Sub-district III of Wola (of Armia Krajowa)
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The Sub-district III of Wola (of Armia Krajowa) (Polish: ''Obwód III Wola'') – a territorial organisational unit of the District of Warsaw of ''
Armia Krajowa 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) esta ...
'', acting during the
German occupation of Poland German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
. Military units of the district took part in the
Warsaw Uprising The Warsaw Uprising ( pl, powstanie warszawskie; german: Warschauer Aufstand) was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance movement in World War II, Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. It occ ...
. During the house-to-house fighting, Nazi troops from the ''
S.S. Sturmbrigade R.O.N.A. Kaminski Brigade, also known as Waffen-Sturm-Brigade der SS RONA, was a collaborationist formation composed of Russian nationals from the territory of the Lokot Autonomy in Axis-occupied areas of the RSFSR, Soviet Union on the Eastern Front. ...
'' and the '' SS-Dirlewanger Brigade'' committed the
Wola Massacre The Wola massacre ( pl, Rzeź Woli, lit=Wola slaughter) was the systematic killing of between 40,000 and 50,000 Poles in the Wola neighbourhood of the Polish capital city, Warsaw, by the German Wehrmacht and fellow Axis collaborators in the Az ...
killing between 40,000 and 50,000 Polish civilians. The chief of the sub-district was lieutenant-colonel
Jan Tarnowski Jan Amor Tarnowski (Latin: Joannes Tarnovius; 1488 – 16 May 1561) was a Polish nobleman, knight, military commander, military theoretician, and statesman of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland. He was Grand Crown Hetman from 1527, and was ...
pseudonym ''"Waligóra"''. Under his command the sub-district's military units fought in
Wola Wola (, ) is a district in western Warsaw, Poland, formerly the village of Wielka Wola, incorporated into Warsaw in 1916. An industrial area with traditions reaching back to the early 19th century, it underwent a transformation into an office (co ...
from 1 until 6 August 1944, when prevailing German units forced them to withdraw to
Old Town In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...
, Śródmieście and to
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. Once a forest covering 670 km2 of ...
.


Organisation

The Sub-district of Wola included: *Region I - commanded by lieutenant Stanisław Gawryszewski pseudonym ''"Balbo-Wieczorek"'', **1st company - commanded by lieutenant Kazimierz Wierzbicki pseudonym ''"Stanisław"'', **2nd company - commanded by lieutenant Kazimierz Młodnicki pseudonym ''"Mata"''. *Region II – commanded by lieutenant Stanisław Lubański pseudonym ''"Wit"'': **1st company - commanded by sec. lieutenant Władysław Kulasek pseudonym ''"Jaśmin"'', **2nd company - commanded by sec. lieutenant Aleksander Połoński pseudonym ''"Gromada"'', **3rd company - commanded by sec. lieutenant Romuald Podwysocki pseudonym ''"Ostoja"''; **4th company - commanded by sec. lieutenant pseudonym ''"Prus"'' (first and second name unknown). *Region III – commanded by captain Karol Kryński pseudonym ''"Waga"''.


