Chapter 10
On September 1, insurgent troops in the Old Town were fired on by several StuG 40s from Panzer-Abteilung 302. (Fkl). The resistance fighters were also subjected to the firepower of “Werfers” which were mounted on several Sd Kfz 251/1 Ds from Pionier-Sturm-Bataillon 500. The following day a few StuG 40s from the 4th Panzer-Abteilung 302. (Fkl) drove over the Wisła. Thereafter, they were transported by ferry from Saska Kępa to the pumping station at Czerniaków. From there, they drove along the length of Ulica Czerniakowska and continued on Ulica Powsińska in order to be set in with an assault against Sadbya. Two or three Brummbärs from Sturmpanzer-Kompanie 218. z.b.V. shelled the Staszic Palace and destroyed the Copernicus Monument. On the afternoon of September 2, a failed attack, supported by “Kubuś” and “Stary Wilk,” was mounted against the university, a notable incident in this overall assault operation that is fully described in a later chapter
On September 3, the Germans launched an offensive on Powiśle. On the following day resistance fighters destroyed a PzKpfw 736(i) tank on Ulica Lipowa. It was probably from the tank platoon under the command of SS und Polizeiführer SS-Standarten-führer Geibel. Three tanks stationed with the SS-Staufernkasern on Ulica Rakowiecka were in operation along Ulica Puławaska. The following day, tanks and Brummbärs drove out of the National Museum and bombarded Ulica Nowy Świat, as well as the area around Plac Trzech Krzyży (Three Cross Square). Two StuG 40s and four B IVs from Company 3, Panzer-Abteilung 302. (Fkl) launched an attack at Plac Małachowskiego (Malachowski Square) – during which, the resistance fighters destroyed a StuG 40.
In Powiśle the German infantry’s assault was supported by several StuG 40s and B IVs from Comapny 3, Panzer-Abteilung 302. (Fkl). On September 5, one B IV, whose explosives had destroyed a building defended by Lt. Jg Alfred “Miotacz” Stawierski’s unit, was despatched by the Germans to the junction of Ulica Topiela and Ulica Oboźna.
Major Max Reck supervises his soldiers preparing two Goliaths to be used against the Poles. The location is the corner of Powaskowska Street and Okopowa Street. Barely 100 metres away, behind the large wall that surrounded the old Jewish ghetto, were the Polish positions.
On September 6, several StuG 40s fired on resistance troops who were retreating from Powiśle, as well as on the troops who found themselves in the area centered on the Kazimierz Shelter House and were spread out over the nearby hillsides and Ulica Tamka. Tanks from the National Museum drove out on Aleje Jerozolimskie and shelled Ulica Nowy Świat in an attempt to break the link between Powiśle and the Centre (along Ulica Pierackiego, now Ulica Foksal, and Ulica Chmielna). A similar action was undertaken the following day. This time the German tanks received returning fire from a PIAT. One tank, probably a Pzkpfw III, was destroyed and was subsequently towed back to the National Museum. A Brummbär from the National Museum fired on the Church of Lazarus on Ulica Książęca in an attempt to cut off Ulica Czerniakowa from the Centre. Two Sd Kfz 251/1 Ds delivered provisions to the “Zywiec,” a bar the Germans had taken over on the corner of Ulica Marszałkowska and Aleje Jerozolimskie. Two or three StuG 40s from Ersatz- Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 200 shelled the area around Ulica Królewska and Ulica Graniczna. In the area around Ulica Żelazna, two Hertzers from Panzerjäger-Abteilung 743.pounded the positions held by the “Chowbry II” battalion.
On September 8, resistance fighters destroyed a Brummbär from Sturmpanzer-Kompanie 218. z. b. V. on Aleje Jerozolimskie close to Ulica Bracka. A few StuG 40s from Panzer-Abteilung 302. (Fkl), shelled the “Zośka” battalion in Czerniaków. StuG 40s from Company 4, Panzer-Abteilung 302. (Fkl) located at Plac Bernardyński (Bernadine Square) subjected the area surrounding Ulica Chełmska and Ulica Czerniakowska to heavy bombardment the following day. The Germans also carried out intensive operations in the area around Ulica Nowy Świat and Aleje Jerozolimskie. Several Brummbärs from the National museum pounded the barricade that blocked off Aleje Jerozolimskie, and a StuG 40 fired on the barricade which cut off Ulica Chmielna parallel to the building on Ulica Chmielna 7. The following day the barricade was, for once and for all, torn down. In the morning hours of September 10, resistance fighters damaged a StuG 40, probably from Panzer-Abteilung 302. (Fkl), close by the “Cristal” bar on Ulica Bracka (Ulica Bracka 17). Some days later, this armoured vehicle was towed back to the National Museum.
