Polish Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland (, ; abbreviated SZ RP), also called the Polish Armed Forces and popularly called in Poland (, roughly "the Polish Military"—abbreviated ''WP''), are the national Military, armed forces of the Poland, ...

Józef Poniatowski Prince Józef Antoni Poniatowski (; 7 May 1763 – 19 October 1813) was a Polish general, minister of war and army chief, who became a Marshal of the French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. A nephew of the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lit ...

Przemyśl Przemyśl () is a city in southeastern Poland with 56,466 inhabitants, as of December 2023. Data for territorial unit 1862000. In 1999, it became part of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Subcarpathian Voivodeship. It was previously the capital of Prz ...

Polish–Ukrainian War The Polish–Ukrainian War, from November 1918 to July 1919, was a conflict between the Second Polish Republic and Ukrainian forces (both the West Ukrainian People's Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic). The conflict had its roots in ...

Lviv Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...

Sambir Sambir (, ; ; ) is a city in Sambir Raion, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine. It serves as the Capital city, administrative center of Sambir Raion (Raion, district) and is located close to the border with Poland. Sambir hosts the administration of Sambir urba ...

Drohobych Drohobych ( ; ; ) is a city in the south of Lviv Oblast, Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Drohobych Raion and hosts the administration of Drohobych urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. In 1939–1941 and 1944–1959 it w ...

Stanyslaviv Ivano-Frankivsk (, ), formerly Stanyslaviv, Stanislav and Stanisławów, is a city in western Ukraine. It serves as the administrative centre of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast as well as Ivano-Frankivsk Raion within the oblast. Ivano-Frankivsk also host ...

Dniester The Dniester ( ) is a transboundary river in Eastern Europe. It runs first through Ukraine and then through Moldova (from which it more or less separates the breakaway territory of Transnistria), finally discharging into the Black Sea on Uk ...

Zbruch The Zbruch (; ) is a river in Western Ukraine, a left tributary of the Dniester.Збруч

Polish–Soviet War The Polish–Soviet War (14 February 1919 – 18 March 1921) was fought primarily between the Second Polish Republic and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, following World War I and the Russian Revolution. After the collapse ...

, it engaged in battles under

Korosten Korosten (, ), also historically known as Iskorosten (), is a historic city and a large transport hub in Zhytomyr Oblast, northern Ukraine. It is located on the Uzh (Pripyat), Uzh River. Korosten serves as the Capital city, administrative center ...

,

Koziatyn Koziatyn (also referred to as Kozyatyn; , ; ; ) is a city in the Vinnytsia Oblast (province) in central Ukraine. It served as the administrative center of the Koziatyn Raion (district); the city itself was not a part of the district and was separ ...

, and Żukowiec, and fought on the

Berezina The Berezina or Byarezina (, ; ) is a river in Belarus and a right tributary of the Dnieper. The river starts in the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve. The length of the Berezina is . The width of the river is 15–20 m, the maximum is 60 m. The ba ...

,

Neman Neman, Nemunas or Niemen is a river in Europe that rises in central Belarus and flows through Lithuania then forms Lithuania–Russia border, the northern border of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia's western exclave, which specifically follows its s ...

, and Bug rivers. The regiment also participated in the victorious battle of

Baboszewo Baboszewo is a village in Płońsk County, Masovian Voivodeship, in east-central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Baboszewo. It lies approximately north-west of Płońsk and north-west of Warsaw W ...

in August 1920 and later took part in heavy fighting near

Rohatyn Rohatyn (, ; ) is a List of cities in Ukraine, city located on the Hnyla Lypa River in Ivano-Frankivsk Raion, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, in western Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Rohatyn urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. Popula ...

and

Vyshnivets Vyshnivets (; ) is a rural settlement in Kremenets Raion, Ternopil Oblast, western Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Vyshnivets settlement hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. Population: Vyshnivets is better known as a family estat ...

during the advance toward Lviv. In the May Coup of 1926, the regiment supported Marshal

Józef Piłsudski Józef Klemens Piłsudski (; 5 December 1867 – 12 May 1935) was a Polish statesman who served as the Chief of State (Poland), Chief of State (1918–1922) and first Marshal of Poland (from 1920). In the aftermath of World War I, he beca ...

during the battles in Warsaw. In 1939, during the

September Campaign The invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign, Polish Campaign, and Polish Defensive War of 1939 (1 September – 6 October 1939), was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak Republic, and the Sovie ...

