of the city; the Germans built a new defensive line with the intent of retaining the area between WÄgrów and SokoÅów Podlaski. Model gave General Weià a special order forbidding him from retreating any further from Warsaw. The Germanâs 2nd Army had also received orders to cease all attacks against the 1st Belorussian Frontâs right flank along the Nur â Suraż line where the Bug and Narew Rivers joined. Set in to oppose the Soviet 48th and 65th Armies, which were attacking north of the Bug, was the newly formed LV Army-Corps (the 11th Panzer-Division, the 28th Jäger-Division, the 367th Infantry-Division, the schwere Panzer-Abteilung 507, the Calvary-Corps âHarteneck,â with their commander General Gustaw Harteneck â the 4th Panzer-Division ,the 12th. Infantry-Division and the 4th Calvary Brigade) as well as parts of the XXIII Army-Corps that along with the XX Army-Corps also defended the terrain between Nur and SokoÅów Podlaski. The XXIII Army-Corps had command of the 35th Infantry-Division, the 292nd Infantry-Division, and the 541st Grenadier-Division, while General Rudolf von Romanâs XX Army-Corps had at its disposal, the 7th Infantry-Division, the 102nd Infantry-Division, the 3rd Cavalry-Brigade plus the remnants of the Brest garrison. On July 31, the 2nd Army still had command over both of the Waffen-SS armoured divisions, but these were subsequently redeployed to the 9th Army sector, consisting of the decimated VIII Army-Corps (5th Jäger-Division, 211th.Infantry-Division) under the command of the XX Army-Corps staff and that portion of the II Ersatz-Corps which had remained with the Hungarian Frontâs rearguard. Within this corps were the 5th, 12th and 23rd Ersatz-Corps, as well as the Hungarian 1st Cavalry Division. The fighting capacity of the Hungarian units was not especially high, however, due to their weak armament and the low morale.
A Soviet reconnaissance unit operating from a BA-64 and two M3A1s conducting operations in eastern Poland, July 1944. (Leandoer & Ekholm Archive)
On the first day of August 1944, three significant events took place at the Warsaw-front. South of the Polish capital near the join of the Pilica and Radomka Rivers, the substantial forces of General Vasil Tjujkovâs 8th Guards Army crossed over the WisÅa to its western bank. During the course of a single day, Tjujkov transported no less than nine rifle-guard regiments, 341 light guns and mortars, along with 19 tracked artillery vehicles across the river. Once the Soviet forces had crossed the river, they immediately set to work constructing pontoon bridges. By the evening of August 1, the frontline troops stretching between Mniszew and Magnuszew were already 15 km wide and 5 km deep.
An improvised mobile gun battery âPanzerjägertriebwagen 44â from the German armoured train, model BP 44, on the eastern front, Poland July/August 1944. (CAW)
In the face of this new threat, General von Vormann now directed all available reserve troops in the direction the Pilicaâs discharge. However, with his weak army devoting all its combat strength to the battles raging outside Praga, these reserves were not particularly impressive. Those who left the Warsaw sector were, first and foremost, the 1132nd Grenadier-Brigade and the Ersatz-Sturmgeschütz-Brigade that it worked in co-operation with. Two artillery units, equipped with heavy 8.8cm anti-aircraft guns, also left the countryâs capital. Infantry-Regiment 95 from the 17th Infantry-Division and a few additional reserve troop battalions ended up outside Deblin. Airplanes from the 6th Luftflotte attacked the pontoon bridges and ferries. The Germans lacked the combat strength needed to carryout a bigger counter-offensive.
This dayâs second significant event was the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising. As it happened, luck fell on the side of the uprisingâs supporters: It didnât break out until the
A Soviet reconnaissance unit operating from a BA-64 and two M3A1s conducting operations in eastern Poland, July 1944. (Leandoer & Ekholm Archive)
On the first day of August 1944, three significant events took place at the Warsaw-front. South of the Polish capital near the join of the Pilica and Radomka Rivers, the substantial forces of General Vasil Tjujkovâs 8th Guards Army crossed over the WisÅa to its western bank. During the course of a single day, Tjujkov transported no less than nine rifle-guard regiments, 341 light guns and mortars, along with 19 tracked artillery vehicles across the river. Once the Soviet forces had crossed the river, they immediately set to work constructing pontoon bridges. By the evening of August 1, the frontline troops stretching between Mniszew and Magnuszew were already 15 km wide and 5 km deep.
An improvised mobile gun battery âPanzerjägertriebwagen 44â from the German armoured train, model BP 44, on the eastern front, Poland July/August 1944. (CAW)
In the face of this new threat, General von Vormann now directed all available reserve troops in the direction the Pilicaâs discharge. However, with his weak army devoting all its combat strength to the battles raging outside Praga, these reserves were not particularly impressive. Those who left the Warsaw sector were, first and foremost, the 1132nd Grenadier-Brigade and the Ersatz-Sturmgeschütz-Brigade that it worked in co-operation with. Two artillery units, equipped with heavy 8.8cm anti-aircraft guns, also left the countryâs capital. Infantry-Regiment 95 from the 17th Infantry-Division and a few additional reserve troop battalions ended up outside Deblin. Airplanes from the 6th Luftflotte attacked the pontoon bridges and ferries. The Germans lacked the combat strength needed to carryout a bigger counter-offensive.
This dayâs second significant event was the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising. As it happened, luck fell on the side of the uprisingâs supporters: It didnât break out until the
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