This year, 80 years have passed since the second – after the Warsaw Uprising – the large conflict of the city's Polish soldiers on the east front. We are talking about the 1st Army of the Polish Army winning Kołobrzeg. Young soldiers from Kresów and besides mobilized in the territory of the alleged Lublin Poland were mostly not prepared for the hell that awaited them in Pomerania...
Polish troops among the burning ruins of Kołobrzeg, March 1945. Photo: Józef Rybicki. Museum of Polish Orchestra in Kołobrzeg
Winter in early 1945 – like most of the winters of this terrible war – turned out to be inexorable for the fighting on the front and the suffering torments in the back. Winter was a faithful servant of death. They felt it besides much. Polish soldiers 1 Army coupled with a large russian offensive and ordered from the ruins of Warsaw to the north – to Bydgoszcz, and later... And then, unexpectedly, a hell called Pommernstellung (Pomorska Position) opened up to them, and here, the Pomorska Wall. It was the most powerful defence line in the full Pomerania.
Originally, Wal Pomorski was a fortification strategy built on the erstwhile German-Polish border in the early 1930s. The Germans returned to its expansion in 1944 and utilized it to capture the latest achievements of fortification art. First of all, they created an full network of bunkers, scattered in the field, but connected to each another with a carefully thought-out fire strategy and bomb dams. They utilized the natural defence properties of this area. many lakes, rivers, and dense forests were already a major obstacle to the invading armies. The most crucial thing, however, was that specified a strategy allowed defence not only through fortified troops, but besides more mobile linear units. The German Command and here prepared a peculiarly unpleasant surprise, as in addition to Wehrmacht soldiers directed to defend the Pomorskie Wall, celebrated for its fanatical formations Waffen-SS.
Cavalry liaison to command. Reconstruction of the conflict of Kołobrzeg, March 2024. Photo: Piotr Korczyński
So after freezing days and nights of march, blizzards and blizzards, which disabled almost all vehicles, the Polish infantry arrived close a powerful defensive line, but in all this the worst part was that for their commanders the existence of the Pomorskie Wall was almost a complete surprise! On January 28, 1945, the 1st Army office at Bydgoszcz reached the order to proceed to the attack. The commander of the 1st Belarusian Front, Marshal Gieorgiy Żukov, stressed in him that German forces are already broken and deprived of the will to fight. Therefore, the Polish army was to beat 249 km in 10 days (until 6 February) and leave the Oder. So all day soldiers had to come at 24 km a day!
Meat machine
This was an entirely unrealistic order, but as the veteran of these fights noted after years, Edward Flis – in 1945, a recently promoted lieutenant-led Kościuszkowiec from the 3rd Infantry Regiment: "I think only us, the Sibirac and Kresoviacs, could bear it somehow." And after a forced march, German bunkers had to be almost bare-handed, proceeding the cry of russian officers, who became the mantra of the east front: “Deep! Fellas Flis of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, besides Kresowiak, sybirak, and Lieutenant Eugeniusz Skrzypek stressed: “These are the hardest and hardest buoys I have always participated in. The Pomorskie Wall Bunkers were an unpleasant surprise for us. And there was a sharp winter. We were ordered to attack them without artillery support and without supplies, even without masking outfits! In dark green coats on snowed, exposed fields we were for German cecaemists and mortars targets for shooting ranges! Polish soldiers died here hundreds, but not with the cry “Behind Stalin” or “Behind the russian Union” – as any say present – but always “Behind Poland”, “Behind Poland”. This is for free Poland”!
The soldiers went to the bunkers and died, and those who survived had no time to look inside them. The violin wasn't inside any of them. The most memorable thing in his memory was the pulsating brain of 1 of the mortally wounded soldiers whose shrapnel he pulled out a part of the skull...
