During the Battle of Wizna in September 1939, a Polish army of just 720 soldiers was able to stand strong against 42,000 Nazis for three days.
Polish Museum of AmericaThe Battle of Wizna lasted an impressive three days as the Poles held off a much larger Nazi force.
On a quiet stretch of eastern Polish countryside in early September 1939, a battle unfolded that would be immortalized for its improbability: the Battle of Wizna.
After Nazi Germany launched its brutal invasion of Poland on Sept. 1, 1939, a small group of Polish soldiers stood their ground against impossible odds. Numbering just 720 men, they dug into a narrow defensive line near the village of Wizna — and faced down 42,000 incoming German troops.
Led by a determined young captain who swore never to surrender, the Poles held the line for three days, temporarily halting the German advance.
Today, the Battle of Wizna is remembered as Poland’s own “Thermopylae” — a modern-day example of ancient heroism in the face of certain death.
