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List of Polish divisions in World War I

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The following is a list of Polish brigade and division-sized military units during World War I and the subsequent Russian Civil War. See also list of military divisions. Official names are given in parentheses.

Key
Formed in Russia during World War I Green
Formed in France during World War I (the Blue Army of Gen. Haller) Blue
  1st Polish Rifle Division [pl] (1 Dywizja Strzelców Polskich / 1re Division Polonaise) Later 13th Infantry Division (Poland)
  Polish 2nd Rifle Division (2 Dywizja Strzelców Polskich / 2éme Division Polonaise)
  Polish 3rd Rifle Division (3 Dywizja Strzelców Polskich / 3éme Division Polonaise)
  Polish 4th Polish Rifle Division (4. Dywizja Strzelców Polskich)Later part of Haller's Blue army as 4th Division-renamed 10th Infantry Division (Poland)
Col. Franciszek Zieliński
  Polish 5th Polish Rifle Division (5. Dywizja Strzelców Polskich)Later part of Haller's Blue army as 5th Division-renamed Polish 30th Infantry Division
generals Piotr Szymanowski, Adam Sławoczyński, Tadeusz Bylewski
  6th Polish Rifle Division (6 Dywizja Strzelców Polskich / 3éme Division Polonaise)
  7th Polish Rifle Division (7 Dywizja Strzelców Polskich / 7éme Division Polonaise)
  Polish Instructive Division (Dywizja Instrukcyjna)

Formed in Russia during the Russian Civil War

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Formation name Date formed Date formation ceased to exist Unit's insignia Locations served Notable campaigns Notes Source(s)
Polish Legion in Finland 24 April 1917 1 March 1918 Finland n/a
I Polish Corps in Russia 24 July 1917 21 May 1918 modern-day Belarus German anti-Bolshevik campaign in spring 1918 On May 21, 1918, the Corps' commander Józef Dowbor-Muśnicki after acknowledging the Regency Council signed an agreement with the Germans, under which the Corps agreed to be disarmed and disbanded.
II Polish Corps in Russia 21 December 1917 11 May 1918 modern-day Ukraine Battle of Kaniów The corps was disbanded afterwards the battle of Kaniów, with most of its soldiers imprisoned by the Germans.
III Polish Corps in Russia Ukraine
4th Polish Rifle Division 24 August 1918 19 July 1919 southern Russia
5th Polish Rifle Division 25 January 1919 20 January 1920 Siberia
1st Lithuanian–Belarusian Division 1919 1921
2nd Lithuanian–Belarusian Division July 1919 1920
Polish Light Brigade (Brygada Lekka)

Formed by Austria-Hungary

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Formation name Date formed Date formation ceased to exist Divisional insignia Locations served Notable battles Source(s)
1st Brigade, Polish Legions 19 December 1914 July 1917 Eastern Front Łowczówek, Konary, Jastków, Kostiuchnówka
2nd Brigade, Polish Legions 8 May 1915 15 March 1918 (became the 5th Polish Rifle Division, part of the II Polish Corps in Russia) Eastern Front Battle of Britain, The Blitz
3rd Brigade, Polish Legions 8 May 1915 July 1917 Eastern Front Battle of Britain, The Blitz
Polish Auxiliary Corps 20 September 1916 19 February 1918 (formed the basis of the Polnische Wehrmacht) Eastern Front Rarańcza, Kaniów (both against the Central Powers)

Formed by German Empire

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Formation name Date formed Date formation ceased to exist Locations served Notable campaigns Notes Source(s)
Polnische Wehrmacht 10 April 1917 11 November 1918 N/A N/A The Oath crisis happened in July 1917, as a result of which it only remained as a rump unit. After the declaration of Polish independence of 11 November 1918, the units of the Polnische Wehrmacht became the basis of the Polish Army.

References

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