/ “Earth” KRAKOWSKA PUKIERNIA – ZAMACH – Leader of the Action “ORLIK” TODAY’S MERES.
REMEMBER OF KOSPIRATORS OF KAKOWSKI KEDIV AK "GROM".
I don't care.
I'm sorry.
Numerous diversion and sabotage actions and the demolition of individual Germans caused a threat and "burning" of respective young people in Krakow. In specified cases, members of the opposition were directed to forest guerrilla troops. Thus the second branch of the Krakow “Kedywu” was formed. On January 18, 1944, the first group of partisans of the group codenamed “Grom” set out to the forests in the vicinity of Niepołomics. It counted 8 people: Zbigniew Gawlik - ‘Żmija’, Jerzy Gara - ‘Błysk’, Wojciech Niedziałek - ‘Judas’, Zbigniew Kulig - ‘Zbójnik’, Kazimierz Hromniak - ‘Leśnik’, Jerzy Tracz - ‘Little’, Zdzisław Meres - ‘Orlik’, Kazimierz Meres - ‘Ryś’.
They weren't beginners underground soldiers. “Judas” had previously fought for 5 months in the Lightning branch. Patrol under the command of “Orlik” composed of “Lesnik”, “Ryś”, “Little” carried out an assassination of the “Ziemiańska” bakery in November 1943 at ul. Mikołajska in Kraków.
"Orlik" – the action commander was an excellent soldier and a wonderful colleague, low-growth with tiny penetrating eyes, impressed with courage and sobriety of mind. He could tell a large communicative about his experiences. His artistic contributions, supported by hand gestures, peculiarly impressed the novices. Listeners during the relation simply saw the course of the events told. His closest colleagues besides called him “Lata”. He was besides assigned command of the AK patrol in action for the “Earth” bakery. It utilized to include partially developed Jews, German seizures from the area of Krakow. These were Diamand, Karolewski, Kusek, Bielecki, Apfel, Förster, Żabiński and Stefania Brandsteter, besides known as the "Conspiracy cry". This judaic group had on the conscience of respective twelve Poles released into the hands of the Gestapo. No wonder they were curious in both AK cells and PPS combat group.
The “Kedywu” Command established contact with PPS by planning a joint action in “Zebieńska”. The PPS fighters were to operate inside the coffee shop, while the arks were to supply cover. Before the PPS action, however, they were "burned". The full of the action was taken by the “Orlik” patrol, with the commander and “Lesnik” operating inside the premises, and the “Little” and “Ryś” insured their colleagues outside.
It was decided to usage grenades of its own conspiracy work, which were tried on the Twardowski Rocks. A charge consisting of 5 grenades and a kilo cut into tiny pieces of iron was prepared in Kedyw's cells. The full was packed and was an aesthetic package.
The patrol “Orlika” stayed for days at certain hours at St. Barbara's Church kneeling in benches and waiting for the convenient moment. Finally, the liaison brought the desired order. All “Earth” regulars are included. It was dark on Santa Claus Street.
The “Earth” coffee store consisted of 2 rooms from the front. Through a narrow and dark room, there was a large area where judaic Gestapo impounders sat.
The first 1 to enter the bakery was “Orlik”. At the front door he came across a couple of decent-looking people who accidentally besides wanted to visit the place. He felt sorry for innocent people and decided to inform them.
– Don't come in!
Why?
- Police!
The informing worked. “Orlik” sat at a tiny table in the first area and calmly ordered 2 cookies. In “Earth” you usually paid at the buffet. So he started looking for money in his pockets. The wallet, unfortunately, was pressed by a hidden parabellum. During this time, “The Forest” stood at the entrance to the another room, pulled a string attached to the grenade pin and pressed the full package on the confiscation table. The “Orlik” holding the weapon in his hand insured the retreat of “The Forest”. As they rushed out, there was an explosion. The windows went out and there was panic in the street. utilizing this, the boys rapidly moved distant from the scene.
As it turned out, only 1 grenade exploded. The another 4 of the beams didn't explode. most likely caused by the damp powder. Among the perpetrators was 1 injured, while the remainder were stunned and battered. The place has been demolished.
Although the action was not full successful, it was of large intellectual importance. The judaic confidents saw death in their eyes and felt that the time of vengeance was coming for the crimes committed.
This was besides understood by Germany, for which specified people were of large value. So after the assassination, they surrounded their spies with caring care. However, this did not produce any affirmative results, due to the fact that in 2 weeks later the patrol “Żelbetu” liquidated the confiscator hebrew Kusk at Strzelecka Street.
Two further soldiers of the “Grom” division – “Border” and “Blow” previously wore the “Organisation Todt” uniforms and pretended to be Hungarians, hoping they would have had quite a few bad luck if they ran into a German who knew the language. It was the “Organisation Todt” uniforms that helped them disarm individual German soldiers.
The commander of the ‘Viper’ branch is the pre-war Nt. As part of his conspiracy activities, he conducted training of future guerrillas in the field of arms cognition and military service regulations.
As they went to the forests in Wieliczka, they were met by a liaison from the “Sleep” branch – “Żbik”. He led them to the Niepołomice Forest area to a forestry plant in Chobot. There, too, they met with colleagues from Lightning and got dinner. They were besides hoping to rest, but the commander of “The Lightning” – “Roman” decided to immediately change the stop. He was afraid of deconspiration after specified a large group arrived.
On the same night, both troops reached Wola Batorska, where they were accommodated in a 4 - grade school. Unmercifully exhausted boys fell into a stone sleep, on very uncomfortable benches.
On 29 January 1944, “Błyskawica” and the recently formed “Grom” received an order to go to the Grodkowice-Cudów area in Niepołomicka Forest. Their task was to organize an ambush on a German military train. They were expected by the diversion group “Kedywu” composed of: Stanisław Więckowski – “Wąsacz”, Ryszard Nuszkiewicz – “Slow”, Henryk Januszkiewicz – “Slow”, Zygmunt Kawecki – “Mars”, Mieczysław Cieślik – “Koral”, Józef Borkowski – “Kruk”, Kazimierz Lorys – “Zawała”, Władysław Wiśniewski – “Wróbel”, Władysław Bajer – “Zremsta” and NN – “Marynarz”.
On 30 January 1944, Hitler's anniversary of the office of Chancellor of the Reich came. The anniversary was decided by Germany to celebrate especially in the General Gubernia area in order to emphasize its unwavering regulation on Polish lands. It was all the more crucial that the "planned shortening of the front" in the Wehrmacht communications from the East brought the war effort closer to these lands.
The central celebrations were designated by the Lions. On their eve, Mr. and Lord General Guberni Dr. Hans Frank gave a commemorative speech to German youth in Krakow. There were no shortages of statements of peace in Polish lands.
Frank could have convinced himself of the unwarrantedness of this claim by the following day, behind the Podleż in the Niepołomicka Forest, erstwhile the train carrying the politician and the entourage blew up.
Before that happens, let's go back a fewer days. In mid-January 1944 the head of “Kedywu” Dr. Stefan Tarnawski – “Jarema” instructed the operational officer “Slow” to make a task to blow up a train on the Kraków-Tarnów railway way along with a possible fire ambush. The first part of the task, i.e. the train's landing, required an appropriate turn to be found on the railway way as the origin determining the success of the action. The second part of the task limited the search to forested areas. A brief review of the maps revealed that these conditions correspond to the territory of the Niepołomice Forest.
Due to the short deadline for the work of the “Slow” task together with “Slow” they personally pass the way looking for the right place. However, there are difficulties due to the fact that the railway way to Tarnów is highly simple. ‘Slow’ decides to choose a place on the section of the track at the water catchment half way between Podleż and Grodkowice. The flood is an additional asset in the organization of the ambush, while the deficiency of curve of the track made the task difficult. “Jarema” submitted a sketch to the commandant of the AK territory to Józef Skuszski - “Lutem” and obtained his acceptance. It was decided on 29 January to derail the German rush train with holidaymakers called "Urlaubzug".
“The Wanderer” was appointed as the manager of the action, and the method issues were addressed by “Slow”. In addition to the Mineri patrol, a strike group consisting of guerrillas of the “Sleep” and “Grom” troops was to take part. Upon derailing the train, the name of the train shall be fired upon and then retreat southwards to the Catch area. In order to mask this maneuver, it was decided to phase a bounce north by flushing 2 boats into the river port in Wisła, Niepołomice. 3 hand device guns and 1 100 grenades were expected to be delivered from the ellipse to strengthen the firepower.
All preparations dependent on “Kedyw” were completed on 27 January. The guerrilla troops were located in Wola Batorska. An explosive charge from the granulated TNT, electrical detonator and lighter was prepared by ‘Slow’ and ‘Mars’. He was found in the flat of the last 1 in Wieliczka. The miner patrol consisted of “Marsa”, “Relax”, “Fall” and “Warrow”. But there was no weapon promised in the district. It was not until the morning of 29 January that Wąsacz received rkm and any grenades. Together with “Slow” and “Wreck”, arms were delivered to Wrzesowice k. Libertov, where they were placed on a peasant submarine prepared by Gustav Bielański - “Gutka”. respective rifles and petrol bottles were besides taken. The 4 guerrillas went there in a car via Soboniowice, Wieliczka, Przebrze and Brzeza to the quartering guerrilla troops in Niepołomice Forest close Miracle Forest, 5 km from the designated site of the action.
