The Home Army Health Service in the Years 1939-1945
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154 VOJENSKÉ ZDRAVOTNICKÉ LISTY ROČNÍK LXXIII, 2004, č. 4 ZAHRANIČNÍ PŘÍSPĚVKY THE HOME ARMY HEALTH SERVICE IN THE YEARS 1939−1945 Zdzisław Jezierski Faculty of Military Medicine, Medical University, Łodź, Poland In September 1939 the Polish Armed Forces tary aspects and comprised among others jurisdic- were not able to throw back single-handed the tion, administration, culture and health care. aggression of Nazi Germany and Stalin’s Russia. Specialist services were created within the Home Therefore, the Commander-in-Chief and the Polish Army to fulfil these tasks properly. Health service State Government decided to continue the struggle included not only the Home Army soldiers but also against the aggressors in the foreign lands, together civilian population, which was deprived of medical with the allies. Late in September of the same year aid by the invaders (3). in France the Government of the Republic of Poland It should be emphasised that its organisers rea- with General Władysław Sikorski at the head was lised that the struggle they were preparing for would constituted. Under the General’s leadership also the be associated with the exposure of soldiers’ health Polish Armed Forces revived in France. It should be and life. They understood that if their soldiers were emphasised that the Polish Government in exile was convinced of getting quick medical aid in the case acknowledged to be legitimate and legal by the con- of injury their readiness for sacrifices and more em- temporary governments of anti-Nazi coalition states (1). phatic participation in fighting would be greater. This situation caused that also the Poles at home Therefore, the Home Army Commanders creating did not surrender to the aggressors. The September the regional underground net and partisan groups defeat was treated as a lost campaign, not a lost war. were at the same time organising the health service Despite the terror and repressive measures applied as an integral element of these structures (3). by the invaders, the Polish nation did not cease The Home Army was formed basing on the or- fighting. In the face of the lack of possibility to ganisation of the pre-war army. At first, the attention oppose openly, the struggle was continued in was paid mainly to creation of regional organisational conspiracy that was organised spontaneously in all net. In the areas of pre-war provinces originated the regions of the country. It should be indicated that Home Army rings, whereas in administrative dis- from the start the Polish Resistance Movement was tricts − regions and in civil parishes − localities. By characterised by a great dynamism of organisational the end of 1940, the Home Army organisational actions and enormous variety of fighting forms, structure was formed, comprising the whole territory both civilian and military. It resulted in the quick of pre-war Poland (4). development and strength of the Polish Underground It is interesting to note that in most regions health State (PPP) in the occupied country (2). service was created by the end of the year 1939, The office of the Delegate of the Government of before being organised in the Command-in-Chief. the Republic of Poland, performing executive func- The Sanitary Section in the Chief Headquarters was tions through local administration, was at the head. established only in the second part of 1940. It was It was supported by historical political groups, which the regions that played essential organisational role formed the nucleus of the Underground Parliament. in the process of the Home Army development. Their PPP had also at its command underground armed commanders were given a large scope of indepen- forces existing under the name of the Home Army dence. They appointed chiefs of divisions of the (AK) in which served citizens who identified them- regional health service. Their task was to create dis- selves with the Polish reasons of State, being the in- trict and regional departments of sanitary service on dependence strategy of the Republic’s Government the areas in their charge. in exile. There were many differences between individual The underground organisation was totally milita- regions, which affected efficacy of their organisa- rised and its aim was to prepare a victorious general tional efforts and concerned the invader’s policy, the uprising. Consequently, the Home Army became its number of its troops and police in the region and central link. Its real functions exceeded by far mili- attitude of local civilians providing protective and ROČNÍK LXXIII, 2004, č. 4 VOJENSKÉ ZDRAVOTNICKÉ LISTY 155 medical infrastructure. The traditions of national up- dical care posts, which were managed by the medical risings existing among people in particular regions staff serving in the Home Army districts (6). of the Polish territory were associated with their In 1943 the Union of Revenge forces were trans- readiness to support the partisans’ fights and played formed into the Troops of Diversion Management an important role in organisation of the regional (Kedyw). Then forest guerrilla bands started to form. health service. In both of these formations links of medical aid Only in Warsaw, Kielce, Lublin and Lwow the were organised. Each of them, however, had its own chiefs of regional services were doctors-officers specific character of activities. from the sanitary regular service. In most regions The Kedyw Troops were appointed mainly from these functions were performed by doctors-officers among soldiers living and working in towns, so from reserve forces. All of them had taken part in they were of garrison character, whereas partisan the campaign of September of 1939. The experiences troops stayed all the time in the areas which pro- gathered then were very helpful in their work. The vided them with moderately adequate living con- Polish war of 1939 was the example of mobilisation ditions and helped in their activities. of wide community circles in helping people in need. The Kedyw sanitary authorities conducted pre- The qualified medical staff at that time was not able ventive actions. All soldiers of this organisation were to take care of thousands of sick and injured people. advised in primary health care. Nurses organised in The rapid increase in demand for medical help sur- the Women’s Military Service (WSK) functioning passed the possibilities of specialist institutions and since 1942 within the Home Army took constant their activity. Under these circumstances it was ne- care of the soldiers from their platoons. In the case cessary to include in work many people from out- of a disease they tried to help their colleagues ar- side medical service, mainly as auxiliary personnel. range medical visits at various specialists’ as well as First of all girls from the Polish Scouts’ Association, radiographic and follow-up examinations. Polish Red Cross and Women’s Military Training The best developed Kedyw troops were in the − previously trained in providing sanitary aid − were area of Warsaw. They used the medical service of engaged to it. These organisations were also the basic the Ujazdowski Hospital. This famous pre-war health source of gaining nursing and sanitary staff in the service institution of the Polish Army − despite trans- Home Army health service (5). ition to the status of civilian municipal hospital in The first years of Home Army were the time of 1940 − kept alive traditions of military organisation gradual development of organisational structures. throughout all the war years. Doctors − especially The process of development was regulated by orders of higher ranks − were addressed according to the and instructions of the Home Army Chief Headquar- military rank and the manager was called the ters. The order given in April 1942 played a special "commander". Most of the staff were pre-war doc- part in this respect. It distinguished 3 stages of the tors-officers from the Polish Army sanitary service. Home Army development, namely: period of con- Thus it was obvious that within this team con- spiracy, insurrection and reconstruction of the armed spiratorial life flourished. It manifested itself in forces. In each of these stages health service was set various forms − from gathering and distribution of to realise different tasks. dressing materials and drugs, through distribution In the period of conspiracy a special section of underground press, secret training of doctors and called the Union of Revenge was isolated from the nurses, to active participation of teams formed from Home Army to conduct military operations. It con- among them in combat actions and treatment of the sisted of small diversionary and combat troops that Home Army injured soldiers. In 1944 a few doctors were formed in particular regions. Most frequently went to other AK regions and districts to organise they numbered from a few to a dozen or so of well- field hospitals and first aid stations there. It should trained soldiers. There were neither doctors nor be added that the commander of hospital was at the stretcher-bearers among them. However, each of same time the chief of health service of the Home the participants of these groups was prepared to Army Chief Headquarters. Also the chief of Kedyw give the first aid and had a first aid kit. In the case sanitary authorities and sanitary chiefs of almost all of injury soldiers were obliged to take the victim districts of Warsaw Region came down from there (7). away during the retreat. In the second half of 1943, health service was The Union of Revenge soldiers prepared their created in Kedyw troops of many other regions and actions very carefully. The point was to have as in then developing partisan troops. They arose from small personnel casualties in its ranks as possible. joining the small AK diversionary and combat forces. The actions were short and lasted at the most several At that time the so-called uniting action, resulting hours from the assembly to the end.