After continuous harassment by Albanian Partisans and the need to secure southern Albania in the event of a retreat, the German Wehrmacht launched a massive offensive during the winter of 1943–1944. This operation involved four German
divisions, numbering approximately 45,000 soldiers, supported by
tanks and aircraft. On 15 or 16 October 1943,
Brigadier general Edmund "Trotsky" Davies led a British military mission that parachuted into Albania to determine whether the
communist-led
LANÇ or the
nationalist Balli Kombëtar deserved British support. Albania was near civil war, with the two groups already clashing in the
Vlorë region. On 31 October, Davies met
Enver Hoxha, who agreed to pause attacks on Ballist forces if they formally committed to fighting the Germans. On November 8, Balli leaders provided a written commitment but requested recognition, an Albanian committee in London, and a post-war Kosovo
referendum. Despite this pledge, Hoxha held to his stance of fighting both internal and external enemies.
November Operation 505 On 5 November, German forces launched their first campaign against the
Albanian Partisans, specifically targeting the
Peza region near Tirana. The operation aimed to eliminate potential threats to the roads linking major cities such as
Durrës,
Tirana, and
Elbasan. Over a span of eight days, the Germans killed some 100 "bandits" and Italians and captured 1,650
prisoners. Additionally, they captured a significant amount of
heavy and
light infantry weapons during the operation. The
prisoners were later handed over to Albanian civil authorities in accordance with an agreement. On 13 November, the Germans declared the operation a success. However they would later be
pushed from Pezë by
LANÇ forces on 19 November.
Operatian Roter Mann and Edelweiss After the success of Operation 505, German forces launched two additional operations aimed at suppressing Albanian Partisans. Operation "Roter Mann" targeted and cleared Partisan forces from
Berat, while Operation "Edelweiss" pushed them out of the
Dibra and
Peshkopi regions. Both operations, conducted in November, were declared successful by German command.
December Operation Bergkessel On 14 December, German forces launched a sweeping operation to clear Partisan resistance from the Mesaplik and
Kurvelesh regions. The operation involved the 54th Regiment of the
100th Jäger Division, totaling 6,500 soldiers, supported by
artillery and reinforced by 1,500 Ballist fighters. This force engaged with the 1st Partisan Assault Brigade, led by
Mehmet Shehu, consisting of about 2,000 fighters. The most intense fighting occurred in Mesaplik, where, on 15 December, German forces attempted to enter the area 15 times but were repelled each time. The operation ended on 23 December with minimal territorial gains and ultimately failed to achieve its main objectives.
Operation 1828 On 19 December, German and
Balli Kombëtar forces launched a joint operation against Albanian Partisan leaders and
British SOE officers in
Çermenikë and
Martanesh, where Edmund Davies and his team were located. German aircraft conducted
reconnaissance in advance, and the German forces included six
infantry battalions, three artillery companies from the
100th Jäger and
297th Infantry Divisions, two engineer companies from the Brandenburg Regiment, and 1,500 Ballist fighters. The Partisan forces included the 2nd and 3rd Assault Brigades, as well as the Çermenikë and Martanesh Battalions. German forces
encircled the area and inflicted heavy casualties, particularly on the 2nd Assault Brigade, rendering it ineffective as a unified force. In a move reminiscent of
Mao's Long March, the 1st Assault Brigade led by Mehmet Shehu arrived to attempt a
rescue. By 23 December, they managed to open a narrow corridor for retreat, but the German and Ballist forces had nearly annihilated Partisan resistance, shattering its military and political power north of the
Shkumbin River, leaving less than three demoralized small
chetas intact. In December, another SOE group led by Tony Northrop landed in Albania to aid the
resistance but went into hiding due to the ongoing German offensive.
Ballist Ambush on British SOE There are conflicting accounts regarding the
ambush that resulted in the
wounding and
capture of Davies and the death of his lieutenant, Arthur Nicholls. One account states that the incident occurred in December 1943, with the ambush carried out by
Balli Kombëtar forces in the mountains of
Biza. Another account suggests that the event took place later, in January 1944. == Aftermath ==