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Podhale Rifles[citation needed] orPodhale Riflemen[1][2] (Polish:Strzelcy podhalańscy, nicknamed "Podhalańczycy") is the traditional name of themountain infantry units of thePolish Army. Formed in 1918 out of volunteers of the region ofPodhale, in 1919 the smaller detachments of Podhale Rifles were pressed into two mountain infantry divisions, the21st Mountain Infantry and22nd Mountain Infantry Divisions, as well as into three brigades of mountain infantry and were consideredelite units of the Polish Army.
After the Polish defeat in thePolish September Campaign, the Podhale units were recreated in France asPolish Independent Highland Brigade, fought at theBattle of Narvik, and later fought in theBattle of France and retreated intoSwitzerland upon the French defeat. Some units were also created in the underground as part of the partisan forces of theArmia Krajowa. The traditions of the Podhale Rifles are continued by the modern21st Podhale Rifle Brigade.
The traditional symbols of the Podhale Rifles include theedelweiss flower and the Mountain Cross, aswastika symbol (not related toNSDAP) popular in folk culture of the Polish mountainous regions. The units of Podhale Rifles, both historical and modern, are notable for their high morale and distinctive uniforms. Prior toWorld War II the mountain units were one of only two infantry units wearing non-standard uniforms based on Mountaineer folk garment rather than military uniforms. This tradition is continued in units such as the Representative Honor Guard Unit of thePolish Border Guard.[3]
The table below shows the allegiance of the regiments of Podhale Rifles as of September 1, 1939.
The swastikas which appear in unit's logos have no relation whatsoever to the swastikas used by German Nazi movement. Swastika was a common geometric ornament in the folk culture of Tatra mountains and for that reason it was adopted by highlander units of Polish army. The usage of swastikas by highlander regiments of the Wojsko Polskie is an ancient slavic symbol which predates the rise of the NSDAP in Germany.
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