Der Sieg in Polen – herausgegeben vom Oberkommando der Wehrmacht in Verbindung mit dem Aufklärungsdienst der SA – “The Victory in Poland – Published by the High Command of the Wehrmacht in cooperation with the SA Reconnaissance Service – Documentation of the German Invasion of Poland from a German Perspective. Andermann Publishing, Berlin 1939 – First Edition.
A detailed chronicle published by the German Wehrmacht documenting the sequence of events of the invasion of Poland during the first month of the invasion. The report documents, from the perspective of the German Wehrmacht, the conquest of Polish cities, the military planning, and its execution, starting on September 1, 1939. The presentation of the events in this report is based on the official announcements of the Wehrmacht High Command, opening with the words: “By order of the Führer and Supreme Commander, the Wehrmacht assumes active defense of the Reich. In fulfillment of their mission to stop Polish violence, German naval forces launched a counterattack across all German-Polish borders at 6 AM on September 1. Air Force squadrons took off to attack military targets in Poland…”. The author heroically describes one after another the conquests of Polish cities through various war tactics: “The enemy is in full force on almost all fronts. Mobile forces are penetrating the Polish capital from the southwest. Łódź is under siege as masses of soldiers fighting there press the city from both sides, pursuing the retreating enemy. The Poznań district is gradually being conquered. Warsaw is being bombarded by the enemy. Under the strong attack of the German Air Force, the Polish Air Force appears in only a minor capacity… The fierce pursuit of the enemy continues, reaching Lemberg. Around Ruten, 5 Polish divisions and two cavalry brigades try in vain to break southward. Our divisions’ southeast concentric counterattack is launched… The encirclement around Warsaw was completed on September 13…”.
The German military superiority is described throughout the report with the typical pride: “No one can underestimate the achievements of the German soldier, neither those who are already proud of history nor those we are experiencing these days… The masses of prisoners who fell into our hands here west and east of the Brzhe section reflect statements that echo the greatness of the present in its harsh reality. Before us are officers and men of the Polish Pomorska Cavalry Brigade. Their eyes are still confused by the unprecedented power and sharpness of the German weaponry. They are not men standing before us, and more than once we felt this in their stubborn resistance. The enemy collapsed against the bold, breathtaking attack spirit of our soldiers, against the language of our tanks and machine guns. Excellent elite soldiers were also destroyed… Yesterday, the Poles who retreated from our advancing soldiers in the outskirts of Lemberg surrendered after several days of desperate resistance…”.
174, [2], + [2] folded maps of Poland and an additional map within the book. Good condition
