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| The '''bombing of Wieluń''' refers to the |
The '''bombing of Wieluń''' refers to the bombing of the Polish town of ] by the ] ] on 1 September 1939, five minutes before the shelling of ], which has traditionally been considered the beginning of ]. The bombing of Wielun is considered as one of the first ]s in history and first in this war.<ref name=nobel/> German ] killed an estimated 1200 civilians, injured hundreds more and destroyed 75% per of the town centre. It is widely acknowledged that there were no targets of any importance in the area such as military installations or industrial facilities<ref name=nobel></ref>. One German historian<ref name=autogenerated2>Poeppel-von Preußen-von Hase, 2000. p. 248.</ref> and one Anglo-Saxon<ref name=autogenerated3>Smith, 2007. p. 23</ref> describe the bombing as ] from missing bombs that were dropped during ground support of the ] operations.<ref name=autogenerated2 /><ref name=autogenerated3 /> | ||
| ==Events== | ==Events== | ||
| German reconnaissance reported a Polish division near Wieluń and next to it, a Polish cavalry brigade.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> The bombing started at 4:40 AM. At 6:00 a.m. the German forces noted that ''Wielun brennt'' (Wieluń burns), but the raids continued until 2:00 PM. Large concentrations of Polish cavalry were on the move toward Wielun where Hptm Sigel's I/St.G. 76 had earlier pounded the Polish defence works.<ref name=autogenerated3 /> At 1300 I/StG 2 led by Major Dinort from Nieder-Ellguth, were directed against this concentration, followed a few hours later, by Schwarzkopff with sixty operational Stukas of I/StG 77<ref name=autogenerated3 /> Due to the low level fog, however, both attacks in the morning and at noon missed the targets.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> Weather conditions were unfavourable during the day, with a visibility of only one kilometre and practically closed layer of fog at 50 metres altitude.<ref name=autogenerated1>Smith, 2007. p. 20</ref> Fog, mist and poor visibility thwarted many of the Luftwaffe's sorties planned for the morning of the first day of the invasion.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> Together the dive bombers, facing intense anti aircraft fire, inflicted heavy losses on the Polish cavalry, and the advance was turned into a rout by ninety Stukas.<ref name=autogenerated3 /> On their return home, four of the German ] bombers were shot down by the Polish ] stationed nearby. Three waves of attacks were carried out during the day. Wielun fell to the Germans on day one.<ref name=autogenerated3 /> | |||
| == |
==Other version of the events== | ||
| The official |
The official version is that is widely acknowledged that there were no military or industrial targets of note in the area,<ref name="Trenkner">{{citation |last=Trenkner |first=Joachim |url=http://tygodnik.onet.pl/35,0,14103,2,artykul.html |title=Wieluń, czwarta czterdzieści |date=2008-08-29 |language=Polish}}</ref><ref>{{pl icon}} </ref> except for a small sugar factory in the outskirts of the town. German bombers destroyed 90% of the town center (including the historical ] church) and killed approximately 1,200 civilians, about 8% of the town's population of 15,000. Approximately 75% of all the buildings in Wieluń were destroyed. Among the first targets bombed by the Germans was the hospital (despite a huge ] sign painted on the roof). Some eyewitnesses claimed that the German planes ] civilians who were fleeing through the streets.{{Fact|date=June 2009}} | ||
| The German version is that Wielun incident was not an intentional terror attack, even if the effects were similar.<ref>Poeppel-von Preußen-von Hase, 2000. p. 248.</ref> Such mistaken bombings occured with all airforces during the war.<ref>Poeppel-von Preußen-von Hase, 2000. p. 248.</ref> Seminaries of the University of History of Hannover reached the same conclusions.<ref>Poeppel-von Preußen-von Hase, 2000. p. 248.</ref> Pilots reported that Polish military units were inside the town before the first air raid, a fact that would explain the choice of the city to be bombed. | |||
| ==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
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The bombing of Wieluń refers to the bombing of the Polish town of Wieluń by the German Luftwaffe on 1 September 1939, five minutes before the shelling of Westerplatte, which has traditionally been considered the beginning of World War II. The bombing of Wielun is considered as one of the first terror bombings in history and first in this war. German carpet bombing killed an estimated 1200 civilians, injured hundreds more and destroyed 75% per of the town centre. It is widely acknowledged that there were no targets of any importance in the area such as military installations or industrial facilities. One German historian and one Anglo-Saxon describe the bombing as collateral damage from missing bombs that were dropped during ground support of the German army operations.
