Over at my blog, I noticed a commenter’s screen name. It was unfamiliar but, given the avatar, I assumed it had some historical significance. I looked it up.
Captain Witold Pilecki
I am almost ashamed that I had never heard of this man before, because based just on the Wikipedia entry, Pilecki was a total badass. He fought the Soviets in the Polish-Soviet War. He fought in World War 2, including with the Tajna Armia Polska, (Secret Polish Army; which he helped found), the resistance movement in Nazi-occupied Poland.
Just what I’ve read so far is fascinating; I’m going to be learning more about him. But let me drop two exploits from his life that are germane to The Zelman Partisans.
Witold Pilecki volunteered to be imprisoned in Auschwitz. Not to find out what was going on in the camp. He knew; some of it, at least. He went to gather proof to be presented to the Allies. He volunteered to go into a death camp to try to help those imprisoned there. They smuggled in radio parts and built a transmitter in the camp and broadcast intel about camp activities.
And he escaped more than two years later. With German documents he’d somehow gotten hold of.
Some might think that was enough for one war. Think again.
He went to the Warsaw Ghetto, and fought in the uprising.
And survived.
As I said, I’m still learning about Pilecki. I do know that he was executed by the Soviet puppet government of Poland in 1948.
For working against the Soviets.
“I’ve been trying to live my life so that in the hour of my death I would rather feel joy, than fear.”
– Pilecki, after being sentenced to death
[Permission to republish this article is granted so long as it is not edited, and the author and The Zelman Partisans are credited.]
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Nerves of steel, just amazing….impressive, thanks for sharing!!!
Thank you for providing more exposure and education about my hero and his incredible exploits. I chose him for my on-line persona because I view him as the ultimate volunteer and unsung hero. Also, my great-grandparents emigrated from Auschwitz in the early 1900’s. It was pitiful the way he met his end, executed by Soviet scumbags and dumped in an unmarked mass grave. His full, hand-written, translated to English report on Auschwitz is available in several places on-line to read for yourself.
From what I’ve learned so far, it is my privilege to tell people about Pilecki. This is a man about whom every schoolchild should learn. I’m guessing that the only reason I didn’t know about him is suppression during the communist-control era of Poland.
Witold Pilecki’s story reinforces one thing I’ve learned about Polish history: Never, ever underestimate the Poles.
I am about half in love with him! What an ideal to try to live up to. I have never heard his name either, thank you so much Bear for sharing his story. I thought about it more than once this weekend.
I happened upon this story at Wirecutters blog. I was amazed at just how brave he was. As I wrote there, it is one thing to be a hero during battle, when the intensity of things can bring out the hidden strength of men. It is a completely different thing to volunteer to be captured and taken into a concentration camp, where the possibility of death is nearly certain, and do so in the cold and stark calm of planning.
I sometimes can almost imagine myself fighting and even sacrificing for my ideals. I don’t know if I could volunteer to step up and sacrifice myself like this brave hero did, over and over again.
Might not be to your taste in music but I feel it is well done. Found it in a comment by Wirecutter.’s place. If a band such as Sabaton knows, and writes of his story, his name is being remembered.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wvDg7UftJw8
I’m more into symphonic metal, but I knew of Sabaton. Didn’t know they’d done that. Of course, since I only just learned of Pilecki, the significance would have escaped me then. I looked up that album; looks like there’s some neat stuff there.
A beautiful life, lived with dignity and honor.
Much respect to that brave soldier.