Warsaw Uprising 1944: August 23 - Germans Wipe Out Entire Polish Army

Junkers JU 87B Dive Bomber

German forces have launched a brutal attack against a unit of Armia Ludowa (The Polish Communist underground army) killing all 150 members. The Armia Ludowa was the same unit responsible for having liberated 324 men and 24 women from a German camp located in the Old Town district of Warsaw. Eighty-nine were Polish citizens, while the rest were victims of Nazi persecution from Romania, Holland, and Hungary.

The Armia Ludowa are communist partisan forces formed by the Polish Workers Party. Their objectives are to support the Soviet military against German forces as well as create a pro-Soviet communist government in Poland. As such they have refused to join the Polish Underground State however many AL soldiers joined the ranks of the 1st Polish Army that was recently formed in the Soviet Union rather than the Red Army.

Most of the members of the 1st Polish Army are Poles and secular Jews who had been deported to the Russian gulag after the Russians invaded Poland on September 17, 1939.  Over 40 per cent of the officers are of Soviet origin while the command staff and training officers constitute 70 to 85% of the forces. That the Soviets maintain tight command and control of the regiment clearly indicates continued distrust of the Poles.  The 1st Polish Army is organized in much the same way as its Soviet counterpart but with substantially weaker armament.

Armia Ludowa Peoples Army in a forest near Lublin

From positions inside the ruins of Warsaw City Hall Polish insurgents managed to shoot down a Ju 87 Stuka Bomber. It is the only bomber that the insurgents have been able to shoot down since the Uprising started.  The reason is that the AK placed a ban on targeting aircraft due to lack of sufficient ammunition. Later in the afternoon Germans launched an offensive in all sectors, attacking the Jan Bozy Hospital on Bonifraterska Street, the Fiat Factory on Sapiezynska Street and buildings of the State Securities Plant on Sanguszki Street. The Simona passage on Dluga Street burst into flames under heavy enemy fire.

Lt. John Ward

Lt. John Ward, a British soldier, and member of the AK has dispatched ever more urgent messages to London reporting that fighting has escalated in intensity.  A special dispatch was also wired to The Times providing details of the battle for Warsaw. This is what he wrote:

The battle for Warsaw is increasing in intensity. Today in Pius Street the Telephone Exchange was taken by storm. The action lasted 26 hours. The day before the Central Telephone Building in Sienna Street was taken. In all, some 200 prisoners have been taken in these two operations. Polish losses were not high. Yesterday the Germans opened fire with a mine-thrower in the area south of Jeroboams Avenue. In two hours they destroyed 22 houses, each house of which contained from 20-60 flats. More information to follow tomorrow.


Article addressed to The Times;

Today in Warsaw a battle is going on that I think is very difficult for the British nation to understand. It is a battle that is being carried on as much by the civil population a; by A. K., the troops of the Polish Home Army. It is total warfare. Every street in the city has been a field of battle for the past 24 days. The enemy mine-throwers, artillery and aircraft are taking a heavy toll of human life. The damage to property is incalculable. Normal life in the city is, of course, at a complete standstill. Practically the whole population is engaged in some sort of public duty. Thousands of people have been mobilized to stand by to put out the fires that are raging throughout the city day and night. Thousands more are engaged in keeping the streets that are in the hands of A. K. free from debris. There are, of course, many other duties such as couriers, field telephone workers, and of course Red Cross, which is working excellently under the most difficult conditions.

The actual army, that is to say A. K., is a queer mixture. Fighting in it are young boys of 16 years and old men of 70 years. There are weapons for about one man in a hundred. Weapons are varied; they range from the small automatic pistols 65 caliber to rifles. There are also some few heavy machine guns, but these are only used in emergency, as they use too much ammunition. Very few military formalities are observed. In fact, it is impossible to enforce any large amount of discipline in an army that is two-thirds untrained and has no uniform. There are colonels fighting as simple soldiers under the command of young lieutenants.

Weapons are being constructed. Hand grenades have been made from old gas pipes filled with some explosive mixture. These grenades have to be lit with a simple match before being thrown. Flame throwers that have been hurriedly constructed in small workshops are in use. Perhaps the most ingenious weapon of all was used two days ago. I personally saw ten of them explode. In an old German store 120 80-pound artillery shells were found; at first it seemed they were useless, until a sapper, since killed, put inside two detonators, to each of which was attached a 25 second fuse. When the order for action was given these shells were thrown from a second floor window as near to the German position as possible, and then the company of A. K. fled to such cover as was obtainable, the effect of this ingenious maneuver being considerable. The weapons that have been dropped by the GRAF have been of great value but are in quantity inadequate.


