Irena Bobowska
Encyclopedia
Irena Bobowska was a Polish poet and member of the Polish resistance
. Her callsign was "Otter". Though paralyzed from the waist down by childhood illness she participated in the resistance to the German occupation of Poland, before capture and execution at the age of 28.
, as result of which she was forced to use a wheelchair
for the rest of her life. She initiated the establishment of the first youth library in Warsaw District in Poznań. In summer 1939 she signed up to the Polish Navy to become one of the “live torpedoes” - an unrealised project intended to create human-piloted torpedoes s to be used against German Navy
. She kept her request secret from her family.
and finally to Moabit
in Berlin. Throughout her imprisonment German officers subjected her to physical and mental torture, including the removal of her wheelchair, leaving her to crawl on the floor of her damp, vermin-infested cell. She was denied visits from her family. She nonetheless managed to smuggle out of the prison a number of poems, some of which - including "Bo ja się uczę", a poem advising women on mental survival in German prisons - reached Polish women prisoners in Auschwitz and other prisons.
’s oppression of Poles, episodes of German oppression during the Partitions of Poland
, and the attempted Germanization of the Polish population. She concluded her speech "Today you judge me, but one day you will be judged by somebody higher" and pleaded guilty to the charges she faced. The German court sentenced her to death. She was executed by beheading on the guillotine
.
Bobowska's legacy includes the poems she wrote and pictures she drew while in prison
, depicting the inner struggle to retain dignity when faced with inhuman conditions.
Today she is a patron
of a Kraków
Girl Scouts
troop, the 344 Krakowska Drużyna Harcerek Altowianie.
Polish resistance movement in World War II
The Polish resistance movement in World War II, with the Home Army at its forefront, was the largest underground resistance in all of Nazi-occupied Europe, covering both German and Soviet zones of occupation. The Polish defence against the Nazi occupation was an important part of the European...
. Her callsign was "Otter". Though paralyzed from the waist down by childhood illness she participated in the resistance to the German occupation of Poland, before capture and execution at the age of 28.
Early life
Bobowska was born and educated in Poznań, the daughter of Teodor Bobowski and Zofia Kraszewska. She was known to her friends and family as "Nenia". At the age of two she contracted PoliomyelitisPoliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route...
, as result of which she was forced to use a wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
for the rest of her life. She initiated the establishment of the first youth library in Warsaw District in Poznań. In summer 1939 she signed up to the Polish Navy to become one of the “live torpedoes” - an unrealised project intended to create human-piloted torpedoes s to be used against German Navy
German Navy
The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
. She kept her request secret from her family.
Resistance work
After the Invasion of Poland in 1939, Bobowska joined the Polish resistance against German occupation. From November 1939 she served as chief editor of the underground newspaper Pobudka (Awakening). She wrote articles and was involved in the newspaper's production and distribution. She also took part in the transportation of documents and weapons for the resistance.Capture and imprisonment
Bobowska was captured by German officials on June 20, 1940, along with other Podubka staff. They were interned in Fort VII, from where Bobowska was transported to Wronki prisonWronki Prison
Wronki Prison is the largest prison in Poland, holding over 1400 prisoners. It was founded in 1889 in the town of Wronki in Greater Poland .-History:...
and finally to Moabit
Moabit
Moabit is an inner city locality of Berlin. Since Berlin's 2001 administrative reform it belongs to the newly regrouped governmental borough of Mitte. Previously, from 1920 to 2001, it belonged to the borough of Tiergarten. Moabit's borders are defined by three watercourses, the Spree, the...
in Berlin. Throughout her imprisonment German officers subjected her to physical and mental torture, including the removal of her wheelchair, leaving her to crawl on the floor of her damp, vermin-infested cell. She was denied visits from her family. She nonetheless managed to smuggle out of the prison a number of poems, some of which - including "Bo ja się uczę", a poem advising women on mental survival in German prisons - reached Polish women prisoners in Auschwitz and other prisons.
Final trial and execution
Bobowska was tried on August 12, 1942, and was allowed to make a speech in her defense. She spoke for 30 minutes, during which she neither pleaded for mercy or offered justification of her acts. Instead she listed German atrocities in the Second World War, BismarckOtto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
’s oppression of Poles, episodes of German oppression during the Partitions of Poland
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
, and the attempted Germanization of the Polish population. She concluded her speech "Today you judge me, but one day you will be judged by somebody higher" and pleaded guilty to the charges she faced. The German court sentenced her to death. She was executed by beheading on the guillotine
Guillotine
The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...
.
Bobowska's legacy includes the poems she wrote and pictures she drew while in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
, depicting the inner struggle to retain dignity when faced with inhuman conditions.
Today she is a patron
Patrón
Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...
of a 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...
Girl Scouts
Girl Guides
A Guide, Girl Guide or Girl Scout is a member of a section of some Guiding organisations who is between the ages of 10 and 14. Age limits are different in each organisation. It is the female-centred equivalent of the Scouts. The term Girl Scout is used in the United States and several East Asian...
troop, the 344 Krakowska Drużyna Harcerek Altowianie.
Sources
- Nenia Tokarska-Kaszubowa Stefania -Kronika Miasta Poznania 1999
- Encyklopedia konspiracji wielkopolskiej 1939-1945 edited by Marian Woźniak ISBN 83-85003-97-5