THE BATTLES FOR RAWICZ 3-4 February and 5-6 February 1919
Marek Rezler
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Both battles for Rawicz, as well as earlier fighting in the vicinity of Poniec and Kąkolewo, were among clashes fought on the southern and south-western fronts of the uprising.
In February 1919, the Southern Front, commanded by Second Lieutenant Władysław Wawrzyniak, was divided into four sections:
– I (Górka) – commander: Second Lieutenant Alfons Breza,
– II (Krotoszyn) – commander: Second Lieutenant Marian Modrzejewski,
– III (Odolanów) – commander: Sergeant Feliks Witecki,
– IV (Ostrzeszów) – commander: Second Lieutenant Stanisław Thiel.
On 13 February, command of the front was taken over by Colonel Adolf Jan Kuczewski. The total Polish forces on the front consisted of approximately 2100 soldiers. In this section, the Germans had the forces of the Leszno garrison. Furthermore, the following German units were also stationed in the vicinity:
– the 6th Grenadier Regiment (formerly in Poznań, now in Rawicz),
– the 11th Grenadier Regiment (from Wrocław),
– the 37th Infantry Regiment (from Krotoszyn),
– a voluntary battalion of Hannover riflemen,
– the 1st Uhlan Regiment (from Milicz),
– the 4th Uhlan Regiment,
– the 5th Cuirassier Regiment,
– the 5th Heavy Artillery Regiment (formerly in Poznań),
– an infantry battalion and 2 field artillery battalions in Międzyborz,
– a field artillery regiment of the Twardogóra guard,
– some units from Kępno, Bralin and Słupia Kapitulna (250 people),
– a group from Oleśnica.
Despite the large number of units, it should be noted that in most cases the number of soldiers differed quite considerably from the number initially assumed by commanders. The disproportion of forces was very clear. The Polish decision on occupying Rawicz was rather of emotional and prestigious significance. The German forces in Rawicz and its vicinity were commanded by General Kurt von dem Borne.
On 23 January 1919, the Germans wanted to occupy Miejska Górka. Their attack, however, was a failure despite all their artillery, and the German side decided to limit its activity in this section to firing at the Polish positions from cannons. Given this situation, the Poles decided to undertake offensive manoeuvres aimed at occupying Rawicz.
In early February, the German forces in the Rawicz-Leszno section comprised:
– the 6th and 11th Grenadier Regiments,
– the 37th Fusilier Regiment,
– the 50th Infantry Regiment (Leszno, Rawicz),
– the 56th Field Light Artillery Regiment,
– the 5th Heavy Artillery Regiment,
– the 5th Sapper Battalion (Leszno).
The composition of the Polish forces did not change.