Generał brygady Julian Filipowicz organizator i komendant Okręgu Krakowskiego Służby Zwycięstwu Polski i Związku Walki Zbrojnej

Abstract

BRIGADE GENERAL JULIAN FILIPOWICZ ' („RÓG”, „POBÓG”, „KOGAN”); ORGANISER AND FIRST COMMANDER OF THE CRACOW DISTRICT OF THE SERVICE FOR POLAND’S VICTORY OF THE UNION OF ARMED STRUGGLE

The article presents the military history of Brigade General Julian Filipowicz (1895—1945), the knight of the Order Virtuti Militari of the 4th and 5th rank. At the age of 19, whilst still a student of the Lvov Technical University, and member of the Polish Rifle Brigade, he joined the Polish Legions of Józef Pilsudski. As a soldier in the 1st Mounted Regiment, he took part in all the military campaigns of his unit. After a crisis which occurred in the Legions in July 1917, when some members refusal to take oath to the occupying power, he was subject to oppression by the Austrians and sentenced to 2 months of heavy prison in Przemyśl. Then he was conscripted to the occupier’s army. He deserted and began his activity as a member of the clandestine Polish Military Organisation. In November 1918 he joined the defenders of Lvov during the Polish-Ukrainian war, and later fought in Eastern Małopolska. He was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. In June 1919 he served in the cavalry, in the 11th Mounted Regiment. After his graduation from the Mounted Officer School, he took part in the Polish-Bolshevik war of 1920 as an instructor and a link with the Ukrainian detachments — Polish allies in that war. During the war he was promoted to Captain of Horse. During the peace he completed several courses and graduated from the Higher Military School; he was further promoted and attained higher posts in the army. As a colonel he became the commander of the 7th Mounted Regiment, and later the 3rd Mounted Rifle Regiment. Shortly before the outbreak of World War II he took the command of the Wołyń Mounted Brigade. In the September campaign of 1939 he was distinguished by his bravery and military skills, especially in the fighting near Mokra, Ostrów, Cyrusowa Wola and in the battle of Tomaszów. After the defeat he was not captured as prisoner of war. He continued his struggle in the resistance, in Service for Poland’s Victory. For two years he was developing a complex network of underground army, with great talent and devotion. His contribution to the resistance movement in the Cracow region has not been appreciated enough to this day. Facing the threat of being caught when an action of arrest was carried out in Cracow (especially in July—August 1941), he was sent to Warsaw, where he was appointed the Commander of the Union for Armed Struggle, Area No. II (Białystok). He was holding this position no longer than December 1941. Due to a serious illness he retired as reserve of the Home Army Headquarters. In recognition to his merits for the Underground State, he was nominated Brigade General on 15 August 1942. He died in Otwock and was buried there. Despite his great merits in the struggle for Poland’s independence the personage of this great commander of the Polish Army is still awaiting wider recognition.