, the regiment was part of the

Poznań Army Army Poznań (), led by Major General Tadeusz Kutrzeba, was one of the Polish Armies during the Invasion of Poland in 1939. Tasks Flanked by Armia Pomorze to the north and Łódź Army to the south, the Army was to provide flanking operat ...

and later Pomeranian Army. It fought through

Wągrowiec Wągrowiec () is a town in west-central Poland, from both Poznań and Bydgoszcz. Since the 18th century it has been the seat of a powiat. Administratively it is attached to the Greater Poland Voivodeship. The town is situated in the middle of th ...

,

Inowrocław Inowrocław (; , ) is a city in central Poland with a total population of 68,101 (as of December 2022). It is situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is one of the largest and most historically significant cities within the historic re ...

, and the

Kutno Kutno is a city in central Poland with 42,704 inhabitants (2021) and an area of . It is the capital of Kutno County in the Łódź Voivodeship. Founded in the medieval period, Kutno was a local center of crafts and trade, owing its growth to i ...

area, reaching the battlefield near the

Bzura The Bzura is a river in central Poland. A tributary of the Vistula river (in Wyszogród), the Bzura is 173 kilometres long and has a basin area of 7,764 km2.Kampinos Forest Kampinos Forest () is a large forest complex located in Masovian Voivodeship, west of Warsaw in Poland. It covers a part of the ancient valley of the Vistula basin, between the Vistula and the Bzura rivers. The forest began to form 14-11,000 yea ...

to Warsaw. After the September Campaign, the regiment was disbanded.

Formation of the 37th Infantry Regiment and early combat

After the collapse of

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

on 28 October 1918, the

Polish Liquidation Committee The Polish Liquidation Committee of Galicia and Cieszyn Silesia () was a temporary Polish government body that operated in Galicia at the end of World War I. Created on 28 October 1918, with its seat in Kraków, the Committee was headed by Wi ...

was formed in

Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...

to organize Polish military and administrative structures in Galicia. On 1 November 1918, the Governing Council and Garrison Command were created in

Przemyśl Przemyśl () is a city in southeastern Poland with 56,466 inhabitants, as of December 2023. Data for territorial unit 1862000. In 1999, it became part of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Subcarpathian Voivodeship. It was previously the capital of Prz ...

to begin organizing Polish military forces and administration. In the barracks of the former Austro-Hungarian 45th Infantry Regiment, scattered military units were gathered, forming the foundation for the 37th Infantry Regiment. The first commander of the regiment was Lieutenant , who had been released from a local prison on 3 November 1918. He became the commander of Polish forces and the garrison of Przemyśl on 5 November 1918. By 7 November 1918, an infantry regiment was established in Przemyśl, which was renamed the 18th Rifle Regiment on November 9. The battalion commanders at that time were: 1st Battalion – Second Lieutenant Zając, 2nd Battalion – Second Lieutenant Dudziński, 3rd Battalion – Marian Doskowski. The regiment gained its first combat experience during clashes with Ukrainian forces from 9 to 11 November 1918 in the Zasań district of Przemyśl. On November 13, the regiment was renamed the 10th Infantry Regiment. In November 1918, the regiment's reserve battalion, formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian , was commanded by Captain , who was appointed as the temporary commander of the "Children of Przemyśl" 10th Infantry Regiment. On 30 November, Lieutenant Kazubski was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel as the commander of the regiment. Part of the regiment fought to open the road to the besieged

Lviv Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...

as part of Colonel

Michał Tokarzewski-Karaszewicz General Michał Tadeusz Tokarzewski-Karaszewicz, Coat of arms of Trąby pseudonym Doktor, Stolarski, TorwidJozef Garlinski ''Poland in the Second World War'', Page 40 (b. 5 January 1893 in Lviv, Lemberg – 22 May 1964 in Casablanca, Morocco) w ...

