Polish Secret State

The Armia Krajowa or AK (Home Army) functioned as the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland, which was active in all areas of the country from September 1939 until its disbanding in January 1945. The Armia Krajowa, one of the largest underground resistance movement during World War II, formed the armed wing of what subsequently became known as the "underground state" (państwo podziemne). Armia Krajowa - Origins. The AK originated from the Sluzba Zwyciestwu PolskiIncluding:

• Armia Krajowa - Origins
• Armia Krajowa - Structure
• Armia Krajowa - Weapons and equipment
• Armia Krajowa - Operations
• Armia Krajowa - Relations with Jews
• Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians
• Armia Krajowa - External link

Read more here: » Armia Krajowa: Encyclopedia - Armia Krajowa

The following groups may differ widely in numbers and in activity: Resistance movement - Post-World War II. Resistance movement - World War II. See also Resistance during World War II Communist resistance, in several countries Albanian resistance movement Belgian resistance movement Czech Resistance movement Danish resistance movement Dutch resistance movement Valkenburg resistance ...

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Resistance movement, Resistance movement - Background, Resistance movement - Resistance movements, Resistance movement - Post-World War II, Resistance movement - World War II, Resistance movement - Pre-World War II, Resistance movement - Pre-20th Century, Resistance movement - Notable individuals in resistance movements, Resistance movement - World War II anti-Nazi anti-Fascist, Resistance movement - Other Resistance Movements

Read more here: » Resistance movement: Encyclopedia II - Resistance movement - Resistance movements

On May 1, 1944, the Szare Szeregi had 8 359 members. Initially only the elder scouts (Senior Scouts, Senior Guides, Rovers and Rangers) 17 and up were admitted. However, soon the number of younger children admitted grew and in 1942 the new structure was adopted, based mostly on the pre-war structure of the ZHP. Szare Szeregi - Zawisza - ages 12-14. The troops organised for children between 12 and 14 years of age were code-named after Zawisza Czarny, a famous Polish mediæval knight and diplomat. The troops ...

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Szare Szeregi, Szare Szeregi - Code-name, Szare Szeregi - Principles, Szare Szeregi - Structure, Szare Szeregi - Internal structure, Szare Szeregi - Zawisza - ages 12-14, Szare Szeregi - Bojowe Szkoły - ages 15-17, Szare Szeregi - Grupy Szturmowe - ages 17 and up, Szare Szeregi - External link

Read more here: » Szare Szeregi: Encyclopedia II - Szare Szeregi - Internal structure

Zdzisław Jeziorański was born in Warsaw. After finishing his studies in economics in 1936 he continued to work there as an assistant at the Poznań University. Mobilised in 1939, he fought in the Polish Army as an artillery NCO. He was taken prisoner of war by the Germans in Volhynia, but managed to escape and returned to Warsaw. Most of his colleagues were taken prisoners of war by the Soviets and later killed in the Katyn Massacre. He quickly joined the Polish resistance. After 1940 he became the main organiser of the Akcja N, a s ...

See also:

Jan Nowak-Jeziorański, Jan Nowak-Jeziorański - Biography, Jan Nowak-Jeziorański - Awards, Jan Nowak-Jeziorański - Bibliography

Read more here: » Jan Nowak-Jeziorański: Encyclopedia II - Jan Nowak-Jeziorański - Biography

As a clandestine army operating in a country occupied by the enemy, separated by over a thousand kilometers from any friendly territory, the AK faced unique challenges in acquiring arms and equipment. In a tremendous achievement, the AK was able to overcome these difficulties to some extent and put tens of thousands of armed soldiers into the field. Nevertheless, the difficult conditions meant that only infantry forces armed with light weapons could be fielded. Any use of artillery, armor or aviation was obviously out of the question (except ...

