Lotna

A beautiful white mare named Lotna passes from officer to officer of a Polish cavalry unit as it is repeatedly decimated during the September 1939 campaign against invading German forces. The horse becomes a poetic symbol of a doomed romantic military tradition confronting modern mechanized warfare.

The film reflects on the 1939 invasion of Poland, during which Polish cavalry units, though never actually charging tanks as popular myth suggests, fought bravely but were overwhelmed by Germany's superior mechanized and air forces.

The film is a symbolic, poetic work rather than a literal historical account, and it engages with (without endorsing) the myth of suicidal cavalry charges against tanks.

Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939, joined by the Soviet Union on 17 September. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days after the invasion began.

The Westerplatte depot near Danzig held out for seven days against overwhelming odds and became a national symbol. Warsaw was besieged and surrendered on 28 September; the last regular units capitulated in early October.

Directed by Andrzej Wajda

Cast: Adam Pawlikowski, Jerzy Pichelski, Bożena Kurowska, Mieczysław Łoza

Positioned at September 1939 within the Invasion of Poland phase of the war, as part of the Invasion of Poland. This is entry 16 of 150 in the chronological archive.

• invasion of Poland
• Polish cavalry
• symbolism
• September campaign

• 

  1939 Battle of Westerplatte

  1–7 September 1939

• 

  Westerplatte

  1–7 September 1939

• 

  Katyn

  1939–1943

• 

  The Pianist

  1939–1945

• 

  Schindler's List

  1939–1945

• 

  Warsaw '44

  August-October 1944