The Battle of Neretva

The Battle of Neretva (1969)

The Battle of Neretva (Original: Bitka na Neretvi) is a 1969 Yugoslavian war drama recounting the largest combat encounter between the Axis occupiers and the partisans in the territory of the former Yugoslavia during WWII. The film was an Italian-German coproduction directed by Veljko Bulajic and was the most expensive film produced in the then-Yugoslavia country. The film also featured an international cast including Yul Brynner, Orson Welles, Sergei Bondarchuk, Hardy Krüger, Curt Jürgens, Franco Nero and Sylva Koscina and is also notable for the massive amount of Soviet-made armor used in the production.

The following guns were used in The Battle of Neretva:

Handguns

Luger P08

Partisans commanders and officers use in the film classic German Luger P08 pistols.

Luger P08 9x19mm

Partisan commander Vlado (Yul Brynner) drew his weapon in defense of the bridge.

Partisan Nikola (Oleg Vidov) (left) aims a Luger P08 pistol at Capt. Michele Riva (Franco Nero).

Walther P38

The Walther P38 pistol appears in movie sporadically in hand of the partisan´s and chetnik´s officers.

Walther P38 pistol - 9x19mm

Wounded partisan officer pulls his trophy pistol in the battle.

Chetnik (Dusan Bulajic) commander holds gun in his hand.

Submachine Guns

MP40

The MP40 submachine guns was used by German soldiers and widely also a resistance fighters, partisans and chetniks.

MP40 - 9mm.

File:Hardy Krüger-BN.jpg

Col. Kranzer (Hardy Krüger) (left) holds a submachine gun in his hand.

Partisan Nikola (Oleg Vidov) fires a submachine gun in the combat with the German infantry.

Partisan girl Danica (Sylva Koscina) used also a German submachine gun.

Comander Stole (Velimir 'Bata' Zivojinovic) (right) fires a submachine gun at chetnik´s cavalry.

Chetnik on the horse have a submachine gun across his chest.

Beretta Model 38

Partisans besides German also used captured Italian Beretta M38A and Beretta Model 38/42 submachine guns.

Beretta Model 38A - 9x19mm

Commander with a submachine gun in his hand trying to defend the guerrilla in retreat.

Partisan aims his gun at Nikola.

Ustasha commander (Miha Baloh) is going fire at Novak from submachine gun.

Beretta Model 38/42 - 9x19mm

Partisan aims at German infantry men his submachine gun.

Serbian chetnik on a horse holds a submachine gun in his hand.

Serbian chetnik fire his submachine gun.

Machine Guns

MG42

Partisans had a plenty of in the fight captures German MG42 machine guns.

MG42 Machine Gun - 7.92x57mm Mauser

German soldier fire MG42 machine gun.

Partisan Stipe (Boris Dvornik) on motorcycle with a machine gun on his back.

Partisan commander Vlado (Yul Brynner) fired a machine gun at the aircraft.

Partisan gunner Novak (Ljubisa Samardzic) served his machine gun in the fight.

MG34

Also the German MG34 machine gun was extended between the two warring parties.

MG34 7.92x57mm Mauser with 75-round ammo drum

Partisan machine gunner fire a MG34 machine gun.

Chetniks was are killed next to their gun.

Machinegunner Novak (Ljubisa Samardzic) with MG34.

Breda Modello 37

Italian troops was armed by heavy Breda Modello 37 machine guns.

Breda Modello 37 - 8x59mm RB Breda

Italian machinegunner fires on the attacking partisans.

Also camp of Serbian chetniks guards a Italian machine gun.

Rifles

Karabiner 98k

Both sides of the conflict, German and Partisan forces, widely use a Karabiner 98k rifles.

Karabiner 98k - 7.92x57mm

German infantry used the rifles in single combat.

Partisan fired at a chetniks from his rifle.

Serbian chetnik reciprocates a fire.

