Memorial stone in Bautzen

Karol Świerczewski

This is about the battle of World War II, for the battle of the Napoleonic Wars see Battle of Bautzen

Battle of Bautzen in World War II are called the extensive fightings between Polish and Soviet soldiers on the one side and German armed forces on the other side in and around the city of Bautzen in April, 1945, in particular the last bigger and successful German tank-offensive of the second world war on 26th April 1945, as well as the pitched street fightings for days within the town. Bautzen (pronounced , listen, until 1868: Budissin; Upper Sorbian: Budyšin; Lower Sorbian: Budyšyn; , listen; Polish: Budziszyn; Czech: Budyšín) is a city in eastern Saxony, Germany, and capital of the eponymous district. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Karol Świerczewski, Marian Spychalski and Michal Rola-Zymierski Karol Świerczewski, (callsign Walter) (22 February 1897 in Warsaw – 28 March 1947 at Jabłonki near Baligród) was a military officer, general in service of Poland, Russia and Spain and a communist activist. ... The Battle of Bautzen was fought on May 21, 1813, and resulted in a French victory under Napoléon Bonaparte against the Kingdom of Prussians and Russians. ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... Bautzen (pronounced , listen, until 1868: Budissin; Upper Sorbian: Budyšin; Lower Sorbian: Budyšyn; , listen; Polish: Budziszyn; Czech: Budyšín) is a city in eastern Saxony, Germany, and capital of the eponymous district. ...

The battle around Bautzen limited itself not only immediately to the town of Bautzen, but also to the northeast situated rural areas above all on the line Bautzen - Niesky. The fights began on the 21st April and continued up to the 26th April. There were isolated collisions still up to the 30th April. In particular the 2nd Polish Army under Karol Świerczewski had to deplore high losses. Niesky (-German, Sorbian: Niska) is a small town in Upper Lusatia in eastern Saxony, Germany. ... Karol Åšwierczewski, Marian Spychalski and Michal Rola-Zymierski Karol Åšwierczewski, (callsign Walter) (22 February 1897 in Warsaw – 28 March 1947 at JabÅ‚onki near Baligród) was a military officer, general in service of Poland, Russia and Spain and a communist activist. ...

The opponents

The Germans had for the fight the 1. Fallschirm-Panzer-Division "Hermann Göring" and the 2. Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier-Division "Hermann Göring" - around 50,000 men. Partially these unities were fight-experienced, but also with recruits filled in. They still had about up to 300 tanks and 600 guns. 2. Polish army existed of about 90,000 men, a large part of the soldiers had only little combat experience. Hermann Wilhelm Göring (also Goering in English) (January 12, 1893 – October 15, 1946) was a German politician and military leader known for being second in command of the Third Reich, a leading member of the Nazi party, and commander of the Luftwaffe. ...

The Germans succeeded after bloody house fights of several days in expelling her opponents from Bautzen. Only of the fact that Ivan Konev pulled back some Soviet units of his thrust to the west and sent them to support the Polish units saved these from complete destruction. But also the Soviet troops suffered heavy losses in the following fights. Marshal Ivan Konev Ivan Stepanovich Koniev (Russian Иван Степанович Конев) (December 28, 1897 – May 21, 1973), Soviet military commander, was born into a peasant family near Podosinovsky in central Russia (now in Kirov Oblast). ...

In a relatively short time the 2nd Polish Army lost more than 22% of her soldiers and 57% of her tanks and armoured vehicles. According to Polish sources there have been no single militäry operation except the Warsaw uprising by which more Poles died. Also the Germans and the Sowjets suffered heavy losses. Combatants Poland Germany Commanders Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski, Antoni ChruÅ›ciel, Tadeusz PeÅ‚czyÅ„ski Erich von dem Bach, Rainer Stahel, Heinz Reinefarth, [Bronislav Kaminski] Strength 50,000 troops 25,000 troops Casualties 18,000 killed, 12,000 wounded, 15,000 taken prisoner 250,000 civilians killed 10,000 killed...

Links

• side in German
• forgotten battles (Polish)
• map (Polish)