Zdzisław Broński
Encyclopedia
Zdzisław Broński (born December 24, 1912 in Stary Radzic
, died May 21, 1949, in Nowogród
) - was a reserve officer of the Polish Army, member of ZWZ and the Home Army, one of the partisan leaders of the anti-communist underground Freedom and Independence, WiN, in the Lublin
region.
. He was captured and sent to a POW camp from which he escaped, most likely in November 1940. After coming back to his home region he joined a small resistance group Polska Organizacja Zbrojna (Armed Polish Organization) which later became part of the Polish Home Army (AK). He was made the commander of a 35 men platoon in the sub-region of Stary Radzic, AK Region "Lubartów", in the Inspectorate of Lublin
.
of the 8th Regiment of Infantry of AK Legions. Originally the column numbered 40 partisans but in the next few months it grew in numbers. During this time, the regiment was stationed in the forests around Zawieprzyce
, Kozłowiec and Parczew
. Also in May he was promoted to lieutenant. In June his unit was made part of the 27 Volhynian Infantry Division.
On the 16th of July, the division, for which Broński's unit served in the role of scouts, found themselves surrounded by German forces, in a large scale anti-partisan action. As a result the partisans had to quickly move to the region of Czemierniki
forests.
During Operation Tempest
, the Broński unit took part in the fighting as the 3rd Company
of the IV Battalion of the 8th Regiment "Lublin".
entered Poland, Zdzisław managed to evade arrest (for being a former AK member). He disbanded his unit and initially declared his willingness to join the Soviet controlled People's Army of Poland. However, when he learned that he was sought after by communist authorities he went back underground. From August 1944 he served as first second in command, and then the commander of the I AK Region "Lubartów". In Winter of 1945, based on the unit that he had under German occupation, he recreated his flying column of several dozen men, which became part of the "Freedom and Independence" (WiN) organization. On June 1, 1945 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.
On May 25, 1946, the new inspector of the Win Inspectorate "Lublin" Franciszek Abraszewski ("Boruta") made Broński the commander of the Operational Region Lubartów. As a result, all the partisan groups and squads operating in the region now came under Broński's command, and he himself came under the direct command of Major Hieronim Dekutowski
("Zapora"). In October 1946, Uskok's group took control of Łęczna, capturing the local headquarters of the milicja (MO), and in December, together with the unit of Leon Taraszkiewicz ("Jastrząb" (Hawk)), in a reprisal action, his unit took part in pacification of the village of Rozkopaczew
where several buildings were burned.
At one point one of the sub-commanders in Broński's group was Józef Franczak
who later would become the last of the "Cursed soldiers" to remain in the underground, fighting communist authorities until 1963.
Stary Radzic
Stary Radzic is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Ludwin, within Łęczna County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland.-References:...
, died May 21, 1949, in Nowogród
Nowogród
Nowogród is a small town in northeastern Poland located about 13 km away from the city of Łomża, in Łomża County, in Podlaskie Voivodeship, with 1,998 inhabitants . It is centered on the area known as Skansen Kurpiowski which is an open air museum dedicated to Kurpie culture and a popular...
) - was a reserve officer of the Polish Army, member of ZWZ and the Home Army, one of the partisan leaders of the anti-communist underground Freedom and Independence, WiN, in the Lublin
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
region.
World War II
He took part in the Polish defensive war in 1939, fighting against Nazi GermanyNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. He was captured and sent to a POW camp from which he escaped, most likely in November 1940. After coming back to his home region he joined a small resistance group Polska Organizacja Zbrojna (Armed Polish Organization) which later became part of the Polish Home Army (AK). He was made the commander of a 35 men platoon in the sub-region of Stary Radzic, AK Region "Lubartów", in the Inspectorate of Lublin
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
.
In the underground
At the end of 1943, after a series of arrests of local underground anti-Nazi activists, and threatened with arrest himself, Broński organized a partisan group and "went to the forest". In May 1944 it was formally made into a flying columnFlying column
A flying column is a small, independent, military land unit capable of rapid mobility and usually composed of all arms. It is often an ad hoc unit, formed during the course of operations....
of the 8th Regiment of Infantry of AK Legions. Originally the column numbered 40 partisans but in the next few months it grew in numbers. During this time, the regiment was stationed in the forests around Zawieprzyce
Zawieprzyce
Zawieprzyce is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Spiczyn, within Łęczna County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland. It lies approximately north of Spiczyn, north-west of Łęczna, and north-east of the regional capital Lublin.-References:...
, Kozłowiec and Parczew
Parczew
Parczew is a town in eastern Poland, with a population of 10,281 . Situated in the Lublin Voivodeship , previously in Biała Podlaska Voivodeship . It is the capital of Parczew County.-History:...
. Also in May he was promoted to lieutenant. In June his unit was made part of the 27 Volhynian Infantry Division.
On the 16th of July, the division, for which Broński's unit served in the role of scouts, found themselves surrounded by German forces, in a large scale anti-partisan action. As a result the partisans had to quickly move to the region of Czemierniki
Czemierniki
Czemierniki is a village in Radzyń Podlaski County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Czemierniki. It lies approximately south of Radzyń Podlaski and north of the regional capital Lublin.The village has a population of 1,700.-References:...
forests.
During Operation Tempest
Operation Tempest
Operation Tempest was a series of uprisings conducted during World War II by the Polish Home Army , the dominant force in the Polish resistance....
, the Broński unit took part in the fighting as the 3rd Company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
of the IV Battalion of the 8th Regiment "Lublin".
Back in the underground
After the Red ArmyRed 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...
entered Poland, Zdzisław managed to evade arrest (for being a former AK member). He disbanded his unit and initially declared his willingness to join the Soviet controlled People's Army of Poland. However, when he learned that he was sought after by communist authorities he went back underground. From August 1944 he served as first second in command, and then the commander of the I AK Region "Lubartów". In Winter of 1945, based on the unit that he had under German occupation, he recreated his flying column of several dozen men, which became part of the "Freedom and Independence" (WiN) organization. On June 1, 1945 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.
On May 25, 1946, the new inspector of the Win Inspectorate "Lublin" Franciszek Abraszewski ("Boruta") made Broński the commander of the Operational Region Lubartów. As a result, all the partisan groups and squads operating in the region now came under Broński's command, and he himself came under the direct command of Major Hieronim Dekutowski
Hieronim Dekutowski
Hieronim Dekutowski was a Polish boyscout and soldier, who fought in Polish September Campaign, was a member of the elite forces Cichociemni, fought in the Home Army and after World War II, fought the communist regime as one of commanders of Wolnosc i Niezawislosc.- Early years :Dekutowski was...
("Zapora"). In October 1946, Uskok's group took control of Łęczna, capturing the local headquarters of the milicja (MO), and in December, together with the unit of Leon Taraszkiewicz ("Jastrząb" (Hawk)), in a reprisal action, his unit took part in pacification of the village of Rozkopaczew
Rozkopaczew
Rozkopaczew is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Ostrów Lubelski, within Lubartów County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland. It lies approximately south of Ostrów Lubelski, east of Lubartów, and north-east of the regional capital Lublin....
where several buildings were burned.
At one point one of the sub-commanders in Broński's group was Józef Franczak
Józef Franczak
Józef Franczak was a soldier of the Polish Army, Armia Krajowa World War II resistance, and last of the cursed soldiers - members of the militant anti-communist resistance in Poland. He used codenames Lalek , Laluś, Laleczka, Guściowa, and fake name Józef Babiński...
who later would become the last of the "Cursed soldiers" to remain in the underground, fighting communist authorities until 1963.