Another problem that is facing the population today is the shortage of food. Warsaw is a city that has been starved by the Germans for nearly five years. The quantity of food in the city at the outbreak of hostilities was small. It is already 24 days since hostilities began and at the moment in Warsaw we see no hope of a speedy end to the present state of affairs.


The population have a second great worry. What form will the Russian occupation take? News comes daily of further leading members of the community being arrested in territories occupied by Soviet troops. Also a large number of officers from A. K. have been put into Soviet concentration camps. It was understood by the Polish people when the uprising started that it was only a question of a few days before the Soviet troops entered the city. The fight against the common enemy that has been waged in Poland during the past five years has been hard and bitter. The population of the Capital was called upon to make one final effort. The call was answered gallantly. Hardships are many, losses very high, but despite all this the determination of the people is firm to hold out and rid their city and country of the enemy.

Just one month ago today, the Lwow Uprising was launched by the Armia Krajowa in what was planned to become a nation-wide Uprising code-named Operation Tempest. The battle for Lwow lasted a mere five days and ended with a Polish victory of sorts. No sooner had the AK liberated Lwow that the Red Army arrested the Polish soldiers and forced them to join the Red Army or be deported to the gulag. Lwow is now under Soviet control. After a fierce battle Polish units were able to take back the Holy Cross Church as well as the adjacent building of the former Police Headquarters at No. 1 Krakowskie Przedmiescie Street. This has given Polish units a much needed advantage, from which to attack German positions towards the Old Town.
 

Polish Insurgents on observation post on tower of Holy Cross Church (Gustaw Battalion?)

On the opposite side of Krakowskie Przedmiescie troops under the command of Captail Cyprian Odorkiewicz "Krybar" has charged the University. Also taking part in the attack were insurgent armored cars "Kubus" and "Jas". However the Germans succeeded in repelling the attack. Kubus, means little Jacob in Polish, but also "Winne the Pooh". Construction of the first Kubus began on August 8, 1944 in a car repair shop belonging to Stanislaw Kwiatkowski.in the borough of Powisle at the corner of Tampka and Topiel Streets. The designer and engineer is Walerian Bieliecki. In fact there was no blueprint prepared. The construction was improvised and took thirteen days to complete. The Kubus is based on the chassis of a Chevrolet 157 truck, licence-built in pre-war Poland by Lilpop. Rau I. Lowenstein Company. The chassis is fitted with steel plates for protection of the crew. The plates have been bolted to a steel frame and then welded together. The Kubus could carry between 8 and 12 soldiers and is armed with a Soviet-built DP machine gun, underground-built K pattern flamethrower and hand grenades, in addition to personal armament of the soldiers.  It entered service yesterday as soon as it was completed and was attached to the "Wydra" motorised unit.  Today the Poles mounted a concentrated attack against German positions at the main campus of the Warsaw University. Poles charged the campus driving the Kubus, together with a captured Sd.Kfz.251/3 Ausf.D APC  but the attempt failed under heavy German fire.
 

Polish armoured car "Kubus" Warsaw Uprising

Rear view of "Jas"  (has internal mounted antenna)

During the Nazi occupation of Poland there has been a circulation of about 137 underground newspapers. There is an extensive array of journals printed by the Polish Underground, including a few written in the German language for propaganda purposes. The Polish Underground press has had remarkable longevity and success in distributing these newspapers -  right under the German noses. The vigor of the Polish Underground has not subsided. Since the Uprising began almost three weeks ago, young Poles have been risking their lives to deliver messages between insurgent units throughout Warsaw. Their sacrifices and those of child soldiers merits them the same respect as that conferred to any Polish soldier.

Warsaw Uprising 1944: August 13 - German Tank Explodes Killing 350 Polish Insurgents

This is the German Tank Rigged to Explode

A powerful German attack was directed at the Old Town's northern and western defence lines. This afternoon soldiers of the Gustaw Battalion captured a German tank, which turned out to be a trap. German troops attacked a barricade in the Old Town Sector with three tanks. Two of their tanks withdrew under heavy fire from insurgents but the third one, though smaller in size, sped toward the barricade under cover of German fire. The crew then jumped out and escaped. The insurgents noticed that the tank was intact and seemed to be in good working order so they dismantled part of the barricade at Podwale Street and drove the tank into their compound on Kilinskiego Street. At first it caused quite a sensation and hundreds of insurgents and civilians gathered round to get a look at it. Forty five minutes later in front of house no. 1, the tank exploded with great force killing over 350 people. Among the dead are about 100 Polish soldiers from the "Rog" Regiment and units from "Gustaw","Wigry", and "Gosdawa" battalions, as well as many civilians. AK engineers later concluded that the Germans had rigged the tank with high explosives which was detonated by remote control.