See also:

Armia Krajowa, Armia Krajowa - Origins, Armia Krajowa - Structure, Armia Krajowa - Weapons and equipment, Armia Krajowa - Operations, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Jews, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians

Read more here: » Armia Krajowa: Encyclopedia II - Armia Krajowa - Weapons and equipment

Władysław Sikorski - Early life and World War I. Sikorski was born May 20, 1881, in Tuszów Narodowy, Polish Galicia, then a territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His father was Tomasz Sikorski, of impoverished Polish gentry (coat of arms Kopaszyna); his mother was Emilia Habrowska. Young Sikorski studied engineering at the Lwów Polytechnic, specializing in road and bridge construction. After graduation he worked for the Galician administration in the petroleum industry. In 1906 Sikorski volunteered for a ...

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Władysław Sikorski, Władysław Sikorski - Biography, Władysław Sikorski - Early life and World War I, Władysław Sikorski - Polish-Soviet War, Władysław Sikorski - In government and in opposition, Władysław Sikorski - Prime Minister in Exile, Władysław Sikorski - Katyn, Władysław Sikorski - Death, Władysław Sikorski - Aftermath, Władysław Sikorski - Controversy surrounding Sikorski's death, Władysław Sikorski - Further reading and other media

Read more here: » Władysław Sikorski: Encyclopedia II - Władysław Sikorski - Biography

An intricate series of resistance operations were launched in France prior to, and during, Operation Overlord. On June 5 1944, the BBC broadcasted a group of unusual sentences, which the Germans knew were code words—possibly for the invasion of Normandy. The BBC would regularly transmit hundreds of personal messages, of which only a few were really significant. A few days before D-Day, the commanding officers of the Resistance heard the first line of Verlaine's poem , Chanson d'Automne, "Les sanglots longs des violons de l'automn ...

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Resistance during World War II, Resistance during World War II - Organisation, Resistance during World War II - Forms of resistance, Resistance during World War II - Famous resistance operations, Resistance during World War II - Resistance movements during World War II, Resistance during World War II - Notable individuals, Resistance during World War II - Documentaries, Resistance during World War II - Dramatisations

Read more here: » Resistance during World War II: Encyclopedia II - Resistance during World War II - Famous resistance operations

After the country's defeat in the 1939 campaign, the Polish government in exile quickly organized in France a new army of about 80,000 men. In 1940 a Polish Highland Brigade took part in the Battle of Narvik (Norway), and two Polish divisions (First Grenadier Division, and Second Infantry Fusiliers Division) took part in the defense of France, while a Polish motorized brigade and two infantry divisions were in process of forming. A Polish Independent Carpathian Brigade was formed in French-mandated Syria, to which many Polish troops had esca ...

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Polish contribution to World War II, Polish contribution to World War II - Army, Polish contribution to World War II - Air Force, Polish contribution to World War II - Navy, Polish contribution to World War II - Intelligence, Polish contribution to World War II - Underground, Polish contribution to World War II - Battles, Polish contribution to World War II - Technical inventions

Read more here: » Polish contribution to World War II: Encyclopedia II - Polish contribution to World War II - Army

After crossing into German-held part of Poland, in November of 1939 he managed to escape a train to a POW camp and found his way to Warsaw. There he joined the ZWZ, the first resistance organization in occupied Europe and a predecessor of Armia Krajowa. About that time he adopted a nom de guerre of Jan Karski, which later became his surname. Other noms de guerre used by him during World War II included Witold, Piasecki, Kwaśniewski, Znamierowski, Kruszewski and Kuch ...

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Jan Karski, Jan Karski - Early life, Jan Karski - World War II, Jan Karski - Post-War Career, Jan Karski - Honors, Jan Karski - Notes, Jan Karski - Reference

Read more here: » Jan Karski: Encyclopedia II - Jan Karski - World War II

The structure of the Szare Szeregi was based on pre-war structure of the ZHP, modified to suit the new circumstances of occupation and persecution. The basic unit of ZHP was a drużyna (troop), consisting of approximately 20 boys or girls. Each drużyna is formed by several groups named zastęp consisting of 7 people. Several troops from a specified area (borough, village, town) form a hufiec (district) which in turn is a part of one of the regions called chorągiew (literally banner). During World War II each of the units was referred to by ...

