Henryk Dobrzanski
Encyclopedia
Major Henryk Dobrzański aka "Hubal" (June 22, 1897 - April 30, 1940) was a Polish
soldier, sportsman and partisan
. He was the first guerrilla
commander of the Second World War in Europe.
Henryk Dobrzański was born on June 22, 1897, in Jasło, Austria-Hungary
to a Polish noble family
(Coat of arms of Leliwa
), of Henryk Dobrzański de Hubal and Maria Dobrzańska née Lubieniecka. In 1912 he joined the "Drużyny Strzeleckie", an underground Scouting
organisation. When World War I broke out he volunteered to join Józef Piłsudski's Polish Legions
. He served with distinction in the 2nd Regiment of Uhlan
s and participated in many battles such as Stawczany and Battle of Rarańcza
. In 1918 after Poland regained its independence he joined the Polish Army.
He took part in the Polish-Ukrainian War
of 1918 and fought with his cavalry platoon
during the Siege of Lwów. Later he participated in Polish-Bolshevik War of 1919-1921. For his bravery he was awarded with the Virtuti Militari
, the highest Polish military award, and four times with Krzyż Walecznych
, in addition to many other military awards.
After the Peace of Riga
he remained in the Polish Army. He became a member of the Polish equestrian
team, winning many international competitions. He also took part in the 1928 Summer Olympics
in Amsterdam
and came fourth at the prestigious Aldershot
competition. In his sports career he gained 22 gold, three silver and four bronze medals altogether.
made the completion of training impossible. On September 11 it was moved to Wołkowysk, from where it marched towards Grodno and Augustów
Forest. It fought several skirmishes against the German army and took part in the defence of the city against the Red Army
.
After two days of heavy fights against the numerically superior Soviets, on September 20 Grodno was lost and three days later gen. bryg.
Wacław Przeździecki
, the commander of the defence of the Grodno area, ordered all his troops to escape to neutral Lithuania
. The 110th Regiment was the only unit to disobey this order. The unit was joined with remnants of several routed regiments and fought its way towards the capital Warsaw
. The unit got surrounded by the Red Army in the Biebrza
river area and suffered serious casualties, but managed to break through the enemy defences. After that Lt. Col. Jerzy Dąbrowski, the commander of the regiment, decided to disband it. Henryk Dobrzański took command over approximately 180 men and who decided to continue their march towards besieged Warsaw
.
When Warsaw capitulated on September 27, Dobrzański faced three choices: evacuate (via Hungary
or Romania
) to France, disband the unit, or continue the fight. He decided to lead his unit southwards and try to break through to France. Approximately 50 men volunteered to stay in the army, while the rest were allowed to leave. On November 1, 1939, they crossed the Vistula
near Dęblin
and started their march towards the Holy Cross Mountains. The same day his unit fought the first skirmish against the Germans. After that he decided to stay in the Kielce
area with his unit and wait until the Allied
relief came, which he expected in the Spring of 1940. He also swore that he would not take off his uniform until after the war.
On October 5, the Battle of Kock
ended the resistance of the last major unit of the Polish Army and thus Hubal became the first partisan
commander of World War II. Thanks to the support of the local civilian population, the "Separated Unit of the Polish Army" (Oddział Wydzielony Wojska Polskiego), as he named his unit, managed to evade all raids and traps organised by the Germans. However, the German authorities responded with brutal retaliation against the civil population. Because of that the newly-formed ZWZ
and the Government Delegate's Office at Home
ordered Hubal to disband his unit, but he refused. At the same time he limited his contacts with the civilians so as not to endanger them more than necessary.
In March 1940 his unit completely destroyed a battalion
of German infantry in a skirmish near the village of Huciska. A few days later in an ambush near the village of Szałasy it inflicted heavy casualties upon another German unit. To counter this threat the German authorities formed a special 1,000 men strong anti-partisan unit of combined SS-Wehrmacht forces, including a Panzer
group. Although the unit of Maj. Dobrzański never exceeded 300 men, the Germans fielded at least 8,000 men in the area to secure it.
On April 30, 1940, his staff quarters in a ravine near the village of Anielin (powiat
of Opoczno
) was ambushed. In an unequal battle Dobrzański and most of his men were killed. Germans desecrated his body and showed it at public view in local villages. They then transported it to Tomaszów Mazowiecki
and either burnt it or buried it in an unknown location. The remnants of the "Separated Unit of the Polish Army" continued the struggle until June 25, 1940, when it was disbanded.
in 1949, Dobrzanski's son, Louis, emigrated to England and became a property developer. He died in 1992.
In 1966 Henryk Dobrzański was posthumously awarded with Golden Cross of the Virtuti Militari
and promoted to Colonel
. Currently almost 200 organisations and institutions bear his name, including 82 Scouting groups
, 31 schools and several military units. There are streets named after him in almost every Polish city. The site of his burial remains unknown.
