What was the role of German troops in the war in Kosovo?

Arien

Arien

Joined Jul 2025
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Czech Republic
What was the role of German troops in the war in Kosovo?
 
AlpinLuke
Italy

AlpinLuke

Joined Oct 2011
40,550 Posts | 7,631+
Italy, Lago Maggiore
I'm not aware that German troops did something [meaning on the ground].
Germans took part to the Allied Force operation [March 24 - June 10, 1999], in particular deploying the planes of the Luftwaffe.

They sent 14 "Tornado" ECR which were like the Italian ones and they gave a hand to suppress air defenses.
They took off from an Italian air base near Piacenza.
 
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Philliposeur

Philliposeur

Joined Feb 2015
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Lindum Colonia
There were definitely German troops on the ground right from the start and they were involved in one of the first minor incidents involving KFOR personnel. This happened at Prizren on 13 June 1999, the day after they moved into the country from neighbouring Macedonia, if I'm allowed to refer to it as that these days.

On 13 June, during a shooting incident in Prizren, a German soldier was shot in the arm. During the exchange of fire, a Serb civilian was shot dead and a second injured.

From a report forwarded by Kofi Anan to the Security Council on 8 July - Report to the Security Council on the operations of KFOR (17 - 30 Jun 1999) - Serbia.

There's a press report on it at Star-News - Google News Archive Search

Their Brigade group was still responsible for the Prizren area when I went to Kosovo in February 2000. I was up in Pristina but did have occosonal dealings with a German Lieutenant Colonel, or rather Oberstleutnant, who was based at KFOR HQ the other side of town.
 
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Arien

Arien

Joined Jul 2025
53 Posts | 5+
Czech Republic
Last edited:
Philliposeur said:
There were definitely German troops on the ground right from the start and they were involved in one of the first minor incidents involving KFOR personnel. This happened at Prizren on 13 June 1999, the day after they moved into the country from neighbouring Macedonia, if I'm allowed to refer to it as that these days.

On 13 June, during a shooting incident in Prizren, a German soldier was shot in the arm. During the exchange of fire, a Serb civilian was shot dead and a second injured.

From a report forwarded by Kofi Anan to the Security Council on 8 July - Report to the Security Council on the operations of KFOR (17 - 30 Jun 1999) - Serbia.

There's a press report on it at Star-News - Google News Archive Search

Their Brigade group was still responsible for the Prizren area when I went to Kosovo in February 2000. I was up in Pristina but did have occosonal dealings with a German Lieutenant Colonel, or rather Oberstleutnant, who was based at KFOR HQ the other side of town.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the answer and the document. May I ask you.. this soldier who had been shot in the arm.. was he the one who shot the Serbian dead? Do I understand it well, right? And is there any report on how old he was when he was shot (in the arm)..and into which arm he was shot? Could it be the left one? - I am sorry that I am asking such silly questions - I do not know much about these things but would like to know something specific and this may help me to understand it.
 
AlpinLuke
Italy

AlpinLuke

Joined Oct 2011
40,550 Posts | 7,631+
Italy, Lago Maggiore
Philliposeur said:
There were definitely German troops on the ground right from the start and they were involved in one of the first minor incidents involving KFOR personnel. This happened at Prizren on 13 June 1999, the day after they moved into the country from neighbouring Macedonia, if I'm allowed to refer to it as that these days.

On 13 June, during a shooting incident in Prizren, a German soldier was shot in the arm. During the exchange of fire, a Serb civilian was shot dead and a second injured.

From a report forwarded by Kofi Anan to the Security Council on 8 July - Report to the Security Council on the operations of KFOR (17 - 30 Jun 1999) - Serbia.

There's a press report on it at Star-News - Google News Archive Search

Their Brigade group was still responsible for the Prizren area when I went to Kosovo in February 2000. I was up in Pristina but did have occosonal dealings with a German Lieutenant Colonel, or rather Oberstleutnant, who was based at KFOR HQ the other side of town.
Click to expand...
that's after the Allied Force. Also Italians arrived there after that the operation ended. You are talking about the KFOR.
Italy is still the main contributor [US are second ...].

