主题：【文摘】波兰骑兵最后的战斗 -- 花满河

骑士的荣誉――波兰骑兵最后的战斗

1939年9月1日凌晨4时45分，德军以迅雷不及掩耳之势侵入波兰，波兰军队奋力抵抗。

德军以每天50-60公里的速度向波兰境腹地突进。伦斯德的南路集团军群以赖歇瑙的第10集团军为中路主力，以利斯特的第14集团军为右翼，在左翼布拉斯科维兹的第8集团军掩护下，从西面和西南面向维斯瓦河中游挺进；包克的北路集团军群以克鲁格的第4集团军为主力，向东直插“波兰走廊”，另以屈希勒尔的第3集团军从东普鲁士向南直扑华沙及华沙后方的布格河。

这是人类战争史上空前规模的机械化部队大进军。在这场大进军中，德国装甲兵创始人古德里安成功地实践了他的装甲兵理论，率领第19装甲军取得了辉煌的胜利。第19装甲军隶属北路集团军群第4集团军，辖有1个装甲师、2个摩托化师和1个步兵师。它既是第4集团军的中路，又是集团军的攻击前锋。开战后，古德里安率部迅速突破波兰边境防线，9月1日晚渡过布拉希河，9月3日推进至维斯瓦河一线，完成了对“波兰走廊”地区波军“波莫瑞”集团军的合围。在围歼波军的作战中，被围的波军显然还不了解坦克的性能，以为坦克的装甲不过是些用锡板做成的伪装物，是用来下唬人的。于是波兰骑兵蜂拥而上，用他们的手中的马刀和长矛向德军的坦克发起猛攻。德军见状大吃一惊，但很快就清醒过来，毫不留情地用坦克炮和机枪向波军扫射，用履带碾压波军。波兰骑士想象中的战场决斗化成了一场实力悬殊的屠杀。古德里安战后在其回忆录中描述道：“到9月3日，我们对敌人已经形成了合围之势--当前的敌军都被包围在希维兹以北和格劳顿兹以西的森林地区里面。波兰的骑兵，因为不懂得我们坦克的性能，结果遭到了极大的损失。有一个波兰炮兵团正向维斯托拉方向行动，途中为我们的坦克所追上，全部被歼灭，只有两门炮有过发射的机会。波兰的步兵也死伤惨重。他们一部分架桥纵列在撤退中被捕获，其余全被歼灭。” 至9月4日，波军“波莫瑞”集团军的3个步兵师和1个骑兵旅全部被歼灭，而古德里安指挥的4个师一共只死亡150人，伤700人。第二天，希特勒来到第19装甲军视察，古德里安在向希特勒谈论这次作战的主要经验时说：“波兰人的勇敢和坚强是不可低估的，甚至是令人吃惊的。但在这次战役中我们的损失之所以会这样小，完全是因为我们的坦克发挥了高度威力的缘故。”古德里安对于坦克集群的结论，给希特勒留下了深刻的印象。

作为战争史上的最后一支传统的骑兵部队，波兰骑兵用他们的顽强抵抗的精神捍卫了骑士的荣誉。

原文来自：http://www.polishnews.com/fulltext/history/2001/history4.shtml

在骑兵挥舞军刀英勇进击的传统影响下，波兰骑兵旅与一个由步兵和坦克组成的纵队大战，而这只是1939年波兰人抵抗德军入侵的一个片段。

作为1939年9月第二次世界大战初期波兰战役的参与者，我将给你讲述一个骑兵真实的故事。虽然那是59年前的事，但现在看来它像是已经过了一个世纪！这也许是战争史上骑兵的最后一次光荣战斗。挥舞军刀，高喊“疾驰，前进！”口令的骑兵旅有机会取胜吗？内战期间苏联骑兵队的前指挥官，老元帅Semion Budenny不会同意这个观点。（这位80多岁退休后依然每天骑马的老元帅1967年在莫斯科接受纽约时报记者采访被问到：“依您的看法，骑兵在下次战争中将扮演什么样的角色？”时，他毫不犹豫地答到：“决定性的作用！”）

