Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

2nd Legions Infantry Division (''2. Dywizja Piechoty Legionów'') was a tactical unit of the

Polish Army The Land Forces () are the land forces of the Polish Armed Forces. They currently contain some 62,000 active personnel and form many components of the European Union and NATO deployments around the world. Poland's recorded military history stre ...

between the World Wars. Formed on February 21, 1919, in the towns of Zegrze and Jablonna near

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 ...

, and composed mostly of veterans of the

Polish Legions in World War I The Polish Legions ( pl, Legiony Polskie) was a name of the Polish military force (the first active Polish army in generations) established in August 1914 in Galicia (Central Europe), Galicia soon after World War I erupted between the opposing all ...

, the unit saw extensive action during the Polish-Bolshevik War and the

Invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union which marked the beginning of World War II. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week aft ...

. During the Polish-Bolshevik War the division was commanded by

Henryk Minkiewicz Henryk Minkiewicz (19 January 1880 – 9 April 1940) was a Polish socialist politician and a general of the Polish Army. Former commander of the Border Defence Corps, he was among the Polish officers murdered in the Katyń massacre.; ; ; ; ; ; L ...

and Michal Zymierski. In a later stage, it took part in the

Battle of Niemen Battle of Niemen, Neman, Nemunas or the Niemen may refer to: * Battle of Darsūniškis, Great Northern War, 1702 * French invasion of Russia, Napoleonic Wars, 1812 * Battle of Augustów (1914) (25–28 September), World War I * Battle of the Nie ...

as part of the Third Army. In the Second Polish Republic, the unit's headquarters were stationed in Kielce, with some regiments in the garrisons of

Sandomierz Sandomierz (pronounced: ; la, Sandomiria) is a historic town in south-eastern Poland with 23,863 inhabitants (as of 2017), situated on the Vistula River in the Sandomierz Basin. It has been part of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (Holy Cross Prov ...

and

Jarosław Jarosław (; uk, Ярослав, Yaroslav, ; yi, יאַרעסלאָוו, Yareslov; german: Jaroslau) is a town in south-eastern Poland, with 38,970 inhabitants, as of 30 June 2014. Situated in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship (since 1999), previ ...

. During that time its commanders included General Aleksander Narbutt-Łuczyński (1921 - 1930), General

Juliusz Zulauf Juliusz Zulauf (August 20, 1891 – May 21, 1943) was a Polish Army brigadier general (''generał brygady''). A recipient of the ''Virtuti Militari'', he fought with distinction during World War I, the Polish-Ukrainian War, the Polish-Soviet ...

(1930 - 1938) and Colonel

Edward Dojan-Surówka Jan Edward Dojan-Surowka (27 December 1894, Wielopole Skrzynskie - 6 November 1982) was a soldier of the Polish Legions in World War I and Colonel of Infantry in the Polish Army in the interwar period. During World War I, Dojan-Surowka served in t ...

(1938 - Sept. 8 1939). In 1921 - 1939, the division's headquarters was garrisoned in Kielce. Its

2nd Legions' Infantry Regiment The 2nd Legions' Infantry Regiment ( pl, 2. pułk piechoty legionów, 2ppLeg) was a Polish military unit active between 1914 and 1944. Initially a part of the Polish Legions in World War I, after the war it was incorporated into the Polish Army. D ...

was located in Sandomierz,

3rd Legions' Infantry Regiment Third Legions Infantry Regiment (Polish language: 3. Pulk Piechoty Legionów; 3 pp Leg.) was an infantry unit of Polish Legions in World War I, Polish Army and the Home Army. It existed in 1914–1939 and 1944–1945. The regiment was formed in th ...

was located in Jaroslaw,

4th Legions' Infantry Regiment Fourth Legions Infantry Regiment (Poland) (Polish: 4 Pulk Piechoty Legionow, 4 pp Leg.) was an infantry regiment of the Polish Legions in World War I (1915–1917) and the Polish Army in 1918–1939. During the interbellum period, it was garrison ...

was stationed in Kielce. Other subunits, such as 2nd Light Artillery Regiment, were scattered in different towns of northern

Lesser Poland Lesser Poland, often known by its Polish name Małopolska ( la, Polonia Minor), is a historical region situated in southern and south-eastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Kraków. Throughout centuries, Lesser Poland developed a ...

