Gebirgsjägern in Polen - 1939.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; another thread...........................

Assault march on Lemberg/Lvov/Lviv.

“Advancing on both sides of Przemysl, Sambor and Jaworow were conquered, whereas Lemberg had been reached with the most advanced assault detachments” Official bulletin of the OKW dated on September 13 of 1939.

“German troops already are leaving Lemberg since yesterday. Agreements were celebrated meanwhile in order to hand over the city to the Russian-Soviets troops, which are waiting on the Eastern edge of the city”. Official bulletin of the OKW dated on September 23 of 1939.

The following report belongs to an official who took part in the “Assault March” and offers a summary of the fight in the east, giving a vision on the characteristics of the war that took place between Poles and Germans during the month of September of 1939.

On September 12 of 1939 it was a memorable day for the Mountain infantry division X (1 Gebirgsdivision). In the first place it continued the advance on Sambor and the city had been occupied without fights during the evening on September 11 of 1939. At 08:30 hours, during the advance, Oberst Schörner received an order issued by the Commander of the Division, Generalmajor Kübler: “Objective of the day, maximun penetration in the direction of Lemberg”. (Range of march 66 kilometers).

Employing special fragmentation orders and after one short briefing, Hauptmann Merxmüller and his subordinated NCO were dismissed with the following order: “The vanguard leaves at 10:00 hours from the North of Sambor heading towards Lemberg”.

Sources: Die Wehrmacht. Der freiheitskampf des grossdeutschen volkes (1940).
OBRONA LWOWA WE WRZEŚNIU 1939 ROKU. Artur Leinwand.
Subasta de eBay (finalizada).
Wir zogen gegen Poland.
Gebirgsjaeger Photo Album – Poland. Sales List. Historical Media, LLC

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; another thread...........................

Assault march on Lemberg/Lvov/Lviv.

Subsequently the instructions reached to bulk of the troops, who had to follow behind the vanguard, first in the direction of Kalinow (located about 7 kilometers to the northeast of Sambor). The orders for this pursuit were later issued in writing with approximately 100 copies which were given to all officers and NCOs in charge during the march.

At 10:00 hours sharp, Hauptmann Merxmüller initiated the march with the vanguard from Sambor by Kalinow towards Lemberg. The mass, with the battalion Seitz (II. /GJR 99) in the lead followed him at short-distance. The march in assault towards Lemberg had begun. In the fork road located to the south of Koniuszka, the vanguard had observed an enemy column of around a company in strength marching along the route in northeastern direction. The first vehicles opened up on it with machine-gun fire. The enemy fled to left and right towards the field. Dead and wounded soldiers lay on the ground. Horse-drawn vehicles without coachman went from one side to the other. The speed of march was increased still more. In both sides of the route groups of Polish soldiers comprising 3, 6, 10 or 20 men threw their arms and raised the arms. Rudki was left back in a dust of cloud. The march rate was increased to about 60 - 70 kilometers, as it was later already near Lemberg. The vanguard came near to the chained lagoons by Malowanka.

Sources: Die Wehrmacht. Der freiheitskampf des grossdeutschen volkes (1940).
OBRONA LWOWA WE WRZEŚNIU 1939 ROKU. Artur Leinwand.
Subasta de eBay (finalizada).
Wir zogen gegen Poland.
Gebirgsjaeger Photo Album – Poland. Sales List. Historical Media, LLC

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; another part...........................

Assault march on Lemberg/Lvov/Lviv.

There was the last great obstacle which still the enemy could take advantage to offer resistance in front of Lemberg. There was deployed the Infantry Platoon of ppor (2º Lieutenant) Antonio Chmury reinforced with a Platoon of machine guns plus an antitank Platoon commanded by ppor (2º Lieutenant) Zigmund Orlity and two guns of 75 mm.

In spite of the defensive fire the spearhead approached quickly to the center of the town. Here was distinguished the Uffz Michael Pössinger of the 16. /GJR 98. The intense gun and machine-gun fire stopped the advance of the following elements of the vanguard and the bulk of the Combat group; the group suffered its first losses there . After fighting one hour and a half, the route was free of enemies at last.