Lieutenant Flis summarized the fight for Wal Pomorski briefly and emphatically: “I don’t know what our intelligence and reconnaissance were doing, since we didn’t know about the existence of Wal Pomorski until after he was captured.” A symbol of the courage and self-sacrifice of the Polish soldier in the battles for the Wal Pomorski became a fight about a 150 m pass between lakes Smolno and Zdbitno. Soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division to whom it came called it the “Stut of the Devils”. At this point, 2 bunkers surrounded by minefields and barbed wire wires blocked the way of the raiding soldiers. For 3 days – from 5 to 8 February – 300 attacking Poles and Russians were killed in the fire of German device guns and mines! Only lifting a 152 mm barrel allowed to destruct 1 of the bunkers, and the another captured Polish infantrymen.
Gen. Brig. Bolesław Kieniewicz, commander of the 4th DP, before the Kołobrzeg plan, next to Colonel Jan Żukowski, commander of artillery of 4th DP. Museum of Polish Orchestra in Kołobrzeg
During these bloody battles, Józef Kwiatkowski, from Łuck, was not yet 18 years old and he was already a hero. During the fight under Nadarzy, where it was especially hot from the German lead, he raised an injured friend, or alternatively dragged away, due to the fact that Tadeusz Wesoły, like Józek besides Kresowiak of Lutsk, was a peasant much bigger and heavier than him. "Unfortunately, with the second Tadek I had already failed this play" – he recalled years later with the regret of Lieutenant Kwiatkowski. As they were commanded, they went out in the evening through a forest pass along a telephone line stretched by their company to find its intersection – she was constantly torn by the enemy or explosions of missiles, as in combat. The falcon went first and abruptly swung distant any branch, letting it accidentally into Kwiatkowski's face. Unfortunately, he got it right in his right eye.
“I felt a terrible pain,” recalled Józef Kwiatkowski. I told him he wasn't paying attention. We got out a bit more and abruptly we hear the cry “Hände hoch!”. I just threw myself behind a tree. This screaming German was lying on the ground so that I could not shoot him with my pepesh without hitting Tadka at the same time. Then Germany opened fire and virtually cut a friend in half. erstwhile the enemy rose—thought that it was all over—I sent him back to earth. Turns out there was another SSman behind the trees, and he started running. I yelled after him: “Halt! Hände hoch!” and pulled over his head a series from a vending machine. He stopped and recommended “Runter!” – drop. He listened – I tied his hands and legs with a cable. Coincidence, it all happened where our line was damaged. I connected the cables and made contact with mine, asking them to send me help. A soldier came to me, we took the prisoner, I took the papers from the killed SSman. At the staff they first resented me for not saving Tadek the Falcon, but erstwhile I told you in item that I had no chance of it, they gave me the conflict Cross. But I didn't brag about killing a man. It was an SS man, but I already gotta live with this burden, although of course, if he had first opened fire, I would not be here...”
Soldiers of the 6th Infantry Division in attack. Reconstruction of the conflict of Kołobrzeg, March 2024. Photo: Piotr Korczyński
Last chance artillery
The losses of the 1st Army Infantry Division then reached hundreds of dead, wounded and missing, but would have been even greater if dense artillery had not been utilized to break up German bunkers and reinforced positions. In the struggles at the Pomeranian Wala there was a reversal of the order of things – here the artillerymen with their guns and howitzers entered the first line before walking! At the hazard of losing their valuable equipment, they pulled him up in the snow and mud as close to enemy positions as possible, and with fire they crashed bunkers or tanks in front of them, thus paving the way for the infantry “in the first place”. In this way, his combat baptism was late promoted to Ensign Joseph Kodydnicki, a little than 22-year-old boy from Tiutkov close Trembowla, and before the war he was able to finish his teaching seminar, and after her detonation he conspired in Armed Combat Unionand then the Home Army. In June 1944, he was incorporated into the 1st Polish Army in the russian Union and as a young man who was better educated than most recruits, he was immediately assigned to the commandant school. From here he went on a course of Ensigns, which he completed in January 1945. As a recently appointed officer, he assumed the position of commander of the platoon command 4 batteries of the 5th dense Artillery Brigade. This platoon was the brigade's "eyes and ears" as it consisted of a reconnaissance team, topographic squad and communication team.
