The First Proletarian Division of the

NOVJ The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene: , or the National Liberation Army, sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska (NOV), Народноослободилачка војска (НОВ); mk, Народноослобод� ...

was formed on November 1, 1942 from the

First Proletarian Brigade The 1st Proletarian Brigade, later the 1st Proletarian Division, was the first brigade-size formation (military), formation raised by the Yugoslav Partisans during World War II. The unit was one of the elite formations of the Yugoslav People's Arm ...

, the Third Proletarian Brigade and the Third Krajina Brigade in

Bosanski Petrovac Bosanski Petrovac ( sr-cyrl, Босански Петровац) is a town and municipality located in the Una-Sana Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013 census, the municipality has a ...

, under command of

Koča Popović Konstantin "Koča" Popović ( sr-cyrl, Константин "Коча" Поповић; 14 March 1908 – 20 October 1992) was a Yugoslav politician and communist volunteer in the Spanish Civil War, 1937–1939 and Divisional Commander of the Fir ...

. It was considered one of the elite units of the NOVJ.

The combat path of the First Proletarian Division

After its establishment, it undertook operations in central Bosnia. From November 19 to December 4, 1942, it destroyed the garrisons in Sitnica, Čađavica,

Mrkonjić Grad Mrkonjić Grad ( sr-cyrl, Мркоњић Град, ) is a town and municipality located in the western part of Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the region of Bosanska Krajina, between Banja Luka and Jajce. A ...

Jajce Jajce (Јајце) is a town and municipality located in the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the 2013 census, the town has a population of 7,172 inhabitants, wit ...

(in cooperation with the 3rd Division), Skender Vakuf and

Kotor Varoš Kotor Varoš ( sr-cyrl, Котор Варош) is a town and municipality located in north-western Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013 census, it has a population of 19,710 inhabitants, while the town of Kotor Varo ...

. During January 1943, it captured

Teslić Teslić ( sr-cyrl, Теслић) is a town and municipality located in Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the central part of the Republika Srpska, on the banks of Usora River. As of 2013, the town has a pop ...

and

Prnjavor Prnjavor is a common South Slavic placename, meaning "village on a monastery's property". It can refer to the following places: Bosnia and Herzegovina * Prnjavor, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a town and municipality in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina * ...

. During the Battle of the Neretva in the Neretva delta, it represented the left attack column, and took part in the counterattack near Gornji Vakuf and the fighting against the Chetniks near Nevesinje and

Kalinovik Kalinovik ( sr-cyrl, Калиновик) is a town and municipality located in Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, the town has a population of 1,093 inhabitants, while the municipality has 2,029 inhabitants. The ...

. During the

Battle of Sutjeska Case Black (german: Fall Schwarz), also known as the Fifth Enemy Offensive ( sh-Latn, Peta neprijateljska ofanziva) in Yugoslav historiography and often identified with its final phase, the Battle of the Sutjeska ( sh-Latn, Bitka na Sutjesci ) ...

, it took part in the attack in the Foča area at the end of May 1943, and played a major role in breaking through the encirclement at Zelengora, inflicting a heavy blow against the 369th (Croatian) Infantry Division. In June 1943, the 3rd Sandzak Brigade left the division, and in November 1943, the 13th Proletarian Brigade joined the Division. From September 1, 1943, the First Proletarian Division was part of the 1st Proletarian Corps. The division also included the Seventh Krajina Brigade from mid-July to mid-August 1943, the Eighth Montenegrin Brigade from November 6, 1944 to February 7, 1945, the "Italy" Brigade (composed of Italian volunteers) from October 29, 1944, and the Artillery Brigade of November 21, 1944. Since November 1943, the Thirteenth Proletarian Strike Brigade "Rade Končar" has been included in its composition, with which it went through fierce fighting during the winter operations of 1944, known as Operation Reselšprung, the Durmitor Operation, the offensive in western Serbia in September 1944, the Belgrade offensive and the Syrmian Front. At the end of 1944, the First Proletarian Division had 12,367 fighters, and on April 15, 1945, 11,775 fighters. Since January 1, 1945, it was part of the First Yugoslav Army.
The First Proletarian Division ended the War on May 20, 1945, stationed in the area around

Trieste Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into pr ...

and

Gorizia Gorizia (; sl, Gorica , colloquially 'old Gorizia' to distinguish it from Nova Gorica; fur, label=Standard Friulian, Gurize, fur, label= Southeastern Friulian, Guriza; vec, label= Bisiacco, Gorisia; german: Görz ; obsolete English ''Goritz ...

Sources

vojska.net
{{Yugoslav Partisans military units Divisions of the Yugoslav Partisans Military units and formations established in 1942