Special edition / 2019 “ NO DEFEAT CAN BREAK THE FREE” We Remember! Warsaw, August 1, 2019 ANNIVERSARY OF THE WARSAW UPRISING INVINCIBLE WARSAW Dear Readers, The date of August 1, 1944 marks the be- ginning of one of the most heroic episodes of World War II and Polish history. The Warsaw Uprising broke out on that day. A dozen or so thousand young and inexpe- rienced soldiers of the Polish Underground State stood against the heavily armed Ger- mans. They fought for free Poland, for the- ir dignity, and for their honor. We are the last generation that may per- sonally thank the insurgents for their he- roism and courage. For their readiness to make the greatest sacrifice in the name of love to their Homeland. Let’s seize this unique opportunity to find the heroes, and express our gratitude THEY for the attitude that shaped the next gene- rations of Poles. We should also pay tribute to all those who are no longer with us, such as Colonel Ryszard “Jerzy” Białous – a le- gendary commander of Battalion “Zośka” – whose ashes have recently returned to his Homeland. His funeral in Powązki Military Cemetery is certainly a symbolic RESISTED moment in the history of modern Poland. On the 75th anniversary of the Warsaw The Warsaw Uprising commanders often proved they were Uprising outbreak, I wish to express my cautious, skillful in planning, courageous and heroic – says gratitude and respect to all the insurgents. I assure you, we will never forget about Mariusz Olczak, a historian. you. To you be praise and glory, invincible Warsaw and its defenders! Who were the commanders of the Warsaw army, and fought in its ranks during World Home Army, had a similar path, and in the Uprising? War I. Later, he fought in the war with the uprising, he was the commander of all the First, it’s worth mentioning that people Bolsheviks, and as a deputy commander of a forces of the Warsaw District of the Home who had worked in the underground since cavalry brigade in the September campaign. Army. He was a soldier of the Eastern the beginning of the war and commanded In the underground army, he was the Legion, commander of the 82nd Siberian underground units, mainly in the Home deputy of General Stefan “Grot” Rowecki, Rifle Regiment in Brest; in 1939, he took part Army, also had extensive military experience. the Commander-in-Chief of the Union of in the defense of Modlin. From June 1940, General Tadeusz “Bór” Komorowski, the Armed Struggle, and after his arrest in July he fought in the underground. General Commander-in-Chief of the Home Army 1943, General Komorowski became the Tadeusz “Grzegorz” Pełczyński, the Chief [Armia Krajowa, AK], who decided on the Home Army commander. of Staff of the Home Army Headquarters, outbreak of the uprising, had started his General Antoni “Monter” Chruściel, the was a legionnaire; in the interwar years, Mariusz Błaszczak military career in the Austro-Hungarian Commander of the Warsaw District of the he was the head of the Second Department Polish Minister of National Defense Continuation on the next page Special edition/2019 2 Continuation from page 1 of the General Staff 100 of these most valued [Oddział II SG] in charge Polish war medals were of intelligence and awarded. The first counterintelligence, in application to post- conspiracy since the humously award the autumn of 1939. Virtuti Militari Cross Commanders of the for a combat deed re- largest insurgent units garded Lieutenant Ta- were also experienced deusz “Gryf” Kubalski, officers, seasoned in LT JAN “ANODA” Deputy Team Command- battles, mostly still RODOWICZ er in Battalion “Wigry.” legionnaire battles. For example, During the fights in Wola on Au- Colonel Jan “Radosław” Mazurkiewicz, gust 4, when the barricade was threatened, the Commander of the “Radoslaw” Group, “Gryf” went to attack, and the whole which included the “Zośka” and “Parasol” unit followed him. This way, they seized battalions. He fought in the 1st Brigade of a house building that secured the barri- the Polish Legions, in the Polish-Soviet cade and the entire area it defended. War; he was a counterintelligence officer of the Second Department of the General It often happened that during fights regular Staff, and he commanded the Kedyw – the soldiers would be taking over command of Home Army Directorate of Diversion – in their units in place of their wounded or fallen conspiracy. commanders... Yes, especially in Stare Miasto and Younger insurgent commanders also had Czerniaków, where dramatic and heavy combat experience… fights were going on, privates, who, due to That’s true. Those young officers their character, personality, training and fought their first battles in September courage, became important commanders. 