4th dense Tank Regiment en way to Kołobrzeg. photograph by Józef Rybicki. Museum of Polish Orchestra in Kołobrzeg
The guy was dumped, so he got truly deep. First there was a march through frost and snow, frequently for respective days without a hot meal or without any food. The soldiers blessed the preventative German housekeepers, breaking into their abandoned homes and pantry full of jars of cured meat – the wacks rescued them. And erstwhile they reached the fortifications of the Pomorskie Wall, they became for the infantry “fire guards”. The powerful haubicoarmats of 152 mm tallness 1937 were chopping the way of infantry between reinforced concrete bunkers. And so step by step the 1st Army went towards the sea, being part of the russian waltz.
By 8 March 1945, almost the full Western Pomerania was captured and the “Wisła” Army Group, headed by military talentlessness – Heinrich Himmler, broken down. But there was a lot to be done. The Germans defended the Tri-City, they besides stood under Trzebiatov and Szczecin, and most of all, they stayed in Kolberg – Kołobrzeg turned into a fortress. Hitler plunged into historical analogys and waiting for a miracle that would turn the tide of war, immediately caught hold of the events of 1807, erstwhile Kolberg fortress endured the siege of the 18 thousandth corps of General Édouard Mortier. On the order of Goebbels a real movie superproduction about these events was created directed by Veit Harlan. After the premiere on 30 January 1945, Hitler watched “Kolberg” on all occasion, forgetting completely that Mortier did not win the fortress, but it did not affect the destiny of that war... So he ordered Kolberg to turn into a fortress and defend to the last soldier.
Anti-aircraft artillery positions in the Kolobrzeg area. photograph by Józef Rybicki. Museum of Polish Orchestra in Kołobrzeg
To Lieutenants Flis and Violin, to their full 3rd Infantry Regiment at that point the destiny smiled, due to the fact that on 8 March the unit was moved to the second throw over the Szczeciński Basin, where it was to operate the full 1st Tadeusz Kościuszko Infantry Division. Although there were besides churchmen who had to pursuit after the enemy's survivors in the woods, there were fighting and soldiers died, but they compared this to the hecatomb of the remaining 1st Polish Army in Kołobrzeg.
Fortress in the fog
The conflict of Kołobrzeg was the largest conflict in urban conditions, as mentioned – the second after Warsaw Uprisingthe experience of Polish soldiers on the east Front. For the advanced command of the 1st Army, the fact that Kołobrzeg was changed into a fortress by the Germans was again an unpleasant surprise. It was not known in Zhukov's quarters either. He ordered the commander of the 1st Army, General Stanisław Popławski, to occupy this city within 24 hours. This 6 March repeated the same order by the commander of the 6th Infantry Division. The next day, erstwhile regiments of the 6th Division were decimated on the prefields of Kołobrzeg, it was understood that no of this was happening. So the upset Popławski sent the 3rd Infantry Division on 8 March, followed by 2 artillery brigades, a mortar regiment, 2 anti-aircraft artillery regiments and yet the 4th dense Tank Regiment. The same summary shows how dense street fights came to be fought in Kołobrzeg by Polish soldiers, with minimal support from the Red Army, which is besides worth remembering. Obtaining Kołobrzeg was practically an independent operation of the Polish Army.
One of the artillery brigades that were thrown into street fights was the 5th dense Artillery Brigade. Again the Haubicombs were firing at the front of the tunnels in barricades and buildings for the infantry attack groups. The task of Józef Kolegynicki (now lieutenant) was to track targets and transfer data to a fire battery. Hell of a dangerous function for an artillery scout. “During the fight,” emphasized Colonel Kodydanicki after years, “the soldier focuses on the primary intent of his command. Only after the conflict begins to analyse its course and arrange its various stages like blocks. In this sense, for us, the lower-level officers, the enlisted officers and the Privates, the assault on Kołobrzeg was not a surprise, but a further phase of the fight, and that it would be bloody, we knew that well after erstwhile experiences.
