The 37th Łęczyca Infantry Regiment of Polish Armed Forces, named after Prince Józef Poniatowski, was a military unit that traced its heritage to the 4th Infantry Regiment of the Duchy of Warsaw. Its origins date back to November 1918 in Przemyśl, and it officially became the 37th Infantry Regiment on 25 February 1919. From 1920 to 1937, it was known as the 37th Łęczyca Infantry Regiment.
During the Polish–Ukrainian War, the regiment fought to open the route to the besieged Lviv, capturing Horodok and later participating in the battles for Sambir, Drohobych, and Stanyslaviv, as well as actions along the Dniester and Zbruch rivers. In the Polish–Soviet War, it engaged in battles under Korosten, Koziatyn, and Żukowiec, and fought on the Berezina, Neman, and Bug rivers. The regiment also participated in the victorious battle of Baboszewo in August 1920 and later took part in heavy fighting near Rohatyn and Vyshnivets during the advance toward Lviv.
In the May Coup of 1926, the regiment supported Marshal Józef Piłsudski during the battles in Warsaw.
In 1939, during the September Campaign, the regiment was part of the Poznań Army and later Pomeranian Army. It fought through Wągrowiec, Inowrocław, and the Kutno area, reaching the battlefield near the Bzura river, where it fought until September 18. The remnants of the regiment crossed the Bzura river, moving through the Kampinos Forest to Warsaw. After the September Campaign, the regiment was disbanded.
Formation of the 37th Infantry Regiment and early combat
After the collapse of Austria-Hungary on 28 October 1918, the Polish Liquidation Committee was formed in Kraków to organize Polish military and administrative structures in Galicia. On 1 November 1918, the Governing Council and Garrison Command were created in Przemyśl to begin organizing Polish military forces and administration. In the barracks of the former Austro-Hungarian 45th Infantry Regiment, scattered military units were gathered, forming the foundation for the 37th Infantry Regiment. The first commander of the regiment was Lieutenant , who had been released from a local prison on 3 November 1918. He became the commander of Polish forces and the garrison of Przemyśl on 5 November 1918.
By 7 November 1918, an infantry regiment was established in Przemyśl, which was renamed the 18th Rifle Regiment on November 9. The battalion commanders at that time were: 1st Battalion – Second Lieutenant Zając, 2nd Battalion – Second Lieutenant Dudziński, 3rd Battalion – Marian Doskowski. The regiment gained its first combat experience during clashes with Ukrainian forces from 9 to 11 November 1918 in the Zasań district of Przemyśl. On November 13, the regiment was renamed the 10th Infantry Regiment.
In November 1918, the regiment's reserve battalion, formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian , was commanded by Captain , who was appointed as the temporary commander of the "Children of Przemyśl" 10th Infantry Regiment. On 30 November, Lieutenant Kazubski was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel as the commander of the regiment.
Part of the regiment fought to open the road to the besieged Lviv as part of Colonel Michał Tokarzewski-Karaszewicz's group, while the rest engaged in combat near Nyzhankovychi, Siedliska, Medyka, and Khyriv. The regiment captured Stodółki, Uhry, Czerlany, and Velykyi Liubin. It also held Horodok and defended the Lviv-Przemyśl railway line from Ukrainian forces.
On 25 February 1919, the regiment was renamed the 37th Infantry Regiment. In the spring of 1919, the regiment captured Sambir and Drohobych and participated in the conquest of Stanyslaviv. From 13 to 16 June 1919, it defended crossings over the Dniester river.
From June 28, the regiment fought along the Zbruch river, and in July 1919, it was transferred to the Volhynian front, where it battled Ukrainian units. From August 5, the regiment took on a defensive role. On 3 April 1920, Major Józef Kuś became the commander of the 37th Infantry Regiment.
In December 1919, the regiment's reserve battalion was stationed in Łęczyca.
Regimental personnel in 1920 PositionRank and nameCommanderLieutenant Colonel Michał RemizowskiAdjutantSecond Lieutenant Alfred ŁuczyńskiIntelligence officerSecond Lieutenant Eugeniusz FieldorfWeapon officerSecond Lieutenant Ludwik SklenarzCommunication officerSecond Lieutenant Bronisław SitarskiSupply officerSecond Lieutenant Adolf KozubalDoctorSecond Lieutenant Dr. Mieczysław HenochChaplainFather Tadeusz BorzęckiTransport commanderSecond Lieutenant Marian BukowskiAssault company commanderSecond Lieutenant Otton Jiruszka1st battalion commanderCaptain Franciszek GwizdakAdjutantSecond Lieutenant Franciszek KielarDoctorSecond Lieutenant Dr. Józef Eisenbruch1st company commanderSecond Lieutenant Jan Wójciak (killed on September 9)Platoon leaderSecond Lieutenant Bronisław Nowakowski2nd company commanderSecond Lieutenant Aram Mantel3rd company commanderSecond Lieutenant Józef Markiel (killed on September 7)Platoon leaderSecond Lieutenant Zachariasz RuckerPlatoon leaderSecond Lieutenant Kazimierz Wacławski4th company commanderSecond Lieutenant Roman SzlapaPlatoon leaderSecond Lieutenant Roman Wojnar1st machine gun company commanderSecond Lieutenant Antoni KuleszaPlatoon leaderSecond Lieutenant Jan Koszykiewicz2nd battalion commanderSecond Lieutenant Marian Żelnio, later Captain Michał DrzystekAdjutantSecond Lieutenant Michał MaćkowiakLogistics officerSecond Lieutenant Władysław MaryniakSupply officerSecond Lieutenant Rudolf LinscheidDoctorSecond Lieutenant Dr. Jan Czernik5th company commanderSecond Lieutenant Wojciech Gil6th company commanderSecond Lieutenant Michał CiesielskiPlatoon leaderSecond Lieutenant Bernard Tepper7th company commanderSecond Lieutenant Beniamin KotarbaPlatoon leaderSecond Lieutenant Filip Feli8th company commanderSecond Lieutenant Jerzy TramerPlatoon leaderSecond Lieutenant Bogusław Bilik (killed on September 10)2nd machine gun company commanderSecond Lieutenant Alfred RycerzPlatoon leaderSecond Lieutenant Franciszek Gęsior3rd battalion commanderMajor Józef KuśAdjutantSecond Lieutenant Mieczysław KowalskiSupply officerSecond Lieutenant Władysław RogalskiDoctorSecond Lieutenant San. Stanisław Komarnicki9th company commanderSecond Lieutenant Roman Leeg (killed on September 7)Platoon leaderSecond Lieutenant Karol Rydel10th company commanderSecond Lieutenant Jan DyszkiewiczPlatoon leaderSecond Lieutenant Tadeusz Szymański11th company commanderSecond Lieutenant Stanisław Kukla12th company commanderSecond Lieutenant Jan Szymański3rd machine gun company commanderSecond Lieutenant Mieczysław JusRegimental officerOfficer Candidate Józef Cajgier (killed on September 12)
Participation in the Polish–Soviet War The regiment was part of the 4th Infantry Division, tasked with capturing the city of Korosten during the Polish offensive. The 37th Infantry Regiment secured the railway junction and other designated areas, then fortified its position, remaining in reserve until Kyiv was taken.