The pseudonym "Hubal" comes from his family coat of arms.
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...
soldier, sportsman and partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
. He was the first guerrilla
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
commander of the Second World War in Europe.
Early life and career
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
to a Polish noble family
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
(Coat of arms of Leliwa
Coat of arms of Leliwa
Leliwa - is a Polish Coat of Arms. It was used by several hundred szlachta families during the existence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and remains in use today by many of the descendants of these families...
), of Henryk Dobrzański de Hubal and Maria Dobrzańska née Lubieniecka. In 1912 he joined the "Drużyny Strzeleckie", an underground Scouting
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
organisation. When World War I broke out he volunteered to join Józef 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...
. He served with distinction in the 2nd Regiment of Uhlan
Uhlan
Uhlans were Polish light cavalry armed with lances, sabres and pistols. The title was later used by lancer regiments in the Russian, Prussian, and Austrian armies....
s and participated in many battles such as Stawczany and Battle of Rarańcza
Battle of Rarancza
The Battle of Rarańcza was fought between Polish Legionnaires, and Austria-Hungary, from February 15 to 16, 1918, near Rarańcza in Bukovina, and ended with a Polish victory.-Background:...
. In 1918 after Poland regained its independence he joined the Polish Army.
He took part in the Polish-Ukrainian War
Polish-Ukrainian War
The Polish–Ukrainian War of 1918 and 1919 was a conflict between the forces of the Second Polish Republic and West Ukrainian People's Republic for the control over Eastern Galicia after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary.-Background:...
of 1918 and fought with his cavalry platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
during the Siege of Lwów. Later he participated in Polish-Bolshevik War of 1919-1921. For his bravery he was awarded with 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...
, the highest Polish military award, and four times with Krzyż Walecznych
Krzyz Walecznych
The Cross of Valor is a Polish military decoration. It was first introduced by the Council for Defense of the State on 11 August 1920. It is awarded to an individual who "has demonstrated deeds of valor and courage on the field of battle." It may be awarded to the same person up to four times...
, in addition to many other military awards.
After the Peace of Riga
Peace of Riga
The Peace of Riga, also known as the Treaty of Riga; was signed in Riga on 18 March 1921, between Poland, Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine. The treaty ended the Polish-Soviet War....
he remained in the Polish Army. He became a member of the Polish equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
team, winning many international competitions. He also took part in the 1928 Summer Olympics
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and came fourth at the prestigious Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
competition. In his sports career he gained 22 gold, three silver and four bronze medals altogether.
World War II
Shortly before the outbreak of the Polish Defence War of 1939 he was assigned to the 110th reserve Cavalry Regiment as a deputy commander. His unit was to enter combat as a second-line formation, but fast advances of the WehrmachtWehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
made the completion of training impossible. On September 11 it was moved to Wołkowysk, from where it marched towards Grodno and Augustów
Augustów
Augustów is a town in north-eastern Poland with 29,600 inhabitants . It lies on the Netta River and the Augustów Canal. It is situated in the Podlaskie Voivodeship , having previously been in Suwałki Voivodeship . It is the seat of Augustów County and of Gmina Augustów.In 1970 Augustów became...
Forest. It fought several skirmishes against the German army and took part in the defence of the city against the Red Army
Red 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...
.
After two days of heavy fights against the numerically superior Soviets, on September 20 Grodno was lost and three days later gen. bryg.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Wacław Przeździecki
Waclaw Przezdziecki
Wacław Przeździecki was a Polish military commander and Brigadier General of the Polish Army. During the Invasion of Poland in 1939, he was the commanding officer of the reserve Wołkowysk Cavalry Brigade that fought in the battle of Grodno....
, the commander of the defence of the Grodno area, ordered all his troops to escape to neutral Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
. The 110th Regiment was the only unit to disobey this order. The unit was joined with remnants of several routed regiments and fought its way towards the capital 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...
. The unit got surrounded by the Red Army in the Biebrza
Biebrza
Biebrza is a river in north-eastern Poland, a tributary of the Narew river , with a length of 155 kilometres and the basin area of 7,057 km2...
river area and suffered serious casualties, but managed to break through the enemy defences. After that Lt. Col. Jerzy Dąbrowski, the commander of the regiment, decided to disband it. Henryk Dobrzański took command over approximately 180 men and who decided to continue their march towards besieged Warsaw
Siege of Warsaw (1939)
The 1939 Battle of Warsaw was fought between the Polish Warsaw Army garrisoned and entrenched in the capital of Poland and the German Army...
.
