Battle of Debrecen

Debrecen Offensive Operation
Part of the Eastern Front of World War II

German Panther tank in the city of Debrecen in October 1944
Date6–29 October 1944
Location
Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
 Germany
Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946) Hungary
 Soviet Union
 Romania
Commanders and leaders
Nazi Germany Johannes Friessner
Nazi Germany M. Fretter-Pico
Soviet Union Rodion Malinovsky
Soviet Union Issa Pliyev
Nicolae Macici
Gheorghe Avramescu
Units involved

Nazi Germany Army Group South

Soviet Union 2nd Ukrainian Front

Strength
1 October:[1]
31 divisions and brigades
Nazi Germany 240,952 men
Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946) 190,000 men
293 tanks and assault guns
3,500 guns and mortars
741 aircraft
1 October:[1]
84 divisions and brigades
Soviet Union 698,200 men
Kingdom of Romania 167,306 men
825 tanks and assault guns
10,238 guns and mortars
1,216 aircraft
Casualties and losses
Nazi Germany ~15,000 killed or wounded
Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946) 20,000 killed or wounded
Total: 53,000 men
(including ~18,000 POW) ~200 tanks lost
490 guns lost[2][nb 1][3]
Soviet Union 19,713 killed or missing and 64,297 wounded or sick[4]
Kingdom of Romania 33,500 killed or wounded[nb 2]
Total: 117,360 men (including 5,073 POW)
~500 tanks lost
1,656 guns lost


The Battle of Debrecen, called by the Red Army the Debrecen Offensive Operation, was a battle taking place from 6 to 29 October 1944 on the Eastern Front in Hungary during World War II.

The offensive was conducted by the 2nd Ukrainian Front under Marshal Rodion Malinovsky. It was opposed by General Maximilian Fretter-Pico's German Sixth Army (II formation) and the allied Hungarian VII Army Corps of Army Group South Ukraine

The German and Hungarian units were forced to retreat some 160 km and opposed the 2nd Ukrainian Front, which had Debrecen as its strategic objective.

  1. ^ a b Frieser et al. 2007, p. 872.
  2. ^ Frieser et al. 2007, p. 876.
  3. ^ The figures for Axis losses are likely understated. An article by Pat Mc Taggart in World War II Magazine in March 1997, noted: Fretter-Pico's Sixth Army did not end the fighting unscathed. At the end of October, his four panzer divisions (the 1st, 3rd, 13th and 24th), two panzer grenadier divisions (the 4th SS and Feldherrnhalle) and the 76th Infantry Division had a combined strength of 8,450 men fit for combat. Materiel strength was listed as 67 tanks, 58 assault guns, 62 heavy anti-tank guns and 176 artillery pieces.
  4. ^ When Titans Clashed, p. 299: 19,713 killed or missing and 64,297 wounded or sick


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