's group, while the rest engaged in combat near Nyzhankovychi, Siedliska,

Medyka Medyka () is a village in Przemyśl County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in south-eastern Poland, on the border with Ukraine. It is the seat of the municipality (gmina) called Gmina Medyka. It lies approximately east of Przemyśl and east of the r ...

, and

Khyriv Khyriv (, ; ) is a city in Sambir Raion, Lviv Oblast (region) of Ukraine with a population of around It hosts the administration of Khyriv urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. It became known principally for the celebrated eponymous ...

. The regiment captured Stodółki, Uhry, Czerlany, and Velykyi Liubin. It also held Horodok and defended the Lviv-Przemyśl railway line from Ukrainian forces. On 25 February 1919, the regiment was renamed the 37th Infantry Regiment. In the spring of 1919, the regiment captured

Sambir Sambir (, ; ; ) is a city in Sambir Raion, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine. It serves as the Capital city, administrative center of Sambir Raion (Raion, district) and is located close to the border with Poland. Sambir hosts the administration of Sambir urba ...

and

Drohobych Drohobych ( ; ; ) is a city in the south of Lviv Oblast, Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Drohobych Raion and hosts the administration of Drohobych urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. In 1939–1941 and 1944–1959 it w ...

and participated in the conquest of

Stanyslaviv Ivano-Frankivsk (, ), formerly Stanyslaviv, Stanislav and Stanisławów, is a city in western Ukraine. It serves as the administrative centre of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast as well as Ivano-Frankivsk Raion within the oblast. Ivano-Frankivsk also host ...

. From 13 to 16 June 1919, it defended crossings over the

Dniester The Dniester ( ) is a transboundary river in Eastern Europe. It runs first through Ukraine and then through Moldova (from which it more or less separates the breakaway territory of Transnistria), finally discharging into the Black Sea on Uk ...

river. From June 28, the regiment fought along the

Zbruch The Zbruch (; ) is a river in Western Ukraine, a left tributary of the Dniester.Збруч

In December 1919, the regiment's reserve battalion was stationed in

Łęczyca Łęczyca (; in full the Royal Town of Łęczyca, ; ; ) is a town of inhabitants in central Poland. Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship, it is the county seat of the Łęczyca County. Łęczyca is a capital of the historical Łęczyca Land. Or ...

.

Regimental personnel in 1920

Participation in the Polish–Soviet War

The regiment was part of the 4th Infantry Division, tasked with capturing the city of

Korosten Korosten (, ), also historically known as Iskorosten (), is a historic city and a large transport hub in Zhytomyr Oblast, northern Ukraine. It is located on the Uzh (Pripyat), Uzh River. Korosten serves as the Capital city, administrative center ...

during the Polish offensive. The 37th Infantry Regiment secured the railway junction and other designated areas, then fortified its position, remaining in reserve until Kyiv was taken. Due to the Soviet counteroffensive, the 1st and 3rd Battalions moved to the

Berezina The Berezina or Byarezina (, ; ) is a river in Belarus and a right tributary of the Dnieper. The river starts in the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve. The length of the Berezina is . The width of the river is 15–20 m, the maximum is 60 m. The ba ...

river on 21 May 1920, holding off Soviet attacks toward

Minsk Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...

. The regiment inflicted significant losses in battles at Borowina and Zhukovets (26 May 1920). Until 7 June 1920, it fought along the Berezina, engaging in battles at Murava, Chernivtsi, and Wielki Stachów (3 June 1920). From there, the regiment marched through Zamosze, Zawidne, and Minsk to the Grodzianka station. A week later, it was transported to the Ratmirovicze station and subordinated to the commander of the 14th Infantry Division for planned operations near Bobruisk. However, these actions were canceled due to a breach in the front by the Bolsheviks, prompting a retreat on 7 July 1920. Some units retreated to Miratycze via Minsk and the

Neman Neman, Nemunas or Niemen is a river in Europe that rises in central Belarus and flows through Lithuania then forms Lithuania–Russia border, the northern border of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia's western exclave, which specifically follows its s ...

river. After attempting to take

Slonim Slonim is a town in Grodno Region, in western Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Slonim District. It is located at the junction of the Shchara and Isa (river), Isa rivers, southeast of Grodno. As of 2025, it has a population of ...