Mauser Gewehr 1898 rifle

The military patrol of Ustasha is armed with a Mauser Gewehr 1898 rifles.

Mauser Gewehr 1898 7.92x57mm Mauser

Carcano M91 Rifle

Italian infantry weapons were Carcano M91/38 Cavalry Carbine and Carcano M91/41 rifles.

Carcano M91/38 Cavalry Carbine with folded bayonet - 6.5mm.

Italian soldier running toward the train carries this rifle in his hand.

Partisan woman (Milena Drapcevic) holds the loot italian rifle in hand.

Carcano M91/41 Rifle - 6.5mm.

Italian soldier (left) carries a rifle on his back.

Hand Grenades

Model 39 Eihandgranate

Partisans in movie frequently use a very practical German Model 39 Eihandgranates.

Walther P38 pistol - 9x19mm

Partisan danced with a hand grenades hanging from his belt.

Partisan wants trigger a hand grenades in front of him on the ground.

At the belt of dead Novak (Ljubisa Samardzic) hangs a several hand grenades.

Model 24 Stielhandgranate

German infantry and some partisans were equipped with a conventional Model 24 Stielhandgranates.

Model 24 Stielhandgranate "Potato Masher" high-explosive fragmentation hand grenade

Partisan is going to throw grenades volume at an Italian armored car.

Mk 2 hand grenade

In the film several flashes also a Mk 2 hand grenades.

Mk 2 "Pineapple" High-Explosive Fragmentation hand grenade.

Partisan girl is about to throw a grenade at attacking chetnik´s cavalry.

"Molotov coctail"

Partisans had to save grenades in combat and therefore use the incendiary Molotov cocktails.

Partisan woman (Milena Drapcevic) throw a "Molotov coctail" in fight with German tanks.

Unidentified bomb

The Partisans for disposal of bridge or stockpiles of enemies weapons use a unidentified bombs.

Commander Vlado (Yul Brynner) holds a unidentified grenades volume in his hand.

Other

Kampfpistole Z

After the conquest of the other side of river gives gunner Novak (Ljubisa Samardzic) signal using a gun similar as a Kampfpistole Z.

German Flare Gun 1944 No. 2

PTRS-41 anti-tank rifle

Partisans have a platoon men equipped with PTRS-41 rifles.

PTRS-41 anti-tank rifle 14.5x114mm

Partisan aims at German tank his anti-tank gun.

Kurzer 8 cm Granatwerfer 42 (GrW 34)

Chetniks deployed against posts occupied by partisans fire from a Kurzer 8 cm Granatwerfer 42 mortars.

Kurzer 8 cm Granatwerfer 42

Flak 38

Partisans also acquired as booty the German Flakvierling 38 anti-aircraft gun.

Flakvierling 38 - 20x138mm B

M1939 (52-K) Soviet 85mm Anti Aircraft Gun

Partisan commander Martin (Sergey Bondarchuk) fire a 85mm M1939 (52-K) on aircrafts.

Partisans liquidates before a retreated into the mountains their heavy artillery.

7,5 cm PaK 40

Partisans fire a 7,5 cm PaK 40 cannon.

Armor

One of the most interesting aspects of this film was the massive amount of Soviet-era armor lent to the production including the following:

Tank T-34

The unmodified T-34 Russian tank is the most widely seen armored vehicle in the film, which was typically seen utilized by the German forces.

German forces are seen using Soviet T-34's.

Tiger I Tank

What appear to be Tiger I tanks are also seen used by German forces in the film. In reality, these were T-34's with modified turrets to resemble the Tiger. These mockups were so well detailed that three of them were eventually reused in the 1970 Clint Eastwood war film Kelly's Heroes.

Tiger I tanks are also seen used by German forces. These were modified T-34's and were subsequently reused in the film Kelly's Heroes.

Tank M4 Sherman

Strangely, American M4 Sherman tanks are also seen depicted as German armor in the film.

An American M4 Sherman tank painted in German colors.