Antoni Petrykiewicz
Encyclopedia
Antoni Petrykiewicz (1905 – December 28, 1918) – was one of the youngest Polish defenders of Lwów (now Lviv
), over which in late 1918 a Polish-Ukrainian conflict
ensued.
He was a pupil in the second class at Lwów Gymnasium
(middle school). When he was only thirteen years old, he joined General Roman Abraham
's unit, which defended Lwów's district of Persenkowka.
Petrykiewicz was severely wounded and transported to the hospital. He did not recover and died on December 28. Afterwards, Marshall Józef Piłsudski posthumously awarded him the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari
, and Petrykiewicz is the youngest person to have received this prestigious order.
The boy was buried on the Cemetery of the Defenders of Lwów
(commonly known as "Cmentarz Orląt" or Cemetery of Eaglets).
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
), over which in late 1918 a Polish-Ukrainian conflict
Battle of Lwów (1918)
Battle of Lviv begun on 1 November 1918 and lasted till May 1919 and was a six months long conflict between the forces of the West Ukrainian People's Republic and local Polish civilian population assisted later by regular Polish Army forces for the control...
ensued.
He was a pupil in the second class at Lwów Gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
(middle school). When he was only thirteen years old, he joined General Roman Abraham
Roman Abraham
Roman Abraham was a Polish cavalry general, commander of Wielkopolska Cavalry Brigade during German and Soviet Invasion of Poland in September 1939, in Battle of Bzura commander of Polish cavalry ....
's unit, which defended Lwów's district of Persenkowka.
Petrykiewicz was severely wounded and transported to the hospital. He did not recover and died on December 28. Afterwards, Marshall Józef Piłsudski posthumously awarded him the Silver Cross of the 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...
, and Petrykiewicz is the youngest person to have received this prestigious order.
The boy was buried on the Cemetery of the Defenders of Lwów
Cemetery of the Defenders of Lwów
The Cemetery of the Defenders of Lwów is a memorial and a burial place for the Poles and their allies who died in Lviv during the hostilities of the Polish-Ukrainian War and Polish-Soviet War between 1918 and 1920....
(commonly known as "Cmentarz Orląt" or Cemetery of Eaglets).