Zośka Battalion

Battalion Zośka
Active1943—1944
Allegiance Polish Underground
BranchArmia Krajowa (Home Army)
TypeParamilitary
RoleClose combat
HUMINT
Irregular warfare
Raiding
Reconnaissance
Tracking
Urban warfare
SizeBattalion
EngagementsWarsaw Uprising

Battalion Zośka (pronounced /'zɔɕ.ka/; 'Sophie' in Polish) was a paramilitary scouts battalion that specialized in field intelligence gathering, irregular warfare and scouting of the Polish resistance movement organisation - Home Army (Armia Krajowa or "AK") during World War II. It mainly consisted of members of the Szare Szeregi paramilitary Boy Scouts.[1] It was formed in late August 1943. A part of the Radosław Group, the battalion played a major role in the Warsaw Uprising of 1944.[2]

Zośka was named after Tadeusz Zawadzki, who used the name as his pseudonym during the AK's early days. He was killed during a partisan action.

History

The battalion was formed in late August 1943 as part of the Radosław Group, fighting in Wola and the Starówka, from where they allowed the "Rudy" company to do a breakthrough to the centre of the city through the Saxon Garden which eventually failed. After capturing two Panther tanks in 2 August, an armoured platoon was formed under the command of Wacław Micuta. The battalion gained the War Order of Virtuti Militari.

Liberation of the concentration camp "Gęsiówka"

Zośka fighters liberated prisoners of the concentration camp Gęsiówka in August 1944. The 383 able-bodied prisoners (including 348 Jews),[3] both men and women who were left in Gęsiówka to assist with the destruction of the evidence of mass murder, were rescued from certain death. Most of these survivors joined the Zośka unit and fought in the Warsaw uprising.[2]

  • Captured German Panther tank – armored platoon of Battalion Zośka under command of Wacław Micuta
    Captured German Panther tank – armored platoon of Battalion Zośka under command of Wacław Micuta
  • Captured tank
    Captured tank
  • Prisoners of Gęsiówka and the Zośka fighters after the liberation of the camp in August 1944
    Prisoners of Gęsiówka and the Zośka fighters after the liberation of the camp in August 1944
  • Warsaw Uprising 5 August 1944 in Gęsiówka. The men are dressed in captured German uniforms and armed with confiscated German weapons. From left: Wojciech Omyła "Wojtek", Juliusz Bogdan Deczkowski "Laudański" and Tadeusz Milewski "Ćwik". Milewski was killed on the same day. Omyla was killed several days later on 8 August 1944.
    Warsaw Uprising 5 August 1944 in Gęsiówka. The men are dressed in captured German uniforms and armed with confiscated German weapons. From left: Wojciech Omyła "Wojtek", Juliusz Bogdan Deczkowski "Laudański" and Tadeusz Milewski "Ćwik". Milewski was killed on the same day. Omyla was killed several days later on 8 August 1944.

Other famous Home Army battalions were: Miotła, Czata, Pięść, and Batalion Parasol. Between 1944 and 1956, all surviving former members of Batalion Zośka were incarcerated in the Soviet NKVD prisons.[4]

Commanding officers during the Warsaw Uprising

Notable Battalion fighters

References

  1. ^ Aleksander Kamiński: Zośka i Parasol : opowieść o niektórych ludziach i niektórych akcjach dwóch batalionów harcerskich. Warsaw: Iskry, 2009. ISBN 978-83-244-0091-1.
  2. ^ a b Battalion Zośka (Internet Archive) (in Polish)
  3. ^ "Pamiętniki żołnierzy baonu Zośka", Nasza Księgarnia, Warsaw 1986 ISBN 83-10-08703-9.
  4. ^ Żołnierze Batalionu Armii Krajowej "Zośka" represjonowani w latach 1944-1956 ", Instytut Pamięci Narodowej, Warsaw 2008, ISBN 978-83-60464-92-2

Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zośka Battalion.
  • "Pamiętniki żołnierzy baonu Zośka", Nasza Księgarnia, Warsaw 1986 ISBN 83-10-08703-9. (in Polish)
  • Agnieszka Pietrzak: Żołnierze Batalionu Armii Krajowej "Zośka" represjonowani w latach 1944–1956. Warsaw: Instytut Pamięci Narodowej, 2008. ISBN 978-83-60464-92-2. (in Polish)
  • Aleksander Kamiński: Zośka i Parasol : opowieść o niektórych ludziach i niektórych akcjach dwóch batalionów harcerskich. Warsaw: Iskry, 2009. ISBN 978-83-244-0091-1. (in Polish)