Fighting in the Upper Silesia 1939.

[PF]

What was Wollny's fate?

What is translated that part in Polish of Company didn't betray?

The Casualty list--is that SS REGIMENT GERMANIA?

[Piotr Kapuscinski]

The Casualty list--is that SS REGIMENT GERMANIA?

No. These are units that were part of G.A.K.3 (Border-Defense Section Command 3) as well as units subordinated to it during the campaign (sometimes just for a few days). Among these units was also SS "Germania" subordinated in period 3 September - 7 September, but the report says clearly that: "losses of the attached from 3 to 7 September SS-Standarte Germania are not known."

This includes also losses of Organisation "Ebbinghaus". Organisation "Ebbinghaus" was a paramilitary, sabotage unit, recruited mainly from civilian Volksdeutsche who escaped from Poland before the war as well as from deserters from the Polish army of German nationality, who escaped to Germany before the war. It was apparently attached under the command of G.A.K.3 shortly before the war or yet on 1 September.

Troops of "Ebbinghaus" didn't have uniforms - they fought in civilian clothes. They only had distinctive red bands with yellow dots in the middle on their arms. Their password was "Falke" ("Falcon").

"Ebbinghaus" suffered heavy losses on 1 September. Elements of Organisation "Ebbinghaus" (numbering roughly 300 men) attacked Katowice from the south on 04.09.1939 (a day before at 16:45 "Ebbinghaus" received an order from G.A.K.3 to capture the Polish radio station in Katowice near the present Ligota street) and they were the first German unit that encountered the resistance of Polish Scouts on the Parachute Tower.

Organisation "Ebbinghaus" was officially disbanded (ordered to self-disband) on 7 September, apparently it did not complete the order, because on 12 September the order had to be repeated once again.

Another irregular unit of Freikorps attacked Katowice from the west - its losses are not included in that report.

What is translated that part in Polish of Company didn't betray?

You mean these two fragments?:

Z materiałów Abwehry wynika natomiast, że wchodząca w skład OW "Rybnik" kompania ON "Rybnik" wcale nie została rozbita, lecz opuściwszy stanowiska, przeszła na stronę niemiecką. Do Kobióra dotarł jedynie dowódca kompanii, kpt. Jan Kwaśniewski, z pocztem.

"From Abwehr documents it appears, that the company ON "Rybnik" which was part of Combat Group "Rybnik" was not at all destroyed, but leaving their positions, went to the German side. Only the commander of the company, Cpt. Jan Kwasniewski with his company leader's group reached Kobiór."

D-ca batalionu mjr Kwiatkowski posłał czym prędzej na wschodni skraj Kleszczowa przybyłe z Rybnika resztki naszej pierwszej kompanii kpt. Kwaśniewskiego.

"Commander of the battalion Mjr. Kwiatkowski sent as soon as possible to the eastern edge of Kleszczow the remnants of our first company of Cpt. Kwasniewski that had come from Rybnik."

Which means that not the entire company betrayed.

What was Wollny's fate?

Unknown. Maybe he survived WW2, maybe not.

[Piotr Kapuscinski]

Photo described as "1939 Pless Pszczyna Brzestz* 10 Opfer vom 1.9.39" (*should be: Brzezce):

As you can see the KIAs are from Panzer-Regiment 31.:

[tigre]

Thanks Peter . cheers. Raúl M .

[Piotr Kapuscinski]

Some detailed maps of the fightings in the Upper Silesia:

From: http://siedemdziesiatlat.profort.org.pl ... y&strona=3

From: http://siedemdziesiatlat.profort.org.pl ... y&strona=2

[Piotr Kapuscinski]

2 - 3 September combats:

From: http://siedemdziesiatlat.profort.org.pl ... y&strona=2

[Piotr Kapuscinski]

Fortifications of the Silesian Fortified Zone:

From: http://siedemdziesiatlat.profort.org.pl ... y&strona=1

[tigre]

Hello to all ; thanks for those wonderful maps Peter . Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little complement with pictures....................................

The German VIII AK in Upper Silesia - September 1939.

Around midday on September 8, 1939, the march columns of the 8. ID and 28. ID reached the elements of the 5. Pz still fighting on the Nida. After a hard fight the 28. ID gained the access to the bridge in Nowy Korczyn, the bridge there had been demolished. Meanwhile the 8. ID crossed the Nida by Wislica and created a bridgehead there.

The PR 15 of the 5. Pz advanced by Chmielnik on Staszow behind the rear of the Polish troops that defended the Nida. The panzer division was ordered to block with PR 15 the withdrawal of the adversary deployed on the Nida to the east. Then the 5. Pz was to continue on Sandomierz and Annapol.

The movement of the armored division and the motorized parts of the infantry was impeded by the shortage of fuel. The PR 15 remained in Staszow.

Sources: Das Verdammte Gewissen. Leutnant Erich Mende.
VIII AK KTB - Sept 1939 (courtesy of Bill Russ).
Http://odkrywca.pl/panzer-1939-czesc-17,747644.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Año Nuevo - Happy New Year - Feliz Ano Novo - Gluckliches Neues Jahr - Bonne Année - Felice Anno Nuovo - Szczęśliwego nowego roku!!!.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little complement with pictures....................................

The German VIII AK in Upper Silesia - September 1939.

On September 09, 1939, the 5. Pz was detached of the VIII AK and subordinated to the XV AK (Mot). While the 28. ID had to break a tough resistance of Polish rear guards in Ostrowce and continued in the direction of Swiniary; Advanced guards went on Szczucin.