Marriage to the Baltic flag post office of the 10th Infantry Regiment. Interestingly, the first stands the ulan from the 1st Cavalry Brigade Jan Słowisz, 18 March 1945. photograph by Piotr Korczyński
The streets have repeatedly passed from hand to hand. German opposition points – as usual – were perfectly prepared. Many of them were located in heavy reinforced buildings or recently built reinforced reinforced concrete bunkers. The dudes and his soldiers were searching for them, and erstwhile he gave the radio, the remainder of them were doing the haubicombs... all another day of the squad is playing with death – Russian roulette. On 1 occasion, the lieutenant and his soldiers set up an reflection post in a tall, several-story building. erstwhile they tracked the targets and reported them on the radio, they remembered that they were terribly hungry—they had nothing in their mouths for 3 days. So he let the soldiers look for food. They found quite a few supplies in the basement, returned with them happy to the mountain, and erstwhile they had eaten, their sleep was drenched – no wonder, they were all unsleeping and tired. erstwhile they woke up, they heard that Germans were already under them and they were pulling the game to the next floor. 1 of the soldiers – Corporal Puszka – took the grenade and threw it down. Those who survived the detonation ran away, and the Kodenicki squad ran after them due to the fact that her artillery began to destruct the building with fire.
Kodynicki had a fluke, but his top happiness was that he was served by Corporal Puszka – a born soldier with a gunfighter's reflex. Specially dangerous trips included those erstwhile scouts had to check which building was occupied by the Germans. Then they always accompanied Puszk and radiotelegraphist to immediately send a study through the radio station. During 1 specified action, the corporal saved his commander's life. As they ran close the town hall, they encountered a German grenadier ready to fire. By the time Kodydnicki had responded, Germany had already fallen to the ground, firing in deadly spasms from its empi. It was Corporal Pearzka who fired a Pepesza. If he was a second late, they wouldn't be alive.
Such episodes were made by the Kodanicki several, but more seriously injured only once. erstwhile he and 3 soldiers were abruptly in the field of nebelwerfer fire, he tried to shelter himself in the collegiate basilica. They were already on their way to the building erstwhile the bullet abruptly hit the door frame and all 4 soldiers were given bricks on their heads. They passed out. Fortunately, they found their own and returned them to the russian field hospital. As shortly as they recovered, they returned to the brigade. The fight for Kołobrzeg lasted nearly 2 weeks and cost 1 Army of more than 4,000 fallen, missing and wounded soldiers – a terrible blood donation before the last chord of the war in this run – a Berlin operation.
Like Kodenicki, the mentioned Józef Kwiatkowski besides in the conflict of Kołobrzeg was injured in a German artillery shell. In addition to the 80th anniversary of the conflict of Kołobrzeg, there were 2 another veterans: Józef Nowak, before joining the army of the Warsaw Uprising, and Edward Horn of Volynska Rowny, an AK interviewer. Both in the conflict of Kołobrzeg served in communication and both besides suffered wounds in it – and like Lieutenant Kwiatkowski, they only entered adulthood. Actually, they were just kids.
The text was based on books – especially “15 seconds. Polish soldiers on the east Front" – and interviews by Piotr Korczyński with veterans of the 1st Army of the Polish Army.
Piotr Korczyński The editor-in-chief of “Polish Armed. History”, historian, graphic artist and journalist; author of books, among others, “A long time ago in the chaotic West”, “In the footsteps of Shela, or Polish devils”, “Warlords, soldiers and death are not always full of glory”, “I survived the war... Last Soldiers of Fighting Poland”, “Forgotten. Peasants in the Polish Army”, “15 seconds. Polish Soldiers on the east Front”, chaotic Division. past of Red Berets, co-authored in Volumes 2 and 3 "European Cinema of Species" and "1000 films that make up the past of cinema". In “They talk the Ages” and in “The Armed Poland. History” runs regular cycles about historical and war cinema.
