{{Short description|1939 battle between Nazi Germany and Polish forces}} {{Infobox military conflict | conflict = Battle of Modlin | image = Ujście Narwi do Wisły (cropped).JPG | image_size = 300px | caption = <small>Ruins of the southern bridgehead</small> | partof = [[Invasion of Poland]] | date = 13–29 September 1939 | place = [[Modlin (village)|Modlin village]], [[Modlin Fortress]], [[Warsaw Voivodeship (1919–1939)|Warsaw Voivodeship]], [[Second Polish Republic|Poland]] | result = German victory | combatant1 = {{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}} | combatant2 = {{flagcountry|Second Polish Republic|1928}} | commander1 = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Hermann Hoth]]<br> {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Adolf Strauss (general)|Adolf Strauss]]<br>{{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Werner Kempf]] | commander2 = {{flagicon|Second Polish Republic|1928}} [[Wiktor Thommée]] | units1 = {{Collapsible list |title = German Units |{{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} II Army Corps: * [[Panzer Division Kempf]] * [[32nd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|32nd Infantry Division]] {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} XIV Army Corps: * [[29th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|29th Motorized Infantry Division]] {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} XV Army Corps: * [[6th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)|1st Light Division]] * [[2nd Light Division (Wehrmacht)|2nd Light Division]] {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} Wehrmacht Reserves: * 213th Infantry Division * 221st Infantry Division * 228th Infantry Division }} | units2 = {{Collapsible list |title = Polish Units |{{flagicon|Second Polish Republic|1928}} Army Modlin: * [[8th Infantry Division (Poland)|8th Infantry Division]] * [[20th Infantry Division (Poland)|20th Infantry Division]] {{flagicon|Second Polish Republic|1928}} Army Łódź: * [[2nd Legions Infantry Division (Poland)|2nd Legions Infantry Division]] * [[28th Infantry Division (Poland)|28th Infantry Division]] * [[30th Infantry Division (Poland)|30th Infantry Division]] }} | strength1 = 4 infantry divisions <br> 2nd Light Division <br> [[Panzer Division Kempf]] <br> 100 aircraft [https://web.archive.org/web/20070214074348/http://www.1939.pl/bitwy/modlin.htm] | strength2 = 40,000 men (peak) <br> 96 guns <br> 7 [[TKS|TK-3]] tankettes <br> Armoured train "Śmierć" | casualties1 = 900 killed <br> 670 wounded | casualties2 = 1,300 killed <br> 4,000 wounded <br> 35,000 captured | campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Polish September Campaign}} }}
[[File:Obrona modlina 1939.png|thumbnail|left|Map of the battle by [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Lonio17 Lonio17]]] The '''Battle of Modlin''' took place during the 1939 German [[invasion of Poland]] at the beginning of the [[World War II|Second World War]]. [[Modlin Fortress]] was initially the [[headquarters]] of the [[Modlin Army]] until its retreat eastwards. From 13 to 29 September 1939, it served as a defensive citadel for Polish forces under the command of [[General]] [[Wiktor Thommée]] against assaulting [[Nazi Germany|German]] units. The fighting was closely linked with the strategic situation of the [[Siege of Warsaw (1939)|Battle of Warsaw]].
The Polish forces defending the [[fortress]] included the [[armoured train]] ''Śmierć'' ("death") and the Modlin [[anti-aircraft]] battery, which was credited with shooting down more ''[[Luftwaffe]]'' planes than any other in the entire September campaign.
Fortress Modlin [[capitulation (surrender)|capitulated]] on 29 September, one of the last to lay down its arms in the campaign, and surrendered 24,000 troops.<ref name=Zaloga>Zaloga, S.J., 2002, Poland 1939, Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd., {{ISBN|9781841764085}}</ref>{{rp|78}} Several days earlier, [[Rochus Misch]] had attempted to negotiate the surrender of the fortress and was shot and badly wounded while returning from the negotiations, for which he was awarded the [[Iron Cross]].<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/246754/The-last-survivor-of-Hitler-s-downfall-in-the-bunker |last1=Schnoor |first=Stefan |author2=Boris |title=The last survivor of Hitler's downfall - The Fuhrer's bodyguard gives last interview |newspaper=[[Daily Express]] |date=15 May 2011 }}</ref>
Soldiers of the [[Panzer Division Kempf]] committed the [[Massacre in Zakroczym]] on 28 September 1939.
== See also ==
* [[List of World War II military equipment of Poland]] * [[List of German military equipment of World War II]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Siege of Modlin (1939)}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927200433/http://geoengine.nima.mil/muse-cgi-bin/rast_roam.cgi?exttype=1&outputfile=roamoutput1112185964_31701.png&same_level=yes++++&oldproduct_level=DOI+10M&oldcenlat=52.4337829017477&oldcenlon=20.6732259114583&oldzoom=1&olddata_level=10M&oldisize=901&oldcoordtype=dd&oldhgttype=egmft&same_level=&olddbdbv_level=5&world_overview_x_org=-180.0&world_overview_file=world_overview_1112185976_7255.png&isize=901&zoom=1&cenlat=52.4337829017477&cenlon=20.6732259114583&coordtype=dd&cenht=139.596&hgttype=egmft&product_level=DOI+10M&bounds_feature_name=&enhntype=1&enhnstddev=&RoamLL.x=538&RoamLL.y=492&RoamLL=RoamLL&pixmove=1&gnsname=&gnscountry_code= Modlin fortress as seen from a satellite] - green cross marks the southern bridgehead pictured above
{{Authority control}} {{Coord|52.438333|20.681944|format=dms|display=title|type:event}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Modlin}} [[Category:Battles of the Invasion of Poland]] [[Category:Sieges involving Germany]] [[Category:Sieges involving Poland]] [[Category:Warsaw Voivodeship (1919–1939)]] [[Category:September 1939 in Europe]]