Warsaw Military District
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Warsaw Military District ( pl, Warszawski Okręg Wojskowy, WOW) was one of three
military district Military districts (also called military regions) are formations of a state's armed forces (often of the Army) which are responsible for a certain area of territory. They are often more responsible for administrative than operational matters, and ...
s in
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
, the other two being the
Pomeranian Military District The Pomeranian Military District (Polish acronym POW) was a military district of the Polish Armed Forces from 1945 to 2011. Formally it was subordinate to the Minister of National Defence in the operational matters of defense and detached governm ...
and the
Silesian Military District Silesian Military District ( pl, Śląski Okręg Wojskowy) was one of three military districts in Poland, the other two being the Pomeranian Military District and the Warsaw Military District. All three were disbanded by the end of 2011 due to the ...
. It was the regional executive body of the Ministry of National Defense of Poland in the capital of
Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
in operational and defense matters and military administration existing from 1945 to 1998.


District history

After the end of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, six military districts were formed, and operating as of 1 August 1945, including the WOW. Months before in April, the
Olsztyn Olsztyn ( , ; german: Allenstein ; Old Prussian: ''Alnāsteini'' * Latin: ''Allenstenium'', ''Holstin'') is a city on the Łyna River in northern Poland. It is the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, and is a city with county rights. ...
was included in the district. In November 1945 the commander of the district was given the designation DOW I. In the autumn of 1945, the Faculty of the 2nd Division of Border Protection Forces (WOP) was formed at the Warsaw Military Command. The district, apart from administrative functions, also fulfilled the role of operational level command, subject to tactical relations and units stationed in its area. In 1949, the district was renamed the Warsaw Military District (WOW). In 1954, after the liquidation of the Krakow Military District, the WOW extended its reach to many regions such as
Lublin Lublin is the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the center of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin is the largest Polish city east of t ...
,
Kielce Kielce (, yi, קעלץ, Keltz) is a city in southern Poland, and the capital of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. In 2021, it had 192,468 inhabitants. The city is in the middle of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains (Holy Cross Mountains), on the bank ...
, Krakow and
Rzeszów Rzeszów ( , ; la, Resovia; yi, ריישא ''Raisha'')) is the largest city in southeastern Poland. It is located on both sides of the Wisłok River in the heartland of the Sandomierz Basin. Rzeszów has been the capital of the Subcarpathian Vo ...
. After the establishment of the Soviet-led
Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact (WP) or Treaty of Warsaw, formally the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, was a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist republic ...
in 1955, the corps and part of the infantry division were disbanded. The remaining infantry divisions were transformed into mechanized divisions and were absorbed into the WOW. From the mid-1960s, in the event of a war on the basis of command and WOW units, the 4th Army was formed as part of the WOW. From April 1990, instead of the 4th General Army, based on the WOW, the 3 Mechanized Corps of the "W" time was created. At the end of 1998, as part of the reorganization of the military from military districts, the military district was disassembled and was primarily replaced through the
Warsaw Garrison Command The Warsaw Garrison Command (WGC) ( pl, Dowództwo Garnizonu Warszawa, DGW) is a military board and area of the Polish Army based in Warsaw, Poland. Despite being part of the Polish Land Forces, it is an independent formation. The command, which ...
which was established three years prior.


Organization


1945

The command had the following organizational structure in 1945: * 1st Warsaw Infantry Division in
Siedlce Siedlce [] ( yi, שעדליץ ) is a city in eastern Poland with 77,354 inhabitants (). Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously the city was the capital of a separate Siedlce Voivodeship (1975–1998). The city is situated b ...
* 15 Infantry Division in
Olsztyn Olsztyn ( , ; german: Allenstein ; Old Prussian: ''Alnāsteini'' * Latin: ''Allenstenium'', ''Holstin'') is a city on the Łyna River in northern Poland. It is the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, and is a city with county rights. ...
* 1st Armoured Brigade of the defenders of Westerplatte in Modlin * 7th Independent Heavy Tank Regiment in Modlin * 13th Armored Artillery Regiment in Modlin * 5th Sappers Brigade * 1st Independent Communications Regiment


