Wanda Gertz
Encyclopedia
Wanda Gertz codename: Lena, Kazik (b. 13 April 1896 in Warsaw
- 10 November 1958 in London
, Great Britain
) was a Polish
major and soldier of the Armia Krajowa
.
Gertz was a soldier in Piłsudski's Polish Legions
from 1914 until 1916, and later in the Polish Army, where she was commander of a Volunteer Women's Battalion in Wilno.
After the start of the Second World War, she participated in the defence of Warsaw
during the Polish Defensive War
of 1939. In 1939 she became a member of the SZP (Service for Poland's Victory), then of the ZWZ
-AK
.
In 1942–1944 she organised and was commander of DYSK unit ("Dywersja i Sabotaż Kobiet" or "Women's Diversion and Sabotage"). After the Warsaw Uprising
, she was a prisoner of war in the POW camps at Lamsdorf
, Muhlberg
, Altenburg
, Molsdorf
and Blankenheim
. After the liberation by the US Army, she joined the Polish I Corps in the West
and stayed there until her death.
She died on 10 November 1958 in London and her ashes were transported to Poland and buried in Warsaw.
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...
- 10 November 1958 in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
) was a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
major and soldier of the Armia Krajowa
Armia Krajowa
The Armia Krajowa , or Home Army, was the dominant Polish resistance movement in World War II German-occupied Poland. It was formed in February 1942 from the Związek Walki Zbrojnej . Over the next two years, it absorbed most other Polish underground forces...
.
Gertz was a soldier in Piłsudski's Polish Legions
Polish Legions in World War I
Polish Legions was the name of Polish armed forces created in August 1914 in Galicia. Thanks to the efforts of KSSN and the Polish members of the Austrian parliament, the unit became an independent formation of the Austro-Hungarian Army...
from 1914 until 1916, and later in the Polish Army, where she was commander of a Volunteer Women's Battalion in Wilno.
After the start of the Second World War, she participated in the defence of Warsaw
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...
during the Polish Defensive War
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
of 1939. In 1939 she became a member of the SZP (Service for Poland's Victory), then of the ZWZ
Zwiazek Walki Zbrojnej
Związek Walki Zbrojnej was an underground army formed in Poland following its invasion in September 1939 by Germany and the Soviet Union that opened World War II.The precursor to the ZWZ was the Service...
-AK
Armia Krajowa
The Armia Krajowa , or Home Army, was the dominant Polish resistance movement in World War II German-occupied Poland. It was formed in February 1942 from the Związek Walki Zbrojnej . Over the next two years, it absorbed most other Polish underground forces...
.
In 1942–1944 she organised and was commander of DYSK unit ("Dywersja i Sabotaż Kobiet" or "Women's Diversion and Sabotage"). After 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...
, she was a prisoner of war in the POW camps at Lamsdorf
Stalag VIII-B
Stalag VIII-B Lamsdorf was a notorious German Army prisoner of war camp, later renumbered Stalag-344, located near the small town of Lamsdorf in Silesia. The camp initially occupied barracks built to house British and French prisoners in World War I...
, Muhlberg
Stalag IV-B
Stalag IV-B was one of the largest prisoner of war camps in Germany during World War II. Stalag is an abbreviation of the German noun "Stammlager". The main camp was located 8km NE of the town Mühlberg in Brandenburg, just east of the Elbe river and about 30 miles north of Dresden...
, Altenburg
Altenburg
Altenburg is a town in the German federal state of Thuringia, 45 km south of Leipzig. It is the capital of the Altenburger Land district.-Geography:...
, Molsdorf
Oflag IX-C
Oflag IX-C Molsdorf was a prisoner of war camp specifically created to house women officers from the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. It was the worst of all Oflags operated by the German Army during World War II. It consisted of 7 huts used by workers building the Autobahn near Erfurt in 1938 and an...
and Blankenheim
Blankenheim
Blankenheim can refer to:*Blankenheim, North Rhine-Westphalia, a municipality in western Germany.*Blankenheim, Saxony-Anhalt, a municipality in eastern Germany, part of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Allstedt-Kaltenborn....
. After the liberation by the US Army, she joined the Polish I Corps in the West
Polish I Corps in the West
The Polish I Corps was a tactical unit of the Polish Armed Forces in the West during World War II.-Formation:It was formed in the United Kingdom on 28 September 1940. It was subordinate to the Scottish Command, and the Corps HQ was located in Edinburgh...
and stayed there until her death.
She died on 10 November 1958 in London and her ashes were transported to Poland and buried in Warsaw.
Awards
- 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...
- Polonia RestitutaPolonia RestitutaThe Order of Polonia Restituta is one of Poland's highest Orders. The Order can be conferred for outstanding achievements in the fields of education, science, sport, culture, art, economics, defense of the country, social work, civil service, or for furthering good relations between countries...
- Cross of Valour (Krzyż Walecznych), five times
- 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 :...
(Krzyż Niepodległości), with Swords - Gold Cross of Merit with Swords (Krzyż Zasługi z Mieczami)