The 8. ID rejected a strong enemy of Dobrowoda and reached the general line Baronow - Sulkowice. There is still an enemy in Kikow. In the afternoon the enemy showed signs of withdrawing.

During the afternoon of this day the staff of musicians (Musikkorps) of the PR 15 in march towards their peace garrison, was captured by Polish troops at the height of Stopnica. At dusk the unarmed soldiers were assembled together with other German prisoners under orders of a Polish officer and killed in the vicinity of Stopnica; Only a small fraction succeeded in escaping and reaching the German lines.

Prisoners and captured material:

Prisoners: 700.
Guns: 6
Machine guns: 4
Horses: 214
Vehicles: 119

Activity planned for next day: to continue the raking between the Nida and Czarna. Preparation for crossing at Opatowiec and Nw. Korzcyn.

Sources: Das Verdammte Gewissen. Leutnant Erich Mende.
VIII AK KTB - Sept 1939 (courtesy of Bill Russ).
Http://odkrywca.pl/panzer-1939-czesc-17,747644.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little more....................................

The German VIII AK in Upper Silesia - September 1939.

On September 10, 1939, after the sappers quicly built an 8-ton bridge at Opatowiec, the mass of the 28. ID crossed to the southern shore of the Vistula and marched towards Szarwark. The von Rothkirch Regiment (IR 49) reached Szczucin and the crossing was prepared there for September 11, 1939.

The 8.ID which the previous day was raking and clearing the field from enemies, followed the 28. ID with a regimental combat group (IR 84) and with the mass was ready to make the crossing (of the Vistula) By Nw Korczyn.

From the interrogation of the prisoners it is duly proven that between September 7 and 9, 1939, the whole of the 22 DP and the bulk of the 23 DP were facing the Army Corps (Plus 55 DP).

Activity planned for next day: rapid progress towards the San.

Sources: Das Verdammte Gewissen. Leutnant Erich Mende.
VIII AK KTB - Sept 1939 (courtesy of Bill Russ).

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little more....................................

The German VIII AK in Upper Silesia - September 1939.

On September 11, 1939, without enemy resistance the infantry divisions crossed the Vistula by:

Opatowiec the 28. ID and the IR 84.

Nw Korczyn the 8. ID (less the IR 84)

Then both divisions reached the objectives set for that day:

28. ID - Niwiska.
8. ID - Mielec.

Activity planned for next day: continue the advance towards the San River.

Sources: Das Verdammte Gewissen. Leutnant Erich Mende.
VIII AK KTB - Sept 1939 (courtesy of Bill Russ).

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little more....................................

The German VIII AK in Upper Silesia - September 1939.

On September 12, 1939, under great efforts and overcoming all kinds of roads difficulties the infantry divisions reached the goals set without finding resistance from the enemy:

28. ID - Brzoza - Stadnicka.
8. ID - Lipnica

The vanguard of the 8. ID composed by the II./ SS-Germania and parts of Pz. Jäg. Abt. 8 succeeded in securing the western shore of the San between Krzeszow and Rudnik. During the reconnaissance to secure crossing points and win the eastern shore, the rearguards of the enemy deployed there destroyed the bridges at Krzeszow and Ulanow.

Activity planned for next day: establish bridgeheads on the eastern shore of the San. Approaching of the divisions.

Sources: Das Verdammte Gewissen. Leutnant Erich Mende.
VIII AK KTB - Sept 1939 (courtesy of Bill Russ).

Well here appears one battalion of the SS-Germania subordinated to the 8. ID, any idea when took place it? Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little more....................................

The German VIII AK in Upper Silesia - September 1939.

On September 13, 1939 the enemy offered no resistance to the advance. The Army Corps succeeded in establishing bridgeheads in Sieniawa, Lezaisk (Lezajsk) and Krzeszow. The heads of the bulk of the divisions reached Lezaisk (Lezajsk) and Gorno-Jezowe.

The II./ SS-Germania engaged in the bridgeheads of Krzeszow and Ulanow reported lack of fuel, because of this the ordered march in direction of Kuroslaw, to be at disposal of XXII. AK (Mot) was not executed.

Activity planned for next day: Advance towards Siniawa and Lezaisk (Lezajsk) on the heights south of Tarnogrod with 28. ID and with 8. ID by Krzeszow towards Tanew.

Sources: Das Verdammte Gewissen. Leutnant Erich Mende.
VIII AK KTB - Sept 1939 (courtesy of Bill Russ).

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little more....................................

The German VIII AK in Upper Silesia - September 1939.

On September 14, 1939 the objectives of the previous day that were not reached by the infantry divisions were reprogrammed and advanced on the San. The construction of bridges at Siniawa and Str. Miastor during the night by the 28. ID could not be completed due to the low level of the waters, which did not allow the placement and operation of pontoons. Nor were the bridges able to be completed throughout the day . The 28. ID was ordered to advance vanguards reinforced with artillery through fords in the San River and move over Tarnogrod. By late afternoon the vanguard and the advance elements of the division had reached the area north of Tarnogrod.

In the area of ​​8. ID as a result of the most favorable conditions at 08:50 hours the bridge at Rudnik was completed, but due to the unfavorable conditions of the exit in the eastern margin, was dismantled and Rebuilt again in the region of Krzeszow; The bridge was ready by 18:00 hours.

In front of the Army Corps only weak enemy rear guards.

Sources: Das Verdammte Gewissen. Leutnant Erich Mende.
VIII AK KTB - Sept 1939 (courtesy of Bill Russ).

Cheers. Raúl M .