Franciszek Niepokólczycki
Encyclopedia
Franciszek Niepokólczycki (nom de guerre "Teodor", "Szubert") (born October 27, 1900 in Żytomierz, died June 11, 1974 in Warsaw
) - colonel and a sapper in the Polish Army, soldier of the Polish Home Army (AK) and the anti-communist organization Freedom and Independence (WiN) and a political prisoner during the Stalinist period in Poland.
From November 1918 on he was a member of Polish Military Organisation
in Żytomierz. During the Polish-Soviet War
in 1920 he fought in irregular units. He served in the Polish Army from 1922 in the 10th Sapper
Regiment in Przemyśl
and in the 3rd Sapper Battalion in Wilno. He took part in the Polish defensive war against Nazi invaders as commander of the 60th Sapper Battalion in Army Modlin.
After the defeat of Poland he joined the anti-Nazi underground. As early as September 27, 1939 he joined Service for Poland's Victory, later transformed into Union of Armed Struggle (ZWZ). In 1940 he was made a leader of a special "Reprisal" unit of ZWZ charged with sabotage and armed struggle. He was a co-organizer of the Directorate of Sabotage and Diversion, Kedyw
, of the Home Army, and in 1943 he was made the second in command of the unit, after Gen. Emil Fieldorf ("Nil"). He fought in the Warsaw Uprising
as chief of the Sapper's Section of the 3rd Regiment of AK's Headquarters, with the rank of colonel
. After the surrender of the uprising he was imprisoned and in January 1945 sent to The Woldenberg II C Oflag
.
After returning to Poland from his imprisonment he became once again involved in the resistance, this time directed against the new communist authorities. Initially he was the second in command of Col. Antoni Sanojcy of Region "South" of the Armed Forces Delegation for Poland, and later the president of the southern region for the organization Freedom and Independence (WiN). As president of WiN he took the step of recognizing the Polish Government in Exile
(which by this time was no longer recognized as the official government of Poland by the Allies) as the legitimate governing body and took the decision of expanding the activities of WiN. He made the organization grow and hoped to lead it to a point where eventually it could be made legal.
On October 22, 1946, Niepokólczycki was arrested by the Polish secret police (UB) in Krakow
. A year later, in a show trial
of WiN leaders he was sentenced to death. This sentence was later changed to life imprisonment. He was released after the "thaw" of December 1956. Afterward he worked in trade unions.
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
) - colonel and a sapper in the Polish Army, soldier of the Polish Home Army (AK) and the anti-communist organization Freedom and Independence (WiN) and a political prisoner during the Stalinist period in Poland.
From November 1918 on he was a member of Polish Military Organisation
Polish Military Organisation
Polish Military Organisation, PMO was a secret military organization created by Józef Piłsudski in August 1914, and officially named in November 1914, during World War I. Its tasks were to gather intelligence and sabotage the enemies of the Polish people...
in Żytomierz. During the Polish-Soviet War
Polish-Soviet War
The Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...
in 1920 he fought in irregular units. He served in the Polish Army from 1922 in the 10th Sapper
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
Regiment in Przemyśl
Przemysl
Przemyśl is a city in south-eastern Poland with 66,756 inhabitants, as of June 2009. In 1999, it became part of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship; it was previously the capital of Przemyśl Voivodeship....
and in the 3rd Sapper Battalion in Wilno. He took part in the Polish defensive war against Nazi invaders as commander of the 60th Sapper Battalion in Army Modlin.
After the defeat of Poland he joined the anti-Nazi underground. As early as September 27, 1939 he joined Service for Poland's Victory, later transformed into Union of Armed Struggle (ZWZ). In 1940 he was made a leader of a special "Reprisal" unit of ZWZ charged with sabotage and armed struggle. He was a co-organizer of the Directorate of Sabotage and Diversion, Kedyw
Kedyw
Kedyw , was an underground movement - Armia Krajowa organization during World War II, which specialized in active and passive sabotage, propaganda and armed action against Nazi German forces and collaborators.-Operations:...
, of the Home Army, and in 1943 he was made the second in command of the unit, after Gen. Emil Fieldorf ("Nil"). He fought in the Warsaw Uprising
Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance Home Army , to liberate Warsaw from Nazi Germany. The rebellion was timed to coincide with the Soviet Union's Red Army approaching the eastern suburbs of the city and the retreat of German forces...
as chief of the Sapper's Section of the 3rd Regiment of AK's Headquarters, with the rank of colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. After the surrender of the uprising he was imprisoned and in January 1945 sent to The Woldenberg II C Oflag
Oflag
An Oflag was a prisoner of war camp for officers only, established by the German Army in both World War I and World War II in accordance with the requirements of the Geneva Convention ....
.
After returning to Poland from his imprisonment he became once again involved in the resistance, this time directed against the new communist authorities. Initially he was the second in command of Col. Antoni Sanojcy of Region "South" of the Armed Forces Delegation for Poland, and later the president of the southern region for the organization Freedom and Independence (WiN). As president of WiN he took the step of recognizing the Polish Government in Exile
Polish government in Exile
The Polish government-in-exile, formally known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile , was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which...
(which by this time was no longer recognized as the official government of Poland by the Allies) as the legitimate governing body and took the decision of expanding the activities of WiN. He made the organization grow and hoped to lead it to a point where eventually it could be made legal.
On October 22, 1946, Niepokólczycki was arrested by the Polish secret police (UB) in Krakow
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
. A year later, in a show trial
Show trial
The term show trial is a pejorative description of a type of highly public trial in which there is a strong connotation that the judicial authorities have already determined the guilt of the defendant. The actual trial has as its only goal to present the accusation and the verdict to the public as...
of WiN leaders he was sentenced to death. This sentence was later changed to life imprisonment. He was released after the "thaw" of December 1956. Afterward he worked in trade unions.
Honours and awards
- Order of the White Eagle (15 August 2008, awarded posthumously by President Lech KaczynskiLech KaczynskiLech Aleksander Kaczyński was Polish lawyer and politician who served as the President of Poland from 2005 until 2010 and as Mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 22 December 2005. Before he became a president, he was also a member of the party Prawo i Sprawiedliwość...
) - Silver Cross of the Virtuti MilitariVirtuti MilitariThe Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war...
(1944) - Cross of IndependenceCross of IndependenceCross of Independence was one of the highest Polish military decorations between World Wars I and II. It was awarded to individuals who had "fought heroically for the independence of Poland," and was released in three versions.- History :...
(1931) - Cross of Valour - four times
- Silver Cross of Merit (1928)