The Pomorska Brigade - The Real Story Quiz

Answer: Sept. 1, 1939

The Polish Cavalry charge took place on the first day of the German invasion.

Answer: Col. Mastalerz

Col. Mastalerz and his entire staff took part in the attack. It was life or death for their country, so all members participated.

Answer: False

The story of the charge was circulated by Italian press which visited the site on Sept. 2. All the press saw was tanks, men, and horses strewn about the field. The truth is that the Poles came upon the German 20th Mototrized Div., who were out of their tanks, resting.

The Poles did charge, with lances, and killed many of the unarmed Germans. As they began to retreat after the attack, a German motorized gun came up the road, and proceeded to fire into the Polish line. It became a slaughterhouse.

Answer: 300

Of the three hundred men who took part, over 150 were killed, along with the horses they rode. The exact numbers are not known, as the Polish Army fell apart, and ended up surrendering to the powerful Germans.

Answer: Heinz Guderian

Guderian became famous for his "blitzkrieg" tactics.

Answer: Chojnice

Chojnice had a population of about 13,000 in 1939. Today it has about 40,000 residents. It is located in what would have been known as Pomerania. Later in the war the town took on a more sinister role. It appears to have been very anti-Semitic, as were other Polish towns.

A book, "The Butcher's Tale", was written about Poles in the town who turned on fellow Jewish Poles, delivering them into Nazi hands.

Answer: William Shirer

Shirer was taken to the battlefield on Sept. 3rd, and shown the bodies and horses still strewn about the area. The Germans had already taken their dead away, so it appeared that only Poles had been killed. Shirer reported the story, incorrectly, and help spread the myth of horsemen charging tanks.

Answer: Meet and calm the troops

The German tanks in the area took such a pounding from Polish resistance that Guderian made a trip to meet with his men to calm their nerves. They had been led to believe it would be an easy victory, yet they met pockets of fierce Polish fighting. Many of the German troops were young, raw recruits, and the fierce resistance they met began to cause a slight bit of panic.

Answer: Bugles

Just like in American westerns, the Poles used bugle calls to control battle movements.

Answer: False

For whatever reason, their is very little information on this entire subject. There is not even a mention of it in the official tourist site of the town of Chojnice. So to my knowledge, there is no official memorial to the brave Poles. This is very unfortunate. This was an act of heroism, as was the acts of every Pole who stood against a powerful foe invading their homeland.