ARRESTS, DEPORTATIONS, EXECUTIONS

Caution: Some images are graphic and shocking. Viewer discretion is highly recommended. NOT APPROPRIATE VIEWING FOR CHILDREN!

Polscy jency 1939 - (Polish POW 1939) (00:02:02m)

Poland under German occupation 1939-1945 (00:02:58m)
Germans targeted both Jewish and Christian Poles for destruction.

October 7, 1939

Hitler announced his appointment of Heinrich Himmler as Commissioner for Consolidation of the German Race. His policy openly condemns any peoples he considers "inferior" to the German Reich and calls for their extermination or enslavement.  In addition, Hitler has issued a decree, ordering all Poles to be evicted from Western Poland or be killed.  The SS has arrested hundreds of thousands of Polish leaders and intelligentsia for execution - politicians, engineers, scientists, professors, and the cream of Polish society. Polish soldiers have been deported to concentration camps. All Polish schools and universities have been shut down, with the exception of the lowest grades.  Poles are now forbidden to attend cinema, restaurants, and churches, and Polish media has been taken over by the Nazis.. Radio sets and gramophones are forbidden at risk of death.  A 36-page memorandum submitted by Dr. Erich Wetzel and Dr. G. Hecht on the orders of the NSDAP Office for Questions of Racial Policy, include numerous other recommendations. Its main objective  - to eradicate every trace of Polish cultural and economic life.

Explusion of Poles

Polish Prisoners of War

Execution of Poles by Nazi Einsatzkomando October 1939

Meanwhile, the Allies continue to deal with logistics. The transfer of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) has successfully been completed today without any loss of troops or materiel. Under the protection of British and French naval forces, the BEF totalling 161,000 troops, 24,000 vehicles and tanks, and 140,000 tons of supplies landed safely on French soil.  Originally established by British Secretary of State for War, Richard Haldane following the Boer War, the main purpose of the BEF was to provide Britain with a military force ready to be deployed quickly in the event of an overseas war. After the invasion of Poland on September 1st, the BEF was sent to the Franco-Belgian border.  It consists of roughly 10 infantry divisions in three Corps,  a tank brigade, and about 500 RAF aircraft. The BEF earned an appropriate nickname, the "contemptible little army", coined by a senior German Commander after World War I. It has since been adopted by the BEF which now proudly refer to themselves as the "Old Contemptibles".

BEF leaving UK for France

BEF arrive in France

BEF forces have been patrolling a 200-mile length of the French border, an objective some consider a suicide mission due to limited troops in the area. After the invasion of Poland on September 1st,  the BEF has heightened defenses around the Maginot Line and has put their troops through its paces in preparation of an imminent German attack. The Maginot Line is considered impenetrable by the French who appear convinced of its effectiveness in deterring the enemy. A marvel of ingenuity, it consists of a complex underground rail network protected by 142 ouvrages (fortresses), 352 casemates (bunkers), 78 shelters, 17 observatories, and 5,000 blockhouses. Irregardless, sources indicate that a number of small German forces have already begun attacking on the French lines between Moselle and Saar Rivers.

Maginot Line

Fort Saint-Gobain Underground Corridor

HD Stock Footage WWII Divide and Conquer R3 - French Man Maginot Line, Blitzkrieg Across Holland (00:10:22m)





Frances Wall Of Steel Aka France's Wall Of Steel - Maginot Line (1938) (00:03:07m)


The world is watching in shock after the tragic collapse of Poland. Despite the failure of Britain and France to intervene, the Polish Armed Forces are firmly committed to joining their Allies in the war against Germany.  After the invasion of Poland, thousands of military had escaped to Hungary and Romania, after which they made their way to France. There are currently 85,000 Polish troops stationed at bases at Coetquidan and Parthenay. Despite their readiness only a fraction of Polish troops are being utilized, due to inefficient French logistics and policies. French Command has been continually plagued by insufficient or missing equipment and chronic delays in delivery of war materiel.  At this time there are only 2 Polish infantry divisions that are fully operational, as well as 2 independent brigades, and one air squadron.

