6th Polish Airborne Division
The 6th Polish Airborne Division / 6th Pomeranian Airborne Division (6 DPD), ( Polish. 6 Pomorska Dywizja Powietrznodesantowa), was a large airborne unit of the Polish People's Army within the Warsaw Pact Army from 1957 to 1986 . The soldiers of this division were also called “red berets” (Polish “Czerwone berety” ) because of their burgundy headgear . Characteristic for the association was a different camouflage pattern of their field uniform and the permission to wear rolled up sleeves outside of the accommodation areas.
assignment
In the context of a possible military conflict between the Warsaw Pact and NATO, there were plans for the Polish People's Army to carry out an attack (Operacjia Jutlandii - Jutland operational direction) on the North German lowlands of West Germany and Denmark in order to occupy the Baltic Corridor and to obtain full freedom of action for to win the Baltic fleet . For this purpose, an attack group of the 1st Strategic Squadron was planned for combat operations after a short warning time from the 7 ŁDD (7 Łużycka Dywizja Desantowa) and the 6 PDPD for triphibian operations (land, sea and air). This included possible airborne operations on the Danish peninsula of Zealand on day 6 of the attack .
history
The 6th Polish Airborne Division was formed on June 15, 1957 (under administrative no. 0048) and on June 26, 1957 (under administrative no. 00400) on the orders of the commander of the Warsaw Military District from the permanent personnel of the 6th Pomeranian Infantry Division (6th Dywizja Piechoty). It originally consisted of 2,013 soldiers and 36 contract employees. The armament included 111 light and 35 heavy machine guns . In addition, 14 large-caliber machine guns, 117 anti-tank weapons, 45 recoilless cannons and 45 mortars. The commander of the Warsaw Military District, Brigadier General Józef Kuropieska, intended to create a new type of division in the Polish Army. The first commander was Brigadier General Bolesław Chocha, who held this position from 1957 to 1960 . The wealth of experience of former SBS paratroopers was used for training. One innovation was the use of a different camouflage pattern.
In times of peace, the 6th DPD was subordinate to the command of the Warsaw Military District. If war broke out, it would be placed under the command of the Polish front.
The 19th independent reconnaissance battalion was renamed to the 6th DPD on October 20, 1959 and in 1961 to the 18th airborne battalion. This unit was stationed at the Bielsko garrison. In 1964 the 6th Security and Repair Battalion and two years later the 35th self-propelled artillery division. In December 1967, the 33rd Reserve Airborne Battalion and the 6th Air Defense Division Artillery Division. On December 12, 1981 , the 6th DPD was ordered to open the Palace for Culture and Science, the Polish radio and television center at Ul. Occupy Woronicza and Okęcie Airport . This was followed by a landing at Okęcie Airport in the early hours of the morning on December 13, 1981 .
In 1986 the target number of the 6th DPD was reduced and renamed the 6th Pomeranian Airborne Brigade, which in turn was converted into the 6th Landing and Assault Brigade in 1992 , and finally on July 1, 2010 again into the 6th Airborne Brigade “Brig. Gene. Stanisław Sosabowski ”was renamed.
structure
- Staff 6 PDPD, Krakow
- 6th Airborne Battalion (6th Batalion Powietrznodesantowy), Niepołomice
- 10th Airborne Battalion (10th Batalion Powietrznodesantowy), Oświęcim
- 16th Kołobrzeski Airborne Battalion (16 Kołobrzeski Batalion powietrznodesantowy), Krakow
- 18th Kołobrzeski Airborne Battalion (18th Kołobrzeski Batalion Powietrznodesantowy), Bielsko-Biała
- 9th School Airborne Battalion (9th Szkolny Batalion Powietrznodesantowy), Niepołomice
- 33rd Reserve Airborne Battalion (33rd Batalion Powietrznodesantowy), Niepołomice, disbanded in 1976
- 6th Security and Repair Battalion (6th Batalion Zabezpieczenia i Remontu), Cracow
- 5th Divisional Artillery Department (5. Dywizjon Artylerii), Krakow
- 5th Mixed Division Artillery Department (5. Dywizjon Artylerii Mieszanej), Krakow
- 6th Air Defense Division Artillery Department (6th Dywizjon Artylerii Przeciwlotniczej), Krakow
- 35th Self-Propelled Artillery Division (35th Dywizjon Artylerii Samobieżnej), Cracow, disbanded in 1976
- 6. Telecommunication Company (6. Kompania łączności), Cracow
- 11th Pioneer Company (11th Saperów Company), Krakow
- 15th Medical Company (15th Kompania Medyczna), Cracow
- 22nd Chemical Company (22nd Kompania Chemiczna), Cracow
- 24th security company (24th Kompania Zabezpieczenia Zrzutowisk) to secure the landing sites
- 39th Road Safety Company (39 Kompania Obsługi i Regulacji Ruchu), Cracow
- 48th Reconnaissance Company (48th Kompania Rozpoznawcza), Cracow
- 8th Security Battalion (8th Batalion Zabezpieczenia)
Commanders
- Brigadier General Bolesław Chocha 1957 - July 1960
- Colonel Józef Mroczko cz.po July 1960 - 1961
- Colonel Ryszard Banach 1961-1963
- Colonel Kazimierz Makarewicz 1963
- Colonel / Brigadier General Edwin Rozłubirski August 1963 - March 1968
- Colonel Musiał cz.po March - August 1968
- Division General Edward Dysko August 1968-1972
- Colonel Florian Bogacki po 1972-1973
- Brigadier General Marian Zdrzałka 1973-1983
- Colonel January Komański 1983-1986
literature
- Hubert Marcin Królikowski: 6 Pomorska Dywizja Powietrznodesantowa . Ajaks publishing house. ISBN 978-838710319-4 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Oliver Bange: Security and State: The Alliance and Military Policy of the GDR in an International Context 1969 to 1990. Ch. Links Verlag. 2017. p. 307. ISBN 978-3861-53934-6 .
- ↑ The share of the NSWP armed forces in the event of an attack with a short warning or a preceding 10-day mobilization in Frank Umbach: The red alliance: Development and disintegration of the Warsaw Pact 1955 to 1991. Ch. Links Verlag. 2005. p. 261. ISBN 978-3861-53362-7 .
- ^ Concept of Operation for the Polish Front. CIA report. 1984 (en.)
- ^ 1. Polish Front / Coastal Front for the Baltic theater of the Warsaw Pact armed forces
- ↑ Self-propelled howitzers?
- ↑ ABC Company