[ironrat]

"The question is if we all in fact agree? As I wrote on 13th September German troops were nearby. What makes you so sure there were no Polish troops in the area? What makes you so sure the town would be entered without any resistance?"

Frampol, just like other towns in the area had mainly 1,2 floor buildings, mainly woodden. This explains in part the disastrous results of the bombardment. For that reason, unless being an idiot, no commander (Pole, German, Russian or any other) would lead his troops into such town. It would be a mouse trap. This is why, there was no AA, troops or any military installation and this is why that town, like many small towns alike in the region were entered without any resistance or shot.


"The most decisive question is, if there in fact were no Polish troops, could it be that these troops left the city before it was bombed?"

The answer is given above.


"And how could the Germans know there were no (or no more) troops in the city?"

Lame excuse that one. Basically, we call it intelligence, and Germany had in September 1939, partially thanks to the V colum a very good one.

So,
a civilian town, without troops or strategic importance was targeted and destroyed. We can look for any excuses we would like, but it will remain a war crime.
There is also one misaing point to the picture. Frampol was, according to Ribbentrop-Molotov pact, part of the Russian zone. The German troops had very soon to quit it remains. This is maybe (just maybe) one of the reasons why Frampol was choosen as a target.


Franek:
if you want to look for targeted towns back before WWII, maybe you should mention for example Guernica during the Spanish Civil War.

Martin