The Commander of Regiment, already during the combat, assembled all the available elements in order to continue with the rupture towards Lemberg. A motorised spearhead of a few vehicles was constituted. It reassumed the march, behind followed the Commando of the Unit and soon an engineer company transported in trucks. The slogan is clear: “through dust, at speed of march of a German freeway, to Lemberg”.

Sources: Die Wehrmacht. Der freiheitskampf des grossdeutschen volkes (1940).
OBRONA LWOWA WE WRZEŚNIU 1939 ROKU. Artur Leinwand.
Subasta de eBay (finalizada).
Wir zogen gegen Poland.
Gebirgsjaeger Photo Album – Poland. Sales List. Historical Media, LLC

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; another part...........................

Assault march on Lemberg/Lvov/Lviv.

Once free of its engagement, the Battalion Seitz (II. /GJR 99) followed quickly. The march’s road was full of equipment, armament and vehicles of an artillery unit left by the enemy. In view of the column the Polish soldiers ran by the roadsides with their hands up towards it. The speed of march was increased up to everything what the motors gave. The General Staff officers stopped several times again ordering the march, repeating the soldiers the same slogan of the day: to Lemberg! , they hammered the name of the objective impelling the troops forwards to in spite of the difficulties, until the first vehicles at a high speed reached the western suburbs of the city.

The Commander of the Defense Grouping of Lvov (Lemberg) was płk. dypl. (Colonel graduated) Bolesław Fijałkowski who had as his CoS ppłk. Dypl. (Lieutenant Colonel graduated) Kazimierz Ryziński, who had been born in the district of Sadowa Wisna and knew the city very well for he crossed it since he went go to the school there. Once oriented he has drawn up to the plan constructing barricades, placing the weapons along the edge of the city and establishing blocking positions on the avenues of approach, especially on which came from the West from Janow and Grodek. The defense had been split in four sectors: western in charge of płk (Colonel) Henryk Janowski (from the 14 IX płk dypl. (Colonel graduated Jarosław Szafran - Commander of the 35 DP); the meridional (South) in charge of ppłk (Lieutenant Colonel) Stefan Mrozek; northern (North) in charge of płk (Colonel) Bolesław Waśkiewicz and the Eastern one in charge of Mjr (Mayor/Comandante) Eugeniusz Ślepecki. Each leader had carried out a detailed reconnaissance of his sector. But one of the limitations was the connection between sectors for which it was depended on the telephone service of the city.

Sources: Die Wehrmacht. Der freiheitskampf des grossdeutschen volkes (1940).
OBRONA LWOWA WE WRZEŚNIU 1939 ROKU. Artur Leinwand.
Subasta de eBay (finalizada).
Wir zogen gegen Poland.
Gebirgsjaeger Photo Album – Poland. Sales List. Historical Media, LLC

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; another part...........................

Assault march on Lemberg/Lvov/Lviv.

The mass of Gebirgsjägersregiment 98, under orders of the Oberstleutnant Franek, marched on September 12 at the head of the Division from Sambor and had carried out a stop in Grodowice when it was alerted at 18:00 hours. On September 13 of 1939, at 06:30 hours, the Commanding Officer of the de División personally issued the warning order for the attack to its subordinated Commanders. While the officers met in a near garden to coordinate the attack on their maps the grenades of Polish artillery began to fall more to the rear.

The attack, which according to the received directives would be led by Oberst Schörner, was directed towards the suburbs due West and Northwest in order to seize the heights located near Zboiska. Here arose for the first time the name of Zboiska, which would have great meaning for the Gebirgsjägerregiment 98 during the fights maintained there between the 13 and the 21 of September of 1939. The zero hour was determined for 10:15 hours.

Sources: Die Wehrmacht. Der freiheitskampf des grossdeutschen volkes (1940).
OBRONA LWOWA WE WRZEŚNIU 1939 ROKU. Artur Leinwand.
Subasta de eBay (finalizada).
Wir zogen gegen Poland.
Gebirgsjaeger Photo Album – Poland. Sales List. Historical Media, LLC

Cheers. Raúl M .

