Podhale rifles

Podhale rifles

ImageStackRight|220

Podhale rifles ( _pl. Strzelcy podhalańscy) is a traditional name of the mountain infantry units of the Polish Army. Formed in 1918 out of volunteers of the region of Podhale, in 1919 the smaller detachments of Podhale rifles were pressed into two mountain infantry divisions, the 21st Mountain Infantry and 22nd Mountain Infantry Divisions, as well as into three brigades of mountain infantry. Considered an elite of the Polish Army, the units were roughly equivalent to the German Gebirgsjäger troops.

After the Polish defeat in the Polish September Campaign, the Podhale units were recreated in France as Polish Independent Highland Brigade, had seen some action at Narvik, and later fought in the Battle of France and fled into Switzerland upon the French defeat. Some units were also created in the underground as part of the partisan forces of the Armia Krajowa. The traditions of the Podhale rifles are continued by the modern 21st Podhale Rifles Brigade.

The traditional symbols of the Podhale rifles include the edelweiss flower and the Mountain Cross, a swastika symbol popular in folk culture of the Polish mountainous regions. The units of Podhale rifles, both historical and modern, are notable for their high morale and distinctive uniforms. Prior to World War II the mountain units were one of only two infantry units wearing non-standard uniforms based on Mountaineer folk garment rather than military uniforms. This tradition is continued.

Units and their badges

The table below shows the allegiance of the regiments of Podhale Rifles as of September 1, 1939.

See also

* Mieczysław Boruta-Spiechowicz
* France: Chasseurs Alpins
* Germany: Gebirgsjäger
* Italy: Alpini
* Romania: Vânători de Munte

External links

* [http://www.wawel.net/images/14_listopad_2004/11_list/htm/6.htm Banner of the 21st Brigade]
* [http://www.pilsudski.krakow.pl/aktual/3maja/3maj4.htm Podhale rifles in Kraków]
* [http://www.przemysl.pl/serwis/IMGallery/galeria.php?kategoria=15 Podhale rifles in Przemyśl, 2007]
* [http://www.nowytarg.pl/picofday.php?cat=38 Podhale rifles in Nowy Sącz, 2007]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Mountain warfare — Warfare Military history Eras Prehistoric Ancient Medieval Gunpowder Industrial …   Wikipedia

  • 22nd Mountain Infantry Division (Poland) — Infobox Military Unit unit name= caption=The Highlander Cross badge worn on the collars of the Podhale Rifles Regiment country=Poland allegiance= type=Mountain infantry branch=Land forces dates=1919 1944 specialization=Mountain warfare command… …   Wikipedia

  • Mieczysław Boruta-Spiechowicz — Nickname Kopa, Morawski Born February 20, 1894(1894 02 20) Rzeszów, Austria Hungary Died October 13, 1985( …   Wikipedia

  • Stefan Szlaszewski — was a Polish military officer and a notable commander of mountain troops of the Polish Army in the period preceding the World War II. Serving in the rank of Colonel, among other posts, he was the commanding officer of the Polish 2nd Podhale… …   Wikipedia

  • 21st Mountain Infantry Division (Poland) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=21st Mountain Infantry Division caption=The Highlander Cross badge worn on the collars of the Podhale Rifles Regiments country=Poland allegiance= type=Mountain infantry branch=Land forces dates=1919 1944… …   Wikipedia

  • Polish Independent Highland Brigade — SBSP redirects here. For other uses, see SBSP (disambiguation). Polish Independent Highland Brigade ( pl. Samodzielna Brygada Strzelców Podhalańskich) was Polish military unit created in France in 1939, after the fall of Poland, as part of the… …   Wikipedia

  • Western use of the Swastika in the early 20th century — adopted the symbol in the 1920s, it continued in use in Western countries with its original meaning until the Nazi association became dominant in the 1930s. The term swastika is first attested in English in 1871, and first refers to the Nazi… …   Wikipedia

  • Stanisław Sosabowski — Infobox Military Person name=Stanisław Sosabowski placeofbirth=Stanisławów, Galicia, now Ukraine date of death=death date and age|1967|9|25|1892|5|8|mf=y placeofdeath=Hillingdon, United Kingdom serviceyears=1913 units=CO of 21st Infantry Regiment …   Wikipedia

  • Vânători de Munte — The Vânători de Munte (IPA2|vɨ.nə torʲ de mun.te, English translation: Mountain Rifles, lit. Mountain Hunters/Rangers) are the elite mountain troops of the Romanian Land Forces. They were first established as an independent Army Corps in 1916… …   Wikipedia

  • Ski warfare — Ski warfare, the use of ski equipped troops in war, is first recorded by the Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus in the 13th century. The speed and distance that ski troops are able to cover is comparable to that of light cavalry. History… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”