Video - Silent Fall of Silesia: The Chess Game Begins

1939: The calm of Silesia shatters as Luftwaffe bombs rain down. In Mikołów, the chess game begins. German forces - the 8th and 28th Infantry, backed by the 5th Armored Division - push against the Polish Operational Group Silesia. By nightfall, the 5th Armored punches through defenses near Pszczyna, creating a critical gap. September 2: Artillery thunders at dawn. Two German battalions advance on Tychy, clashing fiercely with Polish units at Zwakow. Despite holding Wyry, Polish command orders a general withdrawal by 9 PM. The retreat unfolds under cover of darkness. By September 3, Upper Silesia falls silent as Polish forces march east, their next rendezvous with fate awaiting at Tomaszów Lubelski. In this early test, the 73rd Infantry Regiment from Katowice emerges as a force to be reckoned with.