我的故事只是1939年9月波兰武装部队保卫国家抵御德军入侵战斗的一个片段。当时我是第三轻装马团第3骑兵队的一个排长。我的排被安排在部队的最左边，这使我能在疾驰中看到整个团的骑士和他们的马。那是令我永生难忘的壮丽景象。

由三个骑兵团，一个炮兵团和一组轻型装甲车组成的Suwalki骑兵旅被安置在东普鲁士边境，*近立陶宛边境的地区。它的任务是阻止General von Kuechler的左翼部队从东普鲁士进攻华沙，从9月1日起，它在Narew军团右翼与敌人日夜鏖战。

这支部队被德军强大的火力和装甲压制。骑兵旅比步兵更加灵活机动并且被安置在Narew军团的右翼，在德军开始进攻时受到的影响不大；因此，我们在第一天的战斗中损失相对较小。

在9月7日早晨，骑兵旅仍驻扎在离东普鲁士边境40英里的地方。它与从东普鲁士前来增援的德军骑兵师打了一场防御战，这支骑兵师是德国当时拥有的唯一骑兵部队。

侵略者的部队在数量上占有绝对优势。我们能与他们数百辆坦克对抗的全部武器只是大约20辆轻型装甲侦察车和24门反坦克炮。在火力上，德军有大约九倍于我们的优势。看上去，拥有强大火力和装甲优势的德国人能够像用刀穿过面包一样刺穿骑兵团的阵地。

然而，在这场不公平的战争面前，我们没有放弃。我们清楚地知道必须适应新型战争方式的事实。

终究，我们必须从不断的探索中得到一种在战斗中容易取胜的方法。每天，我们与敌人作战的技巧都在改进。这是一种追逐、伏击和使用计谋的技巧。

一种看上去很难对付的坦克出现了，尤其是在夜晚，一些鲁莽的人有勇气去接近它并向它投掷汽油弹，但这种攻击是无效的。另一些人爬上去用集束手榴弹破坏这些坦克的履带。在第一周的战斗中，我们的反坦克炮摧毁了敌人的31辆装甲车，其中我们用汽油弹和手榴弹摧毁了至少十二辆，并接管了200名俘虏。

就这样，我们从骄傲的骑兵旅逐渐变成了坦克猎人。夜晚我们藏身于森林中，悄无声息的行动，在敌人休息和行进中攻击他们。

但大家意识到，我们终究是没有希望获胜的。我们在兵力和火力上处于劣势。而且侵略者得到了上天的帮忙，晴朗的天气使他们的坦克能够迅速的前进，从容的炮击。

坏消息不断传来。9月8日晚上，我们通过无线电听到德国人已经逼近华沙的消息。无论如何，我们决心奋战到底。在多数时间里我们没有粮食，并且一周只有大约三个小时的睡眠时间。那些我们引以为傲的美丽栗色的战马连续几天都不能卸鞍休息。饲料也供应不足，他们变得没有精神，浑身污秽，瘦得皮包骨。

在我们心中有一个共同的愿望，在军官点名时我们也经常讨论这个问题。现代战争淘汰了骑兵，我们应该在最后一次捍卫骑兵荣誉之后光荣的退出历史舞台。

9月9日，我们突然得到了下列命令：“为了减轻德军对华沙的压力并给首都组织防御工事的时间，Suwalki旅的任务是在敌人背后声东击西，炸毁Tykocin附近的纳瑞夫河大桥，并且破坏Rypno到Fastow车站之间的铁路轨道。”在军官点名时，高大、灰发、沉默寡言的旅长General Podhorski对我们说：“

各位，我们得到了一项重要的任务。我们将破坏敌人的交通线。这项任务要求我们必须连夜赶路，并且避开大路绕行小路，然后渗透敌军防线到达Tykocin地区。当场，工程中队像计划中那样开始工作，而其他人则隐蔽起来。一旦开始执行任务，我们将首先冲入东边Bialowieza的森林。从那时起，我们将进行游击战。

