The Battle of Chojnice occurred during the
1939 German invasion of Poland on the first day of the
hostilities
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
, 1 September. A detached unit from the Polish army ''Chojnice Detached Group'' under Colonel , part of the ''
Czersk Operational Group Czersk Operational Group ( pl, Grupa Operacyjna Czersk, otherwise known as ''Shielding Group Czersk''; named after the town of Czersk, Poland) was an Operational Group (a type of tactical military unit) of the Polish Army. Formed in 1939 under the n ...
'' under
Stanisław Grzmot-Skotnicki, was assigned the task of defending the city of
Chojnice
Chojnice (; , or ''Chòjnice''; german: Konitz or ''Conitz'') is a town in northern Poland with 39,423 inhabitants as of December 2021, near the Tuchola Forest. It is the capital of the Chojnice County in the Pomeranian Voivodeship.
History
Pias ...
, a major regional
communications center, against the advancing German
20th Motorized Infantry Division in order to protect the southern flank of
Army Pomorze The Pomeranian Army ( pl, Armia Pomorze) was one of the List of Polish armies, Polish armies defending against the 1939 Invasion of Poland. It was officially created on March 23, 1939. Led by Generał dywizji, General dywizji Władysław Bortnowski, ...
.
The German attacks started at 04:30 with
Stuka dive bomber
The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka (from ''Sturzkampfflugzeug'', "dive bomber") was a German dive bomber and ground-attack aircraft. Designed by Hermann Pohlmann, it first flew in 1935. The Ju 87 made its combat debut in 1937 with the Luftwaffe's Co ...
s, from 3/1 Stuka Geschwader, attacking the Tczew bridge. The
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
then tried to sneak
armoured cars
Armored (or armoured) car or vehicle may refer to:
Wheeled armored vehicles
* Armoured fighting vehicle, any armed combat vehicle protected by armor
** Armored car (military), a military wheeled armored vehicle
* Armored car (valuables), an arm ...
into the station, but the Poles destroyed the bridge beforehand. Finally, an
armored train attack on
Chojnice
Chojnice (; , or ''Chòjnice''; german: Konitz or ''Conitz'') is a town in northern Poland with 39,423 inhabitants as of December 2021, near the Tuchola Forest. It is the capital of the Chojnice County in the Pomeranian Voivodeship.
History
Pias ...
was repulsed.
[Zaloga, S.J., 2002, Poland 1939, Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd., ]
The Polish troops managed to hold back the German advance until the early afternoon, but at 14:00 the German troops threatened to surround the city and the Polish units were forced to retreat east towards
Rytel
Rytel (german: Rittel) is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Czersk, within Chojnice County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies approximately west of Czersk, east of Chojnice, and south-west of the regional cap ...
. The
18th Pomeranian Uhlan Regiment was ordered to cover the retreat of the infantry, and launched a mounted attack against the Germans at
Krojanty.
See also
*nearby
Charge at Krojanty
The charge at Krojanty, battle of Krojanty, the riding of Krojanty or skirmish of Krojanty was a Polish cavalry charge on the evening of 1 September 1939, the first day of the Second World War, near the Pomeranian village of Krojanty. It occurred ...
*
List of World War II military equipment of Poland Polish Armament in 1939–45 article is a list of equipment used by Polish army before and during the Invasion of Poland, foreign service in British Commonwealth forces and last campaign to Germany with the Red Army in 1945.
Aircraft
Local de ...
*
List of German military equipment of World War II
The following is a list of German military equipment of World War II which includes artillery, vehicles and vessels. World War II was a global war that was under way by 1939 and ended in 1945. Following political instability build-up in Europe from ...
References
Further reading
* K. Ciechanowski, Walka pod Chojnicami 1 IX 1939 r.
n:Zapiski historyczne, Toruń Nr 2, 1962
Chojnice
Chojnice (; , or ''Chòjnice''; german: Konitz or ''Conitz'') is a town in northern Poland with 39,423 inhabitants as of December 2021, near the Tuchola Forest. It is the capital of the Chojnice County in the Pomeranian Voivodeship.
History
Pias ...
Pomeranian Voivodeship (1919–1939)
September 1939 events
History of Pomeranian Voivodeship
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