August 7, 2011

Warsaw Uprising 1944: August 7 POLES ASSASSINATE TOP NAZI OFFICER

Polish Victims of Wola Massacre Warsaw Uprising
Reinefarth’s SS units continue their murderous rampage in Wola while Polish insurgent battalions Parasol and Zoska continue to put up a very strong defense against German fire power. The citizens of Warsaw have endured unimaginable persecution.  Reports have come in that the gangs belonging to the SS Dirlewanger have arrested and shot Polish families, including the elderly and children, in house to house searches. They have stormed into hospitals killing patients and medical staff. Several patients were burned alive in their beds. More than 15,000 civilians have been slaughtered in the past two days. The scenes are horrific and macabre. But the brutal Nazi suppression has not deterred the AK, and the Poles are as determined as ever to free their beloved city.  Meanwhile, Polish civilians have set up a barricades in City Centre Sector, an area which remains the only connecting passage between the northern and southern parts of Warsaw.


Lao Che - Barykada (Wola) (00:04:03m)

 


Kutschera Dead
 
The Parasol battalion is famous for its many military actions in the years 1943-1944. Among their missions they have organized several assassinations targeting high-level Gestapo officers and Nazi German officials. Many of their attempts were successful. Their most famous plan, called Operation Kutschera, called for the execution of Franz Kutschera, SS and Police leader in the Warsaw District. He was gunned down in February 1944 right in front of Warsaw SS Headquarters. Kutschera was given a death sentence by the Court of the Polish Underground State for crimes committed against the Polish nation, in particular the mass murder of hundreds of thousands of Polish civilians. The execution order was given by Polish Brigadier General Emil August Fieldorf (pseudonym Nil) the commander of KeDyw Battalion and was approved by the Polish government in exile in London. The execution was carried out by members of the Szare Szeregi.

 
Nazi Bulletin announcing Death of 100 Polish hostages
The Germans have tightly reinforced their positions on the avenue linking Old Town and Centre City Sector and the entire zone is heavily fortified with machine guns, artillery and armoured trains. The Old Town is cut off from Zoliborz sector, and the open fields between these two sectors are under German command. The Old Town sector, still in Polish hands has been reduced to approximately a two square mile zone and has been completely encircled by Germans forces. In the afternoon Polish units under the command of Maj. Stanislaw Steczhowkski (pseudoynm Zagonczyk) launched a counterattack on Mirowski Square but by evening enemy forces had pushed them back to Grzybowska Street and Grzybowski Square. Meanwhile, Col. Karol Ziemski "Wachnowski" commander of the North Group has organized the defence of the Old Town. Faced with fierce enemy fire his unit was unable to get through to Zoliborz. Insurgents began construction today of a trench and barricade to cover the crossing of Aleje Jerozolimskie from the north to the south, that is from the house at No. 20 to that at No. 17.  It will provide secure contact between troops from the two parts of Srodmiescie, as well as an escape route for civilians.  German fire is very heavy coming from the Gospodarstwa and the Main Rail Station.
 
Soldiers from Gustaw Battalion use trench crossing Aleje Jerozolimskie 1944
Service of the Scouts Field Post Office continues today during which the young couriers managed to deliver over 900 letters. Armia Krajowa’s radio station, “Lightning” located in Warsaw began live broadcasts and announced their a schedule of three reports daily. Included in broadcasts will be official combat communiqués issued by AK Command Headquarters. They are making urgent appeals to the allies for assistance.
Lt. John Ward
Lt.John Ward, a British soldier and member of the Armia Krajowa has dispatched the first of what will be a series of special secret to London reporting on conditions in Warsaw.  Here is what Ward had to say: At 5 p.m. yesterday German tanks of 'Tiger' type came through streets of Warsaw with women captured in houses specially for purpose tied on to prevent action from Polish troops. One tank was destroyed by means of petrol bottles owing to lack of anti-tank guns. Warsaw has excellent chances and the greatest part of the City is in Polish hands. Please send us weapons and ammunition as soon as possible.
Polish insurgents listening to Underground radio reports

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8 comments:

  1. TeflSecretagentAugust 7, 2011 at 5:34 AM

    Another excellent post, very interesting and well researched :) Do you know if there were any other British soldiers in Armia Krajowa? and what happened in the end to Lt. John Ward?

