List Of Military Units In The Warsaw Uprising

This is a list of military units taking part in the Warsaw Uprising, a Polish insurgence during the Second World War that began on August 1,1944.

Polish units

Many of the units were formed before the beginning of the Uprising (August 1); several were organised in the following days as new volunteers joined. Units were assigned to given Areas:
  • Area I (Śrdmieście, Stare Miasto)
  • Area II (Żoliborz, Marymont, Bielany)
  • Area III (Wola)
  • Area IV (Ochota)
  • Area V (Mokotw)
  • Area VI (Praga)
  • Area VII (Powiat Warszawski)
  • Zgrupowanie KeDywu Komendy Głwnej
Units were organised into battalions, companies and platoons. Many of those became famous either before the Uprising or during it, including Battalions 'Zośka', 'Czata 49', 'Parasol', 'Miotła'.

Armaments given to the units

On August 1 their state of arms was as follows:

Complete List of Home Army groups in the Warsaw Uprising

The following list does not correspond with the above area list.
style="vertical-align: top;" | Unit group or sector
 style="width: 30%; vertical-align: top;" | Unit name
 style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top;" | Composition
 style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top;" | Part of
 style="width: 30%; vertical-align: top;" | Notes
colspan="5" rowspan="1" style="vertical-align: top;" | Group Śrdmieście-Płnoc (City Center - North)
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Chrobry II'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'Lech Żelazny'
Battalion 'Lech Grzybowski'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 comp.
3 comp
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
style="vertical-align: top;" | Sector: north
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'Rum'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 comp
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Gurt'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'Gurt'
Battalion WSOP Group IV
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 comp.
3 comp.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Kiliński'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'im. Kilińskiego'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 5 comp.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Harnasie'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Harnasie'
Company 'Lewera'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 2 comp.
2 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Companies: 'Genowefa', 'Żyrafa'
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Bartkiewicz'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Companies 'Żmudzin', 'Andrzej', 'Lechicz', 'Bohun'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | each 3 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
style="vertical-align: top;" | After fall of Stare Miasto reinforced with company 'Gustaw'
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Wiktor'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Company 'Wiktor'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 4 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
style="vertical-align: top;" | Disposition units
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Company 'Koszta'
Company '100' WSOP
KeDyw Disposition Unit 'A'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 2 plat.
3 plat.
2 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
AK
AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Defencive screen of Warsaw District Headquarters
style="vertical-align: top;" | Backup units
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion KB
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 2 comp.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | KB
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Due to lack of weapons disbanded, separate platoons assigned as support for main units
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Hal'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'im. Sowińskiego'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 2 comp.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
colspan="5" rowspan="1" style="vertical-align: top;" | Group Śrdmieście-Południe (City Center - South)
style="vertical-align: top;" | Sector: east 'Bogumił'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'Ruczaj'
Battalion 'Miłosz'
Battalion 'Kryśka' WSOP
Battalion Siekiera 'Tum'
Gendarmery PAL Platoon
Company of AL and PAL
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 comp.
3 comp.
4 comp.
3 comp.
1 plat.
1 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
AK
AK
AK
PAL
PAL/AL
 style="vertical-align: top;" |


