Communist Poland Witold Pilecki

photos of pilecki mokotów prison (1947)

after defeat of nazi germany in may 1945, pilecki sent great britain staff officer of polish armed forces in west. in july 1945 reassigned military intelligence division of polish ii corps under general władysław anders in ancona, italy. while stationed there pilecki began writing monograph on experiences @ auschwitz.

in october 1945, relations between polish government-in-exile , soviet-backed regime of boleslaw bierut deteriorated, pilecki ordered general anders , intelligence chief, lt. colonel stanislaw kijak, return poland , report on prevailing military , political situation under soviet-occupation. pilecki arrived in warsaw in december 1945 , proceeded begin organizing intelligence gathering network, included several wartime associates auschwitz , secret polish army (tap).

by mid-1946 pilecki’s network had made contact poland’s anti-soviet partisans , established underground courier system spirit information warsaw headquarters of polish ii corps in italy. however, greatest achievement recruitment of captain wawel alchimowicz, official of poland’s ministry of public security (mbp), communist secret police.

alchimowicz provided underground highly-sensitive material on mbp’s covert operations, internal organization , senior personnel evidence results of people’s referendum of june 1946 had been forged mbp favor communists , allies. information compiled so-called “blade report” , dispatched ii corps in december 1946 pilecki. during time pilecki’s group infiltrated leszek kuchinski, former tap member , double agent poland s stalinist government.

to maintain cover identity, pilecki lived under various assumed names , changed jobs frequently. work jewelry salesman, bottle label painter , night manager of construction warehouse. nevertheless, pilecki informed in july 1946 actual identity had been uncovered mbp. ordered leave country; declined. in april 1947, began independently collecting evidence of soviet atrocities committed in poland during 1939–1941 occupation evidence of unlawful arrest , prosecution of home army veterans , ex-members of polish armed forces in west, resulted in execution or imprisonment.

arrest , execution

pilecki in court (1948)



trial of pilecki (1948)

on 8 may 1947, pilecki arrested agents of ministry of public security. prior trial, repeatedly tortured. investigation of pilecki s activities supervised colonel roman romkowski. interrogated col. józef różański, , lieutenants s. Łyszkowski, w. krawczyński, j. kroszel, t. słowianek, eugeniusz chimczak , s. alaborski – men infamous savagery. pilecki sought protect other prisoners , revealed no sensitive information.

on 3 march 1948, show trial took place. testimony against pilecki presented future polish prime minister, józef cyrankiewicz, himself auschwitz survivor. pilecki charged illegal border crossing, use of forged documents, not enlisting military, carrying illegal arms, espionage general władysław anders, espionage foreign imperialism (thought british intelligence) , planning assassinate several officials of ministry of public security of poland. pilecki denied assassination charges, espionage, although admitted passing information 2nd polish corps, of considered himself officer , claimed not breaking laws. pleaded guilty other charges. on 15 may, 3 of comrades, sentenced death. ten days later, on 25 may 1948, pilecki executed @ mokotów prison in warsaw (also known rakowiecka prison), staff sergeant piotr Śmietański (who nicknamed butcher of mokotow prison inmates).

i ve been trying live life in hour of death rather feel joy, fear.

during pilecki s last conversation wife told her: cannot live. killed me. because oświęcim [auschwitz] compared them trifle. final words before execution long live free poland .

afterward, polish government-in-exile decided post-war political situation afforded no hope of poland s liberation , ordered remaining active members of polish resistance (who became known cursed soldiers) either return normal civilian lives or escape west.

pilecki s place of burial has never been found thought somewhere within warsaw s powązki cemetery. after fall of communism in poland symbolic gravestone erected in memory @ ostrowa mazowiecka cemetery. in 2012, powązki cemetery partially excavated in effort find pilecki s remains.