Harcerze z tablic podgórskiego pomnika plutonu „Alicja”

Abstract

THE BOY AND GIRL SCOUTS OF THE “ALICJA” PLATOON COMMEMORATED ON THE PLAQUES OF THE MONUMENT IN PODGÓRZE, KRAKÓW
The paper is dedicated to the soldiers of the “Alicja” platoon of the Grey Ranks who fought and died during Nazi German occupation of Kraków (1939–1945). The monument, unveiled in 1998 in the grounds of St Joseph’s Church in Podgórze (a district of Kraków), is a symbol of remembrance, and the names engraved on it inspired the author to start working on the biographical notes of the fallen scouts. In his research the author has explored a variety of written accounts and documents found in a number of institutions (i.a. St Joseph’s Parish and Shrine in Kraków, the Museum of Kraków, the National Archives in Kraków, the Institute of National Remembrance), as well as private family archives. He has also drawn on the earlier studies on the subject published by Ryszard Nuszkiewicz, Magdalena Kurowska and other authors, providing supplementary data to complement their work.

The platoon was established in the spring of 1943, when the commandant of “Ul Smok” (the underground code-name of the Kraków Regiment of the Polish Scouting and Guiding Association – ZHP) scoutmaster Edward Heil “Jerzy” (1903–1944) intended to form a battalion of Storm Groups within the Grey Ranks code-named “Wawel” which comprised three companies: “Bartek”, “Maciek” and “Wojtek”. The “Alicja” platoon was formed as part of the “Maciek” company. In the beginning the platoon’s commandant was Mieczysław Barycz, the troop leader of “Rój” (the underground code-name of the Podgórze scout troop), and later on he was replaced by Franciszek Baraniuk “Schulze”. Operationally, the platoon was under the authority of the Directorate of Sabotage (Kedyw) of the Kraków Region of the Home Army. On behalf of the Home Army, the platoon was being overseen by Lieut. Ryszard Nuszkiewicz “Powolny”, a Silent Unseen trained in England. Most of its members had known one another since pre-war times and lived in the Podgórze district of Kraków. The unit underwent military training, confiscated weapons from the attacked Germans, committed acts of sabotage on the railways, distributed underground press, and participated in the executions of Gestapo informers. In August 1943 a series of arrests targeting members of the “Alicja” platoon began. Later on, the reason for these arrests was mostly the betrayal of boy scout Sławomir Mądrala “Pirat” who was arrested in November 1943 and, at the price of saving his own life, agreed to collaborate with the Gestapo and became their ardent informer. The majority of the young soldiers of the “Alicja” platoon were executed by firing squad, sent to concentration camps, or tortured to death during interrogations. Many of them were brothers (i.a. Józef and Zbigniew Świstak, Marian and Władysław Niżnik, Karol and Aleksander Seidel, Zdzisław and Stanisław Czarny, Wiesław and Arkadiusz Jaguś, Władysław and Ludwik Latowiecki, Tadeusz and Feliks Woźniczka, Mieczysław and Tadeusz Barycz), and often the only children of their parents. The story of the “Alicja” platoon is one of the most tragic episodes in the history of the Kraków resistance movement during Nazi German occupation.