known as Battalion 'of cpt. Sęp'
retreated from Stare Miasto
style="vertical-align: top;" | Sector north: 'Sarna'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion WSOP 'Bełt'
Battalion 'Sokł'
Battalion 'Chrobry'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 comp.
1 comp.
2 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
KB
PAL
 style="vertical-align: top;" | later named Battalion 'Ostoja'
style="vertical-align: top;" | Backup units
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'Iwo'
Company from Group 'Ubogi'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 4 comp.
2 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
Retreated from Ochota
style="vertical-align: top;" | Sector: west 'Golski'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'Golski'
Company 'Szafrański'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 5 comp.
1 comp.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" | later incorporated Battalion 'Odwet'
backup of 'Golski'
style="vertical-align: top;" | Sector: south 'Piorun'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'Piorun'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 comp.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Created from Battalion 'Zaremba' and smaller units
colspan="5" rowspan="1" style="vertical-align: top;" | Powiśle
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Krybar'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'Ubogi'
Battalion 'Konrad'
Group 'Elektrownia' WSOP
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 4 comp
4 comp
2 comp
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
AK
AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
colspan="5" rowspan="1" style="vertical-align: top;" | Group Warszawa-Płnoc (Warsaw-North)
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Radosław' and units of 'KeDyw' KG
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'Czata 49'
Battalion 'Miotła'
Battalion 'Pięść'
Company 'Leśnik'
Company 'Waligra'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | several comp.
4 comp.
1 comp.
3 plat.
3 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
AK
AK
AK
AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
After Wola fights disbanded due to losses
Included 'Agaton' platoon, destroyed in Wola
style="vertical-align: top;" | Backup units
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'Chrobry I'
Brygada Koło
Charge Company 'Wyrwy'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 comp.
4 comp.
2 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
NSZ
AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
Construction and firefight duties
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Kuba' and 'Sosna'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'im. Łukasińskiego'
Battalion 'im. Czarnieckiego Gozdawa'
Company P20 'Edward'
Company 'Ryszard' (motorised)
Company 'Batory'
Platoon 'Roja'
Platoon of PPS Militia
Company KB 'Nałęcz'
Platoon NSZ
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 comp.
3 comp.
5 plat.
3 plat.
3 plat.
1 plat.
1plat.
3 plat.
1 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
AK
AK
AK
AK
AK
PPS
KB
NSZ
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Rg'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'Gustaw'
Battalion WSOP 'Dzik'
Battalion 'Bończa'
Company 'Orlęta'
Company 'Lubiec'
Company 'of Syndykalists'
Battalion 'Czwartacy'
Battalion 'Wigry'
Battalion 'Antoni'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 2 comp.
3 comp.
3 compt.
4 plat.
3 plat.
3 plat.
several plat.
2 comp.
2 comp.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
AK
AK
AK
AK
AK
AL
AK
AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" | later increased to 3 comp.






later increased to 4 comp.
after retreat from Stare Miasto merged with Battalion 'Gustaw'
colspan="5" rowspan="1" style="vertical-align: top;" | Żoliborz
style="vertical-align: top;" | Sector: 'Żubr'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'Żubr'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 1 comp.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
style="vertical-align: top;" | Sector: 'Żmija'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'Żmija'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
style="vertical-align: top;" | Sector: 'Zaglowiec'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Company 'Żaglowiec'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
style="vertical-align: top;" | Sector AL
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Company AL
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 2 plat
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AL
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
style="vertical-align: top;" | Sector: 'Żyrafa'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Company 'Zyrafa'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
colspan="5" rowspan="1" style="vertical-align: top;" | Puszcza Kampinoska (Kapminos Forest)
style="vertical-align: top;" | Pułk 'Palmiry-Młociny'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | III Battalion 78 pp.
I Battalion 'Janusz'
Battalion 'of cpt. Dulka'
Dywizjon 27 p.ułańow
Dywizjon 23 p. ułanw
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 comp.
3 comp.
3 comp.
4 comp.
2 comp.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
AK
AK
AK
AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
colspan="5" rowspan="1" style="vertical-align: top;" | Group Warszaw-Południe (Warsaw-South): Mokotw
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Baszta'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'B'
Battalion 'O'
Battalion 'K'
5 group WSOP
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 comp.
3 comp.
4 comp.
2 comp.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
AK
AK
AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Mokotw sector
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Ryś'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Company 'Gustaw'
Company 'Krawiec'
Company 'Granat'
Platoon AL
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 plat.
3 plat.
3 plat.
1 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
AK
AK
AL
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Czerniakw-Południe sector
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Olsza'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Company 'Grochw'
Szwadron 'Jeżycki'
Company 'Sadyba'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 plat.
3 plat.
3 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
AK
AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
style="vertical-align: top;" | group 'Gral'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Szwadron szwoleżerw
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
colspan="5" rowspan="1" style="vertical-align: top;" | Forest Chojnowski and Kabacki
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Lasy Chojnowskie'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'Grzegorz'
Battalion 'Szary'
Platoon 'Lanca'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 comp.
3 plat.
1 plat.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
NSZ
NSZ
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
style="vertical-align: top;" | Group 'Gustaw'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | Battalion 'Gustaw'
 style="vertical-align: top;" | 3 comp.
 style="vertical-align: top;" | AK
 style="vertical-align: top;" |
On September 20 this structure was reorganised to fit the structure of Polish forces fighting among the Western Allies. The entire force was renamed to Warsaw Home Army Corps (Warszawski Korpus Armii Krajowej), commanded by general Antoni Chruściel (Monter) and consisted of three infantry divisions:
  • 8th Romuald Traugutt Infantry Division (8 Dywizja Piechoty im. Romualda Traugutta) commanded by col. Żywiciel-Niedzielski
  • 10th Maciej Rataj Infantry Division (10 Dywizja Piechoty im. Macieja Rataja) commanded by col. Radwan-Pleiffer
  • 28th Stefan Okrzeja Infantry Division (28 Dywizja Piechoty im. Stefana Okrzei) commanded by col. Karol-Rokicki
The names of smaller units (battalions, companies and platoons) were left intact (as in the above table).

