Kraków Army Kraków Army ( ) was one of the Polish armies which took part in the Polish Defensive War of 1939 . It was officially created on March 23 , 1939 as the main pivot of Polish defence . It was commanded by Gen . Antoni Szylling . Originally , Kraków Army was to be made of seven infantry divisions , two cavalry brigades and one mountain brigade . On September 1 , 1939 , General Szyllling had the force which consisted of five infantry divisions , two cavalry brigades and one brigade of mountain infantry . Altogether , the army was made of 59 battalions , 29 squadrons , 352 cannons , 90 tanks , two armoured trains and 44 planes . These forces were not enough to halt German advance , especially in the area north of Częstochowa , where Kraków Army connected with Łódź Army . Main thrust of Wehrmacht panzer units was directed there , and this area was defended only by the Polish 7th I . D . , which was destroyed in the early days of September 1939 , opening the way towards central Poland . Creation of Kraków Army . On March 15 , 1939 , units of the Wehrmacht entered Prague , and two days earlier at Berlin , Joachim von Ribbentrop in a conversation with Polish ambassador Józef Lipski demanded definite answer to German demands of Free City of Danzig and a highway through the Polish Corridor . On March 23 , a number of officers of the Polish Army was ordered to come to the General Inspector of the Armed Forces in Warsaw . Together with General Antoni Szylling , these officers ( Colonel Jan Rzepecki , Major Władysław Steblik , Major Kazimierz Szpądrowski and Major Franciszek Chmura ) were ordered to create staff of the newly created Kraków Army . The army itself was created upon written order of Edward Rydz - Śmigły , which was handed to General Szylling on the same day , together with more detailed demands . On March 25 , staff officers of Kraków Army arrived at Kraków , staying at the Jan III Sobieski barracks , where the 5th Military Police Unit was located . On the same day at noon , General Szylling met commanders of the divisions that came under his control , and on March 27 , the officers took their oath . Tasks . Its main task was to delay advancing German troops and withdraw eastwards along the northern line of the Carpathians and defend the heavily industrialized Upper Silesia region , together with western counties of Lesser Poland and the Carpathian foothills . Altogether , Kraków Army defended southwestern border of Poland , from Krzepice near Częstochowa , to Czorsztyn . In the area of Częstochowa , the 7th I . D . ( General Janusz Gąsiorowski ) was placed , with its right wing supported by the Kraków Cavalry Brigade of General Zygmunt Piasecki . The remaining units were divided into two operational groups . " Operational Group Silesia " ( under General Jan Jagmin Sadowski ) was made of the 23rd I . D . ( Colonel Władysław Powierza ) , together with the 55th ( reserve ) I . D . ( Colonel Stanisław Kalabiński ) , and soldiers manning the Fortified Area of Silesia . " Operational Group Bielsko " ( under General Mieczysław Boruta - Spiechowicz ) was made of the 21st I . D . ( General Józef Kustroń ) , and the 1st Brigade of Mountain Infantry ( Colonel Janusz Gaładyk ) . This group was located in the area of Żywiec , Chabówka , and Bielsko - Biała . Furthermore , in the area of Pszczyna was the 6th I . D . ( General Bernard Mond ) , and in the area of Kraków , the 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade ( Colonel Stanisław Maczek ) . Kraków Army ' s tasks were as follows : Operational history . Battle of the Border . Kraków Army fought against German Army Group South , whose units crossed the border on September 1 , 1939 , at 4 a . m . In central part of the front , German 10th Army advanced , attacking in the sector from Tarnowskie Góry to Wieluń . North of the 10th Army was the 8th Army ( advancing towards Sieradz and Łódź ) , and in the south was and the 14th Army , advancing towards Kraków . On September 1 , the Wehrmacht failed to cause a breach Polish positions , but it was obvious that the Germans tried to bypass Fortified Area of Silesia , attacking both north and south of the fortifications . As early as the night of September 1 / 2 , Polish situation became difficult , as the 7th I . D . , operating near Częstochowa , found it hard to halt the advance of the panzers of the XVI Panzer Corps , which fought their way into central Poland . This division was located some 40 kilometers away from other Polish units ; close to it was the Volhynian Cavalry Brigade , which itself was attacked by the Germans in the Battle of Mokra . On September 2 , German 1st Panzer Division bypassed Częstochowa north of the city , and supported by the Luftwaffe , managed to cross the Warta river . At the same time , Kraków Cavalry Brigade was attacked by the 2nd Light Division in the area of Woźniki . After heavy fighting , it withdrew towards Zawiercie , which caused a breach in the defensive line , enabling the Germans both to bypass Polish fortifications in Upper Silesia , and to attack the 7th I . D . from the rear . As a result , the 7th I . D . was destroyed on Sept . 2 , and its remaining units retreated to the forests near Koniecpol . This defeat enabled German XVI Panzer Corps to move towards Kielce without any problems . Since Polish Army did not have any reserve units east of Częstochowa , Edward Śmigły - Rydz ordered a detachment of the PZL . 23 Karaś bombers to attack the advacing panzers . The attack , however , did not result in a success , and the advance of the Wehrmacht continued . In the south , the Wehrmacht attacked on Sept . 2 in two spots - Mikołów / Pszczyna , and Wysoka / Rabka . Near Pszczyna , Polish 6th I . D . failed to halt the 5th Panzer Division , and in the morning of the same day , the 2nd Panzer Division was stopped in the Battle of Jordanów . At the same time , however , the Germans won the Battle of Węgierska Górka . In the afternoon of September 2 , the situation of Kraków Army turned critical . German panzers attacked in large formations in the area of Koziegłowy in the north , and in the area of Jordanów in the south . Furthermore , breach of the Polish lines near Pszczyna caused another problem , as it gave the Germans an opportunity to bypass the Upper Silesian fortifications . As a result , General Szylling , in a conversation with Marshall Śmigły - Rydz stated that it was necessary to withdraw from Upper Silesia and Zaolzie , and to retreat towards Kraków . The Marshall gave tentative permission at 16 : 00 on Sept . 