Old Town came under the heaviest of German fire today. From Wybrzeze Gdanskie the Germans attacked attack Bolezć Street, from Gdanski Railway Station – Bonifraterska Street, and from the area of Dzika – Stawki and Pokorna Streets. From the ruins of the ghetto, they also struck Nalewki Street and the Krasinski Gardens, from Leszno – Dluga, Tlomackie and Bielanska Streets, and from Teatralny Square – the City Hall.

The battle ensued for several hours resulting in heavy casualties. Despite the overwhelming forey of the German attacks, Polish insurgents put up a tough defence. But in the end the Poles lost control of Stawki Street and had to retreat from Rymarska Street. With the final fall of Stawki Street, the Germans have completed their encirclement of the Old Town.

German Tanks Surround Warsaw District

Communications have been severed between Home Army headquarters and Col. Antoni Chrusciel "Monter" who is stationed in Srodmiescie.  Polish units under the group command of Col.Monter, Lt. Marian Krawczyk "Hamas", Cavalry Captain Henryk Roycewicz "Leliwa" and "Chrobry II" group have launched an attack in a desperate attempt to reestablish a connection between Srodmiescie and the Old Town. At around 1:00 a.m. the attack broke down in the area of the Hale Mirowskie Market.

Captain Waclaw Zagorski of Chrobry II battalion had discovered that 8 to 10 insurgents had murdered some Jews who had emerged from hiding. These insurgents belong to the unit under the command of Stykowski "Hall". Zagorski and Roman Bornstein, the medic of his battalion (who is Jewish)reported the crime the AK High Commander Antoni Chrusciel "Monter".

Monter was outraged and ordered an immediate investigation and court martial of those responsible. Investigation by the Home Army Security Services resulted in the arrest of one person, Robert Kaminski "Francuz". An arrest warrant is issued for Cpl. Mucha with the recommendation that they both be executed under Polish martial law.  Kaminski has not been found and his whereabouts as yet are unknown. However, Mucha has been killed during the fighting before he could be arrested. There is speculation whether Kaminski was responsible for the murders or was the patsy for Stykowski.

Further investigations were suspended when it was discovered that the remaining perpetrators had either been killed in fighting or by members of their own unit. In particular, Stykowski's own men shot a Corporal Unrug whom they blamed for the murders, supposedly because they had been disgusted by his actions. However, it is also possible that Unrug was killed in order to keep him from implicating Stykowski (who was never prosecuted) in the crime. The investigation also revealed that Stykowski's men had also killed members of the Chrobry II unit out of robbery motives.

After the war, in some accounts, the Chrobry II unit has been mistakenly blamed for the murders, because they controlled an area neighboring the one in which the murders were committed, whereas in fact, it was actually one of the senior officers of the unit who exposed the crime.  At its height, the battalion group Chrobry II had 3200 personnel, including 3000 soldiers. During the Uprising, about 400 of their soldiers were killed.

Witold Pilecki

One of the platoons of the battalion was led by Witold Pilecki. In September 1940 he deliberately went out during a lapanka (a round up Polish civilians in the streets).and allowed himself to get "caught" by the Germans. After being tortured he was sent to Auschwitz (his number is 4859). Inside Auschwitz Pilecki witnessed horrible atrocities. He organized the underground ZOW which distributed extra food and clothing to inmates, provided news from the outside, set up intelligence networks and trained detachments to take over the camp in the event of allied intervention. The ZOW provided the AK with invaluable information about the camp and was able to dispatch radio reports to Warsaw in October 1940.  On the night of April 26, 1943, he was able to escape only with the help of two of his comrades on the outside.


Other notable soldiers include Tadeusz Siemiatkowski and Miroslaw Biernacki. Siemiatkowski was the commander and organizer of the Combat Department of the headquarters of the QA, then the NSZ. He is now the deputy company commander of the "Warszawianka"Polish forces. He is renowned for his underground activity in rooting out informers and enemy agents from within Polish ranks. The unit has also been noted for having a high number of Jewish soldiers in its ranks, most of whom emerged from hiding upon the break out of the uprising.

Jakub Michlewicz

These included the diarist Calek Perechodnik, who actually served with a nationalist right wing NSZ platoon, and Jakub Michlewicz. Michlewicz' family was murdered by the Germans. He fled and hid in the countryside and eventually made his way to Warsaw.He joined the Polish Home Army on the spur of the moment just at the moment of the outbreak of fighting on August 1st. He was emerging from hiding at the time and was approached by an older boy who was on his way to join the AK and suggested that Jakub join him. That same day they were both accepted and were put to work building barricades. They also participated in a grenade attack on a German car patrol. He is also serving as a courier for the "Chrobry II" Battalion Group (1st Battalion, 3rd Company) carrying messages to the front line.  Michlewiz is only 15 years old and is the youngest member of the battalion

During the night troops of the “Baszta” regiment began their attack from Mokotow towards Srodmiescie. Again, the attack broke down under heavy enemy fire. They failed to seize both the SS barracks located in a school on the corner of Kazimierzowska and Narbutta Streets, and the "Wedel’s House" on the corner of Pulawska and Madalinskiego Streets.  Polish fighters suffered very heavy casualties.