Technically when that episode happened the war in Kosovo was ended [it ended on June 11, 1999].
 
Arien

Arien

Joined Jul 2025
53 Posts | 5+
Czech Republic
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johnincornwall said:
These questions, including your other inadmissible one, are easily answered by a quick visit to Google.
Click to expand...
Caritas et sapientia in contumelia non agunt.
 
Philliposeur

Philliposeur

Joined Feb 2015
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Lindum Colonia
AlpinLuke said:
that's after the Allied Force. Also Italians arrived there after that the operation ended. You are talking about the KFOR.
Italy is still the main contributor [US are second ...].

Technically when that episode happened the war in Kosovo was ended [it ended on June 11, 1999].
Click to expand...

Well yes but then no NATO ground troops participated in either the war, which was fought between the Serbs and Kosovars, or the air campaign. I took the question as meaning what was the German forces contribution to the KFOR intervention in Kosovo rather than literally taking part in what was an earlier civil war.
 
Philliposeur

Philliposeur

Joined Feb 2015
2,047 Posts | 2,279+
Lindum Colonia
Arien said:
Thank you for the answer and the document. May I ask you.. this soldier who had been shot in the arm.. was he the one who shot the Serbian dead? Do I understand it well, right? And is there any report on how old he was when he was shot (in the arm)..and into which arm he was shot? Could it be the left one? - I am sorry that I am asking such silly questions - I do not know much about these things but would like to know something specific and this may help me to understand it.
Click to expand...

I haven't a clue I'm afraid. I've only seen those reports which I gave the links for.
 
A

authun

Joined Aug 2011
6,132 Posts | 1,070+
Last edited:
Arien said:
Thank you for the answer and the document. May I ask you.. this soldier who had been shot in the arm.. was he the one who shot the Serbian dead? Do I understand it well, right? And is there any report on how old he was when he was shot (in the arm)..and into which arm he was shot? Could it be the left one? - I am sorry that I am asking such silly questions - I do not know much about these things but would like to know something specific and this may help me to understand it.
Click to expand...
I remember the incident well. It was widely covered by the news media at the time. The car approached the troops and the men inside started firing. Fire was then returned.

Several countries, Germany, UK, USA, France and others were deployed to Kosovo once the serbian army agreed to withdraw. The aim was to make sure that they did withdraw, which they did, relucantly and taking their time. The men in the car seem to have been angry serb civilians. who saw the KFOR troops as siding with the Kosovans. The most worrying incident was was when a Russian force from Bosnia, part of UNPROFOR, travelled via Serbia to Kosovo and occupied Pristina airport. The american soldier-politician Wesley Clark ordered the british general, Mike Jackson to "go and expel the russians from Pristina". Jackson told his superior Clark, "I'm not going to start world war three for you." Clark lost all credibility when he purposely delayed the deployment of the US contingent by landing in Greece saying that to go directly to Kosovo was too risky for the americans. He was later removed.

 
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Arien

Arien

Joined Jul 2025
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authun said:
I remember the incident well. It was widely covered by the news media at the time. The car approached the troops and the men inside started firing. Fire was then returned.

Several countries, Germany, UK, USA, France and others were deployed to Kosovo once the serbian army agreed to withdraw. The aim was to make sure that they did withdraw, which they did, relucantly and taking their time. The men in the car seem to have been angry serb civilians. who saw the KFOR troops as siding with the Kosovans. The most worrying incident was was when a Russian force from Bosnia, part of UNPROFOR, travelled via Serbia to Kosovo and occupied Pristina airport. The american soldier-politician Wesley Clark ordered the british general, Mike Jackson to "go and expel the russians from Pristina". Jackson told his superior Clark, "I'm not going to start world war three for you." Clark lost all credibility when he purposely delayed the deployment of the US contingent by landing in Greece saying that to go directly to Kosovo was too risky for the americans. He was later removed.

Click to expand...

