Battle of Jaktorów
| Battle of Jaktorów | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Warsaw Uprising | |||||||||
Cemetery of soldiers of the Kampinos Group in Budy Zosine | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Polish Underground State | Germany | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Alfons Kotowski † |
Friedrich Bernhardt Colonel König | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
|
Approximately 1,200 soldiers 20mm cal. cannon several mortars |
Approx. 2,000 soldiers approx. 40 armored vehicles (including several tanks) armored train No. 30 air support | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
|
From 150 to 200 fallen approx. 120 wounded approx. 150 taken prisoner all heavy armaments and rolling stock |
From 100 to 150 killed and wounded 1 aircraft several armored vehicles destroyed or damaged | ||||||||
The Battle of Jaktorów was a partisan battle fought on 29 September 1944 near the village of Budy Zosine close to Jaktorów, ending with the defeat of the main forces of the Kampinos Group by the Germans.
After the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising, the eastern and central areas of the Kampinos Forest became a base for a strong partisan group of the Home Army. On 27 September 1944, the Germans launched a large-scale anti-partisan operation in this area, codenamed Sternschnuppe. The Kampinos Group then began to retreat towards the Świętokrzyskie Mountains. Initially, the Polish group successfully evaded the German encirclement, but due to command errors, they were surrounded by the Germans on the second day of the retreat near Jaktorów. After nearly a full day of fighting against superior enemy forces, the Kampinos Group was defeated, losing from 150 to 200 killed, around 120 wounded, and 150 taken prisoner. However, many Home Army soldiers, including several cohesive units, managed to break out of the encirclement.
The Battle of Jaktorów was likely the largest partisan battle fought during World War II on Polish territory west of the Vistula river.