Near Liegnitz (now Legnica in Polish) a great battle ensued in the year 1241.

It is commonly known as the Battle of Wallstadt. A great wall relief today commemorates this battle, which could well have changed the entire future of Europe. Combined German and Polish troops confronted an army of Asian cavalry – superb horsemen. The German-Polish defenders were soundly defeated. Europe lay open before the Mongols.

Within hours these horsemen would have reached Berlin — or rather, the area where Berlin was to be built much later.. There was no force in Europe that could have stopped the invaders before they reached the channel,.

Then a miracle happened: The Mongol army halted. The Poles and Germans were puzzled: Had God at long last answered their prayers?

Not until some time later did they learn why the victorious Mongols had suddenly reined in their horses. Messengers had reached them that the Great Khan – the overlord of all these Mongol tribesmen – had died. A successor had to be elected.  They turned their horses back east to participate in the election.

    The Mongolensturm had come to an end.  It was never repeated, though in 1944 – as Soviet troops were pushing into Western Europe – Nazi propaganda tried to describe this as an attempt to repeat the Mongolensturm of 1241 which – Nazi propaganda claimed – had failed. It did nothing to halt the advance of Stalin’s armies.  Some of these troops may have been of Mongol descent, but the great mass of them was Russian and white.