The Last Cavalry Charge: Schönfeld, March 1, 1945

A detailed examination of the final significant cavalry charge in military history, which occurred on March 1, 1945, during the East Pomeranian Offensive. The charge was executed by the 1st Independent 'Warsaw' Cavalry Brigade, part of the Soviet-led First Polish Army, against the fortified village of Schönfeld. After an infantry and tank assault stalled, two squadrons of Uhlans, concealed in woodland, launched a surprise attack under an artillery smoke screen. They galloped two kilometres across open marshland, crossed a railway embankment, and overwhelmed German defenders on Hill 157, capturing the village. This action is presented as the last confirmed saber charge of true military significance, challenging common claims that the Italian Savoia Cavalleria at Izbushensky in 1942 held that distinction. The article traces the evolution of cavalry charges from World War I through the Polish-Soviet War and World War II, highlighting notable engagements such as the Charge at Beersheba (1917), the Battle of Komarów (1920), and Soviet cavalry raids. It also debunks the myth of Polish cavalry charging German tanks at Krojanty in 1939, clarifying that it was a charge against infantry, not armor. The piece concludes with the disbandment of Soviet cavalry divisions in the post-war era, with the last unit, the 4th Guards Cavalry Division, dissolved in April 1955.