At six o'clock in the evening, “Mars”, “Relax”, “Koral”, “Zala”, “Wróbel”, “Revenge” and future commander of “Huragan” Zbigniew Kwapień – “Kuba” are arriving for training for “Swimming”. The arrivals are only armed with short weapons. There is another obstacle to the unpleasant surprise of failing to deliver the full promised weapon. As a consequence of the strong penetration of the area by German patrols, guerrilla troops arrive at the location of the group only around 8:00 p.m. In this situation, the Wanderer and Slow decide to quit the fire ambush.
The actions remain: “Wąsacz”, “Slow”, “Slow”, “Mars”, “Wróbel”, “Koral”, “Wrak”, “Zalwa” and “Kruk”. The remainder marches distant towards Lapanov, and “Gutek” with an unloaded wagon returns to Wrzesowice.
The Wanderer accepts the location proposed by the “Slow” to establish a mine from the north side of the track about 40 m west of the viaduct over the Brzezie-Niepołomice field road. The temper among the participants is simply a bit minor, they hoped for a bigger “job”. The insurance of miners from the east is “Koral”, “Wróbel” and “Revenge”, from the west “Wrak”, “Zalwa”, and “Kruk”, which is to signal the arrival of the train from Krakow with a flashlight. The installation and cloaking of the explosive had to be interrupted twice, erstwhile after the German patrol appeared, the second time around 9:30 p.m. at the crossing of the locomotive from Bochnia. Locomotive drove on the incorrect right track, due to the fact that then there was a left-hand traffic. This and the deficiency of a rush train for Poles from Kraków to Tarnów confirmed the guerrillas that a peculiar train would shortly arrive.
Indeed, before 22 p.m., the guerrillas heard the turn of the train going at a tiny velocity to Krakow. The flash of the “Kruk” flashlight and in a minute the slogan “The Calm” – “Mars” presses the lighter handle. In front of the locomotive, a pillar of fire grows, derailed carriages form a harmonica and rotation all the way to the close viaduct. The blast broke a seven-meter long of rails, 60 m of track was destroyed and about 120 railway primers. There's a steamer derailed, 3 more cars and a service car.
Shocked, strong and selective protection of the train rapidly awakened and opened hurricane fire with device weapon and weapon guns. the likely positions of the assassins. Tens of rockets turned night into day. In this setting, “Kruk” and “Revenge” bounce back to Niepołomic; “Koral”, “Mars”, “Wróbel”, “Wracle” and “Wreck” to Wieliczka, and “Slow”, “Slow” and exhausted with the flu “Wander” to Raciborska k. Wieliczka. A six-man field patrol of the “Post” facility in Niepołomice under the command of Antoni Rojowicz - “Brzozy” gives respective shots into the air and drops 2 boats on the Vistula. The action is over.
As it later turned out, politician Frank, along with his closest colleagues, traveled in the surviving area No. 1006 and in the second at No. 1001 stayed, among others, Obergruppenführer Wilhelm Koppe. It was a train of a peculiar Krakow-Lviv relation called "Urlaubzug", filled with armed soldiers returning from vacation to the east front. He left Krakow at about 10.45 p.m. The following days after the train was blown up there were many arrests among the surroundings of politician Frank, as his departure was surrounded by the strictest secret.
As determined by the AK's intelligence, 18 people (three people who died on their way to the hospital) and 27 somewhat injured were badly injured in the bombed train. 350 people for 18 hours removed the damage. At this time 61 trains delayed from 3 to 15 hours. First of all, politician Frank found out on his own how peaceful it is in his subordinate lands.
When the train was blown up by the “Kedyw” diversion group, the guerrillas were within 10 kilometres of the ambush site. They jumped off with a forced march to make it to the prepared quarters in Jaroshówka before dawn. Almost all roads within a radius of about 40 kilometres from the location of the train being blown up were already heavy penetrated by cars with German soldiers. As it later turned out, the Germans at dawn on 30 January 1944 found traces of the partisans retreating and pursued their lead. The Partisans went astray misdirecting the retreat. “Roman” with “The Viper” decided to return to the road and go to Nieznanowice and further to Wieniec. On the trampled snow, the Germans lost track without reasoning that the guerrillas had taken shelter in the attic of 1 of the houses in Jaroshówka a fewer miles further.
At 8.00 this morning, 2 SS-man cars drove to Niepołomice due to the fact that night watchmen reported that any “banda” was crossing the Vistula River around midnight and stole 2 boats. The German investigation failed.
On 31 January 1944 there was a disconnect between “Grom” and “Blind”. 4 kbs and kbk, 3 Parabellum guns and a P-38 weapon at the time constituted the arming of the branch.
The following day, the branch moved to Gdowa. “The Viper” made contact with the command of the local AK facility, and as a consequence of the interviews he received 2 Sten device guns and 2 magazines to them. At the Viper's quarters, he learned that, by order of Kedyw, he was to decision the branch to the area of Igołomia. Marching only at night, the guerrillas reached the village of Tarnówka close Niepołomic on 5 February, where they were accommodated at the edge of the village next to the Vistula embankments. The following night, the drivers from the truck ran the branch through the Vistula River and handed over the "Kedywu" Command liaison to Dorota Girtler-Franszkowa - "Stasi". She led the guerrillas to their quarters in Lorenzo. Stefan Jerski - “Sam” with appointment as commander, Józef Bieniasz - “Kat” and Eugeniusz Giebultowski - “October” came to the branch. The fresh commander was a pre-war corporal of the bomb squad; he brought a Belgian weapon FN-9 mm 14-gun and a ‘October’ – parabel to the branch. ‘Kat’ previously belonged to a diversion patrol, coming from the ‘Grey ranks’. He took part on 2 January 1944 in the assassination of the well-known impounder of the Gestapo in Cracow – Sławomir Smart, who was only wounded. After a fewer weeks of careful care, he licked his wounds and was afraid that “Kat” would be recognized by him in Krakow, so the “Kedyw” command directed him to “Grom”.
In March 1944, “Sam” received an order to go with the full branch to Krakow. It was expected to lead to the reflection of political prisoners from the detention at Czarnieckiego Street. This action was to be carried out jointly with the “Kedyw” diversion ward of the Rzeszow district, and was to be commanded by Lieutenant Zenon Saturday – “Swid”. The “Grom” stayed in various places in Krakow, constantly in a sharp emergency. Nor was it allowed to leave the pits nor to appear on the street under any pretext. The action did not take place, and on 10 March 1944, the branch was transferred to the Customs, from where, under the care of “Stasi” to a congregation point located in a restaurant owned by the father of the liaison – Michał Girtler, associate of the AK, a warm friend of the guerrillas.
This is how “Stasia ” says about it.”: “There was a bad weather on that day and a terrible cold, but the task entrusted, carrying out the “Jędrussies”, made me proud, and it besides shook my emotions. In accordance with the instructions received from “Judas” at the appointed time, I stood on the bridge. erstwhile it turned out that I had not found “Judash” or a branch there, thousands of thoughts were pounding in my head. Whether I understood the instructions correctly, whether it was this hour, the place, the date, etc., etc. The feeling of relief subsided erstwhile I heard an appointment whistle – a melody of the celebrated song "War – War". After a minute on the road, “Judas” jumped out and firmly said to me, “We are going at a visual distance, I am following you and don’t worry about the rest.” Only now did I announcement a twelve guerrillas hidden behind the roadside trees of the side road. It started to get dark and rain. So I accelerated the pace of the march, and without much problem I led the branch to the contact point at the restaurant in Igołomia, enjoying the task well done.”
For the next day, the ward went to the Goldsmith. From the command, Kedywu arrived silent Lieutenant Henryk Januszkiewicz - ‘Relax’ who conducted intensive training of guerrillas and introduced them to the principles of instinctive shooting and capture of the jiu-jits. These were fresh things for the guerrillas. Their cognition imposed a fresh strategy to fight the enemy.
For the accommodation in Złotników, “Judas” brought purchased for the saved money from the pay 2 MP device guns and 2 magazines for them and from the command of “Kedyw” 30 grenades of conspiracy production (repairs of 1939 and in conspiracy made fuses).
From Złotnik, the branch moved to Brzesk Nowy and was accommodated in Hardy - “Rudka”. During his stay in the village, a large aid to the guerrillas was presented by the local “terenówka”, especially Dr. Kowal – “Kolba”, “Sokol”, “Deer” (names unknown) and the owner of the grocery store Cęckiewiczowa.
On March 21, the branch one more time changed its accommodation and moved to the village of Hebdów, lodging in a tiny cottage above the Vistula River itself.
On March 27, the commander was again ordered to go to Krakow to take part in the action codenamed “February”. “Sam” ordered a combat ambulance and with the aid of a truck, led by “Blondin” from the truck, the squad was moved on 28 March 1944 to Krakow and deployed in the creaved pits. As sarno as for the erstwhile stay, no 1 was allowed to leave, and discipline was further tightened. It turned out that on March 24, the Gestapo arrested in a tenement home at ul. Dietla 32 Colonel “Lutego” – the Commander of the Krakow AK District, and with him respective more officers of the staff.
