Wacław Gluth-Nowowiejski
Encyclopedia
Wacław Gluth-Nowowiejski (Wacek) (born 10 June 1926 in Warsaw
) is a former soldier of the Polish Home Army (AK), a participant in the Warsaw Uprising
, and after the war
, a publicist and author.
's novel Fire in the Steppe
. Alojzy had been a member of the paramilitary organization Strzelec in the Austrian partition
part of Poland and later, during World War I
, served in Józef Piłsudski's Polish Legions
. Wacław had three older brothers.
At the outbreak of World War II and the German invasion of Poland, in 1939, Wacław was twelve years old. In 1944 he became a member of the Polish anti-Nazi resistance group, the Armia Krajowa (Home Army). He took part in the Warsaw Uprising as a commander of the Żmija Group
(Viper Group), fighting in the Żoliborz
district. He was wounded on 14 September in Marymont
. Subsequently, he hid in the ruins of the destroyed city
as one of the Robinson Crusoes of Warsaw
, until November 1944. He survived the war, although all three of his brothers were killed during the German occupation of Poland.
for keeping in contact with former Home Army soldiers who had gone into anti-communist resistance
and for belonging to a student group named "Keep Smiling" (original name in English). The secret police believed "Keep Smiling" to be a American/British spy network because of its foreign name. He was beaten and tortured during interrogation. After a show trial
, he was imprisoned until 1953.
After being released, he wrote several books about his wartime experiences including Śmierć poczeka (Death can wait), Nie umieraj do jutra (Don't die till tomorrow), Stolica jaskiń: z pamięci warszawskiego Robinsona (The capital of caves: from the memories of a Warsaw Robinson) and Rzeczpospolita gruzów (The Commonwealth of ruins), which was adopted into a short comic by Polish artist Jerzy Wróblewski in 1979. In the same year Gluth-Nowowiejski also wrote the story for another of Wróblewski's war related comics, Czterej na drodze śmierci (Four on the road of death).
In the 1980s he took part as a consultant in the making of several documentary films about the Warsaw Uprising.
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...
) is a former soldier of the Polish Home Army (AK), a participant in 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...
, and after the war
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...
, a publicist and author.
Family
Wacław's father was Alojzy Gluth, who later added the name "Nowowiejski" after one of the characters (Adam Nowowiejski) from Henryk SienkiewiczHenryk Sienkiewicz
Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz was a Polish journalist and Nobel Prize-winning novelist. A Polish szlachcic of the Oszyk coat of arms, he was one of the most popular Polish writers at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905 for his...
's novel Fire in the Steppe
Fire in the Steppe
Fire in the Steppe is a historical novel by the Polish author Henryk Sienkiewicz, published in 1888. It is the third volume in a series known to Poles as "the Trilogy," preceded by With Fire and Sword and The Deluge...
. Alojzy had been a member of the paramilitary organization Strzelec in the Austrian partition
Austrian partition
The Austrian partition refers to the former territories of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth acquired by the Austrian Empire during the partitions of Poland in late 18th century.-History:...
part of Poland and later, during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, served in 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...
. Wacław had three older brothers.
World War II
Zmija Group
The Żmija Group - a group of conspiracy military units of the Sub-district II of Żoliborz of Armia Krajowa in Żoliborz in Warsaw during the German occupation of Poland...
(Viper Group), fighting in the Żoliborz
Zoliborz
Żoliborz is one of the northern districts of the city of Warsaw. It is located directly to the north of the City Centre, on the left bank of the Vistula river. It has approximately 50,000 inhabitants and is one of the smallest boroughs of Warsaw....
district. He was wounded on 14 September in Marymont
Marymont
Marymont is one of the northern neighbourhoods of Warsaw, Poland, administratively a part of the boroughs of Żoliborz and Bielany . Named after the queen of Poland Maria Kazimiera , wife of king John III Sobieski, it initially housed a small summer manor...
. Subsequently, he hid in the ruins of the destroyed city
Planned destruction of Warsaw
The planned destruction of Warsaw refers to the largely realised plans by Nazi Germany to completely raze the city. The plan was put into full motion after the Warsaw Uprising in 1944...
as one of the Robinson Crusoes of Warsaw
Robinson Crusoes of Warsaw
Robinson Crusoes of Warsaw were people who, after the end of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising and the subsequent planned destruction of Warsaw by Nazi Germany, decided to stay and hide in the ruins of the German-occupied city...
, until November 1944. He survived the war, although all three of his brothers were killed during the German occupation of Poland.
After the war
After the war, in 1948, Waclaw was arrested by the Communist authorities of the People's Republic of PolandPeople's Republic of Poland
The People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...
for keeping in contact with former Home Army soldiers who had gone into anti-communist resistance
Win
A win is a victory.Win may also refer to:* Win , the opposite of the internet meme fail* Win , a 1975 song by David Bowie* Win , a statistical credit given to a pitcher* Win , a Scottish band...
and for belonging to a student group named "Keep Smiling" (original name in English). The secret police believed "Keep Smiling" to be a American/British spy network because of its foreign name. He was beaten and tortured during interrogation. After a show trial
Show trial
The term show trial is a pejorative description of a type of highly public trial in which there is a strong connotation that the judicial authorities have already determined the guilt of the defendant. The actual trial has as its only goal to present the accusation and the verdict to the public as...
, he was imprisoned until 1953.
After being released, he wrote several books about his wartime experiences including Śmierć poczeka (Death can wait), Nie umieraj do jutra (Don't die till tomorrow), Stolica jaskiń: z pamięci warszawskiego Robinsona (The capital of caves: from the memories of a Warsaw Robinson) and Rzeczpospolita gruzów (The Commonwealth of ruins), which was adopted into a short comic by Polish artist Jerzy Wróblewski in 1979. In the same year Gluth-Nowowiejski also wrote the story for another of Wróblewski's war related comics, Czterej na drodze śmierci (Four on the road of death).
In the 1980s he took part as a consultant in the making of several documentary films about the Warsaw Uprising.