Thank you very much for your answer (and the person who have let it to remain here). It has made things a bit more clear for me.
 
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A

At Each Kilometer

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@authun General Clark was not a madman. He feared that the Russian planes would head for Pristina, so he ordered British troops to block the runways with tanks & APCs to prevent Russian transport to land there, murder & eat all Kosovars along with the NATO personnel. General Jackson on the other hand was skeptical and pointed out that the airlift of the Russian airborne reinforcements was unlikely. In the end Jackson was right and Clark was wrong, but at the time it looked as a bit extreme, but necessary measure.
 
A

authun

Joined Aug 2011
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At Each Kilometer said:
@authun General Clark was not a madman. He feared that the Russian planes would head for Pristina, so he ordered British troops to block the runways with tanks & APCs to prevent Russian transport to land there, murder & eat all Kosovars along with the NATO personnel. General Jackson on the other hand was skeptical and pointed out that the airlift of the Russian airborne reinforcements was unlikely. In the end Jackson was right and Clark was wrong, but at the time it looked as a bit extreme, but necessary measure.
Click to expand...

After russian land forces had occupied Pristina airport, Clark's order to Jackson was to 'eject the russians from Pristina airport'. Jackson's account is not disputed. Clark also mentions it in his book, Waging Modern War. British and french troops were waiting for orders to go to the airport before the russians got there. Events took over and the plan to block the runway was stop additional troops russian being flown in. Russia's response was to block all road access to the airport, to stop british troops, another potential hostile incident. Diplomatic efforts persuaded countries like Bulgaria to deny russian flight requests over their territory. This is good chronology, from around 5m 40 sec.

 
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Arien

Arien

Joined Jul 2025
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Czech Republic
authun said:
I remember the incident well. It was widely covered by the news media at the time. The car approached the troops and the men inside started firing. Fire was then returned.

Several countries, Germany, UK, USA, France and others were deployed to Kosovo once the serbian army agreed to withdraw. The aim was to make sure that they did withdraw, which they did, relucantly and taking their time. The men in the car seem to have been angry serb civilians. who saw the KFOR troops as siding with the Kosovans. The most worrying incident was was when a Russian force from Bosnia, part of UNPROFOR, travelled via Serbia to Kosovo and occupied Pristina airport. The american soldier-politician Wesley Clark ordered the british general, Mike Jackson to "go and expel the russians from Pristina". Jackson told his superior Clark, "I'm not going to start world war three for you." Clark lost all credibility when he purposely delayed the deployment of the US contingent by landing in Greece saying that to go directly to Kosovo was too risky for the americans. He was later removed.

Click to expand...

I have seen the video several times.. and.. I don't know if my eyes are betraying me but.. it seemed to me that the yellow car was going backwards?
 
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authun

Joined Aug 2011
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Arien said:
I have seen the video several times.. and.. I don't know if my eyes are betraying me but.. it seemed to me that the yellow car was going backwards?
Click to expand...

It is in that footage but it was only part of the action. There had been some sniper fire and then the yellow car approached the german troops and a passenger in the car started shooting with an AK47. When fire was returned, it started to reverse but the driver was killed and so it just rolled back. The incident in Prizren is explained in the wiki page. Here is the relevant extract about the incident in June 1999.

"At dusk, a yellow Zastava 125pz civilian-type vehicle was seen approaching a German armored carrier outside Hotel Theranda, in the center of the city. The passenger produced an AK-47 and opened fire at the carrier and at bystanders, who fled for safety. The German soldiers in the armored vehicle, supported by a Leopard 2 tank that mounted a roadblock, shot back. Three paratroopers fired at the car with their Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifles, joined by a non-commissioned officer with his 9mm pistol and by turret-mounted 7.62mm machine guns. The combined gunfire killed the driver instantly and critically wounded the shooter. "

Tensions were high as in May 1999 Nato had bombed Prizren killing 50 civilians and injuring 50 more. Two german TV journalists had been killed by sniper fire in June.
 