1951

The command had the following organizational structure in 1951: * 8th Infantry Corps in
Olsztyn Olsztyn ( , ; german: Allenstein ; Old Prussian: ''Alnāsteini'' * Latin: ''Allenstenium'', ''Holstin'') is a city on the Łyna River in northern Poland. It is the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, and is a city with county rights. ...
** 15 Infantry Division in
Olsztyn Olsztyn ( , ; german: Allenstein ; Old Prussian: ''Alnāsteini'' * Latin: ''Allenstenium'', ''Holstin'') is a city on the Łyna River in northern Poland. It is the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, and is a city with county rights. ...
** 21st Infantry Division in
Lidzbark Warmiński Lidzbark Warmiński (; german: Heilsberg, ), often shortened to Lidzbark, is a historical town located within the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It is the capital of Lidzbark County. Lidzbark Warmiński was once the capital of ...
** 22nd Infantry Division in
Giżycko Giżycko (former pl, Lec or ''Łuczany''; ; lt, Leičių pilis) is a town in northeastern Poland with 28,597 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is situated between Lake Kisajno and Lake Niegocin in the region of Masuria, and has been within ...
* 9th Infantry Corps in
Lublin Lublin is the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the center of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin is the largest Polish city east of t ...
** 1st Warsaw Infantry Division in
Legionowo Legionowo is a city in Masovia ( pl, Mazowsze), east-central Poland. Location Legionowo is located to the north-east of the center of Warsaw and only to the south of Zegrze Reservoir ( or ), near the Warsaw-Gdańsk railroad and Warsaw-Suwał ...
** 3rd Pomeranian Infantry Division in Lublin ** 18th Infantry Division in
Ełk Ełk (; former pl, Łek; german: Lyck; Old Prussian: ''Luks''; lt, Lukas), also spelled Elk in English, is a small city in northeastern Poland with 61,677 inhabitants as of December 2021. It was assigned to Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship in 1999, ...
* 24th Infantry Division in
Zambrów Zambrów is a town in northeastern Poland with 21,166 inhabitants (2020). It is the capital of Zambrów County. Situated in the Podlaskie Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Łomża Voivodeship (1975–1998). History The name of the town ...
* 25th Infantry Division in
Siedlce Siedlce [] ( yi, שעדליץ ) is a city in eastern Poland with 77,354 inhabitants (). Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously the city was the capital of a separate Siedlce Voivodeship (1975–1998). The city is situated b ...
* 11th Middle Tanks Regiment in
Giżycko Giżycko (former pl, Lec or ''Łuczany''; ; lt, Leičių pilis) is a town in northeastern Poland with 28,597 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is situated between Lake Kisajno and Lake Niegocin in the region of Masuria, and has been within ...
* 8th Infantry Artillery Division in
Orzysz Orzysz (English pronunciation , german: Arys) is a town in northeastern Poland, in the Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, with 7,512 inhabitants (2007). It is located on Orzysz Lake in the region of Masuria. A garrison of the Polish A ...
* 9th Division of Artillery in
Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
* 2nd Hard Sappers Brigade in Kazuń * 6th Hard Sappers Brigade in
Dęblin Dęblin is a town at the confluence of Vistula and Wieprz rivers, in Lublin Voivodeship, Poland. Dęblin is the part of the agglomeration with adjacent towns of Ryki and Puławy, which altogether has over 100 000 inhabitants. The population of ...
* 7th Pontoon Regiment in
Płock Płock (pronounced ) is a city in central Poland, on the Vistula river, in the Masovian Voivodeship. According to the data provided by GUS on 31 December 2021, there were 116,962 inhabitants in the city. Its full ceremonial name, according to the ...
* 5th Communications Regiment


1988

The command had the following organizational structure in 1988: * 1st Mechanised Division in
Legionowo Legionowo is a city in Masovia ( pl, Mazowsze), east-central Poland. Location Legionowo is located to the north-east of the center of Warsaw and only to the south of Zegrze Reservoir ( or ), near the Warsaw-Gdańsk railroad and Warsaw-Suwał ...
* 3rd Pomeranian Mechanized Division in
Lublin Lublin is the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the center of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin is the largest Polish city east of t ...
* 9rd Mechanized Division in
Rzeszów Rzeszów ( , ; la, Resovia; yi, ריישא ''Raisha'')) is the largest city in southeastern Poland. It is located on both sides of the Wisłok River in the heartland of the Sandomierz Basin. Rzeszów has been the capital of the Subcarpathian Vo ...
* 5th Brigade of the Internal Defense Forces in Krakow * 6th Pomeranian Airborne Brigade in Krakow * 1st Artillery Brigade in
Węgorzewo Węgorzewo (until 1946 pl, Węgobork; german: Angerburg, lt, Ungura) is a tourist town on the Angrapa River in northeastern Poland, within the historical region of Masuria. It is the seat of Węgorzewo County in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodes ...
* 32nd Brigade of Operational-Tactic Missiles in
Orzysz Orzysz (English pronunciation , german: Arys) is a town in northeastern Poland, in the Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, with 7,512 inhabitants (2007). It is located on Orzysz Lake in the region of Masuria. A garrison of the Polish A ...
* 21st Field Technical Repair Database in
Orneta Orneta (german: Wormditt, Prussian: ''Wurmedītin'') is a town in northern Poland, with a total population of 8,951 (2016). It is situated in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship and within the historical region of Warmia. History Wormditt, a vil ...
* 80th Anti-tank Artillery Division in
Suwałki Suwałki ( lt, Suvalkai; yi, סואוואַלק) is a city in northeastern Poland with a population of 69,206 (2021). It is the capital of Suwałki County and one of the most important centers of commerce in the Podlaskie Voivodeship. Suwałki i ...
* 2nd Sappers Brigade in Kazuń * 3rd Chemical Regiment in
Biskupiec Biskupiec (german: Bischofsburg, ) is a town in northern Poland, in Warmia, in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. It is located in Olsztyn County and, as of December 2021, it has a population of 10,496. The countryside surrounding Biskupiec is a ...
* 9th Communications Regiment in
Białobrzegi Białobrzegi is a town in Poland, in Masovian Voivodeship, about south of Warsaw. It is the capital of the Białobrzegi County and Gmina Białobrzegi (commune). The town is located on the border of the ''Białobrzegi Valley'' and ''Radom Plai ...
* Command post of the WOPL WOW Commander in
Białobrzegi Białobrzegi is a town in Poland, in Masovian Voivodeship, about south of Warsaw. It is the capital of the Białobrzegi County and Gmina Białobrzegi (commune). The town is located on the border of the ''Białobrzegi Valley'' and ''Radom Plai ...
* 15 Anti-aircraft Regiment in
Gołdap Gołdap ( or variant ''Goldapp''; lt, Geldupė, Geldapė, Galdapė) is a town in northeastern Poland, in the region of Masuria, seat of Gołdap County in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. It is located on the Gołdapa River, between the Szeskie ...
* 34th Radioactive Battalion in Modlin * 14th Reconnaissance Battalion School in
Giżycko Giżycko (former pl, Lec or ''Łuczany''; ; lt, Leičių pilis) is a town in northeastern Poland with 28,597 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is situated between Lake Kisajno and Lake Niegocin in the region of Masuria, and has been within ...
* 48th Special Company in Krakow