After the arrest of “Lucy”, he assumed the duties of commandant of the Krakow AK territory
Colonel Wojciech Wajda - ‘Retaliation’. Decision on rebound actions
Colonel ‘February’ collapsed at the level of the AK Headquarters. The commander of the action was assigned to „Świd” – the head of the Rzeszów sub-district of „Kedywu” which, under the command of “Jarema” (the commander of Kraków’s “Kedywu”) was to recapture prisoners from the detention at Czarnieckiego Street. Many people from the “Żelbetu” Krakow group took part in the painful and hard preparations, and the “Kedyw” Krakow’s “Skała”, cf. “Skała”, cf. “Hancza”, cf. “Raka”, cf. “Czesława” and 2 guerrilla troops: “Grom” and “Błyskawica”. From the area of the subdistrict of Rzeszow, Lieutenant “Świd” brought a diversionary ward under the command of a pchod. Stanislaw Panek - ‘Gila’, his deputy to the silent Lieutenant Władysław Mićek - ‘Mazepa’ and aide to Stanisław Kostka - ‘Dąbrowa’ (father of my colleague
Boguslawa Dąbrowa – Kostka).
The ‘Lucy’ run staff was besides appointed, which took up work. Many options were developed, but the deficiency of approval of the KG of the AK due to the expected repression of the Krakow residents after the action, did not let any of them to be implemented. Keeping many branches in constant alert throughout the city was besides risky. Thus, after any time the emergency situation was called off in the guerrilla troops “Grom” and “Split” and they were ordered to return to the forest.
However, before the “Grom” returned to the forest “Sam” decided to arm the branch and organize respective actions in Krakow for this purpose. And so, a patrol consisting of ‘Judas’, ‘Orlik’, ‘Lesnik’ and ‘Little’ disarmed the SS captain on Kopernik Street by taking distant his FN-7.65 pistol (as it turned out later he had a damaged needle) patrol in the ‘Kat’ and ‘Blow’ squad disarmed the German lieutenant in Silent Kącik, taking distant his Parabellum pistol. In a fewer days, “Orlik” and “Lesnik” were subdued by a German officer in the Azores, taking a Walther weapon and a holster. Next was an action on a German paper store at St. Mark's Street. Here, the patrols of ‘Judas’, ‘Leśnik’, ‘Orlik’, ‘Little’, ‘Kat’ and ‘Ryś’ requisitioned 3 typewriters and a duplicator, and ‘Judas’ additionally requisitioned gold earrings and another valuables from the store's owner's wife, issuing a certificate with the stamp ‘National Army O.P. Grom’ with the attention that these valuables would be utilized to arm the branch. Even better was successful in the German hardware store at Stradom Street (rog, al. Dietla).
The patrol in the line-up “Kat”, “Błysk”, “Ryś”, “Orlik” took a full-day wage without any opposition and additionally for the second day the designated ransom of PLN 10 thousand, which the owner of the store handed to “Orlik” on Franciszkańska Street next to the German police headquarters. The German besides received a receipt of the money with the stamp – “O.P. Grom”.
Even before the branch from Krakow, the patrol consisting of “Orlik”, “Lesnik” and “Little” was enriched with a Parabellum pistol, disarming the Wehrmacht soldier at Grzegórzecka Street. No wonder, then, that the 3 of them, enjoying the successful action and commenting vividly, forgot that it was after curfew, and that they had a long way to the den at Goose Street. They accelerated their step, but they did not escape far, for 2 grenade policemen appeared unexpectedly.
– They'll halt us or not," he whispered, "The forester."
– In a minute you will have a chance to see for yourself – he replied “Orlik” – “granate” due to the fact that they clearly directed the steps towards them. Stop! Do you have passes?
– That is what he replied obediently “Orlik”.
– Show me!
The highest tallness from the stopped 3 "Leśnik" takes the weapon out of the lane and directs it towards "granate" calmly answers:
- Here's your pass. Do you have a want to learn more about the data?
At the sight of a weapon pointed to police officers, a mina fell off and for a minute they forgot “the tongue in the mouth”. “Orlik” rapidly jumped to them and took the belt with his holster and weapon (only 1 of them was armed).
– And now turn back and march away, only without any jokes – he measured through his teeth “The Forest”.
What they thought of this unexpected meeting, it's hard to suppose, and even to tell you the truth, nobody was curious, due to the fact that the yet detained 3 guerrillas, enjoying the extra weapons gained, had already arrived happily at the pit without further adventures.
The branch in Krakow in connection with the “Lucy” action expanded by 5 more guerrillas. At 6 Bonerowska Street they arrived at the ward: Bolesław Fischer - ‘Bolek’, author of these memoirs Włodzimierz Rozrnus - ‘Buńko’, Jan Fiszer – ‘Łęczyc’, Bolesław Gąsiorek – ‘Pomorry’, Zdzisław Jabłoński – ‘Szczupak’. We were mostly young people who, due to “burning” in Kraków, were directed by the command of “Kedyw” to the branch.
Today, more than forty years after those events, the laconic message that due to “burning” in Krakow we were sent to the forest, fundamentally contains nothing. It's just, they've been directed into the woods. At that time, there was a individual tragedy and deep experience behind each specified direction. For the Gestapo kept sniffing around and "footstepping" members of underground organizations. If he didn't come up with a lead on the wanted one, he was taking revenge on his family. That's what happened to me. While operating in a diversion patrol in the area of the steam station at Bosacka Street in Krakow, I performed crucial railway sabotages. After more than half a year of activity in the area of the Gestapo steaming station, he got our lead and arrested the leader of the group Jan Szywała - “Black” (it was placed on the alleged “death list” and was shot in May 1944 at Botanic Street in Krakow). I managed to escape at the last minute. The Gestapo in retaliation for their escape came into the flat at 6 Topolowa Street in the night, arrested their parents and took them to 2 Pomorska Street, and then to the prison at Montelupich Street.
After a series of painful interrogations, parent was taken to a concentration camp in Ravensbrück and Father to Gross-Rosen, where he was shot just after arriving. I, as I mentioned earlier, was directed by command to the “Grom”.
The last action the branch carried out in Krakow was a jump on the Bank of Agricultural Companies at infirmary Street. ‘Sam’ has designated a patrol in the lineup ‘Łęczyc’, ‘Bolek’, ‘Orlik’ and as commander of ‘Judasz’. They entered the bank immediately after its beginning and took over the individual rooms, separated previously indicated to them by the employees of the bank (conspired AK soldier), the alarm installation and waited for the most crucial individual to arrive. The bank's cast consisted of Polish employees and so there were no major problems with making contact. "Judas" 'explained that they were partisans of the AK, and the money earned would be spent on buying weapons. The conversation was inadvertently joined by the “Greet”, leaving the front door to guard. At that time, the cashier came in and saw officials sitting against the wall and realized that something was not right. He immediately ran out into the street screaming that the “bandits” had taken over the bank. “Judas” gave a signal to retreat. After just a fewer minutes, German police arrived, who, on the basis of staff interviews, concluded that they were not “bandits”, but authentic guerrillas. After these “shows” in Kraków, part of the branch sailed by ship on 21 April 1944 to Nowy Brzesk, and after passing about 6 kilometres along the Vistula River, it was accommodated in the village of Hebdów with “Wira” – a associate of the Peasants Battalions. On the another hand, the second part of the ward, which ran at 6 Bonerowska Street in the ground level room, did not leave until 30 April. The last night before leaving Krakow almost ended with an accidental clash with Germany. At this den were “Judas”, “Bolek”, “Dreamy”, “Greece” and I. As usual, the “Judas” issued a short weapon before sleeping. erstwhile we went to bed to remainder before the journey tomorrow, around midnight, he picked us up on the equal ft of the squeak of the braking car and in a minute the sounds of German speech. It was all virtually other the area we were in. "Judas" immediately ordered a silent alarm and after being aware of the situation he added that in the event of an attack we throw grenades at them and do a bounce through the close railway embankment towards Grzegórzki and further on Dąb and over the Vistula River. any relaxation occurred erstwhile women heard voices among German screams. They were moving toward the building on the other side of the street.
The next day, the full group went to the Vistula harbour and sailed from here along with our weapons to Nowy Brzesk. We've been staying with Red from the truck. Before leaving the ship, ‘Judas’ ordered the full payoff on the ship. This was done without any difficulty, due to the fact that our commander told the captain of the ship that we were Polish guerrillas and received a receipt with the stamp "O.P. Grom".
The first group of troops under the command of “Sama” moved from Hebdów to Bobin, where there was already a link from the field station, codenamed “Drozd” under the command of Adolf Gołębiowski - “Sokol”. He was to conduct the “Grom” to Nowy Biegylów. What a surprise he was erstwhile among the guerrilla brothers he recognized a friend from the school bench - “Orlik”. In the home of the parents of “Sokola” there was a contact and metastasis point for the guerrillas of “Grom” and “Błyskawica” returning from Krakow. It was a Polish household helping all guerrillas who had the chance to host their home.
W On May 10, our group under the command of “Judas”, which brought “handled” by him in the command of “Kedyw”: 8 kb and kbk, 3 Walther guns, Parabellum and Vis, 10 Polish grenades from 1939, and more than 2,000 shells to kb.
