page_title: History of Białystok
section_title: World War II (1939–1944)
hierarchical_section_title: History of Białystok / Modern Era / World War II (1939–1944)
caption_attribution_description: English: Great Synagogue and Synagogue Nomer Tamid in Białystok (Suraska Street). Polski: Nieistniejąca już synagoga Nomer Tamid w Białymstoku (ul. Suraska)
context_page_description: The city of Białystok has existed for over five centuries, during which time the fate of the city has passed between various political and economic forces.
  From surviving documentation we know that around 1437, a representative of the family Raczków, Jakub Tabutowicz with the coat of arms of Łabędź, received from Michael Žygimantaitis son of Sigismund Kęstutaitis, Duke of Lithuania, a wilderness area located along the river Biała that marked the beginning of Białystok as a settlement. Białystok administratively was part of the Podlaskie Voivodeship, after 1569 also part of the Lesser Poland Province of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland.
  During the years 1617–1626, the first brick church and a beautiful castle, on a rectangular plan with two floors, in the Gothic-Renaissance style, was built by Job Bretfus. Extension of the castle continued by Krzysztof Wiesiołowski, since 1635 Grand Marshal of Lithuania and the owner of several administrative and royal and married Aleksandra Marianna Sobieska. In 1637 he died childless, thus Bialystok came under the management of his widow.
context_section_description: At the turn of March and April, preparations for protecting the population against the effects of bombing and gas attacks were intensified in Bialystok. The population was adapted for individual self-defense, training was provided, and trenches and shelters were planned. Specialized services were created: alarm, communications, fire, rescue-sanitary and technical. In addition to scouts, representatives of: the Air and Gas Defense League (LOPP), the Polish Red Cross, the Western Union, Military Adoption, the Union of Reservists and Riflemen, and other organizations were involved in these activities. "Echo Białostockie" instructed what to do in the event of an air alarm.   At the end of July, a large-scale operation of digging anti-aircraft ditches in the city began. Most of them were to be located downtown, in the area of two railway stations and barracks. Local citizens participated in rebounds for the purchase of armaments for the army. For example, employees of the Plywood State Factory from Dojlid, employing over 400 people, bought a heavy machine gun for the Polish Armed Forces. Also, money was collected for the National Defense Fund (Polish: Fundusz Obrony Narodowej) and Maritime Defense Fund (Polish: Fundusz Obrony Morskiej). On the eve of the outbread of the war, growing espionage and subversion activities took place, which strained the relations with the local Germans, and from 13 May it was banned to hold public gatherings among German population. 
  On the first of September 1939 the German invasion of Poland began. German bomber squadrons flew over the areas of the then Białystok Voivodeship, the first bombs fell in the area of Białystok railway station and military barracks. The local press reported on the successes of the Polish Forces and the raids of Polish Air Force on Berlin. Only the information about the entry into East Prussia of cavalry squadrons supported by horse artillery proved to be true. On the first defensive line there was relatively calm, there were only fights around Myszyniec and Grajewo. According to the Polish defense plans, Białystok was not intended for defense, and the military units located in the city took positions far from their garrison. However, the news coming from Narew led to the decision to resist: Lieutenant Colonel Zygmunt Szafranowski (commander of the District Command of Supplements and at the same time the oldest rank officer in Bialystok) and Captain Tadeusz Kosiński decided to fight using the marching and spare units as well as groups of soldiers retreating from Narew. They had at their disposal primarily the marching battalion of the 42nd Regiment and the incomplete guard battalion No. 33. Other sub-units were added, Infantry arrived from near Wizna were gathered as well as two squadrons of the 2nd Grochow Uhlan Regiment from Suwałki. The units created defensive line along Dojlidy and Nowe Miasto, through Wysoki Stoczek, to Pietraszi: Uhlans from two squadrons of the 2nd Regiment were placed Białostoczek and Pietrasze, guard battalion No. 32 was deployed in Nowe Miasto, and the center of defense was the hills of Wysokie Stoczek manned by the marching battalion of the 42nd infantry regiment commanded by Lieutenant Ignacy Stachowiak. In addition, the city's defenders were supported by a company of heavy machine guns and one artillery platoon. In total, the order of battle numbered around 900 soldiers.
  Combat contact with German troops was established on 13 September near Żółtki, and on 15 September in the morning the Germans stormed the central section of Polish positions in the Marczuk and Wysoki Stoczek districts. The opponent's advantage was devastating. K. Kosiński died and buried in St. Roch's cemetery. After several hours of persistent defense and repulsion of four German attacks, first two squadrons of the 2nd Grochów Regiment, then the 42nd Regiment companies retreated towards the city, and after a short rest left in the evening further east towards Wołkowysk (following the war it was transferred to Byelorussian SSR).
  On 15 September, Białystok was occupied by th
caption: Great Synagogue in Białystok
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