Vistula/Wista/Wiechsel bridges September 1939

fallschirm2 · #1

I recently purchased a number of pictures and postcards of the old bridges over the Vistula (P:Wista, G:Wiechsel) river in Poland. I have been trying to establish if the following bridges were destroyed (or significantly damaged) during September 1939 fighting.

Tczew (Dirschau)

Grudziądz (Graudenz)

Toruń (Thorn)

Warszawa (Warsaw)

Pulawy

Kraków (Krakau)

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Regards
Dave

Piotr Mikołajski · #2

Dave,

Proper spelling of Vistula in Polish is Wisła, not Wista. It should help you with searches

I have info about following bridges over Vistula (from north to south):

Tczew (Dirschau) - both bridges were blown up by Polish troops on the 1st September.

Grudziądz (Graudenz) - blown up by Polish troops in first days of September.

Bydgoszcz (Bromberg) - most bridges in the city were damaged or destroyed by retreating Polish troops on 3-4th September. Large bridge in Fordon was blown up on 2nd September.

Toruń (Thorn) - both bridges were blown up by Polish troops on the 6th or 7th September.

Płock (Schröttersburg) - two bridges were blown up by Polish troops on 7th September.

Włocławek (Leslau an der Weichsel) - bridge was blown up by retreating Polish troops before 13th September.

Wyszogród - wooden bridge was blown up by Polish soldiers on 5th September.

Warszawa (Warschau / Warsaw) - bridges in Warsaw were not destroyed in 1939, Germans blown up all on 13th September 1944.

Otwock - this bridge is also located by various sources in Józefów / Świdry / Świdry Małe / Świdry Wielkie. It was wooden/metal bridge, partially burned by Polish troops. Damages were quickly repaired by Germans and bridge was finally destroyed in 1944.

Maciejowice - sometimes called Przewóz. It was brand new wooden bridge, blown up by Polish troops on 9th September.

Dęblin - bridge was blown up by Polish troops on 9th September.

Puławy - bridge was damaged in the night on 10/11th September.

Solec Sandomierski / Solec nad Wisłą - destroyed.

Sandomierz - rail bridge was blown up by Polish troops on 10th September. Road bridge was blown up on 18:00 on 13th September.

Baranów Sandomierski - blown up partially by Polish troops on 9th September. Repaired for retreating troops and blown up completely on 13th September.

Szczucin - bridge was blown up by Polish troops.

Nowy Korczyn - brand new bridge was blown up by Polish troops on 8th (or 9th?) September.

Mogiła near Cracow - brand new wooden/steel bridge was blown up by Polish troops in the night on 5/6th September..

Kraków (Krakau / Cracow) - all bridges in the city were not destroyed.

fallschirm2 · #3

Piotr,

Thank you for the information, it is very good!

I have two postcards of Grudziądz (Graudenz). One is dated 1917 (in German the postcard reads the old bridge and the war bridge (WW1)) and the other dated 1939. Both postcards show two bridges, do you know if both bridges were blown up?

Regards
Dave

Godot · #4

Strange to tell, I got an email today reminding me that I hadn't logged to the Axis History Forum for quite a while. I had spent a few ours last week putting some family photos on the PC, one of which is the only one I have of my late Uncle Mieczyslaw (sorry computer can't do the mark over last l !) who lost his life at Nowy Korczyn. The remains of the bridge can be just glimpsed on Google Earth. I was there in 1989, with my Wife & my late Father (it was his twin brother who was killed at this location) There is a simple memorial to the Action on the South Bank & the Dead of the Action are buried in suitable graves in a Church, the majority without names on the tombstones, including my Uncle.

The Google image of the location is dated 2004, but with the various "small blue squares across the image" a small ferry service has been set up.

Sadly my Father was always reluctant to talk about the war he went into the Army as the Nazis invaded, but I believe my Uncle had already joined, hence the studio portrait. ( he, my Father, escaped Poland via the southern route eventually being interned in a "concentration" (?) at Miranda del Ebro just outside Madrid, escaped into Portugal the to Gibraltar then ship to the UK

Anyone recognise the uniform as to what Regiment Corps, etc ?

Njorl · #5

Hello,

Judging by collar patches and feather in the rogatywka, your Uncle served in podhalan rifles regiment (PL: pułk strzelców podhalańskich). 3 such regiments (2nd, 5th, 6th), along with 22nd light artillery regiment (22 pułk artylerii lekkiej) formed 22 mountain infantry division, part of Operational Group "Jagmin" (PL: Grupa Operacyjna, counterpart of Corps) from "Kraków" Army.

http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/22_Dywizja ... 3%B3rskiej

Where did he come from - what town/region? It could indicate the regiment he served in. Because of the badge on the pocket I'd personally bet on 2 pułk strzelców podhalańskich.

Hope this helps.
MJU

maytree4me · #6

Can someone help me please?
I have these photos from a friend whose Father was in a Pioneer Battalion in Poland in September 1939 and his work including building and repairing bridges. The captions to the photographs are all the other information we have. We would like to know where this location is on the Vistula if possible.