W The troops were approached by further guerrillas directed by the command of ‘Kedywu’. These were: Jan Tryszczala – “Batko”, Jerzy Baster – “Gala”, Czesław Ciepila – “Karp”, Tadeusz Janiak – “The Period”, NN – “The Avenger”, Jan Kałecki – “The Zające”, NN – “Revenge”. At that time, the condition of the ward was 23 guerrillas.
The deputy commander of the branch was the commander of the “Karp” artillery. The weaponry was as follows: 12 kb and kbk, 2 MP device guns and 2 magazines each, 2 Sten device guns and 2 magazines each, and a 14-gun gun, 11 guns (Parabellum, Walther, Vis, FN-7,65), 40 grenades. The formation of the ward was fundamentally uniform. Thanks to the prevention of “Judas”, each organization of “Grom” was dressed in green trousers and a hooded hoodie, sewn from waterproof shelter cells. The windbreaker was sticking in his pants. alternatively of buttons on the front, she had a stringing, and on the left sleeve a badge on a white-red triangular emblem: green pine and the inscription “O.P. Grom”. The bottom pants were tight with clips. The leather military belt, Italian military boots with a double toe and an eagle carriage completed the uniforming. The food supply was provided by the organizational sites of the alleged K.O.S. (Social Welfare Committee) and supplemented in the German liegenschafts.
The division was first located in the Miechów County. The local population and the trucker warned the commander that due to many German ‘Stützpoints’ and densely circling around a group of ‘banjors’, frequently claiming to be guerrillas, caution should be exercised. These groups were mostly composed of 2–4 men armed with rifles with a bevelled barrel, commonly called "spins". They were a panic of the surrounding villages, and especially of the more wealthy hosts. They raided at night, looting the well - stored possessions and valuables. In the absence or refusal of money, the victim was beaten unconscious and subjected to various tortures. The appearance of a well-trained guerrilla branch took the local population with relief and large joy. frequently patrols sent at night to distant villages allowed this area to be freed from the plague of banditism. And that this was a problem of large importance may be evidenced by the fact that already on September 16, 1943, the Chief Commandant of the Home Army issued an order to subordinate troops talking about fighting banditism on Polish lands.
On 12 May 1944, the commander received a task from the truck to destruct the “banjors” who terrorized forest service and cut down trees by selling them at excessive prices to casual hosts in Sipas. An alarm and “Sam” was ordered at the head of the patrol in the lineup “Leśnik”, “Orlik”, “Karp” went immediately into the field in peasant disguise with hidden device guns and short guns. The remainder of the branch under the “Veget” headed for Sypów – from behind to cut off the bandits. The appearance of the patrol at the place where the “banziors” were acting caused them anxiety. Immediately without notice, they opened fire from the “uses” and began retreating toward the forest, utilizing panic and general dismay. About 250 carts began to abruptly disintegrate on all sides, making it impossible for the patrol to continue. The remainder of the branch under ‘Zmji’ at the time of the first shooting was inactive 2 km from the site. Upon her arrival, it turned out that the "banzirs" had fled in an unknown direction. The next day, erstwhile “Grom” was inactive surviving in Nowy Biegylów, a strong German squad appeared on horses in the afternoon. There were over 60 of them. ‘Sam’ ordered an alarm and immediate take up of posts. The enemy's advantage was overwhelming, so “Sam” warned that fire could only be opened at his command. He realized that in the event of an unequal fight, we could endure large losses. Therefore, “Sam” eagerly expected Germans to leave.
And erstwhile that happened, fearing that sometimes on their way back they wouldn't catch the Biegs again, he ordered an immediate change of quarters. On 13 May 1944 we set off for Kopanine close Grodzisk in Stradów.
At this quarters, the “Grom” met with the arrival from Podhale “Błyskawica” who was at the time in Stradów. A delegation of local people arrived to the office in Kopanine to pay thanks to the guerrillas for freeing the area from the swarming bands.
Two fresh guerrillas arrived in Kopanin: Kazimierz Stelmach - “The Shadow” sent from “Kedyw” and Zbigniew Basinski - “Czort”, whom the commander brought. On the another hand, he deserted NN – “Revenge”. The Shadow was not part of any organization. He hid from Germany from the beginning of the war due to judaic background. In the ward he became known as a brave guerrilla and a good colleague. "The Chort" worked in Liegenschaft Sielec. He knew the area perfectly, so he developed respective actions for German assets and for a weapons warehouse in Skalbmierz.
In the 3rd decade of May, “Grom” together with “Błyskawica” received diversion and miner training. They were led by the silent: “Slow” and “Relax”. After their departure, “Sam” decided to get a weapons warehouse in Skalbmierz developed by “Corta”. The action day was scheduled for May 31. It was decided that a patrol in the composition of ‘Czort’, ‘Leśnik’, ‘Orlik’ under ‘Sama’ would leave for the evening with the task of silently eliminating German sentinels, and the remainder of the branch under ‘Karpia’ would go inside to gain weapons. German insurance this time was not surprising. 1 of the guerrillas accidentally hit any metallic object with a vending machine, scaring a sentinel. Shots fired. The Germans have alerted the full area. The shooting grew bigger and became daylight. It was the Germans who started lighting the full area with rockets. There was no another advice but to retreat jumps from the rocket field, utilizing all minute of the missile's expiration. And erstwhile the squad jumped back to a safe place and the excitement of the fight came down, they felt the incredible odor of cattle dung. It turned out that the meadow, after which we retreated, usually served as a pasture and at the time the Germans fired the rockets, everyone fell where they stood. That's why it stinks. There was no another advice on how to march to the nearest ponds to wake up the Jews and wash the uncleanness and wash the uniforms.
On 2 June, an interview with the trucker reported to the commander that on the following day Germany is to transport food products taken from Montenegro under mandatory quotas. There was a good opportunity, so after a short conference, it was decided to set up an ambush on the road between Chamocin and Ciuslik. After recognizing the area and obtaining additional information regarding the day and hr of the car's journey, a strong patrol was launched early in the morning in line with: ‘Blow’, ‘Kat’, ‘Łęczyc’, ‘Drowy’, ‘Ryś’, ‘Szczupak’, ‘Binder’ under ‘The Viper’. A “Todt” – “Blow” and “Bender” were designated in uniform to halt the car. After a very long wait, due to the fact that it was only around 1:30 p.m. that the car was heard growling, and after a while a broken truck appeared on civilian registration numbers. A minute of consternation, is this the car for which the ambush was prepared? Just in case the Flash comes out on the road and the hand is raised giving a sign to halt the car, then pretending to be the German demands documents, and the "Bender" meantime checks who is on the box under the tarp. After believing that only 3 Poles are going – convoys, he yells: Get out of the bushes and get to work! 6 barrels of butter, 5 barrels of cream and over 1,000 pieces of eggs were loaded into the prepared horsepod.
On 8 June, another patrol was sent as part of the disorganization of the German hinterland to “do” Liegenschaft, located about 3 km behind the Cannoneers. A strong patrol was sent with 2 submarines under “Karpia”. It consisted of: “A Flash”, “The Shadow”, “Gala”, “The Period”, “The Little”, “The Avenger”, “The Ryś”, “The Hare”, “The Viper” and I – the author of these memories. You should've driven by yourself. A gunman, where the German crew was rather strong at the time.
According to the information available, the ruler of Liegenschaft was German and not very friendly to Poles. He had a telephone call with the cannons. In front of Liegenschaft “Karp” himself, he instructed to get out of the wagons and proceed to travel unnoticed in the silence. You should have cut the telephone wires on the pole. With the aid of his colleagues, the rabbit climbed a telegraph pole and decided to usage bayonet to wrap the wires and break them.
“Karp” kept rushing and reminding of absolute silence. However, something did not work out, due to the fact that it was heard, most likely even in the gunsalyses themselves, the characteristic sound of the wires hitting each other, exacerbating inactive in the night silence. “Karp” ordered the work to halt immediately. He waited a while and after checking that nothing was going on in the area, decided to approach with a patrol under Liegenschaft himself and surprise the staff so as not to let the telephone to be used. But they began to eat dogs that sensed a stranger. “The hare” managed to catch a night watchman who as shortly as he found out that they were guerrillas opened rooms and indicated the manager's room. “The hare” broke the window and called for the German to rise his hands. The another guerrillas jumped inside and damaged the phone. “Karp” for abuse of Poles sentenced the admin to whipping. We requisitioned the pig, flour, groats and another food products. any food and 2 pigs were left to Polish service, confirming this with a certificate with the stamp “O.P. Grom”.
With the approval of the command, on 8 June he left the “October” branch and was transferred to a diversion patrol in Kraków.
On June 10, 1944, “Grom” participates in a convoy protection run that protected Polish displaced people from Zamość. This action, at the request of the local mayor, was organized by Lightning, while the task of the “Grom” was to cut the convoy road by two-man patrols. They impressed a large number of guerrillas. The fortel went well, so it is no wonder that on the night of 14th to 15th June the trucker informed “The Viper” (“Sam” and “Karp” were present at the briefing) that about 4,000 Germans were leaving in the morning to raid the Chrober forests. The alarm was ordered immediately. “The Viper” sent “Kata” and me as servants that night to “The Lightning” who is based in Zagaj Stradowskie with the task of informing about the raid and agreeing to meet both troops within an hr in the gorge close Grodziska.