1939. Ryszard “Jerzy” Białous and Jan One of the examples is Zbigniew Kajus “Jan” Andrzejewski, for example. “Szczerba” Blichewicz, an actor fighting They were both sappers who fought in in Battalion “Bończa.” During the fights the 1939 defense war. During the Warsaw in Stare Miasto, he became famous for his Uprising, Andrzejewski commanded bold attacks on St. John’s Cathedral, for Diversion Brigade “Broda 53,” and fell on which he was awarded the Virtuti Militari August 31 in Stare Miasto [Old Town], Cross, and appointed the commander of during an attempt to break through the 101st company of that battalion. During from Stare Miasto to Śródmieście [City the fights for Rynek Starego Miasta [Old Center] district. The command Town Square], when the insurgent of the unit was taken over by defense was breaking down, Lieutenant Białous, who Barbara “Czarna Baśka” in conspiracy and in the Chojnacka, a platoon Uprising was a leader messenger in Battalion of Battalion “Zośka.” “Bończa,” grabbed He walked with his a machine gun, making soldiers the whole her colleagues follow combat route from her to fight, and fired WARSAW UPRISING INSURECTIONIST – “RADOSŁAW” GROUP Wola through Stare from the barricade at the Miasto to Czerniaków. Germans attacking from At the beginning of August 1944, during the fights in the Wola district, He proved his worth as a MAJ JAN KAJUS “JAN” the Warsaw Barbican. the “Radosław” Group soldiers captured German uniform storage rooms commander in battle; he ANDRZEJEWSKI on Stawki street. They found there, i.a., hundreds of camouflage jackets used by was responsible for his soldiers, What military operations of the SS units. The jackets soon became a common element of an insurgent outfit, and he also knew how to plan and carry out Warsaw Uprising can be recognized as were referred to as “panterki” [leopards]. Scouts of the “Zośka” and “Parasol” spectacular actions, such as capturing the skillfully commanded? battalions wore white and red armbands with Scouts Cross. Warsaw insurgents “Gęsiówka” concentration camp. Certainly, the capture of “Gęsiówka” were armed with a 9-mm Błyskawica machine gun, produced in underground The youngest insurgent commanders, – the KL Warschau concentration camp armament factories, being a Polish version of the English Sten MK.2 machine at the level of platoon or team at Gęsia street in Wola – by Battalion gun and the German MP-40. To carry ammunition, they used a German ammo commander, were young boys, who “Zośka” on August 5. It was a professionally pouch holding three magazines. often had some scouting background, prepared military operation preceded by Text: Paweł Rozdżestwieński, drawing: Jarosław Wróbel were army-trained in conspiracy or were reconnaissance. Its goal was to release underground cadet school graduates. We prisoners, but also improve the insurgent can mention here Jan “Anoda” Rodowicz, connection between Śródmieście and who during the Uprising fought in Wola Stare Miasto. The capture of “Gęsiówka” as a Deputy Commander of the 3rd is one of the greatest insurgent successes, Platoon “Felek” of Battalion “Zośka.” and until today remains a symbol of the OUR FIGHTING WAS DRIVEN BY FAITH He distinguished himself on August 8 in Warsaw Uprising. the fights for the Wola cemeteries, where Interview by Anna Dąbrowska With Lieutenant Daniela “Pszczoła” Ogińska, a soldier he was seriously wounded. Then, despite of the 7th Home Army Infantry Regiment “Garłuch,” his freshly healed wounds, he joined his Mariusz Olczak, a historian talks Jakub Nawrocki. squad in Górny Czerniaków to fight at and archivist, the frontline again. His attitude is an Deputy Today, just like 75 years ago, we are in tion. Why did you join the Uprising? Was example of heroism and strong character. Director of New the middle of summer, and Warsaw is full of that an order, a necessity, an impulse? Once again seriously wounded, he was Files Archive young people... For us, the young people of that time, evacuated on a pontoon across the Vistula [Archiwum It was a hot summer. The enormous it was a great privilege to join the mili- River to the Praga district. Akt Nowych] in tension was in the air. We knew something tary conspiracy. We all thought it was an Warsaw. Au- huge was about to happen. We saw Ger- honor. We were given a chance to settle What qualities, apart from a strong character, thor of biography: mans withdrawing to the other side of the accounts with the Germans. There was were required for commanding purposes? „Jan Rodowicz Vistula River. You could feel the panic. If no order for that. We all considered it Apart from the usual army values, Anoda. Życie I had commanded the Uprising, I would our duty, and it was a matter of course. crucial were caution and planning skills, i śmierć have started it three days earlier. At that time To such an extent that I still regret that but also courage and sometimes hero- bohatera »Kamieni na Szaniec«" (2015) in Warsaw, there were only Germans who my friend and I were ordered to pull back ism, for which soldiers were honored with and co-author of the selection of source texts: protected their buildings and institutions.