Battle of Różan
| Battle of Różan | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Invasion of Poland | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Germany | Poland | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Georg von Küchler Rudolf Schmidt Werner Kempf |
Wincenty Kowalski Czesław Rzedzicki | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
|
1st Cavalry Brigade Panzer Division Kempf | 41st (Reserve) Infantry Division | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 30,000 men |
3,300 men 15 guns | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
12–18 tanks (on 5 September) |
20 killed 50 wounded (on September 5) | ||||||
The Battle of Różan, otherwise known as defence of Różan bridgehead, took place between the 4 and 6 September 1939, in the fields before the town of Różan on the Narew River. A small Polish garrison of three World War I forts (consisting of two infantry battalions) successfully defended the bridgehead against the entire German panzer division for the entire day and night. However, as a result of a misunderstanding of the commander in chief's orders, the Polish forces were then withdrawn to the other side of the river, and then further eastwards on the 6 September.