The Black Brigade

General von Kleist’s XXII Army Corps (2nd Panzer, 4th Light and 3rd Mountain Divisions) hit the Polish Army “Kraków” from the south, after moving through Slovakia to bypass the Polish defenses in Silesia. The Polish General Staff was surprised by …

1939-09-02

PoH04

General von Kleist’s XXII Army Corps (2nd Panzer, 4th Light and 3rd Mountain Divisions) hit the Polish Army “Kraków” from the south, after moving through Slovakia to bypass the Polish defenses in Silesia. The Polish General Staff was surprised by the German decision to throw a strong motorized unit into the mountainous area of Podhale. Weak Polish defenses, comprised of the Border Defense Corps, were unable to withstand the strong German advance. Facing the Germans was General Antonii Szylling, commander of the Polish Army “Kraków”. This surprise move by the Germans put General Szylling’s entire army in danger. He immediately ordered his fastest reserve unit, the 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade led by Colonel Stanisław Maczek, to block the German advance. Countless times, Polish and German armored units clashed in the mountain passes. One such engagement took place near the village of Jordanów. The Poles need to hold back or delay the Germans long enough to reorganize their defenses.

Jordanow, Poland

The Battle of the Border refers to the battles that occurred in the first days of the German invasion of Poland in September, 1939. The series of battles ended in a German victory, as Polish forces were either destroyed or forced to retreat. The Polish defense plan (Plan Zachód) called for a defense of Poland's borders in case of invasion from Germany. Much of Poland's new industry and major population centers were located in the border area (particularly in Silesia); however, the lengthy border was very difficult to defend properly. The plan was criticized by some of the Polish military and Western advisors, but supported by politicians who feared the effect of abandoning a significant part of the population to the enemy without a fight, and who were further discouraged from abandoning those territories as the Polish allies (France and the United Kingdom) did not guarantee the Borders of Poland and might well decide to allow the Germans to take the Polish Corridor they demanded in exchange for peace (pursuing a policy of appeasement).

Wikipedia: Battle of the Border

German

Polish