The Soviet News Agency TASS issued a communique condemning the Uprising. At the same time a proclamation was announced over the radio by General Michal Roll Rymierski, the Commander-in-Chief of Polish forces under Soviet command. Rymierski stated, “The time for liberation of our capital has come...I order...soldiers of the First Polish army...to storm Warsaw.”

In 1918 Rymierski joined the Polish Army and fought in the Polish-Soviet War, following which he was promoted  to commander of the prestigious Polish Legions 2nd Infantry Division. After the war he studied at a military academy in Paris and upon his return to Poland was promoted to General.

Rymierski had participated in the coup of 1926 and a year later was found guilty and court-martialled for charges of bribery and embezzlement and demoted to private first class, expelled from the army and sentenced to five years in prison.

He was released from prison in 1931 and was recruited by Soviet Intelligence. He became a secret member of the Communist Party of Poland until 1938 when Stalin decided to disband the Communist Party of Poland. After World War II broke out he returned to Poland and in 1943 was appointed deputy commander of the communist and Soviet-backed Gwardia Ludowa and since 1944 the commander of Armia Ludowa. He was then promoted by the communist-backed PKWN back to the rank of General and became the commander-in-chief of the Polish Army.His units fought alongside Soviet forces. (NB In January he became Minister of Defence in the Provisional Government of the Republic of Poland. And in May 1945 Stalin promoted Rymierski the rank of Marshal of Poland.

Armia Ludowa in a forest near Lublin, Poland

The Armia Ludowa was created on July 21, 1944 and integrated into the Polish Army of the Soviet Union, renamed People`s Army of Poland. (LWP). In 1944 the Red Army organized 1st Polish Army and recruited Poles to join. Most chose the latter. After the war many of its members joined the infamous Ministry of Public Security in the People's Republic of Poland.

A dozen Halifax aircraft have made drops above Warsaw. In the two weeks that Squadron 1586 has flown missions to Warsaw, they sustained numerous casualties as a result of German fire power. On August 1st the Squadron had 8 planes and 5 crews. Today only one of these original crews survived. In addition to Squadron 1586, other Polish squadrons are flying missions to Warsaw as well.


Handley Page Halifax Mk.V RCAF 434 Squadron circa 1943-44 (00:01:04m)

  

 

Lt. John Ward

Lt. John Ward, a British soldier, and member of the AK has dispatched several radio messages to London  today reporting on of the Uprising.  Here are the dispatches as follows: The German forces have brutally murdered wounded and sick people both men and women who were lying in St. Lazarus Hospital in Wolska Street, Nr. 18, and Karol and Maria Hospital in Przejazd Street, Nr. 5. In Jerozolimska Avenue when the Germans were bringing supplies by tank to one of their outposts they drove before them 500 women and children to prevent the troops of AK from taking action against them. Many of them were killed and wounded. The same kind of action has been reported from many other parts of the city. Despite lack of weapons the Polish forces continue to hold the initiative in the battle of Warsaw. In some places they have broken into German strongholds and captured much-needed arms and ammunition. On August the 12th were captured 11,600 rounds rifle ammunition, five machine guns, 8,500 small arm ammunition, 20 pistols, 30 anti-tank mines, three hand machines and motor-cars. The German forces are fighting desperately. In Jerozolimska Avenue when AK set fire to a building which the Germans were holding as a fortress, two German soldiers tried to escape to the Polish lines with a white flag. An SS officer saw them and shot them dead. During the night from 12th/13th AK at 1 o'clock in the morning received some weapons from Allied aircraft. Fighting for the electric power station began on August 1st at 5.10 p.m. Twenty-three soldiers of the Polish Home Army were stationed in the works before that hour because they were employed there in the normal course of things, expecting the outbreak of the uprising. The Germans had the day before raised the strength of the garrison to 150 militarized police stationed in concrete pillboxes and block houses, also in all the works' buildings. The signal for action was the explosion of a mine under one of the buildings. After 19 hours of fighting the electric power station was fully in Polish hands on August 2nd at 12 o'clock noon. The Polish losses were 17 killed and 27 wounded. The German losses were 20 killed and 22 wounded with 56 taken as prisoners of war. The detachment which captured the station consisted solely of manual and other workers employed there. In spite of the fact that the buildings of the station are daily bombarded with 75 mm. shells by the Germans the personnel has succeeded in maintaining the supply of current to the civil population without the slightest 
interruption.


   (2/5) Timewatch Battle for Warsaw World War II (00:10:00m)