[Mansal D]

Thank you Raul! Very nice.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; you're welcome Mansal . Now, another part...........................

Assault march on Lemberg/Lvov/Lviv.

From the dominant Steinberges (Height 374) it was clearly visible, as much as the assigned objective to be conquered on this day, like the distant zone of action towards the heights of Zboiska. Nevertheless everything conspired against a succession of fast attacks on the enemy strongly struck. The oppressive heat was made feel of such way on the troops without rationing from the previous day that the attack paused. Aside the resistance of the Polish troops had intensified fast and surprisingly. The rifle shots were increased.

In front of our positions, the scout patrols remained deployed against the concentrated and well aimed enemy fire. At 12:40 hours it was able to establish communication with the Commander of the Division thanks to the effort of the signal troops under command of Oberleutnant Hübsch. The Generalmajor Kübler told again about the importance of the conquest of the heights of Zboiska and desire luck for the continuation of the attack. The Battle Group Picker (III. /GJR 98) sneaked through a dense low forest, dragging their heavy loads and crossing a series of little deep valleys that ran in East-West direction until after one and a half kilometer the open ground was reached due Southwest of Holosko. The time runs.

The Commander of the Regiment had ordered to attack Holosko by the shortest route and to continue the assault on Zboiska. A local resident, a Viennese, showed to us the shortest way towards Zboiska; an extraordinary stroke of luck since it was not noticeable in the map on scale 1:300.000. The advance continues on both sides of the shortest route to Zboiska with the following march order: 13. Company, Platoon of machine guns, 7. Company, part of the 1. Engineer company and far back to certain distances the 8. Company. The exact location of the 6. Company and also of the 2. Company was unknown. Two Polish officers fell into the hands of the mountain hunters.

Sources: Die Wehrmacht. Der freiheitskampf des grossdeutschen volkes (1940).
OBRONA LWOWA WE WRZEŚNIU 1939 ROKU. Artur Leinwand.
Subasta de eBay (finalizada).
Wir zogen gegen Poland.
Gebirgsjaeger Photo Album – Poland. Sales List. Historical Media, LLC

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; another part...........................

Assault march on Lemberg/Lvov/Lviv.

When the night fell, the 13. Company assailed a bivouac of the Polish troops. Nevertheless, the mass of the enemy forces could escape in the darkness leaving some deads behind; a lot number of horse-drawn vehicles, loaded with foods, fell in German hands. Despite of, in the following hours it was clearly seen that it would not be possible to stay in the locality, located in the depth of the valley, several well led and organized Polish counterattacks had arrived to a distant of hand-grenade launching.

The Commander of the Regiment ordered then the Battle Group Picker to leave the urban area and its withdrawal towards the commanding heights, which were assured meanwhile by German patrols, to establish peripheral defensive positions there, in order to control the main road. In spite of the own difficulties to realise the movement at night, it was fulfilled without majors interferences; however the organization of the defensive position just could be completed with the first lights on September 14 of 1939.

Sources: Die Wehrmacht. Der freiheitskampf des grossdeutschen volkes (1940).
OBRONA LWOWA WE WRZEŚNIU 1939 ROKU. Artur Leinwand.
Subasta de eBay (finalizada).
Wir zogen gegen Poland.
Gebirgsjaeger Photo Album – Poland. Sales List. Historical Media, LLC

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; another part...........................

Assault march on Lemberg/Lvov/Lviv.

On September 14 of 1939, in the morning, began the defense of the heights of Zboiska and Holosko, which would have a unique meaning for the military history of the Mountain infantry division in the context of the encirclement of Lemberg. The Kampfgruppe Schörner defended its positions in the sector of heights around Zboiska, the locality of Holosko and on the high ground there during eight days; first against two fronts, soon against three and four simultaneous fronts. Three times the Kampfgruppe was completely isolated of the division and the supplies line were cut; every day and every night the transports, orders’ officers and reconnaissance patrols had to fight throughout the 5 kilometers of that uncertain route until the next Kampfgruppe.