The rain that night rained relentlessly. Soaked to the ground, among the Egyptian darkness, we reached Lightning, and after announcing the alarm in this ward, we immediately set out to meet with the “Grom”. It was almost 1:00 in the morning. We are all waiting for the decision of “The Viper” and “The Lightning”, which replaced “The Roman”. The commanders decided to skip as far distant from the Chrober forests as possible, just towards which Germans were expected. We march the goose wet and muddy, most frequently across the fields and arrive at last before dawn to the Abbey. We're in a alternatively large home in the attic. No 1 was wearing a dry thread. In addition, there was a categorical order against undressing and leaving a narrow and very cold attic. Only a sentinel dressed in a peasant cap with a device weapon under it and forks in his hand was wandering around the yard watching the area closely. In the morning, around 5.00 a.m., partisans from the attic noticed columns of the German army and police moving towards the Chrober forests.
In the evening, after searching the area on which the guerrillas were to be located, they returned without uncovering anyone and did not know that we were next to them. Thus 50 Polish guerrillas tied about 4,000 German soldiers so much needed on another fronts.
According to German data, the Chrober forests were marked on maps as a peculiarly dangerous area due to the “Polish bandits”.
Together with “Łęczyc” and “Drowy” we went from Opatkowice for 3 days to Krakow to take exams from the completed before being sent to the Podchorzych School ward. After successfully passing the exams and giving us the rank of caprals, we returned back to fresh Brest on the already paved trail. On the way we met “Judasz”, who had been working in Kraków for respective days.
Before the marina in Brzesk, “Judas” proposed to requisition the money on the ship. It should be noted that floating ships were under German management during the war, and the influences went on for the Germans. Following the agreement of the Action Plan ‘Judas’ and ‘Greece’ they entered the captain's compartment d requested the issue of cash. “Dreary” and I stayed close by to insure the action. The captain called the cashier and instructed the guerrillas to spend their money. These were not large amounts, but specified actions caused a constant threat to the Germans and at the same time raised the spirits of the countrymen.
Meanwhile, from 21 to 22 June, the ward changed its quarters and moved back from Opatkowicz to the area of Chrober forests to Zagai Dębianskie. The commander of the Kraków ‘Kedywu’, Captain ‘Skała’, and with him Captain ‘Slow’, cf. ‘Skodjny’, came. "The collapse" and the sub-chamber. "Wilk". With their arrival, there was a extremist change in regular activities. The branch has one more time undergone thorough diversion training. Partisans were theoretically introduced and practically with the arkanas of the miner, the grips of the jiu-jits were repeated and instinctive shooting was trained. In a word, the guerrillas got so tired for nearly 2 weeks of classes that they long remembered the guests' stay in the ward. This madness was to adopt methods of unopened fighting, which allowed for large results with tiny forces. The training was conducted by the jumpers with the silent “Slow” and “Slow” parachutes, and applicable minerka classes were organized by “Zalwa” and “Wilk”. Among another things, the classes were to make the guerrillas feel that a tiny group of decently trained guerrillas could cope with the regular army. Partisans were besides taught to usage all available weapons, the silent elimination of sentinels, undetected entrances to guarded facilities and railway tunnels. The full was complemented by exercises in coming up to the level without a ladder, jumping from advanced altitudes, crossing the line above the abyss, beating advanced fences, throwing a knife to the target, and regular assault run for a distance of 2 kilometres.
Another very crucial part of the training was the alleged instinctive shooting. It was a weapon that was carried behind a belt of trousers. After being pulled out at the same time, the bullet was inserted into the barrel, and without aiming, it was immediately fired 2 shots at the opponent.
After the training was completed, Witold Leśniak - ‘Wilk’ remained in the branch. On the another hand, he left us “Bolek”, transferred at his own request to the guerrilla branch “Hurgan”. Edward Słowako - “Sokół” transferred from the “Skok” and Edward Nowacki - “Soroka” branch from the diversion patrol from Krakow. The falcon brought with it a Mauser pistol with a wooden holster serving simultaneously as a flask.
On 8 July 1944, a patrol “Gromu” consisting of “Ryś”, “Łęczyc”, “Szczupak”, “The Period” and the author of these memoirs accepted the fleeing Zbigniew “Grocholski (real name Zbigniew Gertych).
He was detained that day during a catch at a railway station in Kocmyrzów. He came from Poznań and after being displaced from Wielkopolska by Germans, he hid under a false name in Budzodziowice. erstwhile asked what he was doing at the station, he answered that he was selling leather. He did not want to exposure the owner of the property in this town of Włodzimierz Dobrzański and his fiancée.
– Where are you from? – the question of the Gestapo is raised.
- From Budzowic.
– Let's go and check.
Upon his arrival in Budziszowice, “Grocholski” denied everything, declaring that the certificate of work in Budziszowice was found on him.
– Do you know this man?" asked the Gestapo owner of the Dobrzański estate.
This according to the given sign by the detainee, besides denied. another household members, including their fiancée, said the same thing.
Infuriated Gestapo drove everyone outside the house, “Grocholski” separately moved to the old park surrounding the court.
– Here's a shovel and dig your grave so we don't have any problem with you," said the Gestapo.
House members looked away, taken deep into what was about to happen. Grocholski began to pray. It gave him temporary relaxation and time to think.
– Either way, they're going to shoot me – he thought – I gotta make a fast decision before digging a grave.
The minute came erstwhile Germany turned around and at that point “Grocholski” wrapped his shovel and slammed a Gestapo head in. He leaped distant and went moving utilizing the natural obstacle of old court trees in the park. The Gestapo rapidly woke up and played a fewer series behind him, fortunately uncustomed. “Grocholski”, on the another hand, got out of the park to the field in full gear, and among the uncut grain he drove towards the chrober forests. 3 Germans saw that “Grocholski” would escape them, jumped in the car and went off in pursuit without assuming that they would be ambushed in a moment, which was arranged by “Błyskawica”. luck is rolling. Those who just wanted to kill an innocent man will no longer have the chance to execution Poles. Their bodies are lying next to a burning car. And Grocholski, barely alive, ran further blindly and despite the fresh shooting he yet stumbled upon our patrol.
Stop where you're going! Stop! This is guerrillas! – I shout at him.
"Grocholski" yet cooled down and stopped.
– Good. It's very good that I'm among the guerrillas. You want to believe it, but I just escaped the grave digger. I had my own grave dug for me.
– Come on, calm down. Those who tried to kill you already bite the grass. Look, there's a car on fire!
– What? Will you stay with us in the ward? – I asked the fugitive.
– Will you take me in?
– Of course!
– That's okay, I'm staying, and my nickname is "Dąbrowa".
Following this action, the commanders of both troops ordered an alarm, and a truck was besides mobilized. German retaliation was expected and it was decided to accept the fight for civilian protection. However, there was no retaliation, and after 3 days in the field, the troops returned to their quarters.
In the second half of July, Józef Fiszer - “Myśliński”, the youngest brother of “Bolka” and “Łęczyc” arrived in the branch from Krakow. Together with it, the state of the “Grom” was 27 guerrillas.
When it was already known that the Germans would not undertake any repression for the run “Blisskovica” at Turnawec, “Grom” in the period from 12 to 20 July 1944, he did respective more actions specified as: breaking up the dairy in Dzierązno and requisitioning food products, a journey to Liegenschaft Chroberz combined with the taking of 2 pigs and food, insurance for the ceremony of the late in Dębians partisan “Tiger” from the branch of Lt. “Pazura”. The action on Liegenschaft Hebds, carried out on 20 July by a patrol consisting of ‘Karp’ (commander) and ‘Batko’, ‘The Shadow’, ‘Gala’, ‘Avenger’, ‘Łęczyc’, ‘Drop’, ‘Ryś, ‘Soroka’, ‘The Hare’ and ‘Border’ ended with the capture of 2 beautiful horses – Arabians, owned by politician Frank. “Karp” left in Liegenschaft a certificate for the politician with the stamp “Grom”.
On 26 July 1944 it became a memorable day for Miechowski. In the area with an area of over a 1000 square kilometers, ranging from Pińczów to the Vistula River, and further to the Abbey, Košice, Nowy Brzeska, and in the south via Kocmyrzów, Kazimierz Wielki, Skalbmierz, Działoszyce to the Warsaw road between Miechow and Jędrzejów, the Kazimiersko-Proszowice Republic (also called the Miechowska Republic) was established. The area was liberated for a short time from the occupation, occupied by guerrilla troops. The post office, telephones, local authority – all this was Polish again. The life of the Republic was short, only 2 weeks old, but how joyful for participants of these events. I was 1 of them. Together with the Partisan branch of Kraków’s “Kedyw” – “Grom”, together with colleagues from the field branch of Lieutenant Francis Pudo – “Sokola”, we broke German forces in action close Sielec on 26 July
1944.
It was the second half of July. summertime full, day after day unmercifully burns the sun. In the night from across the Vistula River, there is simply a clear sound of cannon thunder. We have more and more comforting news. He develops his attack on the First Ukrainian Front, the russian Army arrived in the area of Rzeszów and Wislica. On July 20, news appears of the assassination of Hitler in his field quarters. any field troops began disarming German stations in their territory.
