Antoni Wereszczyński (17 December 1890 – 4 September 1953) was a

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

in the

Polish Army The Land Forces () are the land forces of the Polish Armed Forces. They currently contain some 62,000 active personnel and form many components of the European Union and NATO deployments around the world. Poland's recorded military history stre ...

Biography

Career

In 1923, he served in the 22nd Field Artillery Regiment in

Rzeszów Rzeszów ( , ; la, Resovia; yi, ריישא ''Raisha'')) is the largest city in southeastern Poland. It is located on both sides of the Wisłok River in the heartland of the Sandomierz Basin. Rzeszów has been the capital of the Subcarpathian ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

, and in 1924 in the branch office in charge of the School for non-commissioned officers, while remaining an officer, serving in 22nd Regiment Light Artillery. Four years later, he commanded the 1st Light Artillery Regiment of the legions in

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...

. In 1932 he served as Chief Officer in 1st Group of artillery Headquarters in Warsaw. In June 1934 he was appointed commander of the 14th Light Artillery Regiment in

Poznań Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...

. In August 1939, he commanded the 25th Regiment of Light Artillery in

Kalisz (The oldest city of Poland) , image_skyline = , image_caption = ''Top:'' Town Hall, Former "Calisia" Piano Factory''Middle:'' Courthouse, "Gołębnik" tenement''Bottom:'' Aerial view of the Kalisz Old Town , image_flag = POL Kalisz flag.svg ...

, then became Commander of the 25th Artillery Infantry Division.

Death

In September 1939 he fought at "

Bzura The Bzura is a river in central Poland, a tributary of the Vistula river (in Wyszogród), with a length of 173 kilometres and a basin area of 7,764 km2.the Siege of Warsaw. He was captured when Warsaw fell to the Germans, and was imprisoned in the German prison camp "Oflag in

Marburg Marburg ( or ) is a university town in the German federal state (''Bundesland'') of Hesse, capital of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district (''Landkreis''). The town area spreads along the valley of the river Lahn and has a population of approxima ...

". Released in 1945, he returned to Poland and the Polish Army, where he served as Artillery Officer in Bydgoszcz in Pomeranian Military District.Tadeusz Pióro, ''Armia ze skazą ...'' s. 72. He died on 4 September 1953 at hands of the communist Intelligence Service during a brutal interrogation in the

Main Directorate of Information of the Polish Army ''Główny Zarząd Informacji Wojska Polskiego'' (''GZI WP'' - "Main Directorate of Information of the Polish Army"), was a name of a first military Police and counter-espionage organ of the Polish People's Army in communist Poland during and aft ...

in Warsaw. There is a symbolic tomb located in the

Powązki Military Cemetery Powązki Military Cemetery (; pl, Cmentarz Wojskowy na Powązkach) is an old military cemetery located in the Żoliborz district, western part of Warsaw, Poland. The cemetery is often confused with the older Powązki Cemetery, known colloquial ...

in Warsaw. His remains are interred in Bydgoszcz.

Ranks

* Captain – revised 3 May 1922 active from 1 June 1919 * Major – 18 February 1928 active from 1 January 1928 * Lieutenant Colonel * Colonel

Decorations

* Silver Cross of War

Virtuti Militari The War Order of Virtuti Militari (Latin: ''"For Military Virtue"'', pl, Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari) is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was created in 1792 by Polish King St ...

Cross of Independence Cross of Independence ( pl, Krzyż Niepodległości) was second highest Polish military decorations between World Wars I and II. It was awarded to individuals who had fought actively for the independence of Poland, and was released in three cl ...

Cross of Valor The Cross of Valour ( pl, Krzyż Walecznych) is a Polish military decoration. It was first introduced by the Council of National Defense on 11 August 1920. It is awarded to an individual who "has demonstrated deeds of valour and courage on the fi ...

* Golden cross of merit * Medal Międzysojuszniczy "Medaille Interalliee"

Biography

Career

Death

Ranks

Decorations

References

Further reading