Due to the Soviet counteroffensive, the 1st and 3rd Battalions moved to the Berezina river on 21 May 1920, holding off Soviet attacks toward Minsk. The regiment inflicted significant losses in battles at Borowina and Zhukovets (26 May 1920). Until 7 June 1920, it fought along the Berezina, engaging in battles at Murava, Chernivtsi, and Wielki Stachów (3 June 1920). From there, the regiment marched through Zamosze, Zawidne, and Minsk to the Grodzianka station. A week later, it was transported to the Ratmirovicze station and subordinated to the commander of the 14th Infantry Division for planned operations near Bobruisk. However, these actions were canceled due to a breach in the front by the Bolsheviks, prompting a retreat on 7 July 1920.
Some units retreated to Miratycze via Minsk and the Neman river. After attempting to take Slonim, the 1st and 3rd Battalions withdrew west with the 4th Infantry Division. Under Captain , the 3rd Battalion captured Kamyenyets and, after fierce fighting near Wierzchy, reached Stawy near the Bug river, reuniting with the 1st Battalion. The battalions soon separated again, with the 1st joining the 8th Infantry Brigade and the 3rd joining the 2nd Cavalry Brigade reserve. On 4 August 1920, the regiment achieved successes in pushing Bolsheviks across the Bug during the 4th Army’s counteroffensive. The regiment was then withdrawn to the Siedlce area.
The 2nd Battalion, under Lieutenant Beniamin Kotarba, had been detached from the regiment since 21 May 1920. Initially stationed in Korosten, it retreated to Koziatyn and later participated in an ultimately unsuccessful assault on Korets. Under pressure from the Soviets, particularly Semyon Budyonny's 1st Cavalry Army, the 2nd Battalion, acting as a rear guard, was encircled and destroyed. 10 officers and 374 soldiers were killed or captured. The remnants of the battalion regrouped in Siedlce on 22 July 1920 and later reorganized in Łęczyca and Kutno. On 13 August 1920, the battalion joined the 1st and 3rd Battalions in Góra Kalwaria.
While the Battle of Warsaw concluded with a decisive Polish victory and Polish forces pursued the retreating enemy, heavy fighting continued on the southern front near Lviv. To prevent a potential Soviet offensive, the 4th Infantry Division, including the 37th Regiment, was transferred to the Chodorów area. On 7 September 1920, the regiment engaged in intense battles with Soviet units threatening the Lviv–Chodorów railway line, capturing Knihynicze, Nowosielce, and Okrześnice. The next day, the regiment crossed the Stryi river, aiming to secure Rohatyn, which it achieved on 9 September 1920.
The regiment commemorated the Rohatyn battle, its first in the Polish–Soviet War where all battalions fought together, by designating September 9 as its regimental holiday. Over the following days, it continued defending Rohatyn from Soviet counterattacks. Reinforced with three marching companies on September 13, the regiment, as part of the 4th Infantry Division, pursued the enemy to Vyshnivets. On September 25, it was transported to Grodno as a reserve unit for the high command. Redirected by the 2nd Legion Infantry Division, the regiment moved via Grodno and Łomża to Ostrołęka on 12 November 1920. It served in border protection there until 28 April 1921, after which it returned to Kutno and Łęczyca.
Recipients of the Virtuti Militari Order Soldiers of the 37th Infantry Regiment awarded the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari for their service during the 1918–1921 warSergeant Marian DanielewiczSergeant Henryk DaszkowskiLieutenant † Colonel (8022)Sergeant Karol JelonekCaptain Sergeant Roch Konarski† Lieutenant Józef Kowalski (8023)Second Lieutenant Antoni KuleszaLieutenant Corporal Wincenty Landa† Lieutenant Józef Markiel (8024)Second Lieutenant Władysław NosowiczLieutenant (4504)Lieutenant Lieutenant Colonel † Second Lieutenant (8026)Corporal Jan SiustaSergeant Tomasz SmyczyńskiLieutenant Captain Lieutenant Senior Sergeant Ludwik SzubaLieutenant Jerzy TramerLieutenant † Cadet Officer Kazimierz Winiarski (8027)Corporal Jan Wójcik† Lieutenant Jan Wójciak (8028)
Regiment in peacetime