Battle of Porytowe Wzgórze

A monument to the battle by Bronisław Chromy

Date	June 14–15, 1944
Location	Solska Wilderness
Result	temporary Polish and Russian victory (see Battle of Osuchy)

Belligerents

Polish resistance
(Armia Krajowa, National Military Organization, Armia Ludowa),

Soviet Union (partisans)

Nazi Germany

Commanders and leaders

Nikolai Prokopiuk, Franciszek Przysiężniak/Bolesław Usow, Stanisław Szelest

general Siegfried Haenicke

Strength

3,000

25,000-30,000

Casualties and losses

250

500+

Polish resistance
(Armia Krajowa, National Military Organization, Armia Ludowa),

The Battle of Porytowe Wzgórze (Porytowe Hill) took place on June 14, 1944, between Polish and Russian partisans and Nazi German forces. It was the largest battle between underground anti-Nazi resistance and German occupation forces in occupied Europe.

In the Spring of 1944 numerous partisan units operated in the Lublin region, including those associated with the Home Army (AK), Bataliony Chłopskie (BCh), National Military Organization (NOW) as well as the communist Armia Ludowa (AL) and Russian partisans. These fighters kept being pushed westward by the Germans, as the front approached from the east. The activities of the partisan units mostly consisted of attacks on German supply lines and convoys. As a result, in May 1944, the Germans developed a detailed plan of an anti-partisan action, code named "Sturmwind" (Storm-wind) which they put into effect in early June. The purpose of the operation was the elimination of Polish and Russian partisan units from the area of Janów Forests.

The German commander in charge was General Siegfried Haenicke. The Russian partisans were under the command of Nikolai Prokopiuk. The NOW-AK forces were commanded by Bolesław Usow (the top commander of the unit, Franciszek Przysiężniak was not present until later) and the AL units by Stanisław Szelest. There were also several "mixed" units under various commanders.

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Wikipedia