And so, on 24 July, the unit of Tadeusz Jędryk - “Ryszard” from LSB crashed the grenade police in Racławice. A fewer hours later at night, the BCh squad was a lieutenant. “Pazura” along with the AK soldiers drove 60 police officers from the station in Dziaosice. The division of Sergeant Mieczysław Joniec - “The Flight” won the fresh Korczyn station on July 25.
From hr to hour, our “Grom” unit was eagerly awaiting an order to act. On July 25, at 5 p.m., the smoky liaison arrived at the commander of “Sama”. That night, we are to attack the prison in Kazimierz Wielkia and liberate the company's commander in 120 pp AK. We're sitting on the ground and moving in the ordered direction. Next to the village of Topola joins us the “Skok” branch, besides subordinate to “Kedyw”. We're going to town soon. In deep silence, masked, we await the order to approach. The ban on talking and smoking unkindly prolongs waiting times. The order is not coming, the attack has been cancelled.
"Skok" departs to Chrober forests. Our commander decides to ellipse along the roads where Germans can be met. It's rather bright and the day is going to be hot again. The solar shield begins its regular journey. After a short march we scope Topola village, from there to Ostrów farm. However, it is not the end of the night’s journey.
We scope the village of Kobylniki, where the commander decided to accommodate the ward. After breakfast, the religion moves to the barn and puts it to sleep on straw. However, we were not allowed to rest. The breathless link from the “terrestrial” reports with an elevated voice: 3 Germans' cars are to go to the Skalbmierz to penetrate the area.
The commander manages the alarm and the squad departs on a insured march towards Liegenschaft Sielec. We get there between 10 and 11. There is simply a “terrestrial” division under the command of “Sokola”. Our commander – “Sam” and “Solk” measure the situation. “The Falcon” invites you to breakfast.
That's a proposition no 1 refuses. But war is governed by another laws. Another liaison reports 3 German cars traveling from Skalbmierz. Breakfast remains intact. The branch in the run develops towards the Kazimierz-Skalbmierz road. German cars stand, and in the first 1 under the open hood the chauffeur digs in the engine. We usage this to take the right positions.
The enemy has the advantage over us. In each of the 3 cars there are about 20 well-armed Germans. Our squad has 24 partisans with 14 rifles, 2 Stens, 2 MP device guns, 8 guns and about 30 uncertain grenades, made under conspiracy conditions by primitive methods. Only 2 magazines and 120 loose rounds are utilized for each slot machine, for each firearm about 60 rounds. The “Sokola” branch has 14 guerrillas armed with rifles, Stens, grenades and a Browning handgun. They've got quite a few ammo. Still, they're all in a large mood, all 1 of them wants to hit the Nazis.
Meanwhile, as it later turned out, on 24 July 1944 SS-Obersturmführer Carl, Company Commander 2/I. Poi. Wach.-Batl. XXI zur Bandenbekämpfung received orders in Miechów from Hauptmann Haasler to get German stations from Brzesk Nowy, Košice and Skalbmierz to Kazimierz Wielki. Obersturmführer Carl zealously took the lead. The order was carried out by 6 p.m. on 26 July. He then took over the station in Kazimierz Wielkia under his command and loaded his forces on 3 trucks at noon. The column set off towards the Skalbmierz, intending to connect with the gendarmerie heading from this village. It was these trucks that kept large gaps for safety that were approaching Sielc on the another side.
Together with “Kat” and “Szczupak” we are on the edge of the wing of the guerrilla group. So we study first on the line: on the road you can see 3 German cars with about 60 Nazis. They put our faces up, we tighten our fingers on the triggers, rifles. What do I do? The advantage is very high. Wait or attack? Moments, uncertainty is interrupted by the calm voice of the commander, who took a seat close the roadside chapel: change the front and wait for the fire to open through the rkm!
The incoming cars from the side of Kazimierz Wielkie align with the left wing of our positions. The rkm series starts a fight. Our guns and rifles are immediately repeating to her. The driver of the first car slides onto the steering wheel, and an impetuous truck falls into a roadside ditch and begins to burn. The Germans are falling out of cars and taking positions on the other side of the road. They immediately open a strong fire chaining us to the ground.
In the roar of the rifles “Karp” yells at me and at “Kat” and “Shape” lying next to me: throw grenades!! I'm throwing a grenade towards the another car. It falls on the mask and rolls slowly. We're waiting for the detonation to blow. I'm afraid not. No 1 is surprised, the conspiratorial grenades have igniters made of cast iron and “like” to break erstwhile faced with hard objects without allowing sparks into the explosive.
‘Sam’ decides to retreat the full left wing at a safer distance. We're virtually 8-9 metres from the Germans. In that case, they can take us out with grenades.
Meanwhile, Germany arriving from the side of Skalbmierz, and waiting so far for the repair of the broken car, realized that the ambush was prepared for them. Desiring to come to the aid of the comrades, they began to boil fire with rifles and device guns after our positions. respective scurryed incendiary missiles ignite the fire of 2 houses facing the other side of the road. The burrows of smoke cover both sides.
Germany, from the side of Kazimierz Wielkie, is not aware of the situation, but utilizing smoke, they get on 2 surviving trucks and retreat through hurricane fire. They leave 7 soldiers killed on the road.
Soon they are at the police station in Kazimierz Wielkia. Obersturmführer Carl tries to call Krakow feverishly. yet there's a connection. A tense man asks his superiors for help, as he was attacked by “predominate forces of bandits”. He gets a promise to save the company with dense device guns. erstwhile this aid does not come to the first one, Germany will retreat to Krakow, leaving Kazimierz Wielki to fate, or, in fact, to regulation the guerrillas.
The day 26 July 1944 is full. In the fight close Sielce we repelled a part of attacking German forces from Kazimierz Wielkia. Meanwhile, the fire of the Nazis grouped around the trucks that came from the Skalbmierz side is somewhat weakening. “Orlik” and “The Hare” effort to crawl to the corpses of German soldiers left by the squad, which retreated towards Kazimierz Wielkia. Both guerrillas want to take the weapon lying by the dead. Despite not very long distances, crawl time extends to infinity. They're banging missiles around like wasps looking for their victims. The “Orlik” and “The Hare” successfully carry out the task and their prey become 2 Bergmanns, 2 rifles, 2 guns and six magazines for each device gun. A minute later, a young, brave Boy Scout Zygmunt Zagroski from Warsaw reaches another German body. She is on vacation with her uncle, the commander of the falcon field division. He participates in the action voluntarily and is now taking the spoil in the form of a rifle, 2 grenades, a cargo bay and a helmet.
His further destiny is tragic. Zagrodki will never return to Warsaw. A fewer days later, he'll die during the Scalbmierz pacification.
Meanwhile, on the road to Skalbmierz there is simply a movement. Turns out it's the Germans sending 2 trucks for reinforcements to Miechów. On the way to Skalbmierz, any Germans get off and set a device weapon on the church tower. His fire is uncustomed.
We focus all our attention on the another Germans. Reinforced by only 4 soldiers from the “Sokol” field ward: “Air”, “Lechem”, “Ravicz” and “Ćmok” we attack from 3 sides. The Nazis defend themselves fiercely waiting for reinforcements from Miechów. The deficiency of ammunition is urgent. The SS German panthers that perfectly harmonize with the area make our task difficult. There's not a single cloud in the sky. Solar heat virtually floods us, and the rising smoke chokes and bites us in the eyes. Sparks and ashes from burning close buildings are falling on us. The tongue dries to palate, sweat with thin guards drains from the forehead and temple. We're drinking dirty moat water.
And erstwhile again, we are struck by the voice of Karpi: Crawl toward German stations! “Sam”, “Łęczyc”, “Kat”, “Ryś” and “Myśliński” scope the Nazis at a distance of respective meters, they throw forward, the another guerrillas besides decision on to storm. Trapped Nazis see the hopeless situation appear from masked positions with their hands up. The broken-hearted surrender to guerrilla slavery. Dirty, smoke-scattered, with the masking green grids on their faces look terrible. They're nothing like the arrogant occupiers of a fewer hours ago. There are only 12 of them, including 2 badly wounded.
The dead of another eleven lie in a roadside ditch. There's no failure in people. Only “Wilk” is injured in the abdomen and elbow of the right hand.
Our prey was a field car, MG-42 Spandau device gun, 14 ammunition boxes, 3 Bergmanns, 5 PM, 18 Parabellum and P-38 pistols with magazines, 28 rifles, lots of grenades, grenade mines, and combat equipment in the form of belts, loaders and panthers.
The Germans are holding their hands up, standing by the car. ‘Kat’, ‘Sam’ and ‘Greece’ approach them. Their commander – hauptmann – judging by the partisans' uniforms, he believes they are British paratroopers and speaks English. “Kat” answers in German that they are dealing with Polish guerrillas. Knowing what the Nazis were doing with all captured guerrilla, The Germans are starting to flutter. ‘Sam’ shall be inserted and declared:
— That doesn't mean we're bandits and murderers like you!
Partly calmed German commander shyly engages in conversation with ‘Sam’:
– Is that all of you here with that gun?
– Only that many, and we don't have any dead or badly wounded.
Germany cannot realize how they lost to specified a weakly armed opponent!
In the course of this conversation, aid comes from the Chrober forests – the guerrilla branch “Skok”. They are curious to see a prisoner of war. “The rabbit” launches the captured car and leaves with injured Germans to the village. The another prisoners with their hands on their necks are on foot.
