Operation Fall Weiss

German Paratroopers in the Poland Campaign, 1939

Stephan Janzyk

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN:
  9781473894617
• eBook ISBN:
  9781473894631
• Topic: Historia
• Subtopic: Historia de Norteamérica

While the fledgling German paratroop operations in Belgium and the Netherlands in 1940, and on Crete in 1941, attracted worldwide attention, what is not as well known is that the use of paratroopers was planned for the invasion of Poland in 1939, in an act that began the Second World War. This has given rise to the myth that Adolf Hitler wanted to keep this new, and hitherto little-known, branch of the armed services secret for future projects.However, on several occasions the men of Parachute Regiment 1 were sat ready in their Ju52 transport planes, fully equipped and ready to go. 'Operation Fall Weiss' describes the role of the German paratroopers in the Polish campaign, using war diaries, maps, contemporary documents and photographs, including those from various private collections around the world.

Chapter 2

II./Fallschirmjäger Regiment 1

Hauptmann Fritz Prager receiving the Iron Cross Second Class from divisional commander General Student. (Private collection)

Mobilisation

Following the Polish government’s rejection of the Danzig offer on 19 August 1939, a command meeting of 7th Fliegerdivision was called at short notice in Berlin and attended by all key officers and decision-makers. Due to the perceptible tensions between the German Reich and Poland, and the current political situation, the immediate mobilisation of the division and thus of II./Fallschirmjäger Regiment was ordered that same day.

The battalion commenced implementation of the measures at once, and was able to report to the division on 25 August 1939 that it was ready to move. Shortly before 16.30 hours that day, the deployment order from the Luftgaukommando (Air Command) was received at the battalion headquarters in Braunschweig. Just ninety minutes later, the division issued the code word together with the order for Battalion II to mobilise at 05.00 on 26 August. However, just after 22.00, the 7th Fliegerdivision withdrew the code word and thus the order for Captain Fritz Prager’s paratroopers to deploy for the time being.

Men of 6th Company preparing and loading the Ju 52 transport aircraft at Schönfeld airfield near Legnica. (Janzyk)

The battalion remained in Braunschweig, on constant alert, until 31 August 1939, engaged in further preparations for a probable airdrop and filling in any gaps in their training. The companies were also able to stock up on weapons and ammunition.

On the last day of August 1939, at 20.30, the division once again issued the code word for the mission, this time with a departure time of 07.30 hours on 1 September 1939. And on the following morning, at 04.45, with the attack on Poland, the Second World War began.

Transfer to the assembly area

II./FJR 1 moved out as scheduled in a motorised convoy, but left half an hour earlier, at 07.00 hours. As ordered, they took the Autobahn from Braunschweig to Burg-Gommern, where they made their first maintenance stop. They refuelled, the drivers and fleet sergeants serviced the vehicles and the combat trains of I./FJR 1 and Kampfgeschwader (bomber wing) for special purposes 1 joined the convoy. The first vehicle set off again at 10.30, and the convoy continued its journey via Gommern – Zerbst – Roßlau – Herzberg – Luckau.

There was a second stop, for one hour, about 3 kilometres from Luckau, again in order to refuel. They left Luckau at 17.00 and proceeded via Lübben – Cottbus – Forst – on the Reichautobahn as far as Hagnau – Goldberg – to their destination in Schönfeld, near Legnica, which they reached at around 23.30. Quarters were quickly allocated, and then it was time for the soldiers of II./Fallschirmjäger Regiment 1 to get some rest.

They spent 2 September 1939 carrying out follow-up work on the fully loaded vehicles and unloading them. It seemed as if an airdrop was on the cards, as the battalion had brought its Waffenabwurfbehälter (drop tanks). The next day, at 06.30, the battalion received the divisional order for an airdrop at some time after 4 September. The global political situation also continued to escalate, and just a few hours later, Britain and France declared war on the German Reich.

Everyone worked together to ‘load’ the Ju 52. Note the different tactical markings on the drop tanks and the cargo parachutes on top. (Janzyk)

Originally, the battalion was to be airdropped near Pulawy, the site of the largest and most important bridge over the Vistula river in this area. Their mission was to capture this strategically important target and hold the river crossing open for Reichenau’s army.

However, as the army made faster progress than scheduled and was able to take the bridge itself, the aircraft, which were already loaded and ready for action and had been standing on the airfield at Schönfeld-Seifersdorf since 8 September 1939, were unloaded and stood down just five days later. This was due to the fact that the Ju 52 transport planes were needed for the relocation of Infantry Regiment 16 to Lodz on September 13. At 16.00 hours, the planes were back in Schönfeld and preparation began once again. The battalion still expected to be deployed – though no-one knew how or with what objective.

When the drop tank had been locked in position in the drop chute, the impact cap, which was made of thin metal and can be clearly seen in this photograph, was fitted. Its purpose was to cushion the impact when the container landed, to better protect the tank and its contents against possible damage. (Janzyk)

Schönfeld airfield, 3 September 1939. Leutnant Joachim Haedrich, battalion adjutant, samples the food prepared in the field kitchen. (Janzyk)

No airdrop

On 16 September 1939, major restructuring was carried out, and all Kampfgruppen for special purposes were withdrawn from 7th Fliegerdivision. As all the planes were quickly stripped down and had left Schönfeld-Seifersdorf airfield by the early evening, it was clear to everyone, right down to the last paratrooper in the battalion, that there would be no airdrop now. On 19 September 1939, at about 14.30, battalion headquarters received a further divisional order: ‘Transfer to the area around Deblin can be expected within the next few days.’

On the very next day, 20 September 1939, at 05.15 am, the motorised convoy to Poland set out – first via the Reichsautobahn as far as Breslau. From there, it proceeded via Öls – Groß Wartenberg – Kempen – Wieruszow – Wielun – Petrikau – Sulejow/Pilliza – Opoczno (Opole) – Radom – to Zwolen, where it arrived at approximately 22.15. II./FJR 1 spent two days there in makeshift quarters, until the trucks moved off again at 06.30 on 22 September, heading for the airfield in Ulez, 18.5 kilometres north-east of Deblin (Ivangorod...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• 7th Fliegerdivision (Air Division)
• II./Fallschirmjäger Regiment 1
• III./Fallschirmjäger Regiment 1
• I./Fallschirmjäger Regiment 1
• I./Fallschirmjäger Regiment 2
• II./Fallschirmjäger Regiment 2
• Summary
• Appendices
• Bibiliography
• About the Author