Events
German reconnaissance reported a Polish division near Wieluń and next to it, a Polish cavalry brigade. The bombing started at 4:40 AM. At 6:00 a.m. the German forces noted that Wielun brennt (Wieluń burns), but the raids continued until 2:00 PM. Large concentrations of Polish cavalry were on the move toward Wielun where Hptm Sigel's I/St.G. 76 had earlier pounded the Polish defence works. At 1300 I/StG 2 led by Major Dinort from Nieder-Ellguth, were directed against this concentration, followed a few hours later, by Schwarzkopff with sixty operational Stukas of I/StG 77 Due to the low level fog, however, both attacks in the morning and at noon missed the targets. Weather conditions were unfavourable during the day, with a visibility of only one kilometre and practically closed layer of fog at 50 metres altitude. Fog, mist and poor visibility thwarted many of the Luftwaffe's sorties planned for the morning of the first day of the invasion. Together the dive bombers, facing intense anti aircraft fire, inflicted heavy losses on the Polish cavalry, and the advance was turned into a rout by ninety Stukas. On their return home, four of the German Junkers Ju 87 bombers were shot down by the Polish 36 Academic Legion Infantry Regiment stationed nearby. Three waves of attacks were carried out during the day. Wielun fell to the Germans on day one.
Other version of the events
The official version is that is widely acknowledged that there were no military or industrial targets of note in the area, except for a small sugar factory in the outskirts of the town. German bombers destroyed 90% of the town center (including the historical gothic church) and killed approximately 1,200 civilians, about 8% of the town's population of 15,000. Approximately 75% of all the buildings in Wieluń were destroyed. Among the first targets bombed by the Germans was the hospital (despite a huge Red Cross sign painted on the roof). Some eyewitnesses claimed that the German planes strafed civilians who were fleeing through the streets.
Notes
- Poeppel, Hans and Prinz von Preußen, Wilhelm-Karl and von Hase, Karl-Günther. (2000) Die Soldaten der Wehrmacht. Herbig Verlag. ISBN 978-3776620573
- Smith, C. Peter. (2007). Ju 87 Stuka Volume One: Luftwaffe Ju 87 Dive-bomber Units 1939-1941. Classic Publications. ISBN 978-1903223697
References
- ^ Portal Gminy WieluĹ
- ^ Poeppel-von Preußen-von Hase, 2000. p. 248.
- ^ Smith, 2007. p. 23
- ^ Smith, 2007. p. 20
- Trenkner, Joachim (2008-08-29), Wieluń, czwarta czterdzieści (in Polish)
- Template:Pl icon Wieluń, 1 września 1939 r.
External links
- Template:Pl icon Sylwia Słomińska, Wieluń, 1 września 1939 r. (mirror)
- Template:De icon Summary of a German TV report making the case for the bombing of Wielun as a war crime
- Reports of Luftwaffe pilots during September 1, including the attacks against WIELÚN
Further reading
- Bekker, Cajus. (1994). The Luftwaffe War Diaries. pp. 31–3. OCLC 30353222
- Bojarska B., Zniszczenie miasta Wielunia w dniu 1 września 1939 r., „Przegląd Zachodni” 1962, nr 2.
- Kulesza W., Pierwszy był Wieluń, „Rzeczpospolita” 1999, nr 211, 9 IX 1999.
- Olejnik T., Wieluń – na pięć minut przed Westerplatte. Pierwsi zginęli cywile, „Tygodnik Powszechny” nr 35, 31 VIII 2003 r.
- Olejnik T., Wieluń. Zniszczenie miasta 1 IX 1939 r., Kępno 1979.
- Olejnik T., Wieluń – polska Guernica, das polnische Guernica, Wieluń 2004.
- Pięciak W., Wieluń 1 września 1939 r., „Tygodnik Powszechny” nr 2, 12 I 2003.