the problem is, the numbers of losses given by the Wehrmacht about the Polish campaign are most likely lower than they really were.
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Yes – they are for shure incomplete (they are not given up to the end of campaign – on 6th / 8th of October 1939 – and they are also not given for all units, which participated in the campaign).
For example – German archive with archival materials of VII Armee Corps and 5. Panzer-Division for the Polish Campaign - which were in Potsdam – was destroyed during the World War II.
Fortunately I managed to establish armor casualties of this division in the battle of Pszczyna (1. – 4. September 1939) – which was probably the most bloody battle of this division (at least for its Panzer-units) in the Polish campaign. I was basing on excellent, new book of Polish historian Janusz Ryt – “Bitwa Pszczyńska 1939” – and on Kriegstagebuch of 5. Panzer-Division and memories of Polish and German soldiers from this battle (comparing them).
Exact German tank casualties and Polish men and gun (weapons) casualties in the battle of Pszczyna – as I established them – I put on wikipedia – they can be found here in the table which I put below the article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Pszczyna
No casualties of this Corps are included in any official statistics of casualties for the Polish Campaign – and this corps could probably suffer probably the highest casualties of all German corpses (especcialy SS “Germania”, 8. and 28. Infanteriedivisionen).
If it comes to men losses - in my opininion most probably German military casualties in Poland (not including “V Column”, Police, and para-military organizations like Selbschutz, Freikorps) – were around 22,500 – 25,000 Killed in Action (including Missing in Action, never found).
at the end of the day however, the Wehrmacht still pretty much overrun Poland in no time with no serious defeat.
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Not so quickly and not alone – but with help of the Red Army.
The biggest and most important battle of the campaign (more than 100,000 soldiers participating in it on every of three sides – Polish, German and Soviet - took place between 17th and 28th of September in Tomaszow Lubelski region.
The battle of Tomaszow Lubelski – which is a very forgotten battle, even in Polish historiography – was also the best - and on the biggest scale - example of Soviet – German direct tactical and operational cooperation - against common enemy – Polish army - on the battlefield in modern world’s history.
The Soviet – German cooperation in the battle of Tomaszow Lubelski started on 20th of September and lasted up to the end of the battle – soon I will post my sources for this statement.
But even before 20th of September – because since 18th of September – the Soviet agression had strong influence on the course of the battle (because in the night from 17/18 IX - the Germans changed orders for their 2. Panzer-Division – reason was movement of the Soviet forces – and ordered it to stop its mission, and withdraw to the region Rawa Ruska city – which caused, that later – on 18th of September – it managed to be on time in – yet almost in 100% captured by Poles - Tomaszow with its relief for seriously endangered and practically – yet defeated – 4. Leichte-Division).
Let’s come back to those evidences and sources about the German – Soviet direct tactical cooperation in the battle of Tomaszów Lubelski since 20th of Septmber – I have much more of them – but here is the first – and most interesting I think – one:
The battle of Tomaszow Lubelski – second biggest battle of the Second World War untill 1941 and the best example of Russian – German tactical and operational military cooperation in modern world’s history.
With this data I want begin the thread about the forgotten, big battle - the battle of Tomascow Lubelski (17 - 27 IX 1939) - the second biggest battle of the Polish campaign with over 100,000 soldiers participating in it on every of three sides (Polish, German, Soviet), during which also the biggest Panzer battle in world's history untill that moment took place - with around 100 tanks, tankettes and armoured cars on both Polish and German sides participating in it, fighting with each other for three days (18 - 20. IX 1939).
The biggest Soviet-German military coopertaion on the battlefields in the Second World War:
Fragment from the Battle Diary of German VII Armee Korps – 20th of September 1939:
“Military Support”:
When units of Polish army were pressing forward to the west from the region of fierce fighting near Łabunie, and seriously disrupted withdrawal of the division towards the first German-Soviet demarcationline, Corps sent one of artillery commanders to Russians as an envoy. He had to send them greetings and establish contact [with Russian forces].
At the entrance to the city of Zamość waited a horseman in civilian clothes with red band on arm: Pole in Russian service. Overtaking in gallop the German envoys, he led them to the Russian headquarters, located in high, bright-white city hall in Zamość.
"High, bright-white" City Hall in Zamość (modern-day photo):
[…] [In Russian headquarters located in high, bright-white city hall in Zamość] [German] Colonel pass on printed in Russian language welcoming speech [to the Russians]. [Russian] Komissar reads it carefully, as an answer he expresses deep gratitude, he adds however, that [the main] headquarters of the Russian Corps is located not in Zamość, but in a village, 3 hours away from Zamość.
[…] After friendly goodbye, several Russian officers in cars accompanied the Germans [in way from Zamość] to the general [of the Russian Corps].
Characteristic for the new friendship is an event from the passage route. That is, when it started to rain, Russians immediately in a pleasant way invited German envoys to take seats in their roofed cars.
[…] Young, fair-haired [Russian] officer welcomes German officers and leads them to the general. Welcome is warm. [Russian] Commander yet in his first words voices his joy because of signing the German-Russian pact. He has full understanding for [German] request on military support [of the Russian side]. He promises [to give] every realisable help [to the Germans].
[…] Afterwards, the general invites German colonel and his companions for a meal. But before, after an animated discussion, people went to the dining room, the Russian commander clasped both his hands in grip and said:
"Russia and Germany go together, this is a guarantee of peace for Europe!" […]”
This photo was taken on that day – on 20th of September 1939:
Description under the photo says:
“Region of Zamość, 20th of September 1939: discussion of a situation in Soviet headquarters of the Corps."