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  2. Polish Greatness BlogAugust 7, 2011 at 9:03 PM

    Thank you for your positive input. As far as I know Lt. John Ward was the only British member of the Armia Krajowa. After the Uprising Ward was ordered to return to England, but instead went to Moscow where he was subjected to a 12 hour interrogation by Soviet agents in the British Embassy. He died in 1995. Sadly very little is known about him as he never spoke publicly about his war experiences. He received the Polish Cross of Valour.

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  3. AnonymousAugust 18, 2012 at 5:45 PM

    John ward was a kind and generous man and was my Grandfather. He spoke nothing of his experiences but loved his family. He had stroke and died in his sleep. We love him and miss him greatly.

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    1. Polish Greatness BlogAugust 19, 2012 at 12:46 PM

      John Ward was a hero of the Polish Resistance. He transmitted dispatches almost on a daily basis from August 7 to September 29, 1944, reporting on events of the Warsaw Uprising. On September 17 he was wounded in the leg, but resumed his work two days later. I have posted all his reports throughout this special series on the Warsaw Uprising, day by day. John Ward will always be remembered with great respect.



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  4. AnonymousAugust 25, 2012 at 3:47 PM

    Thank you for your kind words, For many years we have been unable to talk about his service but take pride in how people look upon him. Although I mentioned he spoke nothing of his experiences as a family we new all that he had done for poland and his love of the polish was always in his mind. His wish not to speak of the horrors he had seen was always respected as we are lucky that we will never see anything like this in our lifetimes and cannot understand the pain, both physical and mental, he lived with for the rest of his life.

    Take a minute to remember him on the 29th August (the day he died), as I take a minute of every day to think of him and his sacrifice.

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    1. Polish Greatness BlogAugust 26, 2012 at 2:07 PM

      By not speaking of his experiences your Grandfather wished to spare you the pain that he went through. I understand this because my late father was a Holocaust survivor and never told me his story but only a very small fragment. The post-war generation (of the West) is indeed lucky but we all take our freedom for granted as it is impossible to fathom the cost at which freedom was won. I have prepared a special blog post in tribute to John Ward which will be posted on August 29, 2012 at 12:00 EST. I will remember him on that day, and will do my utmost to make sure that the rest of world knows him too. My Best Regards to you and your family.

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  5. AnonymousAugust 29, 2012 at 3:14 PM

    Thank you for your post I enjoyed reading it very much. I wish I could tell you more of his story after he left Poland however it is not my story to tell and in time my Mother will complete all the speculation with regards what he did after he left as she is the only one who knows the complete story.

    I will however say that the information with regards going to the 'British embassy in Moscow, where he was subjected to a 12 hour interrogation by Soviet agents.' Is not completely accurate. He believed if he went to Moscow he would be killed and chose a different route.

    I am not sure if he had a girlfriend in Poland and that was why he stayed, but I would suggest it was because he was an extremely determined and single minded person who believed in being strong and focused on anything he put his mind to. He did not suffer fools and if the cause was worthy he would give his all.

    I find your blog very interesting and appreciate you taking the time to show your respect to my Grandfather.

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    1. Polish Greatness BlogAugust 29, 2012 at 10:21 PM

      Thank you for your comments. I very much appreciate that you enjoyed reading the blog post. I am sorry for having reported information that turned out to be incorrect re: the British Embassy in Moscow, and the Polish girlfriend. Please accept my sincere apologies. I meant no disrespect. Apparently my sources were not as reliable as I had thought. I am intrigued by the story of your grandfather, and I do hope that your mother will one day consider publishing her memoirs and setting the record straight. John Ward was a remarkable man to have chosen to remain in Warsaw throughout the Uprising. It is clear through the dispatches he sent to London, that he was strongly committed to helping the Polish cause for liberation. It was as if his own life depended on it. The words integrity and honour do not suffice to describe a man of this great caliber. His sacrifices will always be remembered. My Best Regards to you and your family.

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