1st Infantry Division (Slovak Republic)



The Slovak 1st Infantry Division was an infantry unit in the Slovak Army during World War II.

In Jozef Tiso's Axis Slovak state, it took part in the German invasion of Poland in 1939. Later, four divisions fought alongside the German Army on the Eastern Front: the 1st Infantry Division, the 2nd Infantry Division, the Slovak Fast Division, and the Slovak Security Division. The 1st Infantry Division started out as the 1st Division, which was part of a Slovak expeditionary force on the Eastern Front that began seeing action in June 1941, when the World War II Slovak Republic joined Nazi Germany in its invasion of the Soviet Union. The 1st Division, along with the 2nd Division, was under General Ferdinand Čatloš. Meanwhile, the Slovak Fast Division began seeing fierce action on the Eastern Front. It took part in Fall Blau of 1942 and the attack into the Caucasus Mountains. In 1943 the Fast Division was reconstructed and the 1st Infantry Division was formed from the Fast Division in August of that year. However, the 1st Infantry Division saw very little action and was used for rear area duties until it was disbanded in July 1944 to form construction units.