1997

The command had the following organizational structure in 1997: * 1st Mechanised Division in
Legionowo Legionowo is a city in Masovia ( pl, Mazowsze), east-central Poland. Location Legionowo is located to the north-east of the center of Warsaw and only to the south of Zegrze Reservoir ( or ), near the Warsaw-Gdańsk railroad and Warsaw-Suwał ...
* 15th Mechanised Division in
Olsztyn Olsztyn ( , ; german: Allenstein ; Old Prussian: ''Alnāsteini'' * Latin: ''Allenstenium'', ''Holstin'') is a city on the Łyna River in northern Poland. It is the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, and is a city with county rights. ...
* 16 Mechanized Division in Elbląg * 2nd Sappers Brigade in Kazuń * 1st Artillery Brigade in Węgorzewo * 2nd Territorial Defense Brigade in
Mińsk Mazowiecki Mińsk Mazowiecki () "''Masovian Minsk''") is a town in eastern Poland with 40,999 inhabitants (2020). It is situated in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999) and is a part of the Warsaw Agglomeration. It is the capital of Mińsk County. Locate ...
* 49th Combat Helicopters Regiment in Pruszcz Gdanski * 9th Command Regiment


Commanders

*
Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
Włodzimierz Nałęcz-Gembicki (1945) *
Divisional General Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
Bruno Olbrycht Bruno Olbrycht ( nom de guerre: Olza; 6 October 1895 – 23 March 1951) was a soldier of the Austro-Hungarian Army and officer (later general) of the Polish Army both in the Second Polish Republic and postwar Poland. Born on 6 October 1895 in Sa ...
(1945-1946) *
Divisional General Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
Gustaw Paszkiewicz (1946-1948) *
Divisional General Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
Wsiewolod Strażewski (1948-1949) *
Divisional General Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
Jan Rotkiewicz (1949-1953) *
Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
Franciszek Andrijewski (1953-1956) *
Divisional General Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
Józef Kuropieska (1956-1964) *
Divisional General Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
Czesław Waryszak (1964-1968) *
Divisional General Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
Zygmunt Huszcza (1968-1972) *
Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
Michał Stryga (1972) *
Divisional General Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
Włodzimierz Oliwa (1972-1983) *
Divisional General Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
Jerzy Skalski (1983-1987) *
Divisional General Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
Jan Kuriata (1987-1989) *
Divisional General Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
Zdzisław Stelmaszuk (1989-1990) *
Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
Leon Komornicki (1990-1992) *
Divisional General Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
Julian Lewiński (1992-1997) *
Divisional General Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
Adam Rębacz (1997-1998)Zmarł gen. dyw. Adam Rębacz
/ref>


See also

* Operational structure of the Polish Land Forces *
Warsaw Military District (Russian Empire) The Warsaw Military District (russian: Варшавский вое́нный о́круг) was a Russian military district of the Imperial Russian Army. It covered the territory of Congress Poland (without the part of Suwałki in Vilno Military ...
*
Dowództwo Okręgu Korpusu A Dowództwo Okręgu Korpusu (DOK, English: Corps District Command) was a military district of the Ministry of Military Affairs of the Second Polish Republic. It served as an organizational, mobilisational, and administrative body of the Polish Arm ...


References

*Michael Holm
Warsaw Military District, c2015
{{coord missing, Masovian Voivodeship Military units and formations of Poland Military units and formations established in 1945 1945 establishments in Poland History of Warsaw Military districts of Poland