2 , urging Szylling to press his soldiers to do their best . In the evening of September 2 , the situation deteriorated further , as Kraków Cavalry Brigade was pushed behind the Warta , and the distance to the retreating remnants of the 7th I . D . was some 30 kilometres . German 2nd Light Division entered this gap , advancing towards Żarki . The Luftwaffe bombed Polish towns and rail junctions , General Szylling was unable to locate the positions of his divisions , and to get in touch with their commandants . At 18 : 00 , Szylling once again talked with Śmigły - Rydz , and 30 minutes later , the Marshall agreed to the withdrawal of Kraków Army to the line marked by the Nida and Dunajec rivers . It was a difficult decision , as it meant that the pre - war Polish defensive plan ( see Plan West ) was abandoned . Śmigły - Rydz , however , hoped that the retreat would save Kraków Army from complete destruction . The Retreat . In the evening of Saturday , Sept . 2 , the order to retreat reached Polish units . Kraków Cavalry Brigade , together with the 7th I . D . was to move towards Jędrzejów , halting the advance of the 2nd Light Division . 22nd Mountain I . D . was to withdraw towards Olkusz , and to support " Operational Group Silesia " ( renamed into " Operational Group Jagmin " ) , which itself was to retreat behind the Przemsza . " Operational Group Bielsko " ( renamed into " Operational Group Boruta " ) was to withdraw behind the Skawa , and to take positions between Zator and Wadowice . General retreat towards the Dunajec and the Nida was to begin in the night of September 2 / 3 . . General Szylling specified that units located in the centre of the front were to retreat first , to avoid being surrounded by German panzers advancing fast both in the north and the south . This plan failed , as Polish 7th I . D . was completely destroyed in the morning of Sunday , September 3 , by the 14th Infantry Division , the 4th Infantry Division , and the 2nd Light Division . The retreat itself did not improve the situation of Kraków Army , as it lost its fortified defensive positions , together with heavy equipment , which was abandoned . Polish historians Czesław Grzelak and Henryk Stańczyk in their book " Kampania polska 1939 roku " write that several historians question the decision of General Szylling , as in their opinion the decision to withdraw eastwards on the second day of the war was premature . Tadeusz Jurga wrote : " To remain in defensive positions would result in halting the advance of the German 10th Army , which later destroyed Prusy Army ( . . . ) Furthermore , defensive positions of Kraków Army were based on fortifications , which had been built before the war . These fortifications eliminated technological superiority of the Wehrmacht . To abandon them and to fight in the open lowered defensive abilities of Kraków Army " . The decision to abandon southwestern Poland had far - reaching consequences , as Kraków Army was the centre point of the defensive plan . Its new line of defence along the Dunajec and the Nida was ill - prepared , and the retreat itself turned out to be very difficult , as Polish units were under constant pressure of the Luftwaffe and German motorized divisions . In the morning of September 3 , General Szylling ordered general retreat east of Kraków , dividing his army into " Operational Group Jagmin " ( north of the Vistula , consisting of the 23rd , the 55th and the 22th I . D . ' s , together with Kraków Cavalry Brigade , and soldiers of Fortified Group Silesia ) , and " Operational Group Boruta " ( south of the Vistula , consisting of the 6th and the 21st I . D . ' s , the 10th Motorized Brigade , and the 1st Mountain Brigade ) . Szylling hoped to reach the defensive line by September 7 , and first days of retreat were relatively calm , as the Wehrmacht concentrated its efforts in the area of Piotrków Trybunalski . The End of Kraków Army . On September 5 , German 2nd Panzer Division , together with the 3rd Mountain Division and the 7th Infantry Division broke through Polish lines near Pcim , capturing Myślenice , Bochnia and Wiśnicz , thus positioning themselves in the rear of the retreating units of " Operational Group Boruta " . On the same day , " Fall 5 September " instruction was issued by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht , ordering German divisions to continue their advance towards Tarnów and Rzeszów . On September 6 , German 4th Light Division attacked Polish 24th I . D . near Tarnów , crossing the Dunajec south of Zakliczyn . Polish unit managed to halt the Germans , and its commandant , Colonel Bolesław Krzyżanowski hoped to keep the line of the Dunajec for " Operational Group Boruta " . In the evening of September 6 , General Kazimierz Fabrycy ordered him to retreat to the Wisłoka river . On the same day , Polish units abandoned Kraków . On September 6 , Marshall Śmigły - Rydz reorganized the units fighting in southern Lesser Poland . " Operational Group Boruta " was moved to Karpaty Army , and soon afterwards , Karpaty Army was merged with " Operational Group Jagmin " , creating Małopolska Army , under General Fabrycy . Śmigły - Rydz was well aware of the fact that it was impossible to hold the line of the Dunajec and the Nida , and that further retreat towards the San was the only option . Organization . The Army was commanded by general Antoni Szylling ; his chief of staff was colonel S . Wiloch . It consisted of five infantry divisions , one motorized cavalry brigade , one mountain brigade and one cavalry brigade . The 22nd Mountain Infantry Division ( Colonel Leopold Engel - Ragis ) was supposed to be the reserve of Łódź Army , but due to destruction of rail connections , this division never reached its destination in central Poland . It concentrated near Krzeszowice and Trzebinia , and on September 2 joined Kraków Army , replacing the 7th I . D . , which had been destroyed near Częstochowa .