SPY WEEK Famous Polish Spies - Boleslaw Kontrym

Boleslaw Kontrym

Boleslaw Kontrym (August 27, 1898—1953) was a Polish army officer, soldier of the Armia Krajowa (Home Army), and fought in the Warsaw Uprising,  and organized the secret police force. He was also known by his codenames: Żmudzin, Biały, Bielski, and/or Cichocki.

Kontrym was born in Zaturka near Luck (Wolyn) He began his military career in March 1915, when he volunteered with the Imperial Russian Army.  Initially he served in the 106th Infantry Regiment  for which he completed NCO
training in Saratov.

Between August and December 1915, he was commander of the platoon of 250th Infantry Regiment and from June 1916 served as an adjutant of the 3rd Battalion of 127 Infantry Regiment. In August 1917 Kontrym was promoted to commanding officer of the cavalry recon unit of the 660th Infantry Regiment and simultaneously promoted to the rank of lieutenant.

Kontrym enlisted in Polish Army units that were formed in Russia; from 1918 he served in the 5th Polish Cavalry Regiment of the II Polish Army Corps but in May of the same year it was disarmed and interned by the Germans at Kaniow.  Kontrym escaped from the German POW camp and attempted to join Polish Army units in Murman, Russia but on October 1918 he was arrested by the Bolshevik Cheka and conscripted into the Red Army. He fought against the Polish Army as a commander of 82 Infantry Regiment and 28th Brigade of the 10th Infantry Division.

For his leadership and bravery, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner three times. On February 1921, he was transferred from his unit to study at the Frunze Military Academy.  At the Academy he contacted Romuald Wolikowski, the Polish Military attaché  to whom he passed Soviet military secrets. When his espionage activities were discovered and he had to escape to Poland.

Kontrym served in the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade. Member of Cichociemni. He also fought with distinction in the Warsaw Uprising.

He was arrested by the Sluzba Bezpieczeństwa and executed for treason. The date of his death is obscure - either on the 2nd or 20th of January 1953.

Medals

Poland
Virtuti Militari V class
Krzyż Walecznych three times.

Soviet Union
Order of the Red Banner three times

Virtuti Militari

Krzyż Walecznych

Order of the Red Banner

source: Wikipedia

Editors Note:  FYI:  The images of medals posted here may or may not be the exact version which was awarded to the recipient.  There are several classes for each medal depending on various factors such as type of military (or civilian) service, rank of officer (or soldier), class of award, year in which it was awarded, etc   The lack of sufficient information on the web (or omission) has compounded the difficulty in selecting the correct class of medal. I apologize for any inaccuracies.