Invasion of Poland

During the

, 2nd Legions Infantry Division was a reserve unit of

Army Łódź An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

. Commanded by Colonel

, it detrained at

Łask Łask (; german: Lask) is a town in central Poland with 16,925 inhabitants (2020). It is the capital of Łask County, and is situated in Łódź Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Sieradz Voivodeship (1975–1998). The Polish Air Force's 32n ...

and took positions near

Zelów Zelów ( cs, Zelov; german: 1943–45 Sellau) is a town in Bełchatów County, Łódź Voivodeship, Poland, with 7,459 inhabitants (2020). History Zelów was probably founded in the 13th century, when it was part of fragmented Piast-ruled Pola ...

. On September 2, 1939, it was sent to Belchatow, and its elements fought in the

Battle of Borowa Góra Battle of Borowa Góra ( pl, Bitwa pod Borową Górą) refers to the series of battles from 2 to 5 September 1939 that took place near the Góry Borowskie hills, south west from Piotrków Trybunalski and east of Bełchatów. The battle, fought be ...

. In the night of September 8/9, 1939, Colonel Dojan-Surowka suffered a nervous breakdown and abandoned his soldiers. He was replaced by Colonel

Antoni Staich Antoni is a Catalan, Polish, and Slovene given name and a surname used in the eastern part of Spain, Poland and Slovenia. As a Catalan given name it is a variant of the male names Anton and Antonio. As a Polish given name it is a variant of the fe ...

. Later, the division took part in the

Battle of Wola Cyrusowa The Battle of Wola Cyrusowa took place on 8 September 1939 near the village of Wola Cyrusowa near Stryków in Poland, during the September Campaign. It was fought between the forces of the Polish Piotrków Operational Group under Gen. Wiktor Th ...

, and finally, fought in the

Battle of Modlin ] The Battle of Modlin was a battle that took place during the 1939 German invasion of Poland at the beginning of the Second World War. Modlin Fortress was initially the headquarters of the Modlin Army until its retreat eastwards. From 13 to 29 ...

, capitulating on September 29, 1939. A number of its soldiers were killed by the Germans in the

Massacre in Zakroczym The Massacre in Zakroczym, 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 ...

Operation Tempest

The division was recreated in the spring of 1944 by the

Home Army The Home Army ( pl, Armia Krajowa, abbreviated AK; ) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) est ...

of Kielce -

Radom Radom is a city in east-central Poland, located approximately south of the capital, Warsaw. It is situated on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), having previously been the seat of a separate Radom Voivodeship (1975� ...

Area, as Second Legions Home Army Infantry Division ''Pogon''. With over 3000 soldiers, and commanded by Colonel

Antoni Żółkiewski Antoni is a Catalan, Polish, and Slovene given name and a surname used in the eastern part of Spain, Poland and Slovenia. As a Catalan given name it is a variant of the male names Anton and Antonio. As a Polish given name it is a variant of the fe ...

, it fought in

Operation Tempest file:Akcja_burza_1944.png, 210px, right Operation Tempest ( pl, akcja „Burza”, sometimes referred to in English as "Operation Storm") was a series of uprisings conducted during World War II against occupying German forces by the Polish Home ...

(summer 1944). The division was dissolved in January 1945.

Sources

* Tadeusz Jurga: Wojsko Polskie : krótki informator historyczny o Wojsku Polskim w latach II wojny światowej. 7, Regularne jednostki Wojska Polskiego w 1939 : organizacja, działania bojowe, uzbrojenie, metryki związków operacyjnych, dywizji i brygad. Warszawa : Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej 1975

Invasion of Poland

Operation Tempest

Sources

See also