Streifkorps

Streifkorps
Active
  • 1813—1815
  • 1882—1891
  • 1908—1918
Disbanded1918
Country Austria-Hungary  Prussia
Colorslight-blue uniform
Engagements

A Streifkorps or Freikorps was a small unit, often composed of different military units, that was used to fight behind enemy lines and disrupt enemy lines of communication and reinforcement through guerilla tactics. Although this type of warfare was already used in the 17th and 18th centuries, the Prussian Streifkorps used in the Liberation Wars are well known. The term Streifkorps, also Steifkorps or Streifenkorps or Štrafuni (Serbian: Штрафуни)[1] was later used to denote special counterinsurgency units in Austria-Hungarian controlled Bosnia and Herzegovina, composed of Muslims.[2][3] They were established to fight against guerrilla warfare by the Chetniks using search and destroy tactics.[4] Among the population of the region where they were active, Streifkorps were hated and had a very bad reputation.[5][6]

  1. ^ (Sarajevo 1950, p. 234): "... у народу по злу познатих »Штрафуна«, ..."
  2. ^ Velikonja 2003, p. 141: "Muslims were also drafted into special counterinsurgency units known as the Steifkorps."
  3. ^ (Velikonja 1998, p. 177): "Muslimani so sestavljali tudi posebne protigverilske enote, »Steifkorps«."
  4. ^ (Rothenberg 1998, p. 103)
  5. ^ (Rothenberg 1998, p. 103)
  6. ^ (Sarajevo 1950, p. 234): "... у народу по злу познатих »Штрафуна«, ..."