The enemy was strong as much on the North front as on the South front: more than 20,000 Polish soldiers defended Lemberg and they counted in addition with almost 100 guns. From the interior of the surrounded city and from the north, the northeast and northwest pressed parts of the Polish divisions 11 and 24 besides possibly other units non identified yet.

Sources: Die Wehrmacht. Der freiheitskampf des grossdeutschen volkes (1940).
OBRONA LWOWA WE WRZEŚNIU 1939 ROKU. Artur Leinwand.
Subasta de eBay (finalizada).
Wir zogen gegen Poland.
Gebirgsjaeger Photo Album – Poland. Sales List. Historical Media, LLC

Cheers. Raúl M .

[Richard Hargreaves]

And on the subject of Zboiska...

On occasions the staff had to intervene in the battle in person. The command post in Zboiska was presumably betrayed as a result of reports by the enemy civilian populace. At dawn a thick mist lay over Zboiska, a Polish platoon lead by a lieutenant attacked our command post.
On our side a peaceful scene – the staff was washing, others were brewing coffee, and others were still lying in the straw; one man sat next to another in a quiet little place, then suddenly loud Polish cries of ‘hurrah’ and just a few metres in front of us were the Poles. The lieutenant fell and with his death a wild panic gripped the Poles and the masses disappeared in wild flight. Were it not for the dead Poles lying around then it would have all seemed to us like a short dream, for the whole palaver only lasted a handful of minutes. That it was only a brief fuss, a brief, quickly-ended fuss, was down to the actions of our battalion staff.

Source Anon, ‘Unser Bataillonsstab, einmal anders gesehen!’ in Das Gebirgsjäger Regiment 99 im polnischen Feldzug, Bonner Universitas Buchdruckerei, Bonn, 1939 pp.83-4.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; thanks Richard!!. Now, another part...........................

Assault march on Lemberg/Lvov/Lviv.

The situation could change usually several times throughout the day especially and during the night. A great number of messages coming from of all the borders of the four fronts entered to the CP of the Regiment, which was located in trenches dug within the perimetric defensive position almost at one shot of Lemberg.

From the CP it was reached the South front (against Lemberg) after about 500 steps; towards the North front after about 700 steps; there towards the east up to the position of Zboiska it took an hour and a half and towards the hell of Holosko down there, about 40 minutes, even though a normal long walk had only taken about 25 minutes. The subject became particularly dangerous from the 15 from September of 1939, since the attacks on the position as much from the north as from the south (from Lemberg) began generally almost at the same time. We know today that the different groups of the enemy had good wireless communications to each other.

The hostile artillery shot its bursts schematically and for very good reasons, it knew the land around Lemberg and the distances to each key point very well. An unique and morally extraordinary thing was that the positions received also artillery rounds from their backs. By case if the Heitz Battalion faced a serious attack against the north, the artillery of Lemberg also shot, in support of the attempt of rupture from the city, from the South on the rear of the defenders. Thus several crises followed one after another; but all of them were surpassed.

Sources: Die Wehrmacht. Der freiheitskampf des grossdeutschen volkes (1940).
OBRONA LWOWA WE WRZEŚNIU 1939 ROKU. Artur Leinwand.
Subasta de eBay (finalizada).
Wir zogen gegen Poland.
Gebirgsjaeger Photo Album – Poland. Sales List. Historical Media, LLC

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; another part...........................

Assault march on Lemberg/Lvov/Lviv.

The Mountain infantry division had to face also hard fights due west and due south of the city of Lemberg. It was not possible always to bring fire support to the Battle Group Schörner but for one or two heavy batteries. However, to the north, the enemy opposed against our Battle Group in average almost one and a half battery of howitzer of 75 mm and one battery of 100 mm in the days of intense combats; from Lemberg they occasionally shot with remarkable precision in each case between 2 and 4 batteries of howitzer of 75 mm and a battery of 100 mm and guns of fortresses, whose effect was very superior. Later one knew that one was a mortar of 220 mm.