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Arien

Arien

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authun said:
It is in that footage but it was only part of the action. There had been some sniper fire and then the yellow car approached the german troops and a passenger in the car started shooting with an AK47. When fire was returned, it started to reverse but the driver was killed and so it just rolled back. The incident in Prizren is explained in the wiki page. Here is the relevant extract about the incident in June 1999.

"At dusk, a yellow Zastava 125pz civilian-type vehicle was seen approaching a German armored carrier outside Hotel Theranda, in the center of the city. The passenger produced an AK-47 and opened fire at the carrier and at bystanders, who fled for safety. The German soldiers in the armored vehicle, supported by a Leopard 2 tank that mounted a roadblock, shot back. Three paratroopers fired at the car with their Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifles, joined by a non-commissioned officer with his 9mm pistol and by turret-mounted 7.62mm machine guns. The combined gunfire killed the driver instantly and critically wounded the shooter. "

Tensions were high as in May 1999 Nato had bombed Prizren killing 50 civilians and injuring 50 more. Two german TV journalists had been killed by sniper fire in June.
Click to expand...
..so it seems.. from all this.. that the Serbians must have been "crazy" and attacked Germans for no reason whatsoever..🤔..but please don't take me wrong. I am only trying to understand the root of the conflict now..but that would be another question.🙂
 
Arien

Arien

Joined Jul 2025
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Czech Republic
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Arien said:
..so it seems.. from all this.. that the Serbians must have been "crazy" and attacked Germans for no reason whatsoever..🤔
Click to expand...
?
 
A

authun

Joined Aug 2011
6,132 Posts | 1,070+
Arien said:
..so it seems.. from all this.. that the Serbians must have been "crazy" and attacked Germans for no reason whatsoever..🤔..but please don't take me wrong. I am only trying to understand the root of the conflict now..but that would be another question.🙂
Click to expand...

Kosovo had a fractious history for centuries and the significance of Prizren goes back to the League of Prizren in 1878. Without going into the history, Serbians felt that Kosovo was part of Serbia whereas the majority albanian population in Kosovo wanted independence. The national army of Yugoslavia was deployed to Kosovo and NATO's response was a bombing campaign which lasted from March to June. The aim was to get the yugoslav army to withdraw and, after that was agreed, NATO forces were deployed to oversee their departure. Serbs living in Kosovo were furious, seeing this as NATO intervening on the side of the Albanian population as a precursor to independence. Ten years later, Sergeant Major Ross Martin, 1st Battalion The Irish Guards wrote:

‘The Albanians loved the British Army, but there was a distinct... friction with the Serbians because let’s be honest Kosovo was accepted as part of Serbia, you know, the heartland of the Serbs. Quite rightly, the Serbians thought... well why are you pushing us out... and letting the Albanians take over? So there’s a distinct difference between how the Albanians thought... accepted us with arms open and flowers... but the Serbians were blatantly cold... ignored us completely.'
 
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Arien

Arien

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authun said:
Kosovo had a fractious history for centuries and the significance of Prizren goes back to the League of Prizren in 1878. Without going into the history, Serbians felt that Kosovo was part of Serbia whereas the majority albanian population in Kosovo wanted independence. The national army of Yugoslavia was deployed to Kosovo and NATO's response was a bombing campaign which lasted from March to June. The aim was to get the yugoslav army to withdraw and, after that was agreed, NATO forces were deployed to oversee their departure. Serbs living in Kosovo were furious, seeing this as NATO intervening on the side of the Albanian population as a precursor to independence. Ten years later, Sergeant Major Ross Martin, 1st Battalion The Irish Guards wrote:

‘The Albanians loved the British Army, but there was a distinct... friction with the Serbians because let’s be honest Kosovo was accepted as part of Serbia, you know, the heartland of the Serbs. Quite rightly, the Serbians thought... well why are you pushing us out... and letting the Albanians take over? So there’s a distinct difference between how the Albanians thought... accepted us with arms open and flowers... but the Serbians were blatantly cold... ignored us completely.'
Click to expand...
..oh that is very understandable..that Serbians were "blatantly cold"..
 
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