Stanisław Ostwind-Zuzga

Stanisław Ostwind
Nickname(s)"Zuzga" "Kropidło", "Bolesław"
Born(1899-04-26)26 April 1899
Warsaw, Poland
Died4 February 1945(1945-02-04) (aged 45)
Warsaw, People's Republic of Poland
Allegiance Poland
Service / branchNational Armed Forces
Years of service1915-1920
1942-1945
Rank Major
Commandslocal commandant of NSZ in Węgrów

Stanisław Ostwind-Zuzga (code-names "Kropidło", "Bolesław"; 26 April 1899 – 4 February 1945)[1][2][3] was a master sergeant of the Polish Army, major of National Armed Forces (NSZ), local commandant of NSZ in Węgrów, and one of the highest-ranked officers of Jewish background in Polish anti-Nazi resistance during World War II.[4]

Life

He was born in Warsaw as Szmul Ostwind son of Wolf (Władysław) Ostwind and Rebeka (Regina) née Saudel. Between 1915 and 1917 he fought in the Polish Legions, in the Polish 1st Legions Infantry Regiment, led by Major Edward Śmigły-Rydz. He participated in the Battle of Kostiuchnówka, among others. After the Oath crisis, he was interned by Germans in Szczypiorno. In 1919 he graduated from military academy as a master sergeant, after which he was assigned to 36th Infantry Regiment, and participated in Polish–Soviet War of 1920.[5] In the interwar period he was baptised into the Catholic Church, and worked for the state police.[6]

After Germany invaded Poland in 1939, he lived under the false name "Zuzga". Since 1942 he was a member of the National Military Organization in Łuków County, later he transferred to the National Armed Forces (NSZ). He finished his training in the NSZ training facility "Dym" (Smoke) in Jata, after which he conducted operations in Siedlce area. In May 1944 he became a leader of the regional command of NSZ in Węgrów. He was the top-ranked Polish Jewish officer in the Polish non-communist resistance.[3] On 1 June 1944 he was promoted to the rank of Major. One of his first actions as a leader was an attempt to negotiate joining forces with Home Army, an attempt which most likely failed. On 3 January 1945, he was arrested by the newly established (after the Soviet occupation of Poland), Communist secret police (Ministry of Public Security). He was later transferred to a prison in Otwock and tortured during questioning. After his Jewish origin was discovered, the Communists attempted to convince him to switch sides, an offer which he refused. He was executed on 4 February 1945.[5][7][8][9]

In 2018, by order of the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda, Ostwind was posthumously awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta for outstanding services to the independence of the Republic of Poland.[10]

References

  1. ^ HOLEWIŃSKI, WACŁAW (2015). HONOR MI NIE POZWALA [HONOR DOES NOT LET ME] (in Polish). ZYSK I S-KA. p. 328. ISBN 978-83-7785-814-1. Stanisław Ostwind is an exceptional figure on the pages of Polish history. A Jew, a legionnaire, a policeman, a soldier ... of the National Armed Forces.
  2. ^ "Stanisław Ostwind. Żyd. Patriota. Żołnierz Niezłomny". PolskieRadio.pl. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  3. ^ a b Narodowej, Instytut Pamięci. "Instytut Pamięci Narodowej - Drukuj". ipn.gov.pl. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  4. ^ Muszyński, Wojciech (2012). Nationalisms of different nations - book chapter by Wojciech Muszyński (PDF) (in Polish). Księgarnia Akademicka. p. 140. ISBN 978-83-7638-132-9. The highest-ranking Jew in the structures of NSZ was Feliks Pisarewski "Parry" ... Another relatively high-ranking officer of Jewish origin in the NSZ hierarchy was Stanisław Ostwind vel Zuzga ps. "Kropidło"
  5. ^ a b Mariusz, Bechta (2009). Między Bolszewią a Niemcami. Konspiracja polityczna i wojskowa Polskiego Obozu Narodowego na Podlasiu w latach 1939-1952. Instytut Pamięci Narodowej. p. 519. ISBN 978-83-73-99373-0.
  6. ^ Nacjonalizmy różnych narodów perspektywa politologiczno-religioznawcza, Księgarnia Akademicka, book chapter by Wojciech Muszyński, page 140 in the PDF, ISBN 978-83-7638-132-9, 2012, quote: "Pochodził z częściowo spolonizowanej rodziny żydowskiej z Warszawy, jako młody ochotnik wstąpił do I Brygady Legionów Polskich, uczestniczył jako podoficer w wojnie polsko-bolszewickiej. W okresie międzywojennym przyjął chrzest i pracował jako przodownik w Policji Państwowej." ("He came partly a Polonised Jewish family from Warsaw, as a young volunteer joined the First Brigade Polish Legions, he participated as a non-commissioned officer in the Polish-Bolshevik war. In the period He was baptized in the interwar period and worked as a leader in the State Police.)
  7. ^ Charczuk, Wiesław. "Przeobrażenia personalne w Podlaskiej Komendzie NSZ w latach 1945-1947" (PDF). Wschodni Rocznik Humanistyczny (1/2004): 257. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  8. ^ Tomaszkiewicz, Tadeusz (1993). Narodowe Siły Zbrojne. Pow. Węgrow 1942-1950. Warsaw. p. 116.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  9. ^ Muszyński, Wojciech. "Antysemityzm dotyczył Niemców, a nie Polaków". Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  10. ^ prezydent.pl. "Oficjalna strona Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej / Aktualności / Ordery i odznaczenia / Prezydent: Cierpienie Żołnierzy Niezłomnych nie poszło na marne". www.prezydent.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 16 June 2018.