Battle of Modlin - Misplaced Pages

(Redirected from Siege of Modlin) 1939 battle between Nazi Germany and Polish forces

Battle of Modlin

Ruins of the southern bridgehead

Date	13–29 September 1939
Location	Modlin village, Modlin Fortress, Warsaw Voivodeship, Poland
Result	German victory

Belligerents

Germany

Poland

Commanders and leaders

Units involved

German Units

II Army Corps:
- Panzer Division Kempf
- 32nd Infantry Division
XIV Army Corps:
- 29th Motorized Infantry Division
XV Army Corps:
- 1st Light Division
- 2nd Light Division
Wehrmacht Reserves:
- 213th Infantry Division
- 221st Infantry Division
- 228th Infantry Division

Polish Units

Army Modlin:
- 8th Infantry Division
- 20th Infantry Division
Army Łódź:

Strength

4 infantry divisions
2nd Light Division
Panzer Division Kempf
100 aircraft

40,000 men (peak)
96 guns
7 TK-3 tankettes
Armoured train "Śmierć"

Casualties and losses

900 killed
670 wounded

1,300 killed
4,000 wounded
35,000 captured

v t e Invasion of Poland
Battle of the Border Wieluń Chojnice Krojanty Lasy Królewskie Mokra Pszczyna Grudziądz Mława Jordanów Fraustadt Węgierska Górka Tuchola Forest Częstochowa Mikołów Katowice Bukowiec Slovak invasion Baltic coast Westerplatte Danzig Danzig Bay Worek Plan Gdynia Hel Kępa Oksywska Wielka Wieś 4–10 September Tomaszów Mazowiecki Wizna Łódź Borowa Góra Piotrków Różan Pułtusk Radom Łomża Barak Wola Cyrusowa Ochota and Wola Northern Front Warsaw Bzura Kałuszyn Węgrów Wilno Modlin Kobryń Brześć 2nd Tomaszów Lubelski Wólka Węglowa Kampinos Forest Krasnystaw Łomianki Krasnobród Kock Southern Front Przemyśl Jarosław 1st Tomaszów Lubelski Jaworów Janów Forest Cześniki Lwów Soviet invasion of Poland Slovak invasion of Poland Operation Tannenberg Timeline

Invasion of Poland

Battle of the Border

Baltic coast

4–10 September

Northern Front

Southern Front

The Battle of Modlin took place during the 1939 German invasion of Poland at the beginning of the Second World War. Modlin Fortress was initially the headquarters of the Modlin Army until its retreat eastwards. From 13 to 29 September 1939, it served as a defensive citadel for Polish forces under the command of General Wiktor Thommée against assaulting German units. The fighting was closely linked with the strategic situation of the Battle of Warsaw.

The Polish forces defending the fortress included the armoured train Śmierć ("death") and the Modlin anti-aircraft battery, which was credited with shooting down more Luftwaffe planes than any other in the entire September campaign.

Fortress Modlin capitulated on 29 September, one of the last to lay down its arms in the campaign, and surrendered 24,000 troops. Several days earlier, Rochus Misch had attempted to negotiate the surrender of the fortress despite being wounded, an act for which he was awarded the Iron Cross.

Soldiers of the Panzer Division Kempf committed the Massacre in Zakroczym on 28 September 1939.

References

Zaloga, S.J., 2002, Poland 1939, Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd., ISBN 9781841764085
Schnoor, Stefan; Boris (15 May 2011). "The last survivor of Hitler's downfall - The Fuhrer's bodyguard gives last interview". Daily Express.

External links

Modlin fortress as seen from a satellite - green cross marks the southern bridgehead pictured above

52°26′18″N 20°40′55″E / 52.438333°N 20.681944°E / 52.438333; 20.681944

Categories:

See also

References

External links