Course of combat

The place of concentration of the Region I on 1 August was Górce-Blizne. Units could not take weapon stored in the area of Ulrich gardens, because one day earlier German tanks had arrived there. Soldiers passed through to the Kampinos Forest, received weapon there and were included into the
Kampinos Group Kampinos is a village in Warsaw West County, Masovian Voivodeship, in east-central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Kampinos. It lies approximately east of Sochaczew and west of Warsaw. The village lie ...
. In the attack from
Żoliborz Żoliborz () is one of the northern districts of the city of Warsaw. It is located directly to the north of the City Centre, on the left bank of the Vistula river. It has approximately 50,000 inhabitants and is one of the smallest boroughs of W ...
to the Warsaw Gdańsk Station the units suffered losses up to 80% of their number. Those who survived, were included into the Żaglowiec Grouping and continued to fight until the moment of the capitulation of Żoliborz on 30 September 1944. In the Region II, the 1st company of second lieutenant "Jaśmin" was assigned the task to seize the petroleum factory in
Koło Koło (; during the German occupation called ''Wartbrücken'' in 1940–41, ''Warthbrücken'' in 1941–45) is a town on the Warta River in central Poland with 23,101 inhabitants (2006). It is situated in the Greater Poland Voivodship (since 19 ...
. The attack was recalled because engineer units failed to destroy the wall fence. After retreat from the area of the streets: Obozowa/Wawryszewska/Świętego Stanisława and upon a reconnaissance of the situation, the company was assigned the task to erect and to man the barricades in the intersections of streets: Obozowa / Młynarska, Górczewska / Działdowska and Wolska / Działdowska. In the night from 3 to 4 August part of the soldiers were sent in the area of the Jewish cemetery to receive air drops. In the afternoon on 5 August the unit withdrew to Gibalskiego street. On 6 August the company moved to the Old Town and took a section of Brzozowa street from Kamienne Schodki up to Mostowa street. It was undertaken an unsuccessful and hard-fought attack on the Warsaw Gdańsk Station. After working its way to Śródmieście the company defended a section of Widok street as well as a barricade on the crossing of Bracka /
Aleje Jerozolimskie Jerusalem Avenue ( pl, Aleje Jerozolimskie) is one of the principal streets of the capital city of Warsaw in Poland. It runs through the City Centre along the East-West axis, linking the western borough of Wola with the bridge on the Vistula Ri ...
streets. The 2nd company of second lieutenant "Gromada" ought to have seized a school building in Górczewska street. Because of heavy fire of the enemy it was forced to withdraw to the area of Wawrzyszewska / Obozowa streets crossing, where it manned a defensive positions extending up to Ostroroga street. On 4 August the unit withdrew to the area of Protestant cemetery; on 5 August to Kercelak and then it moved to the Old Town. The unit took part in fights in and in the attack on the Warsaw Gdańsk Station. Having retreated to Śródmieście it defended Książęca street. The 3rd company of Sec. Lieutenant "Ostoja" was assigned the task to bar the road to Warsaw from the direction of Ulrichów against Germans. The platoon commanded by sec. lieutenant Franciszek Potocki pseudonym "Laos" set about executing the task. The enemy had manned a viaduct and mastered the neighbourhood by conducting fire from guard towers placed along the railway line. The attack collapsed. There were many wounded and 15 killed. The platoon of officer cadet Marian Lewandowski pseudonym "Ryś", armed with hand-grenades only, seized the caserns in a school in Gostyńska street and manned barricades in Górczewska / Płocka streets crossing and at the hospital in Płocka street. In the course of heavy fight an enemy tank was destroyed and many pieces of weapon were seized. On 4 August the unit withdrew to Górczewska / Działdowska street crossing, and then to Grzybowska and Mariańska streets, where insurgents who were withdrawing from Wola, were gathering. The Wola units were organised into the Józef Sowiński Bataillon, which fought in streets of Komitetowa, Pańska, Ceglana / Żelazna crossing, Grzybowska, on the area of the Norblin Factory and the Haberbusch Brewery. The assigned area was kept on until the end of the Warsaw Uprising. Units of the Region III after short fight in Karolkowa and Dworska streets withdrew to Śródmieście and to the Old Town, where they took part in fights conducted by various units until the end of the uprising.


See also

*
Wola Massacre The Wola massacre ( pl, Rzeź Woli, lit=Wola slaughter) was the systematic killing of between 40,000 and 50,000 Poles in the Wola neighbourhood of the Polish capital city, Warsaw, by the German Wehrmacht and fellow Axis collaborators in the Az ...
*
Military description of the Warsaw Uprising The Warsaw Uprising began with simultaneous coordinated attacks at 17:00 hours on August 1, 1944 (W-hour). The uprising was intended to last a few days until Soviet forces arrived; however, this never happened, and the Polish forces had to fight a ...


References

* ''Struktura Organizacyjna Armii Krajowej'', Marek Ney-Krwawicz w:
Mówią wieki ''Mówią Wieki'' (meaning ''Centuries Speak'' in English) is a monthly popular science and history magazine published in Poland since 1958. Editors in chief: * Maria Bogucka (1958–1976) * Bożena Krzywobłocka (1976–1977) * Eugeniusz Duracz ...
nr 9/1986. {{DEFAULTSORT:Sub-District 03 Of Wola (Of Armia Krajowa) Units and formations of the Home Army Warsaw Uprising Wola