Battle of Porytowe Wzgórze The Battle of Porytowe Wzgórze ( Porytowe Hill ) took place on June 14 , 1944 , between Polish and Russian partisans and Nazi German forces . It was the largest battle between underground anti - Nazi resistance and German occupation forces in occupied Europe . Prelude . In the Spring of 1944 numerous partisan units operated in the Lublin region , including those associated with the Home Army ( AK ) , Bataliony Chłopskie ( BCh ) , National Military Organization ( NOW ) as well as the communist Armia Ludowa ( AL ) and Russian partisans . These fighters kept being pushed westward by the Germans , as the front approached from the east . The activities of the partisan units mostly consisted of attacks on German supply lines and convoys . As a result , in May 1944 , the Germans developed a detailed plan of an anti - partisan action , code named " Sturmwind " ( Storm - wind ) which they put into effect in early June . The purpose of the operation was the elimination of Polish and Russian partisan units from the area of Janów Forests . The German commander in charge was General Siegfried Haenicke . The Russian partisans were under the command of Nikolai Prokopiuk . The NOW - AK forces were commanded by Bolesław Usow ( the top commander of the unit , Franciszek Przysiężniak was not present until later ) and the AL units by Stanisław Szelest . There were also several " mixed " units under various commanders . The battle . On 14 June the Polish and Russian partisans , numbering around 3 , 000 in total , found themselves tightly surrounded by German forces . The German units consisted of between 25 , 000 and 30 , 000 soldiers , with artillery , tanks , armored cars and air support . After an artillery and mortar barrage , the Germans managed to make two breaks in the partisans ' line of defense . However , these attacks were eventually driven back , although at a high cost to the Poles and Russians . The Germans , relying on their superior numbers and armaments , managed to take control of a small wood nearby from which they could keep the partisans under constant fire , causing high casualties among them . Using this as a base for further attacks , German forces managed to seize the western side of the Porytowe Hill which breached the main line of defense . However , the Poles and Russians soon counterattacked , recovered the lost positions and , that night ( of 14 June ) , made an attempt to break out of the from the trap . The main columns of partisans , after fierce fighting , many casualties and a forced 40 kilometer march , managed to reach the relative safety of the Solska Wilderness . Partisan casualties were about 250 , including around 125 killed or missing . 495 Wehrmacht soldiers also died , as well as an unknown number of German police and auxiliary forces . Aftermath . While the partisans managed to break out of the trap and effectively win a temporary victory , the Germans had already planned a follow up operation , " Sturmwind II " , centered around the Solska Wilderness , which led to the Battle of Osuchy at the end of June . The Wehrmacht managed to accomplish in Sturmwind II / Osuchy what they failed to do in Sturmwind I / Porytowe Wzgórze .