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Szare Szeregi, Szare Szeregi - Code-name, Szare Szeregi - Principles, Szare Szeregi - Structure, Szare Szeregi - Internal structure, Szare Szeregi - Zawisza - ages 12-14, Szare Szeregi - Bojowe Szkoły - ages 15-17, Szare Szeregi - Grupy Szturmowe - ages 17 and up, Szare Szeregi - External link

Read more here: » Szare Szeregi: Encyclopedia II - Szare Szeregi - Structure

After the war Karski was unable to return to Poland and made his home in the United States and began his studies at Georgetown University, where he received a PhD in 1952. He taught at Georgetown for 40 years in the areas of East European affairs, comparative government and international affairs, rising to become one of the most celebrated and notable members of its faculty. In 1954, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. In 1985, he published the acad ...

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Jan Karski, Jan Karski - Early life, Jan Karski - World War II, Jan Karski - Post-War Career, Jan Karski - Honors, Jan Karski - Notes, Jan Karski - Reference

Read more here: » Jan Karski: Encyclopedia II - Jan Karski - Post-War Career

During a period of over six and a half years, from late December 1932 to the outbreak of World War II, three mathematician-cryptologists (Marian Rejewski, Henryk Zygalski and Jerzy Różycki) at the Polish General Staff's Cipher Bureau in Warsaw had developed a number of techniques and devices — including the "grill" method, Różycki's "clock," Rejewski's "cyclometer" and "card catalog," Zygalski's "perforated sheets," and Rejewski's "cryptologic bomb" (Polish term: bomba, precursor to the later British "Bombe," named after its Pol ...

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Polish contribution to World War II, Polish contribution to World War II - Army, Polish contribution to World War II - Air Force, Polish contribution to World War II - Navy, Polish contribution to World War II - Intelligence, Polish contribution to World War II - Underground, Polish contribution to World War II - Battles, Polish contribution to World War II - Technical inventions

Read more here: » Polish contribution to World War II: Encyclopedia II - Polish contribution to World War II - Intelligence

Just on the eve of war, most of the major Polish Navy ships had been sent for safety to the British Isles. There they fought alongside the Royal Navy. At various stages of the war, the Polish Navy comprised two cruisers and a large number of smaller ships, including three destroyers and two submarines that had left the Baltic Sea in late August 1939. Cruisers: ORP Dragon (Danae class) ORP Conrad (Danae class) Destroyers: ORP Wicher (Wind) (Wicher class)< ...

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Polish contribution to World War II, Polish contribution to World War II - Army, Polish contribution to World War II - Air Force, Polish contribution to World War II - Navy, Polish contribution to World War II - Intelligence, Polish contribution to World War II - Underground, Polish contribution to World War II - Battles, Polish contribution to World War II - Technical inventions

Read more here: » Polish contribution to World War II: Encyclopedia II - Polish contribution to World War II - Navy

Immediately after the crash, a Polish officer who had witnessed the event from the airstrip began sobbing quietly and repeating: "This is the end of Poland. This is the end of Poland." Without a doubt, as Sikorski had been the most prestigious leader of the Polish exiles, his death was a severe setback for the Polish cause, and doubtless convenient for Stalin. In some ways it was also convenient for the western Allies, who were finding the Polish question a stumbling-block to preserving good relations with Stalin. After the Soviets had broke ...

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Władysław Sikorski, Władysław Sikorski - Biography, Władysław Sikorski - Early life and World War I, Władysław Sikorski - Polish-Soviet War, Władysław Sikorski - In government and in opposition, Władysław Sikorski - Prime Minister in Exile, Władysław Sikorski - Katyn, Władysław Sikorski - Death, Władysław Sikorski - Aftermath, Władysław Sikorski - Controversy surrounding Sikorski's death, Władysław Sikorski - Further reading and other media

Read more here: » Władysław Sikorski: Encyclopedia II - Władysław Sikorski - Aftermath

The Congress Poland is an unofficial term for the Kingdom of Poland (1815-1831), a political entity that was created out of the Duchy of Warsaw at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, when European powers reorganised Europe following the Napoleonic wars. It had an area of roughly 127 000 km² (compared with over 1 million km² of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) and a population of approximately 2,600,000 (in 1814) (compared with approximately 10 million Commonwealth citizens). Congress Poland largely emerged as a result of the effor ...

