The 2nd Podhale Rifles Regiment (Polish: 2 Pułk Strzelców Podhalańskich) was an infantry unit of the Polish Armed Forces, stationed in the garrison of Sanok, forming part of the 22nd Mountain Infantry Division.
Formation and border conflicts The regiment was established on 31 October 1918, based on the reserve battalion of the Austro-Hungarian 32nd Landwehr Infantry Regiment in Bochnia, under the command of Major , later promoted to general. It was subsequently redesignated as the 2nd Podhale Rifles Regiment. It was the only regiment of the later Corps District X formed on Polish soil. On 9 December 1918, the 1st Battalion was formed, stationed in Sanok. The 2nd Battalion was established in mid-December in Bochnia, and the 3rd Battalion in spring 1919 in Nowy Targ. On 13 December 1918, the 1st Battalion, led by Lieutenant , saw its first combat near the village of Krościenko on the Strviazh river, participating in battles near Zagórz and Chyrów, and later within the Bug Group in the areas of Rawa Ruska, Tarnopol, and Gajów Dytkowiecki. The 2nd Battalion, after defending the south-western border in Spiš, joined the Ukrainian front in mid-January 1919, fighting alongside the 1st Battalion in the Bug Group under General Henryk Minkiewicz. The 3rd Battalion was deployed to the Czech border. In July 1919, the regiment was sent to Pokuttia to guard the Romanian border. In spring 1920, the regiment united all its battalions and joined the 1st Mountain Brigade. In December 1919, the regiment's reserve battalion was stationed in Nowy Targ.
In March 1920, the regiment moved to the Bolshevik front at Dubno, later to Sławeczno, where the 3rd Battalion, previously guarding the Czech border, rejoined. The regiment participated in the Kyiv offensive, distinguishing itself in battles at Czapowice and Malin. During the retreat, it defended Brest on the Bug river. On 8 May 1920, as part of the 1st Mountain Brigade, the regiment entered Kyiv, securing its northern suburbs. In June 1920, during the Polish retreat, it defended the Dnieper river crossing until 12 June, engaging in skirmishes with Bolshevik forces. The regiment then served as the rearguard for the 3rd Army, earning distinction in the defense of Brest. Its soldiers participated in the Polish counteroffensive starting 16 August, capturing Kock, Łuków, Siedlce, Sokołów, Białystok, and Gródek. After a few days, it fought along the Sidra river. The regiment concluded its combat operations with a three-day battle at Kuźnica on 23 September 1920. On 4 October, it participated in capturing Grodno.
Recipients of the Virtuti Militari
Soldiers of the regiment awarded the Silver Cross of the Military Order Virtuti Militari for the 1918–1920 war:
Platoon Leader Piotr Adamczyk Deceased Corporal Władysław Barnaś Second Lieutenant Feliks Bielecki Sergeant Stanisław Cewik Senior Rifleman Jan Cetnarowicz Deceased Second Lieutenant Tadeusz Dąbrowiecki Deceased Lieutenant Jan Dutka Corporal Jakub Gorczowski Sergeant Franciszek Holicz Senior Rifleman Antoni Kapałka Captain Captain Senior Rifleman Władysław Kuzior Sergeant Stanisław Lipiński Captain Second Lieutenant Captain Senior Sergeant Stanisław Mąka Rifleman Andrzej Molek Senior Rifleman Józef Nowak Lieutenant Senior Sergeant Lieutenant Lieutenant Lieutenant Juliusz Strelinger Captain Captain Senior Rifleman Stanisław Świątek Colonel Senior Sergeant Michał Tyrkiel Sergeant Aleksander Weyda Lieutenant Corporal Jan Wójs Platoon Leader Stanisław Zawada Captain Second Lieutenant
Peacetime activities
On 6 December 1920, the regiment arrived in Sanok, with an official reception held on 12 December. During the ceremony, local high school professor and Lieutenant Colonel delivered speeches. From the outset, efforts were made to integrate the military community with the city's residents. In 1922, the regiment had 87 officers: 3 colonels, 16 majors, 20 captains, 34 lieutenants, and 12 second lieutenants. By 1924, there were 58 regular and 14 supernumerary officers, and in 1928, 40 regular officers (2 colonels, 3 majors, 17 captains, 16 lieutenants, 2 second lieutenants) and 11 supernumerary. In 1932, there were 48 regular officers (1 colonel, 1 lieutenant colonel, 5 majors, 17 captains, 16 lieutenants, 8 second lieutenants).
