The Ciróka Valley and the Orosz Pass Defence System During World War II

Abstract

The study presents the defence systems and their construction in the Ciróka Valley and Orosz Pass areas, which were annexed to Hungary during the Hungarian-Slovakian "Little War". The construction of field fortifications at the strategically well-defendable areas of the valley continued until the arrival of the front line, in mid-October, 1944. The German-Hungarian defence was attacked by the army corps of the 1st Guards Army, the strongest army of the 4th Ukrainian Front, created for the Carpathian operation. In the Carpathian Mountains and the Valley of the Ciróka stream, a series of fortifications and defences capable of regular counter-attacks stood in the way of the attacking Soviet troops. As a result of 40 days of continuous offensive operations, the units of the 1st Guards Army were able to occupy the main Carpathian ridge with all the passes only on 18 October, 1944. The settlement of Takcsány and its surroundings, which functioned as an important logistical centre, were only finally occupied by the Red Army in mid-November.