (LT vz. 35
The Panzerkampfwagen 35(t), commonly shortened to Panzer 35(t) or abbreviated as Pz.Kpfw. 35(t), was a Czechoslovakia, Czechoslovak-designed light tank used mainly by Nazi Germany during World War II. The letter (t) stood for ''tschechisch'' (Ge ...
)
* 10 7.92mm machineguns
The commander
Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain.
...
of the train was Captain F. Adam, and his assistant was Lieutenant A. Tököly. The crew
A crew is a body or a class of people who work at a common activity, generally in a structured or hierarchical organization. A location in which a crew works is called a crewyard or a workyard. The word has nautical resonances: the tasks involve ...
was 70 men. Its first action was on September 27, 1944, at the line Hronská Dúbrava
Hronská Dúbrava ( hu, Felsőbesenyő) is a village and municipality in Žiar nad Hronom District in the Banská Bystrica Region of central Slovakia.
Genealogical resources
The records for genealogical research are available at the state arc ...
– Kremnica. Near Stará Kremnička it was fighting against a German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
army advancing to Zvolen
Zvolen (; hu, Zólyom; german: Altsohl) is a town in central Slovakia, situated on the confluence of Hron and Slatina rivers, close to Banská Bystrica. It is surrounded by Poľana mountain from the East, by Kremnické vrchy from the West ...
. When moving to Hronská Dúbrava
Hronská Dúbrava ( hu, Felsőbesenyő) is a village and municipality in Žiar nad Hronom District in the Banská Bystrica Region of central Slovakia.
Genealogical resources
The records for genealogical research are available at the state arc ...
, the German Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
destroyed the train's locomotive
A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the Power (physics), motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, Motor coach (rail), motor ...
. After repair, it successfully fought at Žiar nad Hronom
Žiar nad Hronom (slang: Žiar, german: link=no, Heiligenkreuz, hu, Garamszentkereszt; until 1920 ''Svätý Kríž'' and until 1955 ''Svätý Kríž nad Hronom'') is a city in Banská Bystrica Region, Slovakia.
Name development
The name of the ...
, Jalná and Hronská Dúbrava
Hronská Dúbrava ( hu, Felsőbesenyő) is a village and municipality in Žiar nad Hronom District in the Banská Bystrica Region of central Slovakia.
Genealogical resources
The records for genealogical research are available at the state arc ...
, from where it moved on October 18, 1944, to Krupina
Krupina (german: Karpfen, hu, Korpona) is a town in southern central Slovakia. It is part of the Banská Bystrica Region and has approximately 8,000 inhabitants.
Etymology
The name is probably derived from Slavic root ''krup''. Proto-Slavic: '' ...
, where it fought against SS Schill. Two days later, it moved to Dobrá Niva, where it was attacked several times by the German Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
. After a German attack on October 25, 1944, it left Zvolen
Zvolen (; hu, Zólyom; german: Altsohl) is a town in central Slovakia, situated on the confluence of Hron and Slatina rivers, close to Banská Bystrica. It is surrounded by Poľana mountain from the East, by Kremnické vrchy from the West ...
as the last train, moved to Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica (, also known by other alternative names) is a middle-sized town in central Slovakia, located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mo ...
and then moved to Ulmanka, where it was blocked by a retired train. After discarding all weapons the crew continued fighting as a partisan battalion.
Interesting fact is, that not only tank turrets, but whole tanks were used in tank cars. LT vz. 35 tank was placed on flat car, and then armored construction was built around it.
Preserved wagons are displayed in outdoor exposition of the Museum of Slovak National Uprising in Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica (, also known by other alternative names) is a middle-sized town in central Slovakia, located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mo ...
.
See also
*Armored train Hurban
The Armored train Hurban was an armored train used during World War II, during the Slovak National Uprising. The Hurban was constructed on September 25, 1944, in the Railway Manufactory in Zvolen, Slovakia, and was the last armored train used in ...
References
Slovak National Uprising Armoured trains of Slovakia {{Slovakia-stub