Surprisingly, only a few Polish pilots have been assigned by French Command, but to smaller units.  There is only one large Polish squadron, the Groupe de Chasse Polonaise l/145, stationed at Mion airfield.  However, they are not combat ready due to lack of airplanes, the earliest delivery expected by May 1940.

Good advice is often ignored and no less true among Allies. Polish Commanders have recently submitted a document to French Command containing vital information helpful to their defense policies. It contains information of Polish experiences during the September Campaign, and describes Blitzkrieg strategies in great detail, as well as proposing effective counter-measures. Surprisingly,  none of the recommendations were taken into consideration by French Command.

The Polish Navy miraculously escaped German capture during the invasion. Currently stationed in Britain are three Polish destroyers, the Blyskawica, the Grom and the Burza as well as two submarines. They are taking part in Allied maneuvers under British Command. Reports indicate that additional ships have been lent to the Polish navy in light of their superb seamanship. British shipyards are rapidly constructing more ships to add to the Polish fleet.

Link:

Polish Greatness.com

ANGUISH OF DEFEAT - POLES SURRENDER AT KOCK

October 6, 1939

Eight thousand Polish soldiers of the Samodzielna Grupa Operacynja Polesie (Independent Operational Group Polesie) surrendered to German forces today at 10:00 hours. In his last orders General Franczisek Kleeberg wrote that the reason for capitulation was that they had run out of ammunition and food, as his troops had never lost a battle since the invasion began. General Kleeberg was taken by German forces and imprisoned at Oflag IV-B Koenigstein.

Polish General Franczisek Kleeberg

For the past week the soldiers had been fighting unaware that Warsaw capitulated on September 28th.
On September 30th, German commander of the 10th Army Division, Walter Von Reichenau, knew that a large division was positioned between the Bug and Vistula Rivers, near the town of Kock,  He dispatched all the forces at his disposal to destroy the remaining Poles:  the German 29th, and 13th Motorized Infantry Divisions, each having 16,445 soldiers, 2,676 trucks, 1,944 motorcycles and 18 armoured cars including some independent units.

In the early morning of October 2,  the Commander of the German 13th Motorized Infantry Division, General Paul Otto, dispatched the 3rd Battalion of the 93rd Motorized Infantry Division, with support by the 8th Battery, 13th Regiment of Light Artillery.  The units were split into two groups and sent to Serokomia and Kock. At 08:00 hours, the guard platoon of the No. 2 Company of the "Wilk" battalion came under artillery fire by the German units.  After considerable time, the Germans withdrew.  The Polish 179th Infantry Regiment was alerted and moved to defensive positions near the city of Kock.  At about 11:00 hours the Germans attacked the Polish positions again, which by then were strengthened with additional units.  The German attack failed and they withdrew.  At dusk German motorcyclists appeared near the church in Kock and began firing but withdrew when the Poles fired back.

Polish troops are devastated by the surrender and expected that fighting would continue for several weeks longer, raising hopes that England and France would intervene.  The Polish forces put up a brave and fierce fight despite the lack of Allied support.  German General Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt of Army Group South commented in his report that "The Polish Cavalry attacked heroically; in general the bravery and heroism of the Polish Army merits great respect. But the higher Command was not equal to the demands of the situation."

Polish Prisoners of War

In a major speech in the Reichstag today, Hitler again proclaimed his desire for peace with Britain and France, He added that he has done nothing more than to correct the injustice imposed on Germany by the terms of the Versailles treaty and assured Britain and France that he has no plans for war against them.  Hitler made blistering accusations against Churchill for being a war-monger and creating the state of affairs. Feigning an attempt at conciliation, Hitler proposed a European Conference to meet and resolve the few remaining differences. British Parliament is in an uproar. Such proposals are no doubt a precursor to the Nazis  "liberating" other countries as well.

The government of Finland has mobilized her standing armies.