When Warsaw capitulated on September 27, Dobrzański faced three choices: evacuate (via Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
or Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
) to France, disband the unit, or continue the fight. He decided to lead his unit southwards and try to break through to France. Approximately 50 men volunteered to stay in the army, while the rest were allowed to leave. On November 1, 1939, they crossed the Vistula
Vistula
The Vistula is the longest and the most important river in Poland, at 1,047 km in length. The watershed area of the Vistula is , of which lies within Poland ....
near Dęblin
Deblin
Dęblin is a town, population 19,500 , at the confluence of Vistula and Wieprz rivers, in Lublin Voivodeship, Poland. Dęblin is the part of the agglomeration with adjacent towns of Ryki and Puławy, which altogether has over 100 000 inhabitants....
and started their march towards the Holy Cross Mountains. The same day his unit fought the first skirmish against the Germans. After that he decided to stay in the Kielce
Kielce
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...
area with his unit and wait until the Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
relief came, which he expected in the Spring of 1940. He also swore that he would not take off his uniform until after the war.
On October 5, the Battle of Kock
Battle of Kock (1939)
The Battle of Kock, was the final battle in the Invasion of Poland at the beginning of World War II. It took place between 2–5 October 1939, near the town of Kock, in Poland....
ended the resistance of the last major unit of the Polish Army and thus Hubal became the first partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
commander of World War II. Thanks to the support of the local civilian population, the "Separated Unit of the Polish Army" (Oddział Wydzielony Wojska Polskiego), as he named his unit, managed to evade all raids and traps organised by the Germans. However, the German authorities responded with brutal retaliation against the civil population. Because of that the newly-formed 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...
and the Government Delegate's Office at Home
Government Delegate's Office at Home
The Government Delegation for Poland was an agency of the Polish Government in Exile during World War II. It was the highest authority of the Polish Secret State in occupied Poland and was headed by the Government Delegate for Poland, a de facto deputy Polish Prime Minister.The Government...
ordered Hubal to disband his unit, but he refused. At the same time he limited his contacts with the civilians so as not to endanger them more than necessary.
In March 1940 his unit completely destroyed a battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of German infantry in a skirmish near the village of Huciska. A few days later in an ambush near the village of Szałasy it inflicted heavy casualties upon another German unit. To counter this threat the German authorities formed a special 1,000 men strong anti-partisan unit of combined SS-Wehrmacht forces, including a Panzer
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
group. Although the unit of Maj. Dobrzański never exceeded 300 men, the Germans fielded at least 8,000 men in the area to secure it.
Death and legacy
Powiat
A powiat is the second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture in other countries. The term powiat is most often translated into English as "county", although other terms are also sometimes used...
of Opoczno
Opoczno
Opoczno is a town in south-central Poland, within the eastern part of Łódź Voivodeship , previously in Piotrków Trybunalski Voivodeship . Important communication routes run through the town, namely the central railway line, which connects Silesia with Warsaw, and road 12, which creates a...
) was ambushed. In an unequal battle Dobrzański and most of his men were killed. Germans desecrated his body and showed it at public view in local villages. They then transported it to Tomaszów Mazowiecki
Tomaszów Mazowiecki
Tomaszów Mazowiecki is a town in central Poland with 67,159 inhabitants . Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship , it was previously part of Piotrków Trybunalski Voivodeship...
and either burnt it or buried it in an unknown location. The remnants of the "Separated Unit of the Polish Army" continued the struggle until June 25, 1940, when it was disbanded.
in 1949, Dobrzanski's son, Louis, emigrated to England and became a property developer. He died in 1992.
In 1966 Henryk Dobrzański was posthumously awarded with Golden 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 promoted to 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...
. Currently almost 200 organisations and institutions bear his name, including 82 Scouting groups
Zwiazek Harcerstwa Polskiego
Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego is the coeducational Polish Scouting organization recognized by the World Organization of the Scout Movement and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. It was founded in 1918 and currently is the largest Scouting organization in Poland...
, 31 schools and several military units. There are streets named after him in almost every Polish city. The site of his burial remains unknown.
The pseudonym "Hubal" comes from his family coat of arms.
Decorations
Military decorations awarded to Henyrk Dobrzański include:- Order Virtuti Militari Golden Cross (posthumously in 1966)
- Order Virtuti Militari Silver Cross
- 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 :...
- Cross of Valour 4 times
- Medal Decade of regained Independence
- Commemorative Medal for War of 1918-1921
See also
- Polish contribution to World War IIPolish contribution to World War IIThe European theater of World War II opened with the German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. The Polish Army was defeated after over a month of fighting. After Poland had been overrun, a government-in-exile , armed forces, and an intelligence service were established outside of Poland....
- Polish Secret StatePolish Secret StateThe Polish Underground State is a collective term for the World War II underground resistance organizations in Poland, both military and civilian, that remained loyal to the Polish Government in Exile in London. The first elements of the Underground State were put in place in the final days of the...
- List of guerrillas