虽然大家累得要死，但这个消息给我们带来了惊喜。接到旅长的命令大家都很兴奋。我们感到作为久经训练的骑兵我们终于有机会展示实力了。

在那天，我们与坦克打了4次伏击战和2次小规模遭遇战。而大家只睡了大约两个小时。

当我们在下午7点开始行动时，太阳已经落山了。团接着团，中队挨着中队，大家都在旅长前面小跑着前进，我们的旅长是一位聪明、骄傲、身经百战的老战士。我们连夜穿过灌木丛和高低不平的地带。稠密的森林掩护着我们的身影，我们避开大道，抄近路前进，这使我们一直在森林和无人区行进着。

9月9日黎明，寒冷的天空中雾气弥漫，骑兵旅到达了Zambrow大森林的北部边缘，这里距离我们要爆破的大桥大约8、9英里远。

大约在早晨6点左右，侦察兵突然向旅长报告了一个令人震惊的消息：一群敌人的步兵正沿着Rypno到Fastow的公路前进。

我们的哨兵没有发现敌人的侦察兵，但报告说一队运输卡车正和步兵平行前进。这是一个多么令人意想不到的机会！

这使旅长很难做出决定。我们隐蔽在距离敌人一英里半的森林里。发动一次突然袭击看上去非常理想。这是千载难逢的机会。但另一方面这样做有很大的危险。整个旅的一次攻击肯定会违背我们的计划。

而且，一个德国步兵队的火力强过我们的旅。他们看上去没有装甲部队，但我们的侦察兵也很有可能看错。

在片刻踌躇之后，旅长做了决定。他让骑兵旅停止前进并调头向后。大家轻快的穿过把我们和敌军分开的树林。三个团在森林边缘再次集合。我们和敌人之间隔着一条超过一英里长的树木带。在公路旁边都是干枯的草地。

由于站在较高的地方，我们能够清楚的看到整个公路的情况。那是多么壮观的情景啊！一支长长的队伍带起了漫天的烟尘，运输车在行动缓慢的步兵旁边呼啸而过。

旅长很快便下达了命令：“第一枪骑兵团和第三轻装马兵团准备攻击。第二枪骑兵团作为预备队。重机枪中队将集中火力支援这次攻击。

反坦克中队为整个部队提供掩护，防止坦克从西面的攻击。德军的装甲部队可能就在附近。同时，工程中队利用这次攻击做掩护尽快到达并破坏大桥和铁路。”

团长们立即开始执行各自的命令。部队推进到森林边缘，而工程中队留下一些人协助他们工作。我们的部队小跑着开始前进。

同时，中队在森林外的空旷地带展开形成了攻击队形。“小跑，前进”的命令响了起来。敌人还没有发现我们，高挂的太阳带来了晴朗的一天。骑士们从森林中冲出，这幅图画如此迷人以至于它好象并不真实。这是一幅为战场画家准备的多么完美的场景啊！最初我们小跑着慢慢前进。德国人显然没有注意到我们，仍然继续行军。突然，我们隐蔽在森林中的重机枪同时向敌人开火。子弹径直射向敌人的队伍。

大冒险开始了！

“拔出军刀，疾驰，前进！”命令声此起彼伏地响起。骑士们抓紧了缰绳，俯身曲向马鞍，他们向发狂的旋风一样狂奔向前。

同时，惊讶的敌军步兵全部停在了公路上。很快，这条公路变成了最狂热和混乱的地方。这里有呼喊声，混乱的命令声夹杂着此起彼伏的枪声。我们的队伍不断的向前奔驰。第一个发现我们的德国人开枪了，幸好，子弹擦着我们的头顶呼啸而过。当我们距离公路还有1500英尺时，我看到在我们重机枪的扫射下那些德国人正疯狂的乱挤。一些敌人的装甲车停了下来，另一些试图从这混乱的局势中夺路而出。一些德国士兵绝望的努力躲在路边的壕沟里。另一些则在运输车后面寻找掩护。

突然，重机枪的子弹开始射向我们。我们队伍中的先锋看上去非常恐慌。第一个中弹的骑士从马上掉了下来。我们非常接近敌人，已经能从烟尘中看出敌人模糊的轮廓。这时，为了避免误伤我们，机关枪停火了。同时，我们在几秒钟之内到达了公路。

