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Ignacy Oziewicz,
pseudonyms A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
: "Czesław", "Czesławski", "Netta", "Jenczewski" (7 May 1887 – 10 January 1966) was a colonel of the Polish Army and a commandant of the
National Armed Forces National Armed Forces (NSZ; ''Polish:'' Narodowe Siły Zbrojne) was a Polish right-wing underground military organization of the National Democracy operating from 1942. During World War II, NSZ troops fought against Nazi Germany and communist pa ...
from 1942 to 1943.


Biography


Early life and military career

Oziewicz was born on 7 May 1887 in the village of Linkmenys, near Święciany, Russian Empire (current
Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
). After graduation from a Wilno high school (1907), he voluntarily joined the
Imperial Russian Army The Imperial Russian Army (russian: Ру́сская импера́торская а́рмия, tr. ) was the armed land force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian Ar ...
. In 1911, he graduated from a
Military School in Vilna Vilnius Military School (russian: Виленское военное училище) also known as the Vilnius Junker Infantry School (russian: Виленское пехотное юнкерское училище) was a military school for the non ...
, and during World War I was an officer of the 103rd Infantry Regiment, part of 26th Infantry Division. Between April and October 1917, he served in 193 I.D., leaving the Russian army after the October Revolution. Between October 1917 and late 1918, Oziewicz managed real estate in Podolia. In February 1919, Oziewicz joined the Polish Army. In October of that year, he was named commandant of 41st Infantry Regiment, and on 20 August 1920, he became commandant of 17th Infantry Regiment. In October 1925, he was named commandant of 76th Lida Infantry Regiment, stationed at
Grodno Grodno (russian: Гродно, pl, Grodno; lt, Gardinas) or Hrodna ( be, Гродна ), is a city in western Belarus. The city is located on the Neman River, 300 km (186 mi) from Minsk, about 15 km (9 mi) from the Polish b ...
. On 16 March 1927, President
Ignacy Mościcki Ignacy Mościcki (; 1 December 18672 October 1946) was a Polish chemist and politician who was the country's president from 1926 to 1939. He was the longest serving president in Polish history. Mościcki was the President of Poland when Germany ...
, upon a request of Minister of Military Affairs Józef Piłsudski, promoted him to Colonel. In 1935, Oziewicz was transferred to 16th Pomeranian Infantry Division, stationed in Grudziądz, where he commanded infantry. On 25 October 1938 he was appointed commandant of 29th Grodno Infantry Division.


World War II

During the 1939 German Invasion of Poland, he commanded the 29th Grodno Infantry Division. After breaking it, he managed to get to
Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
, where he was interned. He escaped and returned to occupied Poland. From 1941 to 1942, he was deputy of the Commander-in-Chief and head of the operational department of the
National Military Organization Narodowa Organizacja Wojskowa (National Military Organization, NOW) was one of the Polish resistance movements in World War II. Created in October 1939, it did not merge with the Service for Poland's Victory (SZP)/Union of Armed Struggle (ZWZ); l ...
(NOW). Oziewicz did not accept the decision to merge this organization with the Home Army (AK) because he considered it politically controlled by the Sanation. In the summer of 1942, he headed the split in NOW. He began to form the
National Armed Forces National Armed Forces (NSZ; ''Polish:'' Narodowe Siły Zbrojne) was a Polish right-wing underground military organization of the National Democracy operating from 1942. During World War II, NSZ troops fought against Nazi Germany and communist pa ...
(NSZ). On 20 September 1942, he became the first commandant of the NSZ. He attempted to communicate with general
Stefan Rowecki Stefan Paweł Rowecki (pseudonym: ''Grot'', "Spearhead", hence the alternate name, Stefan Grot-Rowecki; 25 December 1895 – 2 August 1944) was a Polish general, journalist and the leader of the Armia Krajowa. He was murdered by the Gestapo in ...
to include NSZ in the Home Army. On 9 June 1943, he was arrested by the Gestapo and imprisoned in Pawiak prison. In October of the same year, he was sent to
Auschwitz concentration camp Auschwitz concentration camp ( (); also or ) was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It con ...
. In January 1945 he was evacuated to Flossenbürg concentration camp.


Post-war life

After being released by the United States Army in April 1945, Oziewicz was in Allied-occupied Germany. Then he moved to France, where he became active in Polish émigré social organizations. He was the representative of the NSZ community before the Home Army Verification Commission in London. In July 1949 he became the president of the ''"Ogniwo"'' organization founded in France. In 1958 Oziewicz returned to the Poland. He settled with his family in Gdynia. He died in 1966, due to leukemia.


Honours and awards

* Virtuti Militari, Silver Cross * Cross of Valour, 4 times * Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta *
Gold Cross of Merit The Cross of Merit () is a Polish civil state decoration established on 23 June 1923, to recognize services to the state. History At the time of its establishment in 1923, the Cross of Merit was the highest civilian award in Poland. It was awa ...


References


Sources

*Tadeusz Jurga: ''Obrona Polski 1939''. Warszawa: Instytut Wydawniczy PAX, 1990. *
Andrzej Krzysztof Kunert Andrzej Krzysztof Kunert (born 12 October 1952 in Warsaw) is a Polish historian and lecturer, specializing in the history of Polish resistance movement in World War II. Since April 2010 he is the secretary general of the Council for the Protecti ...
: ''Słownik biograficzny konspiracji warszawskiej 1939–1945 T.2''. Warszawa: Instytut Wydawniczy PAX, 1987. {{DEFAULTSORT:Oziewicz, Ignacy 1887 births 1966 deaths National Armed Forces members Recipients of the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari Recipients of the Cross of Valour (Poland) Officers of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the Gold Cross of Merit (Poland) Auschwitz concentration camp survivors Flossenbürg concentration camp survivors