Armored train Hurban


The Armored train Hurban was an armored train used during World War II, during the Slovak National Uprising. The Hurban was constructed on September 25, 1944 in the Railway Manufactory in Zvolen, Slovakia, and was the last armored train used in the Slovak National Uprising. A replica is displayed as a monument in a park next to the castle in Zvolen, and an original preserved machine gun carriage is at the Museum of the Slovak National Uprising in Banská Bystrica.

Combat history

The commander of the train was Captain J. Kukliš, and his assistant was Lt. J. Belko, together commanding a crew of 71 men. Hurban operated in the BreznoČervená Skala area against the 18th division SS Horst Wessel and from October 23–24 1944 was the main factor in the fight for the upper flow of the Hron river. Despite suffering a damaged engine, it repulsed all German attacks. It was pulled to Harmanec, where it was abandoned in a railway tunnel, the crew fighting on as a partisan detachment.