我们的军刀和长矛在敌军中挥舞，一些狂乱的德国步兵用枪托抵挡我们的军刀。而有的仅是努力的用手臂抱住头，但我们的长矛甚至能杀伤那些藏在运输车中的敌人。

我们的冲击穿过公路并追捕那些试着逃跑的敌人。灌木丛中的机关枪仍然不断发出射向公路上敌人的子弹，他们杀伤敌人的数量也非常多。公路上的战斗基本结束。德国人开始大量的投降。一直作为预备队的第二枪骑兵团被派出去追捕逃跑的敌人。

虽然我们累的要死而且呼吸困难，但像梦一样的胜利令大家兴高采烈。而且我们没有过多的人员损失。惊慌失措的德军枪法非常拙劣，但是马的损失比较严重，损失数量大约是30到40匹，我们的人员损失初步估计为1人受伤，3人阵亡。早晨的太阳高挂在天空，我们的司号兵吹号集合。带着俘虏，我们行动缓慢。我们押解着大约200个俘虏，他们大部分被刚才的战斗吓得精神错乱。Rypno 和Fastow村燃着熊熊烈火。浓密的黑烟遮盖了清晨的天空。在撤退的过程中，残余的德军点燃了这两个无辜的村庄。这时，北方突然传来了爆炸声。几分钟后又是一声，在这不久之后，空气开始颤抖。这表明我们的工程队已经完成了他们的任务。纳瑞夫河大桥和铁路已经被破坏。

本文作者 M. Kamil DZIEWANOWSKI 是哈佛大学驻俄罗斯研究中心的一名荣誉教授，在退休以前他讲授当代俄语和东欧历史

他的文章清楚的表明，作为二战初期一名年轻的波兰骑兵军官，他参加了故事中描述的战役。

原文：

The assault by a Polish mounted brigade against a column of infantry and motors - only a fragment of the fight against the German invasion in 1939 - was executed in the glorious tradition of the horse cavalry's saber-wielding charge.

The account I am going to give you is of a cavalry charge in which I took part at the very beginning of World War II in September, 1939, in Poland. Although it all happened 59 years ago, it now seems like a century away! It may well be that this attack will rank in the history of warfare as the last great charge of cavalry. Is there another chance of the whole cavalry brigade, sword in hand, obeying the order "Gallop, march!"? The old Marshal Semion Budenny, former commander of the Soviet First Cavalry Army during the Civil War, would not agree with this. (In 1967, during an interview with The New York Times correspondent in Moscow, the old retired marshal, who is over 80 and still rides horses every day, was asked: " What role do you think cavalry will play during the next war? "Decisive!" answered Budenny without hesitation.)

My story is a fragment of the fight the Polish armed forces put up, defending their country against the German invasion in September of 1939. I was a platoon commander in the 3rd squadron, 3rd Light Horse regiment. My place was on the extreme left of the charge, so that I was able to see the whole mass of men and horses wheel around to the gallop. A grand spectacle, never to be forgotten.

The Suwalki Cavalry Brigade, stationed at the frontier of East Prussia, near the border of Lithuania, was composed of three cavalry regiments, one artillery regiment, and a group of light armored cars. Since September 1, it had been fighting night and day on the right flank of the Narew army group, whose task it was to stop the left flank of General von Kuechler's army, pressing on Warsaw from East Prussia.

The group was pushed back by the sheer weight of German firepower and armor. The brigade, being more mobile than our infantry, and assigned to the right wing of the Narew group, was less affected by the initial German push; consequently, we had relatively small losses during the first days of fighting.

Early on September 7, the brigade still stood almost 40 miles from the border of East Prussia. It was fighting a defensive battle against a light German army group, reinforced by the East Prussian cavalry division, which was the only great cavalry unit the Germans possessed at the time.

The advantage of numerical superiority was definitely with the invaders. All we could throw in against their hundreds of tanks were about 20 light armored scout cars and two dozen antitank guns. In firepower, the Germans had a superiority of about nine to one. It seemed, therefore, that the Germans, because of their superiority in firepower and armor, would cut through the live mass of Polish cavalry like a knife through a loaf of bread.

And yet, in spite of this unequal struggle, we refused to give up. We were fully aware of the fact that we had to adapt ourselves to new methods of warfare.

