On 5 May 1945, the

concentration camp A concentration camp is a prison or other facility used for the internment of political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or ethnic minority groups, on the grounds of national security, or for exploitati ...

in German-occupied

Holýšov Holýšov (; ) is a town in Plzeň-South District in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 5,600 inhabitants. Administrative division Holýšov consists of two municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census): ...

was liberated by the Polish

Holy Cross Mountains Brigade The Holy Cross Mountains Brigade () was a controversial tactical unit of the Polish National Armed Forces established on 11 August 1944. It did not obey orders to merge with the Home Army in 1944 and was a part of the Military Organization Liza ...

. Around 700 women were freed, as well as 200 SS members and 15 guards were imprisoned.

Background

The Holy Cross Mountains Brigade, established 11 August 1944, was one of the largest formations in the

National Armed Forces National Armed Forces (; NSZ) was a Polish right-wing underground military organization of the National Democracy (Poland), National Democracy operating from 1942. During World War II, NSZ troops fought against Nazi Germany and Gwardia Ludowa, c ...

. In January of 1945, the Brigade, in fear of being crushed by the Red Army, decided to start marching west. They set up a camp near Holýšov on 1 May 1945 and after contacting the local Czech rebels, they were informed of the concentration camp nearby.

Liberation

In the evening of 4 May, the brigade met with Czech resistance leaders to plan the attack. The Czechs stated that it was too early for a liberation of the camp, but the Poles decided to coordinate it the next day due to the German plans of killing 280 prisoners before American arrival, which would most probably free the Jews. As 5 May began, the attack started and ended in a success. The number of freed women is disputed between 700 and 1,000, though it is agreed that 167 Polish and 280 Jewish women were freed. 200 SS members and 15 guards were imprisoned.

References

{{WWII-stub 1945 in military history 1945 in Czechoslovakia May 1945 in Europe Military history of Poland during World War II Military history of Czechoslovakia during World War II Czechoslovakia–Poland relations