Battle of Pszczyna
Encyclopedia
Battle of Pszczyna refers to the series of battles between 1 and 4 September 1939 near the town of Pszczyna
during the Invasion of Poland
. Battle of Pszczyna formed part of the battle of the border
.
During the first two days Polish forces suffered a defeat and were forced to retreat.
The main reason of the Polish defeat (apart from huge German material and numerical superiority) was that the Polish commanders incorrectly predicted the direction of the main German attack on the 2nd of September.
As the result of it, the whole Polish plan of defense failed, because then it became impossible to activate a huge trap, which was prepared for German tanks, called the "big bag" trap, which was weak in front, but strong on its sides - with strong artillery assisting in attacking targets which entered the 'bag'.
Also overmuch certainty after great successes of the previous day (espeially fierce, few hours-long combat - with use of the "big bag" trap - near Brzeźce village) contributed to Polish defeat.
Because of their certainty, Polish commanders decided to make "the big bag trap" more shallow - which meant that it was less flexible, and Polish positions would be easier to crush if the defense was not successful (as it happened) - but on the other hand - if the defense was successful (which didn't happen since the unexpected direction and strength of the German main attack were deadly), the shallow "bag" would be more effective because the German attack would be stopped faster and with greater casualties for the enemy due to a greater concentration of firepower.
The defeat suffered at Pszczyna (which also caused a loss of a significant percent of divisional artillery) forced the Polish High Command to pull back the entire frontline, and cede the territory of Upper Silesia
to the Germans.
On 1st of September:
Between 2nd and 4th of September:
Casualty list according to: the latest book about the battle: "Bitwa Pszczyńska 1939" ("Battle of Pszczyna 1939") by Janusz Ryt
----
After the long and bloody combat of Ćwiklice on the 2nd of September, German war correspondent K. Frowein - after seeing one of the Polish heavily wounded - wrote:
War correspondent K. Frowein – 2 IX 1939:
"This was the first Polish soldier I have ever seen. Bloody piece of human suffering. Legs pulled up to his chest because of pain, face – greenish-pale.
From his thin lips almost inaudible scream was getting out – "Water! Water!". We unbuttoned his uniform jacket – smeared with blood and entrails. German orderly gave him canteen with water. For the last time a smile appeared on his face, when he whispered: "Danke". A few minutes later he died. Now he rests in peace where he fell, under a straight, wooden cross, decorated with Polish helmet and a plate with inscription: "Six Polish soldiers".
This Polish infantryman died like a real soldier. Until the end he was defending his post, completing his orders. When deadly bullets reached him, his munition holds were empty, and in the magazine of his rifle there were only 2 bullets."
K. Frowein's account according to the book: "Polen Feldzug. Hitler und Stalin zerschlagen die Polnische Republik".
Pszczyna
Pszczyna is a town in southern Poland with 26,827 inhabitants within the immediate gmina rising to 50,121 inhabitants in the powiat, which includes the town of Pszczyna, itself, Brzeźce , Czarków , Ćwiklice , Jankowice , Łąka , Piasek , Poręba , Rudołtowice , Studzionka , Studzienice , Wisła...
during the Invasion of Poland
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
. Battle of Pszczyna formed part of the battle of the border
Battle of the Border
The Battle of the Border refers to the battles that occurred in the first days of the Nazi Germany invasion of Poland in September, 1939...
.
Overview
The battle can be divided into four phases:- 1 September: successful Polish defense of the outer positions near the BrzeźceBrzezceBrzeźce is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Pszczyna, within Pszczyna County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately west of Pszczyna and south-west of the regional capital Katowice....
and Wielka Wisła villages. - 2 September, morning: Polish defense of the main positions near Pszczyna.
- 2 September, afternoon: battles near ĆwikliceCwikliceĆwiklice is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Pszczyna, within Pszczyna County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately east of Pszczyna and south of the regional capital Katowice....
. - 3 September - 4 September: Polish successful separation and withdrawal, however they paid dearly (Polish withdrawal was successful mainly thanks to a diversionary counterattack on Ćwiklice made by two battalions from the 16th infantry regiment which gave time for other units to regroup and withdraw).
During the first two days Polish forces suffered a defeat and were forced to retreat.
The main reason of the Polish defeat (apart from huge German material and numerical superiority) was that the Polish commanders incorrectly predicted the direction of the main German attack on the 2nd of September.
As the result of it, the whole Polish plan of defense failed, because then it became impossible to activate a huge trap, which was prepared for German tanks, called the "big bag" trap, which was weak in front, but strong on its sides - with strong artillery assisting in attacking targets which entered the 'bag'.
Also overmuch certainty after great successes of the previous day (espeially fierce, few hours-long combat - with use of the "big bag" trap - near Brzeźce village) contributed to Polish defeat.
Because of their certainty, Polish commanders decided to make "the big bag trap" more shallow - which meant that it was less flexible, and Polish positions would be easier to crush if the defense was not successful (as it happened) - but on the other hand - if the defense was successful (which didn't happen since the unexpected direction and strength of the German main attack were deadly), the shallow "bag" would be more effective because the German attack would be stopped faster and with greater casualties for the enemy due to a greater concentration of firepower.