After all, we had to make the best conditions imposed on us by war, not of our seeking. Each day, our techniques of fighting the enemy hiding behind armor improved. It was a technique of pursuit, of ambush, and of ruses.

A machine that looked formidable at a distance began to show, especially at night, its impotence against daredevils who had the nerve to approach the tanks and throw gasoline-filled bottles. Others crept up to wreck the caterpillar treads of these tanks with bunches of hand grenades. During the first week, our antitank guns destroyed 31 enemy armored vehicles. We smashed at least a dozen of them with bottles and grenades. We took over 200 prisoners.

Thus, step by step, from a proud cavalry brigade we had turned into an outfit of tank hunters. By night we lost ourselves in woods and marched over trackless ground to harass the enemy's armored columns at rest stops or on the march.

We realized, however, that in the long run, it was all hopeless. The numbers and the firepower were against us. Moreover, the beautiful, sunny weather seemed to be conspiring with the invaders, helping the speedy progress of their armor facilitating the bombardment.

The news grew steadily worse. On the evening of September 8, we heard over the radio that the Germans were closing in on Warsaw. We resolved to do our duty, come what might. Most of the time we were hungry, and for a week we had about three hours' sleep at night. Our poor horses, those beautiful chestnut horses of which we were so proud, could not be unsaddled for days on end. With fodder growing scarce, they were becoming dispirited and vicious, sheer skeletons.

One desire was uppermost in our minds, and we discussed it in our short talks at officers' roll calls. Should modern warfare depose the cavalry, then we would make a dignified exit after just one more glorious tradition of our cavalry.

Suddenly, on September 9, we received the following order: "To relieve German pressure on Warsaw and to give the capital time to organize its defenses, the Suwalki Brigade will make a diversion on the enemy's rear, blow up the bridge over the Narew River, near Tykocin, and tear up the railway track between the stations of Rypno and Fastow." At the officers' roll call, the tall, gray-haired, taciturn brigade Commander, General Podhorski, told us:

"Gentlemen, we have received an important assignment. We are to sabotage the enemy communications. To execute our task, we must march all night over the field-paths and avoid main highways, and penetrate behind the enemy lines to reach the region of Tykocin. When on the spot, the engineering squadron will proceed with the wrecking jobs as ordered, while the rest of the brigade will act as a covering screen. Once the assignment is executed, we shall head eastward and plunge into the Bialowieza Forest. From then on we shall wage partisan warfare."

Dead tired though we were, the news electrified us. The order of the brigadier was received with joy by officers and men alike. We felt that finally we would have the chance for action as a body of cavalry in a task for which we had been trained.

On that very day, we made four ambushes against tanks and fought two skirmishes. We had little more than two hours of sleep.

We moved off around 7p.m., after the sun set. Regiment after regiment, squadron after squadron, marched at a trot before our brigadier, a smart, proud, gray-haired veteran of the last war, as he reviewed his decimated, but still brigade. It was a grueling all-night march over broken ground, through thickets and over rugged terrain. We were protected by a dense screen of patrols, but we avoided human settlements, cut across roads, and stuck to the forests and untraveled ground.

On September 9, an early dawn, misty and chilly, found the brigade at the northern edge of the large Zambrow forest, eight to nine miles from the bridge that we had to blow up.

It was almost 6a.m. when the patrols suddenly reported to the brigadier a startling piece of intelligence: a battalion of enemy infantry was marching along the highway between Rypno and Fastow.

Our sentries did not see any patrols, but reported that a column of transport trucks was moving parallel with the infantry. What an unexpected chance!

The brigade commander was hard put for a decision. We were hidden in the woods about a mile and a half from the enemy. The condition for a surprise attack seemed ideal. It was now or never. On the other hand the risk was great. An attack by the entire brigade was bound to betray our purpose.

Moreover, the firepower of a German infantry battalion was superior to that of our brigade. They seemed to have no armor but our patrols might have been mistaken.

After a few moments of hesitation our commander made up his mind. He stopped his brigade and reversed the direction of our march. We briskly crossed the strip of woods separating us from the enemy. Our three regiments assembled at the edge of the woods. Between the enemy column on the highway and us ran a strip of stubble field over a mile long. Close by the highway was a stretch of dry meadowland.