During the march to the village we meet a 120 pp AK course under the command of Rtm. Wiesław Żakowski – “Zagraja”. Now we scope the Shelc together. The villagers welcome us enthusiastically. We get flowers from the girls of the field, cheers for the guerrillas and our squad. Housewives service milk, bread and everything at hand. This is how we scope the school, where the full staff of the “terrestrial” under the command of rtm. “Zagraja”. Officers in Polish uniforms accept German prisoners. As a target, with a captured device gun, as well as ammunition “Dot” and “Katem” we include a station at the intersection of roads 50 m from the school. A strong patrol rides to Kazimierz Wielkia. He's tasked with collecting a fewer barrels of petrol from abandoned warehouses. They're back soon. Our squad is charging into the car and moving towards the Chrober forest.
At the intersection of the Sielecka road and the road from Działosice we meet an AL branch from the Sigismund Bieszczanin group – “Adama” who is inactive in a hurry to aid us. Then 2 German Storch reconnaissance aircraft appear in the sky. At the command of “Airplane! Hide!” we all distract and mask. Planes leave after a fewer laps. They didn't open fire, which means they didn't announcement us.
We proceed without hindrance and shortly we are at our quarters at Rejdak's in the Chrober forests. We get a modest dinner consisting of bread, a tiny part of sausage and a grainy black coffee. Not much for our hungry stomachs.
New volunteers from the “Grom B” reserve, “Rudy”, “Tatar”, “Korszarz”, “Lew”, “Sulima” and “Jassa”, enter the branch.
Another alarm occurs while eating a meal. The reason is simply a study about the expected arrival of Germans from Miechów by Dziatoszyce or Skalbmierz. “Sam” is doing a fundraiser. There's a short order:
– “Batko”, “Rudy”, “Myśliński” stay in the mess hall!
– We're going to ambush the Germans!
The squad is charging into a captured car and moving towards the Scalbmeter. At the intersection with the Dziatoszyce-Blackocin road ‘Sam’ orders to halt the car. We get out and mask ourselves in roadside ditches. The eyes look in the darkness of the Germans. The road is peaceful. The remainder of the night besides expires without success. It's dawning. The smoke that floats above the cannons catches our attention. It was the Germans who raided and bombed the town previously occupied by troops of the Peasants Battalions. In this way German aviation avenges the defenceless Polish population.
It's been 2 hours. On the road from Działosice, the first cart with escapees from a burning town appears. There's an inconspicuous peasant on the wagon and he's whipping a skinny splat. Behind him sits a female with a fast run-down handkerchief on her head and a small crying baby.
The female holds up the jumping bags on the cartman with the saved part of the possession. Next thing you know, there's a lot more refugees. They're very scared, and it's hard to get any circumstantial message out of them. any show leaflets thrown by Germans during the raid. It reads: "German aviation corresponds to bandits and their helpers in Miechów and Busko counties who disturb safety and order."
During this period, command 106 DP AK began mobilising its members, who were armed and formed regular military troops. Terenówka besides took over all civilian power in the established Republic of Kazimierzów-Proszowice. Finally, after 4 years of occupation, all offices on this tiny part of Poland were in our hands. The narrow gauge line was about to start. Decorated with white and red flags, it ran on the Dziakoszyce-Skalbmierz-Kazimierz Wielka-Proszowice route. The population of the surrounding towns occupied by Polish guerrillas pulled out of the retention lockers held with the hazard of life for over 4 years national flags and decorated them with more crucial offices and houses. The full Republic looked festive. People rejoiced and showed gratitude to the guerrillas for their freedom.
The guerrilla troops patrolled the full area freed from the occupier. besides “Grom” on a car with a white eagle painted on the radiator controlled the more crucial transport routes on which Germans were expected to be caught. But the Nazis, after the defeat they suffered under Sielce, did not appear much in the area controlled by Polish guerrillas. They were limited only to the frequent dispatch of reconnaissance aircraft that carried out the aerial reconnaissance.
While driving the area, the squad stopped for a short remainder in the park owned by the manor in Drożejowice. We've spread under immense hundred-year-old oaks and clones. But not everyone could rest. ‘Sam’ appointed respective people for branch insurance. After a while, the colleagues reported the cruise of a German aircraft at a tiny height. And again, you had to halt wanting to rest. I was ordered to fire a device weapon on an enemy aircraft. Without reasoning much about uncovering the right position, I leaned the firearm on the arm of the Dot and from specified a position I shot short series to the German pilot. This 1 realized that he was being shelled, rapidly rose higher, and then flew off towards Krakow.
A large enthusiasm and widespread joy among the guerrilla brothers and the local population sparked news of the outbreak of an armed uprising in Warsaw. The surrounding population believed that the territory of the Republic of Kazimierzów-Proszowice would never return to the hated occupier.
As commander of the “Grom” he was assigned by the command of the “Kedyw” chief parachute jumper Lt. “Wierzba”, dropped in Poland in May 1944. At Rejdak's quarters, “Faith” gathered all the guerrillas and gave them a short speech:
– I'll be your commander from now on. By command of “Kedyw” command, I am to bring a branch to the concentration close Kraków, where we are to prepare together with (other guerrilla groups) for the action labelled “Burza”.
On the same day, “Wierzba” ordered to go towards Krakow. We got into a car obtained under Sielce and moved through Skalbmierz, the Smalls, the Klimonts, everywhere warmly said goodbye by the liberated population. As the branch reached the Proszowice railway station, the local population reported that the occupiers on the marketplace had just arrived and were killing susceptible residents. “The Faith” immediately ordered a sharp ambulance. We got out of the car and the goose, on both sides of the road, headed towards the proszowice market. We were slow approaching the first buildings. The town looked extinct.
There was no surviving soul in the streets. From time to time, sinister silence interrupted the firing of rifles coming from the market. We're going down with a weapon ready to fire. ‘Faith’ urges:
– Hurry up and get out of here!
However, fascists noticed seemingly partisans coming in, as they jumped on a truck with a trailer and sharply scuttled moving on full gas towards Słomnik. Echo was inactive bouncing from the walls of the tenement houses the last shots erstwhile the squad entered the market. Inside is simply a dead Pole. With a narrow watchman’s head, the blood is leaking, forming slow in the depth of the pavement red puddles. It was the escaped Nazis who shot the last victim before leaving.
The branch is covering the marketplace and all exit alleys. After a while, there's a tickle behind 1 of the gates. possibly it's another group of Germans. We're pushing our guns harder. The gate gushing slowly, shrivels and comes out of it drunk in the dead of a resident. He's going a wobbly step towards a guerrilla car. Suddenly, he stops with disbelief looking at a white eagle painted on the radiator of the car. Guy curves his head, wipes his eyes and looks at the heads on the furriers, it's on the car again. Apparently, he someway came up with this painting due to the fact that he starts screaming with a snorting voice:
– By God, they are Poles!
The guy gets even closer, leans on the car and looks at the eagle screaming further:
- Come on, people! They are guerrillas, Polish guerrillas!
A population drawn by screaming slow leaves their homes without believing in their eyes. But erstwhile they find that they are truly Polish guerrillas, they show enthusiasm and sincere hospitality. They shortly forgot the fresh anxiety. They're glad to have the occupier driven distant and the guerrillas arrive. They're here to entertain us. However, the "Faith" manages an immediate departure towards the enemy's escape. We jump on the car rapidly and a mad pursuit begins. However, we no longer have a chance of catching up with the enemy, so the car turns into a dirt road and heads to the point of concentration in Goszczy.
The truck teleps and jumps on bumps. The sky is dragged into black, snowy clouds. Down below, the wind flies over the tops of trees, pulling and bending them. Night falls fast. A dark moonless night is coming. The first drops of rain fall, which then pass into a constant rain. The field road gradually turns into a ridge. all erstwhile in a while, the car boxes and falls into deep rails with sticky mud. We get out and in the rain we push him hard. From time to time, individual turns on muddy goose. In specified conditions, we arrive at Goszcza after midnight in a terribly muddy, hungry, wet.
In the designated barn, we fall on the hay next to the guerrillas from the “Skok” branch.
At that time the Germans began to prepare an attack on the Kazimiersko-Proszowice Republic. The Nazis could not accept the existence of strong guerrilla groups in their back. On the news, “Faith” sent a seven-man patrol “Grom” to analyse the situation.
August 5, 1944. The Germans hit Kazimiersko-Proszowice from the north and south. A group of over 900 armed soldiers attacked Skalbmierz at dawn, and somewhat later 2 Wehrmacht companies reinforced with armored cars moved from Brzesk Nowy towards Kazimierz Wielkia and Skalbmierz. There's been a conflict over the Scalbzer. They were able to push out a more than 20 - year - old squad of soldiers. “Sokola” and occupy the Zamość district. Germans fall into the market, set houses on fire, and execution the population. In battle, he dies along with part of his team, Lt. “Brzeza”, who came to aid the fighting. Lt. “The Falcon”, a brave and militant commander falls into the hands of badly wounded Nazis who kill him.
