2019 Special edition PISMO CODZIENNE Independence Day, November 11, 2019 FREE AGAIN! THEY FOUGHT FOR INDEPENDENT POLAND Dear Readers, The day of November 11 – the National Independence Day – is not accidentally associated with the Polish military uni- form, its symbolism and traditions. Polish soldiers on almost all World War I fronts “threw on the pyre their lives’ fate.” When the Polish occupiers were drown- ing in disasters and revolutions, white- and-red flags were fluttering on Polish streets to mark Poland’s independence. The Republic of Poland was back on the map of Europe, although this was only the beginning of the battle for its bor- ders. Józef Piłsudski in his first order to the united Polish Army shared his feeling of joy with his soldiers: “I’m taking com- mand of you, Soldiers, at the time when the heart of every Pole is beating stron- O God! Thou who from on high ger and faster, when the children of our land have seen the sun of freedom in all its Hurls thine arrows at the defenders of the nation, glory.” He never promised them any bat- We beseech Thee, through this heap of bones! tle laurels or well-merited rest, though. On the contrary – he appealed to them Let the sun shine on us, at least in death! for even greater effort in their service May the daylight shine forth from heaven’s bright portals! for Poland. And they never let him down Let us be seen - as we die! when in 1920 Poland had to defend not only its own sovereignty, but also entire Europe against flooding bolshevism. For Piotr Korczyński their Independent Poland, Polish soldiers would later fight many a time in uneven his last verse of Juliusz Słowac- was the poet whose words were supposed dering in the nation would finally ignite battles with two totalitarianisms, which ki’s poem “The Funeral of to encourage reflection and emotion over a pile of freedom despite so many disas- started World War II. We should keep Captain Meyzner” became an the collective grave of the legionaries. For ters. He often quoted words from another that in mind when celebrating our Polish epitaph for the legionaries of Commander Józef Piłsudski, Słowacki poem of this poet, “Angels Stand on Na- National Independence Day. Tthe First Brigade of Polish Legions who was the first among the national bards. It tive Fields...”: died in November 1914 at the Battle of was thanks to Słowacki, as he repeatedly My heart breaks, but my eye sheds no Mariusz Błaszczak Krzywopłoty. It was no coincidence this stressed, that he believed the spark smol- tear. Polish Minister of National Defense Special edition Independence Day, November 11, 2019 2 former commander of the Cadre Company spot. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Grudzińs- became the commander of the 6th Battal- ki-Pększyc set off for the battle of Żarni- ion after Lieutenant Marian Kukiel, and ki, and there on May 23 he was injured by then the 5th Battalion after Captain Witold a shrapnel piece. Brought to a hospital, he Rylski. On October 9, in Jakubowice on the fled with an unhealed wound and on May Vistula River, Piątek was promoted to cap- 28 he again took command of his company. tain, joining the lucky group of 134 soldiers There, he found the book which he had lent Captain who received the first Polish officer’s patents to Szyszłowski. On June 3, leading a patrol Kazimierz since the January Uprising from the hands near Modliborzyce, Lieutenant Franciszek Herwink of the Commandant. Grudziński-Pększyc was seriously wounded loved Słowacki’s in the head. Not wanting to be taken pris- poetry so much Blood-Stained Poetry Book oner, he shot himself with his own gun. His that the poetry Soldier’s fortune did not leave Captain friends buried him in the parish cemetery in book was always Piątek in the first legionary battles. He neighboring Baćkowice. Together with him, with him, even fought under Ucisków and Stróżyska, in they buried the volume of poetry by Juliusz in the greatest the fork of the Vistula and Dunajec rivers, Słowacki, dirty with blood of three officers battle fire. and near Laski. On November 17, near of the Polish Legions. Its title was not re- Krzywopłoty, he took over the command corded. of the 1st Battalion after Major Mieczysław Ryś-Trojanowski. It was only on December The Legions’ “Wołodyjowski” The horse drew sparks on the marble graduate of the Faculty of Philosophy of the 23 near Łowczówek that he was seriously in- In the Battle of Łowczówek, in which grave Jagiellonian University, and a conservator jured, commanding the 2nd Battalion. After Captain Herwin got his first wound, Lieu- And the vengeful sword was drawn of monuments at the National Museum in convalescence he returned to the