September 15, 1939-The Battle of Jaworow, Near Lvov
The SS SS-Standarte Germania Regiment had been ordered to advance in to the villages of Przelbice, Muzylowice, and Czarnokonce. The SS had been ordered to close the roads leading east and prevent Polish troops from reaching Lvov.
The Headquarters Detachment and one battalion of SS Germania stopped in Muzylowice for the night, as well as parts of several support units from other regiments. The Krad(Motorcycle) Company was posted to another village, approx. 2 mile futher down the road.
Late in the night, the Polish 49th Hutsul Rifle Regiment and the 98th Infantry Regiment of the 38th Reserve Division, and units of the 11th Carpathian Division, advanced on the Germans, with unloaded weapons, bayonets, and in complete silence. They overtook and completely destroyed the Krad Company, without alerting the SS Germania pickets in Muzylowice.
The Poles then advanced to within earshot of the town, and with orders not to load their weapons until after combat had begun for complete silence, charged in to the sleeping Germans.
It was complete chaos, and the SS were taken completely by surprise.
FROM WIKI:
After 30-minutes of fierce hand-to-hand combat, which started at 9 pm, the Germans suffered heavy casualties, with at least 205 KIA and WIA. The commander of the III battalion SS-Obersturmbannführer Willy Koeppen and the regiment’s aide-de-camp SS-Obersturmführer Schomburg were among those killed by bayonets.
The regiment’s HQ fled to Jaworow and German soldiers scattered in panic across the area. Several prisoners were taken and the SS lost almost all of its heavy equipment, including 16 75mm artillery pieces, 8 105mm artillery pieces, 15 AT guns, the majority of mortars, plus all vehicles (20 armored vehicles and transporters, 70 motorcycles, 50 trucks and cars).
The Poles lost 32 men, mostly by friendly mortar fire.
SS Germania was basicly knocked out of the campaign by these losses, but strategicly, the battle made no difference at all for the outcome, as the Poles weren’t organized enough to take any advanyage of it.
“GERMANIA” was, I believe, part of the SS “VERFUNGENSTRUPPE” [subsequently renamed “DAS REICH”] Division. Where was the rest of the Division?
“GERMANIA” was transferred after the campaign in the West to the newly formed 5th SS “WIKING” Division, commanded by Felix Steiner.