Historical story

September 1939 campaign. 10 facts that must not be forgotten

A month of heroic defensive warfare. Dramatic events, extraordinary acts of heroism and cruel German crimes. Please make sure you know each of the items on this list.

As always, all items in our TOP10 are based on the articles we publish. This time - devoted to the events of the battles against Germany and the Soviets in September 1939. You can find even more texts on this subject in the World War II category.

It's good to know that…

10.

During the uprising, the Germans only finished their murderous work. Warsaw had already been ruined five years earlier, in September 1939. Even in Germany, the sight of the destroyed city evoked sympathy. It's so terrible that you can't even enjoy your life here for a while - wrote one of them (read more about it).

9.

Polish soldiers stormed into the Reich and in the first days of the September campaign they captured a German town. Our boys caused a real panic. The surrounding roads swarmed with fleeing residents, including the town authorities, and the Wehrmacht soldiers retreated in panic. It was a complete surprise and a complete success (read more on that).

8.

German soldiers saw Polish partisans everywhere. They were so afraid that on September 4 in Częstochowa they started shooting themselves. In retaliation for this alleged "treacherous attack", they murdered over 200 innocent Poles. Some just for having a razor blade or razor. The "knightly Wehrmacht" turned out to be fearful and barbarously cruel (read more about it).

7.

For three days, Poles heroically defended the line of fortifications near Mława, which blocked the road to Warsaw. Bombed from the ground and air, with the support of only two tankettes, they deserved the name of the "iron division". Only the threat of encirclement forced them to retreat. The Germans had no honor or mercy - they massacred the retreating opponents (read more on this topic).

6.

In 1939, people who were gathering supplies for war were often taunted by panic and ridiculed. Richer and more cautious, already in winter, they started gathering food or firewood. They often did it in secret from friends and even their own spouses. Most Poles laughed at such preparations, believing the propaganda about the strength of the Polish army (read more on this topic).

5.

Grodno was the only Polish city to defend itself against the Soviets. When the Red Army outpost entered the buildings, Polish soldiers and the civilians supporting them organized a real tank hunt. In response, the Soviet soldiers began to ... attach Polish children to their armor (read more about this).

4.

The defeat in September 1939 was a doomed. Even if the Polish Army stopped the German offensive, it would not help us. There is no doubt that Stalin would have decided to fulfill the provisions of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact anyway. He would have hit the Second Polish Republic, stabbing her in the back. Poland was without a chance (read more about it).

3.

At the end of September, the Germans brutally burned about 100 Polish infantrymen alive. Although the prisoners of war were protected by the Hague Conventions, Hitler's minions had no mercy. In total, they murdered thousands of Polish soldiers taken prisoner (read more about this).

2.

The commander of ORP Orzeł, the most famous Polish submarine, turned out to be an ordinary deserter. When the Polish unit called at the port of Tallinn, its captain, Commander Henryk Kłoczkowski, left the deck and left his crew to their fate. He has covered himself with a disgrace that has not been forgotten. Kara met him during the war (read more about this).

1.

The Germans carried out only two assaults on Westerplatte and one reconnaissance by combat. Between fairy tales, you can put stories about 13 or 14 storms and 19 night forays. There are many more myths about the heroic defense of the Polish facility in Gdańsk (read more about it).