front, took tenant Stanisław Król-Kaszubski suffered a From the shagreen scabbard. Cracow, also proved to be one of Piłsudski’s over the 5th Battalion of the 1st Brigade, heroic death. He was killed in the same way Piłsudski was also a preacher of a claim, most talented officers. He joined the Rifle- and led it, as it turned out, to his last battle of as many companions of his father, Fran- unpopular in the era of positivism, that men’s Association in 1912 and completed Konary. On May 19, 1915, the 5th Battalion ciszek, from the insurgent “party” of 1863. the January Uprising was not a fruitless an officer’s course there. He was quickly was ordered to hit the Kozinek-Płaczko- Lieutenant Kaszubski was hanged by Rus- defeat which deprived Congress Poland of promoted to commander of the Kraków- wice hill, heavily manned by Russians. This sian soldiers for “betraying the tsar.” the remnants of autonomy. According to Podgórze unit. The Commandant also ap- attack, poorly supported by the Austrians, him, it showed that under extremely unfa- pointed “Herwin,” which was his rifleman’s broke down in the hurricane of Russian ar- vorable conditions of enslavement, without pseudonym, to be the commander of the tillery, and the legionaries retreated to the much help from outside, Poles were able First Cadre Company. However, he could region of Kozinkowski Forest, where they “Herwin” and to organize themselves and challenge one not take this function on the memorable Au- were ordered to take position. Unfortunate- of the greatest military powers in Europe. gust 3, 1914 at the Cracow’s Oleandry Street, ly, their commander was seriously wounded “Król” – two For Piłsudski, the creation and functioning because as an Austro-Hungarian citizen he in the head and taken to the rear. Captain extremely ta- of the National Government in 1863 was a was subject to recruitment to the Imperial Kazimierz Herwin-Piątek died the next day miracle, the experience of which he decided and Royal Army. In order not to be “con- in a field hospital. He was buried in the cem- lented officers to make use of in 1914. spicuous” he became the head of the first etery in the village of Pęcławice near Konary. liked by their platoon, and Tadeusz Zbigniew-Kasprzy- While he was still in the hospital, Lieu- With Słowacki in His Backpack cki, native to Congress Poland, took com- tenant Franciszek Grudziński-Pększyc, subordinates – Many of his soldiers shared the Com- mand of the Company. On August 8, when the commander of the 4th Company of the were killed at mander’s views on both Słowacki’s poetry the First Cadre Company entered Miech- 6th Battalion, took over his blood-covered and the January Uprising, but there were ów, Kasprzycki gave the command to Piątek volume of Słowacki’s poetry. On the same the beginning of two officers in the 1st Brigade who gave an (Modest Słoń-Słoniowski was appointed day in the evening he lent this volume to exceptional testimony of their attachment the commander of the 1st Platoon). Herwin lieutenant Mikołaj Sarmat-Szyszłowski, the path to in- to Słowacki’s poetry and the insurgent tra- was the first to enter Kielce at the head of the commander of the 2nd Company of dependence set dition of 1863. the Cadre Company and manned the local the 5th Battalion. On May 21, Sarmat met Captain Kazimierz Herwin-Piątek (born railway station with his soldiers. Soon af- the same fate as the recently deceased com- by Commander March 2, 1886) loved Słowacki’s poetry so terwards, the Austrian Supreme Command mander. Leading the attack on the village of Piłsudski. much that the poetry book was always with renamed Józef Piłsudski’s group the 1st Kozinek, he was hit directly in the face with him, even in the greatest battle fire. This Infantry Regiment. On September 26, the a series from a Russian rifle and died on the UNKNOWN CROSS The Cross of Polish Soldiers from America was one of the first Polish awards designed for Polish soldiers fighting for the shape of the borders of the independent Republic of Poland; unusual soldiers, because they came from another continent and countries distant from Poland – the United States of America and Canada. Krzysztof Filipow ts origins date back to the beginning of 1920s, thus it Haller’s Army – To Her Soldiers from America – Reborn is connected with the period of the fiercest fights on Poland.” Later, in the mid-1920s, the following names were Ithe front line of the Polish-Bolshevik war. This orig- used interchangeably: The Cross of the Polish Volunteers inal military distinction was known under various names, from America, or the Commemorative Cross of Volunteers which remained in the memory of soldiers and later vet- from America.