BY ALEKSIA QESARI
Witold Pilecki, |
Transport and arrival. The Holocaust Explained, Wiener Library
BACKGROUND
Pilecki was born in 1901, in the far west of the Russian Empire. His Grandfather had fought against Russian Imperialism and had spent 7 years exile in Siberia along with his family. Though at that time, Poland didn’t properly exist as a country; its territories were divided by Prussia, Russia, and Austria. At the end of World War I, after 123 years of domination, Poland finally regained its independence, but both Russia and Germany believed that the peace treaty was too generous for Poland.Their first plan was to crush them at the first opportunity.
In August 1939, old enemies on Poland's borders were preparing for an invasion. The Nazi's sign a nonaggression pact with the Soviet Union and on September 1, 1939, Germany invades Poland. What many didn't know, was that that was also the beginning of the first official day of another World War.Two days later, Britain and France finally declared war on Hitler but do nothing to stop the Invasion. The Soviet Union then attacked from east. Together they believed they would conquer Poland and divided the land for themselvesWitold Pilecki joined the Polish Cavalry to fight the Russians in the East, but his division was no match for the Nazi's and lost. This wasn't the end though,not through Pilecki eyes.
Witold Pilecki at the Forefront of the Parade in Lida. Dziennik,
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"German and Soviet Commanders Meet at the Nazi-Soviet demarcation line in Poland, after a successful." Euromaiden Press
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Children wearing concentration camp uniforms shortly after the liberation Auschwitz by the Soviet army on 27 January 1945. Guardian News and Media Limited
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While most soldiers tried to leave and escape safely to France, Pilecki insisted on staying. He planned on going back to Warsaw, undercover and intends to fight the Nazi’s in secret, determined to win.The successful German invasion had done enough damage to Poland. About 66,000 troops were killed and 700,000 were captured and the Germanisation of Poland had just begun. Pilecki immediately thought if nobody else was going to anything, Poland would never have a chance to win the war and gain their independence back like they deserved. That's when he started getting to work.
Witold Pilecki was one of the greatest war time heroes of World War II considering all he had sacrificed and done to help his people and defeat Hitler and his inhuman plans and actions. Pilecki was a well-known, outstanding Polish soldier, the founder of the Secret Polish Army, and, author of Witold's Report, the first comprehensive allied intelligence report on Auschwitz concentration camp and the Holocaust.
Witold Pilecki was one of the greatest war time heroes of World War II considering all he had sacrificed and done to help his people and defeat Hitler and his inhuman plans and actions. Pilecki was a well-known, outstanding Polish soldier, the founder of the Secret Polish Army, and, author of Witold's Report, the first comprehensive allied intelligence report on Auschwitz concentration camp and the Holocaust.