Perhaps for the conduction of the Kampfgruppe the heaviest load to the nerves was not to be able to provide the awaited and available artillery support for the troops in the hard conditions in which the fight was developed. The situation in all the fronts could not be explained clearly to the troops, the fact that they were surrounded and other subjects and in truth it was not wanted either to clarify that fact indeed. All class of requirement arrived at the CP of the Regiment like request of reinforcements, the ammunition, food, evacuation of wounded and it took days and nights until they could be satisfied. Just we were alone. The position had to be maintained. The laconic report of which “the Kampfgruppe Schörner holds its positions” against hostile attacks from the north and the south formed a natural and clear order taking in account the general situation of the Mountain infantry division.

Sources: Die Wehrmacht. Der freiheitskampf des grossdeutschen volkes (1940).
OBRONA LWOWA WE WRZEŚNIU 1939 ROKU. Artur Leinwand.
Subasta de eBay (finalizada).
Wir zogen gegen Poland.
Gebirgsjaeger Photo Album – Poland. Sales List. Historical Media, LLC

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; another part...........................

Assault march on Lemberg/Lvov/Lviv.

The success began would glimpse on September 21 and subsequent days. The Kampfgruppe only took more than 2500 prisoners, including 150 officers (among them two commanders of regiment and several staff officers). Equipment, countless amounts of guns, machine guns, two howitzers of 75 mm and one gun battery of 100 mm were captured among others. This was nevertheless only a small part of the booty since with our withdrawal (as Lemberg is known were within the area of Soviet influence) great columns of prisoners bringing horses and other equipment began to flow from the forests of Brzuchowice and the surrounding heights.

Against all supremacy and surpassing all the crises the positions resisted and were held; the success was obtained thanks to the untiring effort and dedication of officers, NCOs and troops and also due to the tenacity of the mountain hunter. The knowledge fact that had been reached the point of advance more to the east in the depth of the enemy territory within all the army operating in the east constituted an important factor of the resistance; on the other hand the fact of knowing superior to the Polish soldier was a substantial reason for the victory. The heights of Zboiska constituted an invaluable test for all we.

The memory of that ineffaceable days lived in the defense of Zboiska and the “hell of Holosko” permanently will be bound to the memory of whom gave their life to gain the victory.

Sources: Die Wehrmacht. Der freiheitskampf des grossdeutschen volkes (1940).
OBRONA LWOWA WE WRZEŚNIU 1939 ROKU. Artur Leinwand.
Subasta de eBay (finalizada).
Wir zogen gegen Poland.
Gebirgsjaeger Photo Album – Poland. Sales List. Historical Media, LLC

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; last part...........................

Assault march on Lemberg/Lvov/Lviv.

Vanguard of the 1 GD.

Spearhead: Hauptmann Merxmüller.
Troops: 16. (Pz Abw)/ GJR 98.
Pi Kp Bisler.
1. Zug 15 cm Haub/ AR 445 (Falkenhagen).

Bulk: Seitz.
Troops: II./ GJR 99.
1 zug 10 cm kan. (Evert)
2 zuge 2cm flak.

Reargurad: Rauscher.
Troops: parts of the 1. and 2./ GJR 98.
2 bateries GAR 79.
16. (Pz Abw)/ GJR 100 (disposal Oberst Schörner).

Sources: Die Wehrmacht. Der freiheitskampf des grossdeutschen volkes (1940).
OBRONA LWOWA WE WRZEŚNIU 1939 ROKU. Artur Leinwand.
Subasta de eBay (finalizada).
Wir zogen gegen Poland.
Gebirgsjaeger Photo Album – Poland. Sales List. Historical Media, LLC

It's all folks. Cheers. Raúl M .

[Domen123]

The German description concerning combats around Zboiska is not exactly true.

Polish units temporarily captured Zboiska and the neighbouring hills (including Hill 324), but later - due to some misunderstandings among Polish commanders - when 10th Motorized Brigade was ordered to withdraw to Hungary and abandoned the captured positions, units which were ordered to replace it and occupy these positions, were delayed.

As the result of this mistake, Germans soon re-occupied these abandoned positions without a shot.

I can scan and send you the description of these combats, or translate some fragments.

Just let me know if you want it.

Cheers,
Peter