In the early 1920s, the regiment's deployment was split: the headquarters, 1st and 2nd Battalions, and the reserve battalion cadre were stationed in Sanok, while the 3rd Battalion was in Dębica. Later, the entire regiment was consolidated in Sanok. The headquarters operated from the former barracks at 21 Adam Mickiewicz Street, with battalions stationed separately: 1st Battalion at the building on John III Sobieski Street, 2nd Battalion at the barracks at Adam Mickiewicz Street, 3rd Battalion and infantry artillery platoon at the barracks in Olchowce district.
The regiment actively participated in city life, contributing to the construction of the , a cultural hub for both the regiment and residents.
Based on the 1930 Ministry of Military Affairs order introducing peacetime infantry organization (PS 10-50), the regiment was classified as a Type I infantry regiment ("normal"). It received approximately 610 recruits annually, with a strength of 56 officers and 1,500 non-commissioned officers and privates. In winter, it comprised an older-year battalion, a training battalion, and a skeleton battalion; in summer, an older-year battalion and two conscript battalions. After the new organization, the regiment trained recruits for the Border Protection Corps.
The regiment maintained an officers' choir, conducted by Captain . The regimental band, led in the 1920s by Lieutenant , won first place in a national military bands competition. Later, Captain led the band to second place in a competition held by the in Przemyśl in October 1928. In the 1930s, Lieutenant Stanisław Węgrzynowski was the bandmaster. The band performed at Adam Mickiewicz Park and regularly for spa guests in Iwonicz-Zdrój. During the Mountain Rally in Sanok from 14 to 17 August 1936, a competition and festival of Podhale Rifles regiments' bands was held.
From 1921, the regiment developed sports activities, and by 1924, it had a stadium with a 460-meter track, a grandstand, an obstacle course, a fencing area, a grenade-throwing range, and a games field. The regiment was represented in Sanok by the Podhalanin sports club. The Podhalanie football team included Major and Lieutenant Roman Folwarczny as forwards, with Folwarczny and Captain initiating the construction of the . The regiment also sponsored the 2nd Podhale Rifles Ski Association, which organized ski courses in Nowy Łupków, led by Captain , and the Military Sports Club, headed by Major . Major chaired the Sanoczanka Ski Section of the Sanok branch of the . Every soldier was trained in skiing, with instructors including Lieutenant Roman Folwarczny, Senior Sergeant Biner, and Private Skupień from Zakopane, a member of the Polish national team.
On 6 March 1930, regiment soldiers participated in suppressing the Hunger March demonstration. In 1931, due to the regiment's presence, the Christ the King parish was established in Sanok, with chaplains Father and Father .
Between 21 June and 9 July 1932, two regimental companies helped restore order in several Lesko communes during the Lesko uprising. In 1936, the regiment co-organized the Mountain Rally in Sanok. In 1938, the regiment honored the Sanok City Council with its badge. That year, a guesthouse was built at 30 2 Pułku Strzelców Podhalańskich Street for rest and meals. The Podhalanka restaurant operated at 3 Adam Mickiewicz Street. The Podhalanin cinema operated at the Polish Soldier's Home at 14 Adam Mickiewicz Street. The 2nd Podhale Rifles Consumer Cooperative and a branch library of the Polish White Cross, with about 150 books in 1933, also operated. During World War II, under German occupation, saved part of the regimental library, later donating 500 volumes to the Central Military Library.
