The Polish 26th Infantry Division ( pl, 26 Dywizja Piechoty, de-AT, 26. Infanteriedivision, hu, 26. Gyaloghadosztály}) was a unit of the Polish Army. Originally formed as the

4th Infantry Division (Poland) The Polish 4th Infantry Division (''Polish: 4. Dywizja Piechoty'') was created following Polish independence after the end of World War I. The division participated in the Polish–Ukrainian War in 1919. During World War II, the division existed as ...

in southern Poland in April 1919, the division was renamed the 26th Infantry Division in 1921. The division would see combat in World War II, being destroyed during the German invasion of Poland in September 1939.

History

The 4th Infantry Division was formed after World War I and the foundation of Poland. Raised in the former Austrian province of

Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...

, its regiments were originally stationed in such towns as Cieszyn, Jarosław and

Przemyśl Przemyśl (; yi, פשעמישל, Pshemishl; uk, Перемишль, Peremyshl; german: Premissel) is a city in southeastern Poland with 58,721 inhabitants, as of December 2021. In 1999, it became part of the Subcarpathian Voivodeship; it was pr ...

. In 1921 as part of the army's reorganization, the division was renamed the 26th Infantry Division and moved north to Skierniewice and its vicinity. It consisted of these regiments: * 10th Infantry Regiment, stationed in Łowicz, * 18th Infantry Regiment, stationed in Skierniewice, * 37th Infantry Regiment, stationed in Kutno, * 26th Light Artillery Regiment, stationed in Skierniewice. During the Invasion of Poland, the Division, under Colonel Adam Brzechwa-Ajdukiewicz, was part of Poznań Army, but on the fifth day of the war it was moved to Pomorze Army and, together with the 15th I.D., it created Operational Group of General Zdzisław Przyjałkowski. On September 6, 1939, the division was in the area of Inowrocław, soon afterwards it was used in the Battle of the Bzura, covering eastern wing of the Pomorze Army. After initial success of Polish offensive, during which the Division recaptured several locations, the Germans organized a counterattack. The 26th I.D. was subsequently destroyed.

History

See also