Komorów and Krasna massacre

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Komorów and Krasna massacre

During the invasion of Poland, on 6 September 1939, German soldiers killed 28 civilians in the villages of Komorów (Końskie County) and Krasna (Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship). After a nearby battle near Krasna in which German forces suffered heavy losses, the German 13th Motorized Infantry Division retaliated by pacifying Krasna and Komorów.

In Komorów, 18 people were killed, including six men, five women, and seven children (the oldest 70, the youngest 2). The village was set on fire with incendiary shells, even though it had not been directly involved in fighting. In Krasna, 10 people were killed, including two women; five of the victims were Jewish. Several residents who had not evacuated were injured, and some were forced to march with prisoners before being released.

Many villagers had fled to forests or nearby towns the day before. The killings and the destruction in both villages appear to have been acts of revenge for German losses in the battle near Krasna, rather than retaliation for any civilian action.