Most soldiers from both troops besides die in combat. The situation is beginning to be dangerous. erstwhile it seemed that it was over, further groups and the full company from Kazimierz Wielkia 120 pp. Roman Zawarczyński - ‘Sewera’ join the battle. At 2 p.m., an AL branch under Sigismund Bieszczanin, Adam, arrives for assistance. Partisans establish contact with russian tanks that have penetrated the area of Wislica. The Russians do not refuse to aid and shortly arrive at the Scalbmierz. There has now been a strong counterattack of the guerrillas, which besides includes a previously sent “Grom” patrol, consisting of “The Hare”, “The Ryś”, “The Robber”, “The Flash”, “The Avenger”, “The Czort” and “Batko”. In battle, “Batko” is killed. Around 8:00 p.m., the town was again overrun by guerrillas. 22 AK soldiers were killed in the fight and 75 civilians were murdered by Germans in Skalbmierz and close Sharbi. The German journey to the Republic of Poland from the south was besides futile.
However, these were already the last days of the Republic of Kazimiersko-Proszowice, as Germans directed armored units to these areas, which successively occupied Skalbmierz, Kazimierz Wielkia and pushed the guerrilla troops east. The past of the Republic ended around 10 August.
In order to keep the continuity of the past of the “Grom” branch, I gotta go back to the gathering point in Goszcza, August 1944. It was not essential to relax the guerrillas of the “Grom” after the poisons they passed on their way to Goszcza, due to the fact that after only 3 hours a series of device guns picked us up on our feet. The “hosts” of the barns wanted to host their fellow “Grom” with a better breakfast, and sent patrols to get food. As they passed through the Warsaw-Kraków railway track nearby, they encountered more than 30 Bannchutzes. Around 5.00 a.m., a shooting ensued, which picked up the remainder of the "Skoku" and recently arrived "Grom". In both units, a combat alarm was ordered, and you would go off with a tyralier towards the railway embankment, from where the Germans dreamed. Cf. “Faith” immediately appointed positions for 2 device guns: my MG-42 and MG-34 “Szidły” from “Skok”. Sam took the position next door, assessed the distance to the railway embankment and roared at the full voice:
Target 200, fire series!
The avalanche of missiles has been turned into German positions. The embankment shots have stopped. He utilized this "Faith" and picked up both troops to attack. Under attack, Germany began to retreat along the tracks towards Słomnik, reaching a reasonably advanced hill behind the Bear railway station. This is where they stopped to catch their breath and, taking to-comfortable positions, began to shoot peculiarly hard at attacking guerrillas. They wanted to put 3 wounded and 2 killed in a safe place.
However, the partisan fire of device guns was stronger and more effective due to the fact that we took the hill, from which the view of Słomniki and the remainder of the already hiding in the covers of this town of Bahnschutz. It was a murderous attack. For almost 5 kilometres, we attacked the Germans that were fleeing and firing heavily. We were breathless. In addition to their own equipment, the device weapon with a drum was unmercifully exhausted, and the ammunition had 2 more boxes with tapes of 250 rounds each. The "Faith" which since the beginning of the action as the oldest step took command of both troops gave the order to halt the attack and return to Goszczy. We are tired to the last limits of our salvation, I think, and we find a cart carried by an older host.
– What, grandpa? – I ask – will you give us a device weapon and those ammunition boxes towards Goszcza?
- Who are you?
- Partisans!
- Oh, God! You guerrillas, I'd go with you to the end of the world.
However, luck did not last long, as the retreating Germans had yet to call for aid from the “Storch” reconnaissance aircraft. We had to rapidly take the firearm and ammunition and jump back into places uncut grain and roadside bushes. As the plane was leaving, we were coming out of hiding and continuing our march.
When we were not far from the accommodation in Goszcza, a passenger train appeared in the dalas headed towards Krakow. The religion again gave the order to hide in the grain. "Belfort" from "Skoku" did not make it, he did not have time to run, he did not want to, due to the fact that the escape would have drawn attention. So he stood as close to the track as possible, assuming that this would be the least visible. The train was clogged with civilians, and in the last 2 carriages were driven by soldiers from the front most likely on vacation. The bad luck was that the semaphore was closed and the train stopped, and the last car just stood at the tallness of “Belfort”. On the bridge, the SS captain was looking at the research, as “Belfort” was typically partisan. He was in a Polish uniform with st. Sergeant's distinctions. Without reasoning much “Belfort” pulls his weapon from behind the belt and gives 2 shots.
The SS is sliding to the floor. The blast of the arrows blocked the distinctive tap of the semaphore indicating the freeway. The train ran and before anyone in the wagon realized what had happened, “Belfort” jumped aside and took shelter in the bushes next to the tracks.
We have already made our way to our quarters without hindrance. We were expected to be admired and appreciated by a group of about 60 people, a group of refugees from Krakow, future guerrillas of 3 companies “Grom-Skok”. They witnessed an action that impressed them. Initially, erstwhile the Germans did not fire on the guerrillas, they thought they were in a calm and safe exercise. And erstwhile the bullets began whistling over their heads, the calm rapidly subsided. In their eyes they could read fear, they didn't know what to do with themselves, where to go. They waited in suspense as we behaved. erstwhile we calmly and efficiently proceeded at the command of the religion to attack, their moods improved and it lifted their spirits. They saw with their own eyes that despite strong fire 1 can decision forward, that not all bullet kills and most importantly, they saw most likely the first time during the business Germans flee.
There were respective in this group who, however, were tense and declared that they had besides weak heart and nerves, but strong ones have papers and like to go home. No 1 resented it.
On 2 August 1944, the command of the “Kedyw” Command from the “Grom” and “Skok” branches was ordered to establish 3 companies “Grom-Skok”. “Grom” was registered at a gathering point in Goszczy, consisting of: Jan Tryszczala – “Batko”, Jerzy Gara – “Błysk”, Włodzimierz Rozmus – “Buńko”, Kazimierz Stelmach – “Cień”, Zbigniew Basinski – “Czort”, Zbigniew Gertych – “Dąbrowa”, Jerzy Bastych – “Dąbrowa”, Jerzy Basy” – “Gala”, Józef Grodzicki – “Jaska”, Wojciech Niedziałek – “Judasz”, Czesław Ciepala – “Karp” (a deputy commander), Józef Bieniasz – “Kat”, Andrzej Frycz – “Korszarz”, Tadeusz Janiak – “Kropka”, Kazimierz Hromniak – “Leśnik”, Franciszek Piaskowik – “Lew”, Jerzy Tracz – “Mały”, NN – “Mały”, Józef Biński – “Szcier – “Szwiędziński”, Zw” „Szbiński – „Szwięwiędziński”, Zw” „Szwiąwi At the end of July, Francis Skrochowski – “Aga” and Andrzej Wiechliński – “Cyrus” got to the office in the Dębian Wars.
On 31 July 1944, by order of the management of “Kedyw” the commander of the guerrilla branch “Grom” was silently appointed Lieutenant Maximilian Klinicki - “Faith”. The erstwhile commander of Lt. “Sam” remained in the parking lot, and the wounded under Sielce “Wilk” was transferred to the sanitary area, which was located in the Tatarczach State of Sielc. It was a home where there was always a wonderful Polish atmosphere. Ms Stefania Tatarczuchowa ps. “Troska”, a long-time teacher, a well-known and valued patriot for years, was a educator of many generations of youth. During the period of occupation, despite the various dangers, she continued her secret secondary education. Together with 3 adult daughters, “Jutrzenka”, “Sokolica” and “Same”, she became active in active conspiracy work. Among another things, there were staff briefings of 106 DP AK and another crucial organizational meetings in the "Troski". Immediately after the action at Sielce there was organized a field hospital, where “Wilka” was located and fevering after the action in Skalbmierz “Rysia”. The last 1 got pneumonia. For many days they were under the care of the paramedic Janina Tatarczych. On 5 August, however, as a consequence of the Germans' attack on Skalbmierz, the infirmary was threatened and “Sokolica” evacuated the wounded to Dębian, where they were placed at the Kwapinska hosts. In a fewer weeks, “Sokolica” besides had to leave the home and hide from the Germans looking for it.
The deceased at the conflict of Skalbmierz "Batko" was buried at the local cemetery on 6 August 1944.
Since the establishment of the company “Grom-Skok” as a mark device weapon MG-42 replaced me with “Step”. On the another hand, ‘Karp’, ‘Lesnik’, ‘Gala’, ‘ Shadow’, ‘Ryś’, ‘Czort’, ‘Lew’, ‘Tatar’ were transferred to horse scouting. Experienced elder partisans of the “Grom” were appointed commanders of the “Grom-Skok” company subdivisions.
The arming of the branch at the time of arrival at Goszcza was the following: MG-42 device weapon with spare lock and barrel and 12 boxes with taped ammunition, 2 device guns Sten and 2 magazines each, 3 Bergmann device guns and 6 magazines each, 7 MP device guns and 2 magazines each, 40 kb and kbk rifles, 31 guns (Parabellum, Vis, P-3-8, FN, Mauser), 50 grenades and 1 box of mines to the grenade launcher.
Aleksander Szumański "Curier Daily" Chicago December 2011 according to Włodzimierz Rozmus – Krakow Kedyw AK. Memory of conspirators of the Krakow National Army Kedyw.
Documents, sources, quotations:
http://www.kediv.info/wiki/C4%99%C5%9B%C4%87_I:_%22Grom%22
