Stefan Bembiński
Encyclopedia
Stefan Bembiński) (born July 24, 1917 in Łagowiec Opatowski, died January 1, 1998) was a Polish veteran of World War II
, member of the Home Army and a Polish senator.
. From 1936 he worked in public schools in Wsola
and Kobylnik, at first as an instructor and later as a director of the Kobylnik school. Between 1938-1939 he attended the School for Reserve Cadets of the 8th Division of Infantry in Pułtusk.
, but he managed to escape and returned to Kobylnik where he resumed work at the school. Soon he became active in underground anti-Nazi resistance in the Radom
Home Army (AK) where he was the commander of a station in Błotnica. He was the second in command of the section for diversion and sabotage
of the Radom Inspectorate and the head of the 72nd Infantry Regiment of the AK.
and moved to Kraków
. In April 1945 he was arrested by communist authorities but soon released. He came back to Radom, where he participated in several armed actions of the anti-communist underground
(among others, the capture of the prison in Kielce and the release of political prisoners in August 1945, the freeing of former AK soldiers from the Radom prison in September 1945). He was arrested again at the end of September 1945 and in February 1946 he was sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to life in prison which he began serving in the prisons in Rawicz
and Wronki
. He was released in 1952 but he was forbidden to return to working in Education and as a result worked for the Director of Industrial Timber of Radom. He was thrown out of that position after a few years for political reasons. Subsequently he worked as a construction worker and ran a produce shop. In his spare time he studied History
at the Warsaw University and the Humanities
at the Catholic University of Lublin.
's organizations. After the events of the "Polish October
" in 1956 he organized in Radom the Society of Fighters for Freedom and Democracy
, of which he became the president. Since the early 80's he was associated with the Solidarity movement. Among other functions, he was its president of the Section for Military Affairs in the Radom region. In June 1989, after the Polish Round Table Agreement
he was elected as a Senator from the Radom Voivodeship
. He was part of the Commission on Emigration and the Commission on Poles Abroad. As a veteran of World War II and the anti-communist resistance he was decorated with the Armia Krajowa Cross
(The Home Army Cross), Cross of Valor and the Silver Cross of Virtuti Militari
.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, member of the Home Army and a Polish senator.
Interwar period
In the interwar period Bembiński finished the State Seminary for Education in KielceKielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...
. From 1936 he worked in public schools in Wsola
Wsola
Wsola is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Jedlińsk, within Radom County, Masovian Voivodeship, in east-central Poland. It lies approximately south of Jedlińsk, north of Radom, and south of Warsaw....
and Kobylnik, at first as an instructor and later as a director of the Kobylnik school. Between 1938-1939 he attended the School for Reserve Cadets of the 8th Division of Infantry in Pułtusk.
World War II
He took part in the fighting during the Nazi invasion of Poland. He was captured and imprisoned as a prisoner of warPrisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
, but he managed to escape and returned to Kobylnik where he resumed work at the school. Soon he became active in underground anti-Nazi resistance in the Radom
Radom
Radom is a city in central Poland with 223,397 inhabitants . It is located on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Voivodeship , having previously been the capital of Radom Voivodeship ; 100 km south of Poland's capital, Warsaw.It is home to the biennial Radom Air Show, the largest and...
Home Army (AK) where he was the commander of a station in Błotnica. He was the second in command of the section for diversion and sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
of the Radom Inspectorate and the head of the 72nd Infantry Regiment of the AK.
After the war
He left Radom after the entry of the Red ArmyRed Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
and moved to Kraków
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...
. In April 1945 he was arrested by communist authorities but soon released. He came back to Radom, where he participated in several armed actions of the anti-communist underground
Cursed soldiers
The cursed soldiers is a name applied to a variety of Polish resistance movements formed in the later stages of World War II and afterwards. Created by some members of the Polish Secret State, these clandestine organizations continued their armed struggle against the Stalinist government of Poland...
(among others, the capture of the prison in Kielce and the release of political prisoners in August 1945, the freeing of former AK soldiers from the Radom prison in September 1945). He was arrested again at the end of September 1945 and in February 1946 he was sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to life in prison which he began serving in the prisons in Rawicz
Rawicz
Rawicz is a town in central Poland with 21,398 inhabitants . It is situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship ; previously it was in Leszno Voivodeship . It is the capital of Rawicz County.-History:...
and Wronki
Wronki
Wronki is a town in the Szamotuły County, western-central Poland, situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship , previously in Piła Voivodeship . It is located close to the Warta River to the northwest of Poznań, and has a population of approximately 11,000...
. He was released in 1952 but he was forbidden to return to working in Education and as a result worked for the Director of Industrial Timber of Radom. He was thrown out of that position after a few years for political reasons. Subsequently he worked as a construction worker and ran a produce shop. In his spare time he studied History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
at the Warsaw University and the Humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
at the Catholic University of Lublin.
After October 1956
He was active in VeteranVeteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
's organizations. After the events of the "Polish October
Polish October
Polish October, also known as October 1956, Polish thaw, or Gomułka's thaw, marked a change in the Polish internal political scene in the second half of 1956...
" in 1956 he organized in Radom the Society of Fighters for Freedom and Democracy
Society of Fighters for Freedom and Democracy
The Society of Fighters for Freedom and Democracy was an official Polish state-controlled veterans association in the People's Republic. Initially headed by Franciszek Jóźwiak, it was formed on September 2, 1949 out of 11 pre-existing veterans associations...
, of which he became the president. Since the early 80's he was associated with the Solidarity movement. Among other functions, he was its president of the Section for Military Affairs in the Radom region. In June 1989, after the Polish Round Table Agreement
Polish Round Table Agreement
The Polish Round Table Talks took place in Warsaw, Poland from February 6 to April 4, 1989. The government initiated the discussion with the banned trade union Solidarność and other opposition groups in an attempt to defuse growing social unrest.-History:...
he was elected as a Senator from the Radom Voivodeship
Radom Voivodeship
Radom Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975–1998, superseded by Masovian Voivodeship...
. He was part of the Commission on Emigration and the Commission on Poles Abroad. As a veteran of World War II and the anti-communist resistance he was decorated with the Armia Krajowa Cross
Armia Krajowa Cross
Armia Krajowa Cross is a Polish military decoration that was introduced by General Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski on 1 August 1966 to commemorate the efforts of the soldiers of the Polish Secret State between 1939 and 1945...
(The Home Army Cross), Cross of Valor and the Silver Cross of Virtuti Militari
Virtuti Militari
The Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war...
.