Composition of smaller fighting forces

Although the vast majority of insurgents in Warsaw were members of Home Army, there was a small number of fighters who weren't members of that organisation. In the course of the Uprising some 1,700 members of other resistance organisations joined the Uprising. Those included the Armia Ludowa, Gwardia Ludowa and Narodowe Siły Zbrojne. Along with the Polish soldiers who took part in the Uprising, there were also members of other nationalities. Among them was a number of Hungarian deserters and Italian escapees from POW camps in Poland. Another ex-POW soldier was RAF Sgt. John Ward, whose numerous coded radio dispatches gave an eyewitness account of the fighting to the British government and Polish government-in-exile, as well as the London press. There was also a Slovakian 535th Home Army platoon under Lt. Stanko. It was composed mostly of Slovakians, Georgians, Armenians and Azeri, and suffered heavy casualties in the course of the uprising (up to 70%). It is believed that some 25,000 Jews were hiding in Warsaw before the Uprising. The vast majority of them died together with other Polish civilians. However, many Jews (possibly as many as 1,000), including those released by Home Army from the Warsaw concentration camp (Gęsiwka), joined the Home Army. During the final stage of the battle a number of Soviet soldiers (possibly as many as 3,000, most of them members of Polish units in Soviet army) also crossed the river and fought the Germans in Powiśle area. Airdrops were carried out by allied airmen from Italy, mostly by Poles, Canadians and the British.

German units

As of 23 August, 1944 the German units directly involved with fights in Warsaw were divided into:
  • Battle group Rohr (commanded by general major Rohr)
  • Battle group Reinefarth (commanded by SS-Gruppenfuhrer Reinefarth)
    • Attack group Dirlewanger
    • Attack group Reck (commanded by major Reck)
    • Attack group Schmidt (commanded by colonel Schmidt)
    • various support and backup units
  • Warsaw Garrison (Group of Warsaw Commandant) commanded by lieutant general Stahel
A large section of the forces on the "German" side were, according to Norman Davies (p284), drawn from "'collaborationist forces'" including Russians who had left in the Tzar's era and Azeri's. All of these forces, however, were clearly subject to the control of the German war machine

Sources and related reading

  • Jerzy Kirchmayer. Powstanie Warszawskie. Książka i Wiedza, Warsaw, 1959. ISBN 830511080X. Hardcover, 576 pages.

 

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