, the 1st and 3rd Battalions withdrew west with the 4th Infantry Division. Under Captain , the 3rd Battalion captured

Kamyenyets Kamyenyets or Kamenets, also known as Kamyanyets, is a town in Brest Region, Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Kamyenyets District. The town is located in the northwestern corner of Brest Region on the Lyasnaya River, about no ...

and, after fierce fighting near Wierzchy, reached Stawy near the Bug river, reuniting with the 1st Battalion. The battalions soon separated again, with the 1st joining the 8th Infantry Brigade and the 3rd joining the 2nd Cavalry Brigade reserve. On 4 August 1920, the regiment achieved successes in pushing Bolsheviks across the Bug during the 4th Army’s counteroffensive. The regiment was then withdrawn to the

Siedlce Siedlce () ( ) is a city in the Masovian Voivodeship in eastern Poland with 77,354 inhabitants (). The city is situated between two small rivers, the Muchawka and the Helenka, and lies along the European route E30, around east of Warsaw. It is ...

area. The 2nd Battalion, under Lieutenant Beniamin Kotarba, had been detached from the regiment since 21 May 1920. Initially stationed in Korosten, it retreated to

Koziatyn Koziatyn (also referred to as Kozyatyn; , ; ; ) is a city in the Vinnytsia Oblast (province) in central Ukraine. It served as the administrative center of the Koziatyn Raion (district); the city itself was not a part of the district and was separ ...

and later participated in an ultimately unsuccessful assault on

Korets Korets (, ; ; ; ''Koritz'') is a city in Rivne Oblast, Ukraine. The city is located on the Korchyk river, 66 kilometers to the east of Rivne. It was the administrative center of Korets Raion until the raion was abolished in 2020. Population: ...

. Under pressure from the Soviets, particularly

Semyon Budyonny Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny ( rus, Семён Миха́йлович Будённый, Semyon Mikháylovich Budyonnyy, p=sʲɪˈmʲɵn mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪdʑ bʊˈdʲɵnːɨj, a=ru-Simeon Budyonniy.ogg; – 26 October 1973) was a Russian and ...

's

1st Cavalry Army __NOTOC__ The 1st Cavalry Army (), or ''Konarmia'' (Кона́рмия, "Horsearmy"), was a prominent Red Army military formation that served in the Russian Civil War and Polish–Soviet War, Polish-Soviet War. History Formation On 17 Novem ...

, the 2nd Battalion, acting as a rear guard, was encircled and destroyed. 10 officers and 374 soldiers were killed or captured. The remnants of the battalion regrouped in Siedlce on 22 July 1920 and later reorganized in Łęczyca and Kutno. On 13 August 1920, the battalion joined the 1st and 3rd Battalions in

Góra Kalwaria Góra Kalwaria (; "Calvary Mountain", , ''Ger'') is a town on the Vistula River in the Masovian Voivodeship, in east-central Poland. It is situated approximately southeast of Warsaw and has a population of around 12,109 (as of 2019). The town has ...