In China, Chinese forces win the first battle of Changsha after having repelled Japanese forces. In the 11 day battle over 40,000 Japanese troops were killed.  This is the first "setback" of the Japanese expeditionary forces against Chinese Nationalist forces since the fighting began two years ago.  The 120,000 strong Japanese forces have also lost significant numbers of armaments when it was ambushed by Chinese troops defending Changsha, capital of the Hunan Province.


Link:
Polish Greatness.com

Westerplatte Surrenders To Germans

Westerplatte 7 dni chwaly (00:03:56m)


September 7, 1939

At 04:30 Germans opened fire again at Westerplatte while flamethrowers decimated Guardhouse 2 and damaged 1 and 4.  According to Polish Captain Mieczyslaw Slaby the WST Medical Officer, the garrison is running out of water and medical supplies and he is unable to provide medical care to his soldiers.
At 09:45 the white flag appeared. The Polish garrison at Westerplatte has surrendered to the Germans after enduring a week of vicious fighting. Since the initial attack by the Schleswig-Holstein on September 1st a small Polish garrison led by Major Henryk Sucharski were heroic in their ability to repell German attacks and managed to maintain control of Gdansk Post Office enclave for several days before losing it to the Germans. After capitulation the Germans arrested wireless operator Kazimierz Rasinski and interrogated him. He was executed moments later for his refusal to reveal Polish radio codes.

Polish Major Sucharsi (with saber) surrendered to General Eberhardt

Polish POWs

The city of Lwow, an important cultural center located in eastern Poland is in danger of a German assault. Polish General Wladylsaw Langner urgently started plans to defend the city. Initially Polish forces were to defend the Belzec, Rawa Ruska, Magierow line against the advancing Germans. No defence was considered for Lwow, as the Polish Command assumed the city was safe deep behind Polish lines, and that Lwow was too important to be risked in warfare.

After only one day of proclaiming control of the Narew River Polish Command has issued orders for troops to pull out and relocate to the Bug River.

Luftwaffe bombing continues unabated. Polish brigades in Warsaw are suffering losses after a week of fighting the enemy.  Polish forces have only 38 artillery machines left reducing their strength by over 50 percent.

The Schleswig-Holstein has begun bombing the Polish Naval Base at Hela. Over 3,000 soldiers of the Grupa Obrony Wybrzeza (Polish Defense Group) unit under Kapitan Stanislaw Zwartynski, defended the area despite overwhelming odds.

The earliest historical record of the Hel Peninsula can be traced to 1198 when it was a Kashubian village and a prosperous centre for herring trade. By the 13th century Hel became the most important trade center of the area and competed with Gdansk. The coastal town was invaded in 1378 and came under the control of the Teutonic Knights. In 1466 King Casimir IV of Poland granted the town as a fief to the rulers of Gdansk ending a century of struggle for economic domination of the area.  In 1526 Polish King Sigismund/The Old withdrew all the privileges previously granted to Hel and sold the town and the peninsula to the authorities at Gdansk. By the 18th century the town was greatly depopulated after over a century of battles and natural disasters, that virtually destroyed the terrain. In 1872, a newly created German state abolished the city rights granted 600 years before.

Hitler met with Admiral Erich Raeder Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine, giving him orders "not to provoke neutral countries, the United States in particular (as) it is forbidden to torpedo passenger steamers, even when sailing in convoy. Warfare against French merchant ships and mine-laying off French ports is prohibited."   This comes a week after Germans bombed and sank the SS Athenia.  Concurrently the German government decreed the death penalty for anyone "endangering the defensive power of the German people."

In Britain, General Viscount Gort, VC, has been appointed to the take command of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). The first British Atlantic convoys have set out with a fleet of escorts however their presence can only be maintained so far as 12.5 degrees west.  Britain asserts that it provides sufficient protection from U-boats. Britain's faster ships as well as the slowest ones are not expected to be part of this convoy.

Eleven divisions of the French army crossed the border into Germany reaching Saarbrucken.(The Saar Offensive). Spread out along a 32 kilometer area the French met with little German resistance. French mobilization was too slow and inflexible, ruling out any larger future offensive.


Link:
Polish Greatness.com