Blizna

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Blizna is a village with 250 inhabitants in southeast Poland. It belongs to the greater (Gmina) Ostrów in the Powiat Ropczycko Sedziszowski, Subcarpathian Voivodship.

Between November 1943 and July 1944 there was an SS military base near Blizna, from which 139 A4 (also known as V-2) rockets were launched for experimental purposes and for training. After the air raid on Peenemuende on August 17, 1943 it was decided that the training and testing should be done in southeast Poland outside of the range of the Allied bombers. However test launches also continued at Peenemuende until February 21, 1945. Because the rockets launched from Blizna - in contrast to the rockets launched from Peenemuende - flew over a populated area, there was also some destruction of buildings. In July 1944 the advance of Soviet troops forced the base at Blizna to be evacated and launch activities were moved to the Tuchola Forest.

[edit] See also

• List of V-2 test launches
• Rocket launch site

[edit] External links

• http://www.astronautix.com/sites/heilager.htm

V-2 rocket being recovered from the Bug river near Sarnaki

Parts of the V-2 rocket recovered from the Bug river by the Home Army

German WWII leaflet in Polish and German warning the inhabitants of the area of testing site at Blizna of the crashed V-2 rockets

Coordinates: 50°12′N 21°37′E