. While the Battle of Warsaw concluded with a decisive Polish victory and Polish forces pursued the retreating enemy, heavy fighting continued on the southern front near Lviv. To prevent a potential Soviet offensive, the 4th Infantry Division, including the 37th Regiment, was transferred to the Chodorów area. On 7 September 1920, the regiment engaged in intense battles with Soviet units threatening the Lviv–Chodorów railway line, capturing Knihynicze, Nowosielce, and Okrześnice. The next day, the regiment crossed the Stryi river, aiming to secure Rohatyn, which it achieved on 9 September 1920. The regiment commemorated the Rohatyn battle, its first in the Polish–Soviet War where all battalions fought together, by designating September 9 as its regimental holiday. Over the following days, it continued defending Rohatyn from Soviet counterattacks. Reinforced with three marching companies on September 13, the regiment, as part of the 4th Infantry Division, pursued the enemy to Vyshnivets. On September 25, it was transported to Grodno as a reserve unit for the high command. Redirected by the 2nd Legion Infantry Division, the regiment moved via Grodno and Łomża to Ostrołęka on 12 November 1920. It served in border protection there until 28 April 1921, after which it returned to Kutno and Łęczyca.

Recipients of the Virtuti Militari Order

Regiment in peacetime

The regiment’s headquarters, staff, and battalions I and II were stationed in the Kutno area of Corps District IV, occupying the former Russian 4th Rifle Regiment’s barracks. The III Battalion was quartered in Łęczyca in a former monastery building. The barracks were cramped and lacked many basic facilities, including a sewage system, exercise grounds, proper storage, and a shooting range, which was only 100 meters long. In late 1921, the regiment's assignment changed, and it was incorporated into the 26th Infantry Division (alongside the 10th Infantry Regiment, 18th Infantry Regiment, and 26th Light Artillery Regiment), an arrangement that remained until the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Among the annual recruits, a significant percentage were illiterate, prompting the regiment to organize an educational program conducted by professional officers and non-commissioned officers. The regiment's holiday was initially celebrated on 9 September to commemorate the victory at Rohatyn, but from 1934, it was celebrated on May 26, marking the victorious battle at Żukowiec in 1920. Amid social tensions, the regiment was stationed in Warsaw from October to December 1923 (at the former Russian warehouses in Powązki), performing guard duties. A significant event in the regiment’s history was its participation in Marshal

Józef Piłsudski Józef Klemens Piłsudski (; 5 December 1867 – 12 May 1935) was a Polish statesman who served as the Chief of State (Poland), Chief of State (1918–1922) and first Marshal of Poland (from 1920). In the aftermath of World War I, he beca ...

's May Coup. Most of the regiment, commanded by Colonel

Władysław Bortnowski Władysław Bortnowski (12 November 1891 – 21 November 1966) was a Polish historian, military commander and one of the highest ranking generals of the Polish Army, generals of the Polish Army. He is most famous for commanding the Pomorze Army ...

, supported the Marshal. On the afternoon of 13 May 1926, battalions I and II arrived in Warsaw by train and engaged in combat with government forces in

Mokotów Mokotów () is a district of Warsaw, the capital city of Poland. It is densely populated, and hosts many companies and foreign embassies. Only a small part of the district is lightly industrialised (''Służewiec Przemysłowy''), while the majori ...

and the city center. During the transport and at the unloading site, the units were bombarded by aviation. Nine soldiers died in the clashes: Sergeant Michał Łuc, Corporal Jan Iwan, Private First Class Jan Moskaluk, Private First Class Wacław Złotowski, and Privates Józef Cholewa, Lajzer Gutenberg, Leon Siermiński, Wilhelm Tom, and Szurek Kalman. Thirty-two soldiers were wounded. Following the 1930 executive order by the Ministry of Military Affairs to the Infantry Department on peacetime infantry organization (PS 10-50), three types of infantry regiments were introduced into the Polish Armed Forces. The 37th Infantry Regiment was classified as a Type I ("normal") infantry regiment. It received approximately 610 recruits annually. Its personnel comprised 56 officers and 1,500 non-commissioned officers and soldiers. During winter, the regiment operated with a senior-year battalion, a training battalion, and a skeleton battalion, while in summer, it comprised a senior-year battalion and two conscript battalions. After the reorganization in 1930, the regiment also trained recruits for the

Border Protection Corps The Border Protection Corps () was a military formation of the Second Polish Republic that was created in 1924 to defend the country's eastern borders against armed Soviet incursions and local bandits. Other borders were under the jurisdiction of ...

.