Intense fighting also took place in this area on the following day. During a battle for a house located at Ulica Bracka 18, the resistance fighters set fire to two StuG 40s which, nonetheless, managed to withdraw to Ulica Nowy Świat under their own power.
On September 11, the Germans launched a strong attack on the area around Ulica Łazienkowska and Ulica Rozbrat supported by several StuG 40s, probably drawn from Company 4, Panzer-Abteilung 302. (Fkl). There may well have been other vehicles at this site deployed from the SS-Staufernkasern on Ulica Rakowiecka. Several StuG 40s were deployed to the Parliament Quarter where they attacked insurgent positions on Ulica Frascati and Ulica Wiejska.
On September 12, tanks from the Parliament Quarter attacked positions on Aleja Na Skarpie held by the “Torpedy ” platoon. In the area around Małachowski Square and Ulica Kredytowa, two StuG 40s from Ersatz-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 200. pounded the resistance fighters’ positions in, among other locations; the buildings numbered 8 & 9 on Ulica Kredytowa. In the evening, five Brummbärs from Sturmpanzer- Kompanie 218. z,b.V., stationed at the National Museum, opened fire on the Lazarus Hospital on Ulica Książęca. On September 13, a company of Stug 40s from Panzer-Abteilung 302. (Fkl) joined the fighting taking place at Czerniaków, providing support to Dirlewanger’s Battle group. An attack against the ZUS building (Central Public Insurance Office) on Ulica Czerniaskowa was augmented by the demoliton capability of two B IVs. The next attack was directed at the Lazarus Hospital and it was so strong that it forced the resistance fighters to withdraw from the building. By means of these intensified attacks, the Germans succeeded in cutting off Czerniaków from the Centre.
During the night, two or three StuG 40s, probably from Panzer-Abteilung 302. (Fkl), or possibly a Kamfegruppe from the 25th Panzer-Division, attacked resistance fighter positions located in houses on Ulica Rozbrat (numbers 16, 18 and 20), forcing them to withdraw to the bank-building on Ulica Fabryczna. On the morning of the following day; several StuG 40s from Panzer-Abteilung 302. (Fkl) went on the attack along Ulica Rozbrat, this time pushing off from Ulica Książęca. Resistance men halted a B IV alongside Ulica Śniegocka. The B IV had tried to demolish a house at Ulica Szara 10, but was set on fire before it could detonate its explosive charge.
In Żoliborz, tanks from the 87th Panzerjäger-Abteilung operating as a Kamfegruppe out of the 25th Panzer-Division went on the offensive. Hetzers and several StuG 40s launched an attack from city district of Bielany against insurgent positions on Ulica Rudzka and Ulica Gdańska. The resistance fighters damaged several German tanks and destroyed an armoured car.
Theatre Square, August 1944. Dirlewangers soldiers firing on Polish positions in the tall building in the background. The StuG III belonged to Sturmgeschütz-Ersatz-Abteilung 200.
Ukrainians from Dirlewangers SS-brigade take cover behind the pillars outside the theatre.
German infantry advancing under enemy fire.
German troops in combat at the power station in Powisle, 5 September 1944.
Two StuG IIIs and two Brummbärs in front of the university at the end of August 1944. The former were from Panzer Abteilung 302(Fkl) and the latter belonged to Sturmpanzer Kompanie 218 zbv. It is worth noting that to the right of the Brummbärs is a white building which is the bunker at the entrance to the university that the Poles set on fire when they attacked on 23 August.
An Sd Kfz 251/1(Wurfrahmen 40) 28 or 32 calibre. The rockets were transported in re-usable wooden crates.
The Goliath was remote controlled thorugh a wire, as can be seen in the photograph. It was often damage to the wire that caused the Goliath to stop.
Soldiers from Pionier.Sturm-Bataillon 500 prepare a Goliath for use.
An out-of-commission Mercedes Benz 3000S (4x2) postal vehicle, September 1944.
A disabled Brummbär from Sturmpanzer Kompanie 218 zbv, at Aleje Jerozolimskie, 8 September 1944.
All four photographs show the shelling of Polish targets in the old town in August 1944. The unit firing the rockets is the Nebelwerfer-Batterie 201. The rockets being used are Schweres Wurfgerät 40. with a 28 or 30 cm calibre. They were transported in wooden crates that also served as the firing mount. They could then be recycled and used again. Note the number of wooden crates in the pictures below.
Two StuG IIIs and two Brummbärs in front of the university at the end of August 1944.