The defeat suffered at Pszczyna (which also caused a loss of a significant percent of divisional artillery) forced the Polish High Command to pull back the entire frontline, and cede the territory of Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
to the Germans.
- German equipment losses and Polish equipment losses and casualties (list may be incomplete):
On 1st of September:
| Place | German casualties | Polish casualties | Polish dead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rybnik | 7 tanks | 7+ cars | 16+ dead |
| Rydułtowy | none | none | 2 dead |
| Mszana | 7 armoured cars | none | none |
| Branica | 2 tanks | none | unknown |
| Łąka | few tanks | unknown | unknown |
| Brzeźce | 13 - 14 tanks and 1 tank surrendered to the Poles (with 2 soldiers) and was destroyed | 1 AT gun | 1 - 2 dead |
| Równie | 4 tanks (including 1 Pz-IV) | 1 75mm cannon | unknown |
| Żory | 4 tanks | none | 11 dead |
| Głożyny | none | none | 7 dead |
| Wilchwy | none | none | 2 dead |
| Wodzisław | none | none | 1 dead |
| Jastrzębie | 2 tanks and 4 - 6 armoured cars | none | 3 dead |
| Warszowice | none | none | 2 dead |
| Kryry | 3 tanks and 2 more tanks stuck in the swamps (1 later pulled out) | none | none |
| Wisła Wielka | 4 tanks | 1 75mm cannon | 15 dead |
| Strumień | 1 light tank (by Polish tankettes TK), 1 Luftwaffe recon plane shot down over Strumień | none | 2 dead |
| Unknown place | unknown | unknown | 3 dead |
| Total 1st of September: | 45 - 47+ tanks & 11 - 13+ armoured cars, 1 recon plane | 2 cannons, 1 AT gun, 7 cars+ | 65 - 66+ dead |
Between 2nd and 4th of September:
| Place | German casualties | Polish casualties | Polish dead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Łąka | none | unknown (all are included in summary for the day) | 27 dead |
| Pszczyna | 5 tanks | unknown | 10 dead |
| Ćwiklice | 17 - 18+ tanks (including at least 1 Pz-IV) and 3 more got stuck in the mud (1 later pulled out, 2 captured by Poles) | unknown, but very high - including 6 batteries of light artillery & at least 3 AT guns (all included in summary for the day) | 226 or 251 dead and estimated 300 - 350 wounded |
| Stara Wieś | 3 - 8 tanks (3 for sure by mines, up to 5 by AT gun but this is doubtful) | unknown | 9 - 13 dead |
| Jankowice | none | unknown | 6 dead |
| Miedźna | 1 tank | unknown | none |
| Góra | 1 tank | unknown | 3 dead |
| Goczałkowice | none | unknown | 1 dead |
| Unknown place | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| Total 2nd of September: | 30 - 36+ tanks | 23 - 24 75mm cannons, 4 105mm cannons, 4 AT guns | 282 - 311+ dead |
| Międzyrzecze | several tanks | none | |unknown |
| Bojszowy | 5 tanks | none | none |
| Jankowice | none | 1 AT gun | |2 dead |
| Piasek | none | none | 1 dead |
| Unknown place | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| Total 3rd of September: | 7 - 8+ tanks | 1 AT gun | 3+ dead |
| Rajsko - 4 IX | 5+ tanks | 5 AT guns, 4 75mm cannons | 80 - 83 dead + 11 drown in the river Soła |
| Unknown place 4 IX | unknown | 2 tankettes - non-combat losses (one was left without seeing combat because of a technical failure during withdrawal, the second was lost in the canal along with its crew) | unknown |
| Grand Total Battle of Pszczyna: | 87 - 96+ tanks & 11 - 13+ armoured cars, 1 Luftwaffe recon plane | 2 tankettes, 29 - 30 75mm cannons, 4 105mm cannons, 11 AT guns | 441 - 474+ dead |
Casualty list according to: the latest book about the battle: "Bitwa Pszczyńska 1939" ("Battle of Pszczyna 1939") by Janusz Ryt
----
After the long and bloody combat of Ćwiklice on the 2nd of September, German war correspondent K. Frowein - after seeing one of the Polish heavily wounded - wrote:
War correspondent K. Frowein – 2 IX 1939:
"This was the first Polish soldier I have ever seen. Bloody piece of human suffering. Legs pulled up to his chest because of pain, face – greenish-pale.
From his thin lips almost inaudible scream was getting out – "Water! Water!". We unbuttoned his uniform jacket – smeared with blood and entrails. German orderly gave him canteen with water. For the last time a smile appeared on his face, when he whispered: "Danke". A few minutes later he died. Now he rests in peace where he fell, under a straight, wooden cross, decorated with Polish helmet and a plate with inscription: "Six Polish soldiers".
This Polish infantryman died like a real soldier. Until the end he was defending his post, completing his orders. When deadly bullets reached him, his munition holds were empty, and in the magazine of his rifle there were only 2 bullets."
K. Frowein's account according to the book: "Polen Feldzug. Hitler und Stalin zerschlagen die Polnische Republik".