Regimental symbols

Standards

A "banner committee" was formed by the residents of the

Łęczyca Land Łęczyca Land (; Latin: ''Terra Lanciciensis'') is a historical region in central Poland, a part of Łęczyca-Sieradz Land (). Its historical capital is Łęczyca, while the largest city is Łódź, while other bigger cities are Zgierz, and T ...

, which obtained permission to name the regiment the 37th Łęczyca Infantry Regiment and funded a banner. The ceremony of its presentation took place on 23 May 1920. At that time, the regiment was in the field, so the banner was received by a delegation of officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates from the hands of the Minister of Military Affairs, General . Until the regiment returned from the war, the banner was stored at the reserve battalion command. In 1921, on the regimental holiday, the banner was decorated with an insignia funded by the citizens of

Kutno Kutno is a city in central Poland with 42,704 inhabitants (2021) and an area of . It is the capital of Kutno County in the Łódź Voivodeship. Founded in the medieval period, Kutno was a local center of crafts and trade, owing its growth to i ...

and the Kutno branch of the Red Cross, in the form of a silver ring with the Kutno coat of arms and an appropriate inscription. In July 1933, it was transferred to the

Polish Army Museum Museum of the Polish Army () is a museum in Warsaw documenting the military history of Poland. Established in 1920 under the Second Polish Republic, it formerly occupied a wing of the building of the Polish National Museum and now occupies a bui ...

. On 26 June 1933, during a ceremony at the Piaski sports field in Kutno, President

Ignacy Mościcki Ignacy Mościcki (; 1 December 1867 – 2 October 1946) was a Polish chemist and politician who was the country's president from 1926 to 1939. He was the longest serving president in Polish history. Mościcki was the President of Poland when Ge ...

presented the regiment with a new banner, funded by the citizens of the Łęczyca Land. The banner's godparents were the

Łódź Łódź is a city in central Poland and a former industrial centre. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is located south-west of Warsaw. Łódź has a population of 655,279, making it the country's List of cities and towns in Polan ...

Voivode and Mrs. Maria Pajdakowa, wife of the Łęczyca County

Starosta Starosta or starost (Cyrillic: ''старост/а'', Latin: ''capitaneus'', ) is a community elder in some Slavic lands. The Slavic root of "starost" translates as "senior". Since the Middle Ages, it has designated an official in a leadersh ...

Zygmunt Pajdak. On 28 January 1938, the regimental banner began to be officially referred to as the standard. During the Battle of the Bzura, near Iłów, the standard was handed over for safekeeping to a local farmer, and its whereabouts have remained unknown since then.

Commemorative insignia

On 22 December 1928, the Minister of Military Affairs, Marshal

Józef Piłsudski Józef Klemens Piłsudski (; 5 December 1867 – 12 May 1935) was a Polish statesman who served as the Chief of State (Poland), Chief of State (1918–1922) and first Marshal of Poland (from 1920). In the aftermath of World War I, he beca ...

, approved the design and regulations for the commemorative insignia of the 37th Infantry Regiment. The insignia, measuring 43x43 mm, is in the shape of the Virtuti Militari Cross, with the arms enameled in navy blue. A shield with the coat of arms of Łęczyca Land is placed on the cross, inscribed with the initials ''ZŁ''. The shield is topped with a crown. The arms of the cross bear the regiment’s number and initials ''37 PP'', as well as its formation date ''3 XI 1918''. The officer's insignia is two-part, made from gilded and silver-plated tombac, and enameled. The designers of the insignia were Paweł Bobkowicz and Bronisław Grabski, both from Łódź. During the regimental holiday on 9 September 1931, the insignia was awarded to officers and allied units: the 10th Infantry Regiment, 18th Infantry Regiment, 4th Field Artillery Regiment, and 26th Field Artillery Regiment.