Since we stood on higher ground, we saw plainly what went on the highway. What a magnificent sight! A long sprent of troops wound its way lazily through a cloud of dust, while the motor transport swiftly flowed by the slowly marching infantry.

The brigadier's command came fast: "The 1st Lancer regiment and the 3rd Light Horse regiment prepare for a charge. The 2nd Lancer regiment will be in reserve. The brigade's heavy machine-gun squadrons will get together and support the charge with their massed fire.

The antitank squadron will screen the brigade from the west against a possible tank attack. The German's armor might be in the vicinity. Meanwhile, the engineering squadron is to take advantage of the charge to reach the bridge and the railway track as quickly as possible and blow them up."

The regimental commanders promptly carried out their respective orders. The squadron pushed ahead to the edge of the forest, while the engineering squadron left us to do their job. We could watch it marching off at a brisk trot.

Meanwhile, the squadrons stretched out in attack formation on the open field beyond the forest. The command "Trot, march" rang out. The enemy had not yet seen us, and the rising sun promised a clear day. The picture of the regiment emerging from the woods was so enchanting that it seemed unreal. What a perfect model for a battle painter! Where is our Vernet or Gericault! First we proceeded at a slow trot. The Germans still marched on, apparently unconcerned. Then suddenly our heavy machine-guns, hidden in the woods, gave tongue with a well-timed salvo. It went straight into the enemy column.

The great adventure was on!

The command "Draw sabres, gallop, march!" flew down the lines. Reins were gripped tighter. The riders bent forward in the saddles and they rushed forward like a mad whirlwind.

Meanwhile, the surprised serpent of enemy infantry on the highway stopped. Soon the road became a scene of wild confusion. There were shouts, confused orders, and chance shots. We, however, continued our gallop. Fortunately, the first German shots went over our heads. We were then about 1500 feet from the highway and saw that under fire of our heavy machine-guns the Germans were becoming a frantic mob. Some enemy armored cars stopped, while others tried to ram their way through the confusion. Some of the enemy soldiers made a desperate attempt to make a stand in the ditch by the roadside. Other sought cover behind the transport wagons.

Suddenly the fire from machine-guns began to score hits in our ranks. The van of the column, which had been nearing Rypno, seem to have mastered its panic; soon its fire began to tell. The first casualties fell from horses. We were then so close that we could see vague outlines of men in the cloud of dust. Suddenly our machine-guns ceased firing. They had to do it to avoid hitting us. Meanwhile, within a few seconds we reached the highway.

Sabres and lances went to work fiercely. Some confused German infantrymen pushed off our sabre blows with their rifle butts. Some simply tried to cover their heads with their arms, but our lances reached even those who tried to hide between the wagons.

The wave of our charge crossed the highway and pursued those who sought flight. Stray shots from the thickets kept falling into the mob on the highway, killing the enemy as well as us. The battle on the highway was practically over. The Germans began to surrender in large groups. A squadron of the 2nd Lancer regiment, which so far formed our reserve, was dispatched in pursuit of the fleeing enemy.

We were out of breath and dog-tired, but elated by the dreamed-up victory. Moreover, it was paid for with no great loss of life. The panic-stricken Germans were decidedly poor marksmen. The horses fared the worst; we lost between 30 and 40 of them. We had a score or so of wounded men, but only three were killed. The morning sun was high when our bugler blew assembly. We came up slowly, driving our prisoners ahead of us. We took about 200 men, most of them insane from fright. The villages of Rypno and Fastow were aflame. They belched dense clouds of black smoke, which lazily rose to the morning sky. In withdrawing, the remnants of the German battalion did not miss the chance to set the torch to two innocent villages. Then, suddenly, from the north a sound of an explosion could be heard. In a few minutes there came another, and after a while two more shook the air. This was the signal that our engineers had done their job. The bridge over the Narew and the railway track had been blown up.

M. Kamil DZIEWANOWSKI Is a professor emeritus of Contemporary Russian and East European History at Boston University and Associate of the Russian Research Center at Harvard.

His article makes clear that he was a junior officer in the Polish cavalry at the beginning of the Second World War and participated in the cavalry charge he describes.