The regimental holiday was celebrated on 23 September, commemorating the 1920 battle against the Red Army at Kuźnica.
The District Recruitment Command was located at 9 John III Sobieski Street, and the military police post at 7 Zamkowa Street.
After 1930, , wife of Colonel , founded the Sanok branch of the . Later, Irena Szpakowska, wife of Lieutenant Colonel , served as its president. Photographs of the regiment were taken by Franciszek Strachocki, whose studio was opposite the barracks on Adam Mickiewicz Street.
September Campaign In summer 1939, the Sanok County citizens donated 47,857.84 PLN for military equipment, collected by the County Army Gift Committee, with records transferred to the Sanok Land Museum.
On the night of 4 September, the regiment retreated through Wolbrom, Działoszyce, and Skalbmierz to the Nida river. The first battle occurred at Mękarzowice on 7 September. On 9 September, under Colonel Leopold Endel-Ragis, the regiment fought heavily at Bronina, then moved to Stopnica, where it clashed with German forces. The division reached Rytwiany, planning a feint attack on Staszów. On 10 September, the division was defeated by the German 5th Panzer Division. The regiment broke through to the Mokre forest, gathering survivors from the 5th Podhale Rifles Infantry Regiment. The regimental staff stayed at the Grzybowska forester's lodge with forester , but was soon surrounded by German forces and forced to surrender. Officers and non-commissioned officers were taken prisoner, while soldiers were released. The Germans seized the regiment's weapons and equipment.
With the chief of staff's consent, hid the regimental banner. In spring 1941, fearing searches, it was moved to Sichów Duży and stored with the Pikul family, then from 1943 with the Witkowski family in Wilkowa. In August 1944, it returned to Jedynak's lodge in the Mokre forest. In 1957, after refusing to join the Communist Party, the Jedynak family was evicted and relocated to Staszów with the banner, staying with the Strojny family. In 1960, they moved to their new home at 19 Oględowska Street. In 1963, Jedynak informed military authorities in Kielce about the banner. General Mieczysław Moczar arrived with an escort, and as Jedynak retrieved the banner from the attic, military honors were rendered. The banner was taken to Warsaw and, in the presence of Polish Army and Polish United Workers' Party representatives, Jedynak handed it over to the Polish Army Museum after 24 years of safekeeping.
Many officers were interned at Oflag VII-A Murnau, where food was supplied through , a brewery lessee in Zarszyn, and , codenamed Gram, commander of the Sanok District of the Union of Armed Struggle and Home Army.
Podhale Rifles
Sources:
Regimental commanders General (1918–1919) Lieutenant Colonel (1919–1920) Major (1920) Colonel (16 April 1920 – 28 February 1922) Colonel (until July 1922 → commander of the ) Colonel Edmund Koczorowski (until March 1923 → commander ) Colonel (March 1923 – 22 July 1927 → member of the ) Lieutenant Colonel (22 July 1927 – 31 March 1930) Colonel (31 March 1930 – † 19 October 1932) Lieutenant Colonel (28 June 1933 – † 17 November 1935) Lieutenant Colonel (27 November 1935 – † 22 July 1936) Colonel (13 June 1936 – 1 December 1938) Lieutenant Colonel Stefan Szlaszewski (1 December 1938 – 10 September 1939)
Deputy commanders (from 1938 – First Deputy Commander) Lieutenant Colonel (10 July 1922 – 1923 → deputy commander of the 11th Infantry Regiment) Major/Lieutenant Colonel (March 1924 – January 1928) Lieutenant Colonel (26 April 1928 – 12 March 1929 → acting commander of the ) Lieutenant Colonel Eng. (27 April 1929 – 28 January 1931 → commander of the ) Lieutenant Colonel Rafał Zieleniewski (28 January – 23 October 1931 → deputy commander of the )