Soldiers of the regiment

Regimental commanders

Source:The regimental commander personally oversaw the training of officers and was responsible for combat readiness, overall training, logistical services, and the internal affairs of the regiment (). * 2nd Lieutenant (approx. 7–30 November 1918) * Colonel (30 November 1918 – 1 July 1919) * Major Józef II Kuś (5 July – 18 August 1919) * Colonel Adam Jaroszewski (19 August – 9 September 1919) * Major Józef II Kuś (10 September 1919 – 2 January 1920) * Colonel Adam Jaroszewski (3 January – 19 March 1920) * Captain Karol Koziarowski (20 March – 3 April 1920) * Major Józef II Kuś (4 April – 16 May 1920) * Captain (17 May – 6 June 1920) * Major Józef II Kuś (7–13 June 1920) * Lieutenant Colonel Michał Remizowski (14 August 1920 – 16 March 1925) * Lieutenant Colonel (acting, 16 March – 3 May 1925) * Lieutenant Colonel Julian Żaba (acting, 4 May – 25 July 1925) * Lieutenant Colonel Albin Skroczyński (26 July – 9 October 1925) * Colonel Edward Nowak (10 – 30 October 1925) * Lieutenant Colonel Albin Skroczyński (acting, 16 March – 3 May 1925) * Major Stefan Lewicki (acting, 31 October – 1 December 1925) * Lieutenant Colonel Albin Skroczyński (acting, 2 – 30 December 1925) * Colonel

Władysław Bortnowski Władysław Bortnowski (12 November 1891 – 21 November 1966) was a Polish historian, military commander and one of the highest ranking generals of the Polish Army, generals of the Polish Army. He is most famous for commanding the Pomorze Army ...

(31 December 1925 – 19 June 1926) * Lieutenant Colonel Albin Skroczyński (acting, 20 June – 7 September 1926) * Colonel (8 September 1926 – 31 December 1930) * Major Jan Palewicz (acting, 1 – 15 January 1931) * Colonel (16 January 1931 – 2 September 1937) * Lieutenant Colonel

Roman Umiastowski Roman Umiastowski, who was born on January 29, 1893, in Warsaw and died on December 29, 1982, in London, has been a colonel in the Polish Army, a patriot and a bibliophile. Biography World War II When the Germans invaded Poland, Umiastowski wa ...

(3 September 1937 – March 1939) * Lieutenant Colonel Stanisław Ignacy Kurcz (March – 19 September 1939)

Deputy commanders

* Lieutenant Colonel Wiktor Łapicki (10 July 1922 – 1923) * Lieutenant Colonel Julian Żaba (1924) * Lieutenant Colonel Albin Skroczyński (January 1925 – 24 July 1928 → commander of 64th Infantry Regiment) * Lieutenant Colonel (24 July 1928 – 12 March 1929 → commander of Kutno Recruitment Area Command) * Lieutenant Colonel Józef II Kuś (12 March 1929 – 31 March 1930 → commander of Równe Recruitment Area Command) * Major Jan Palewicz (acting, 31 March 1930 – 23 March 1932 → conscription training in Jarosław Recruitment Area Command) * Lieutenant Colonel (23 March 1932 – 1937 → commander of Rawa Ruska Recruitment Area Command) * Lieutenant Colonel Stanisław Ignacy Kurcz (until March 1939 → commander of 37th Infantry Regiment) ** Quartermaster (Second Deputy) * Major Jan Władysław Smoter

Soldiers of the 37th Infantry Regiment – victims of the Katyn Massacre

Sources: Further details on the soldiers' biographies can be accessed through resources provided by the

Ministry of Culture and National Heritage The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage () is a ministry within Polish government led by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage responsible for national heritage preservation and Polish culture promotion. Ministry oversees state o ...

and the Katyn Museum.

Notes

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * {{Cite book , last=Zieliński , first=Hugo , title=Oswobodzenie Przemyśla w listopadzie 1918 roku (Zarys) , date=1934 , publisher=Wojskowe Biuro Historyczne , isbn= , location=Warsaw , language=pl , trans-title=The Liberation of Przemyśl in November 1918 (Outline) , ref= Infantry regiments of Poland Military units and formations of Poland in World War II Infantry divisions of Poland Military units and formations established in 1919