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The Cross of Lorraine is a heraldic cross. It consists of a vertical line, crossed by two smaller horizontal bars. The lower bar is as close to the bottom of the vertical as the upper bar is to the top. In the ancient version, both bars were of the same length. In 20th century use, the lower bar is longer than the upper, thus resembling a patriarchal cross, the crossbars of which, however, are both near the top. Cross of Lorraine - Symbol in France. The Cross of Lorraine is part of the heraldic arms of Lorr ...

Including:

• Cross of Lorraine - Symbol in France
• Cross of Lorraine - Other uses
• Cross of Lorraine - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Cross of Lorraine: Encyclopedia - Cross of Lorraine

In 1943 a British Court of Inquiry investigated the crash of Sikorski's B-24 Liberator but was unable to determine the probable cause, finding only that the "aircraft [became] uncontrollable for reasons which cannot be established". Despite this finding, the political context of the event, coupled with a variety of curious circumstances, immediately gave rise to speculation that Sikorski's death had been no accident, and may in ...

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Władysław Sikorski, Władysław Sikorski - Biography, Władysław Sikorski - Early life and World War I, Władysław Sikorski - Polish-Soviet War, Władysław Sikorski - In government and in opposition, Władysław Sikorski - Prime Minister in Exile, Władysław Sikorski - Katyn, Władysław Sikorski - Death, Władysław Sikorski - Aftermath, Władysław Sikorski - Controversy surrounding Sikorski's death, Władysław Sikorski - Further reading and other media

Read more here: » Władysław Sikorski: Encyclopedia II - Władysław Sikorski - Controversy surrounding Sikorski's death

The Polish Air Force fought in the Battle of France as one fighter squadron GC 1/145, several small units detached to French squadrons, and numerous flights of industry defence (in total, 133 pilots, who achieved 55 victories at a loss of 15 men). Later, Polish pilots fought in the Battle of Britain, where the Polish 303 Fighter Squadron achieved the highest number of kills of any Allied squadron. From the very beginning of the war, the Royal Air Force (RAF) had welcomed foreign pilots to supplement the dwindling pool of British pilot ...

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Polish contribution to World War II, Polish contribution to World War II - Army, Polish contribution to World War II - Air Force, Polish contribution to World War II - Navy, Polish contribution to World War II - Intelligence, Polish contribution to World War II - Underground, Polish contribution to World War II - Battles, Polish contribution to World War II - Technical inventions

Read more here: » Polish contribution to World War II: Encyclopedia II - Polish contribution to World War II - Air Force

Resistance movement - World War II anti-Nazi anti-Fascist. Mordechaj Anielewicz Josip Broz - Tito Jean Moulin Christian Pineau Hannie Schaft Nancy Wake Jan Karski Resistance movement - Other Resistance Movements. Rummu Jüri Laura Secord Aivar Voitka Ülo Voitka ...

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Resistance movement, Resistance movement - Background, Resistance movement - Resistance movements, Resistance movement - Post-World War II, Resistance movement - World War II, Resistance movement - Pre-World War II, Resistance movement - Pre-20th Century, Resistance movement - Notable individuals in resistance movements, Resistance movement - World War II anti-Nazi anti-Fascist, Resistance movement - Other Resistance Movements

Read more here: » Resistance movement: Encyclopedia II - Resistance movement - Notable individuals in resistance movements

Relations between Lithuanians and Poles were strained during most of the interwar period due to conflicts over the Vilnius region and Suvalkai region, where there was a large Lithuanian minority. During the war these conflicts resurfaced as Armia Krajowa's ideal of a Polish state included the Vilnius region. On June 23, 1944, AK committed a massacre of Lithuanian civilians[citation needed], at Dubingiai where 27 Lithuanian civilians, including women and children were murdered. Some Lithuanian authors suggest a higher ...

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Armia Krajowa, Armia Krajowa - Origins, Armia Krajowa - Structure, Armia Krajowa - Weapons and equipment, Armia Krajowa - Operations, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Jews, Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians, Armia Krajowa - External link

Read more here: » Armia Krajowa: Encyclopedia II - Armia Krajowa - Relations with Lithuanians