Ludwik Malinowski (resistance)
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Ludwik Malinowski (nom de guerre Lew of Przebraze, 1887-1962) was a Polish resistance fighter.


Biography

He was born in 1887 in the village of Ksawerów near
Łódź Łódź is a city in central Poland and a former industrial centre. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is located south-west of Warsaw. Łódź has a population of 655,279, making it the country's List of cities and towns in Polan ...
, was a Polish Resistance fighter. As a teenager he worked in a textile factory in Łódź. In 1910, drafted to the
Imperial Russian Army The Imperial Russian Army () was the army of the Russian Empire, active from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was organized into a standing army and a state militia. The standing army consisted of Regular army, regular troops and ...
, went to
Yaroslavl Yaroslavl (; , ) is a city and the administrative center of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Moscow. The historic part of the city is a World Heritage Site, and is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosl rivers. ...
on the
Volga The Volga (, ) is the longest river in Europe and the longest endorheic basin river in the world. Situated in Russia, it flows through Central Russia to Southern Russia and into the Caspian Sea. The Volga has a length of , and a catchment ...
river, where he served in the 181st Regiment. During
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Malinowski was wounded, then voluntarily joined the 1st Polish Regiment of the Krechowce Uhlans. In 1919 he settled in the Volhynian village of Przebraze, where worked as a farmer, but also was an activist of the
Polish Socialist Party The Polish Socialist Party (, PPS) is a democratic socialist political party in Poland. It was one of the most significant parties in Poland from its founding in 1892 until its forced merger with the communist Polish Workers' Party to form ...
. In the fall of 1939, following
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
and Soviet aggression on Poland, Volhynia was incorporated into the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
. Thousands of Poles were forcibly deported to Siberia and other areas of the empire. Malinowski was spared. On June 22, 1941, Germany attacked Soviet Union. New wave of terror in Volhynia began, this time the Soviets were replaced by the Nazis and Ukrainian nationalists. In mid-1942 a group of young Poles were taken away to Germany, where they worked in factories. In this group were two Malinowski’s sons. His son lutzian escaped and immigrated to Australia and had 2 children. His other son was never located again. In October 1942 first Ukrainian attacks on Polish settlements started (see:
Massacres of Poles in Volhynia The Massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia (; ) were carried out in Occupation of Poland (1939–1945), German-occupied Poland by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), with the support of parts of the local Ukrainians, Ukrainian popu ...
). In January 1943, Poles from Przebraze decided to organize their own defence, headed by Ludwik Malinowski, whose military experience would prove priceless in the future. Under skillful leadership, the Poles quickly organized themselves and Przebraże Defence became a symbol of Polish resistance against Ukrainian nationalists, who were murdering Poles. As Poles were not allowed to have weapons, Malinowski bribed local German civil servant in
Kiwerce Kivertsi (, ; ) is a city in Volyn Oblast, in north-western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Kivertsi urban hromada. Total area is 848,200 ha. Population is It is located in the historic region of Volhynia, 12 km northeast from ...
, who gave him 15 guns. Then, he bought weapons from Hungarian soldiers, stationed in Volhynia. In the summer of 1943 Ukrainian attacks on Poles in Volhynia became very frequent, thousands were murdered. Malinowski knew about this, and, together with Henryk Cybulski, he turned Przebraze into an improvised fortress, which covered neighboring Polish settlements with the area of some 30 km2. In June 1943 Malinowski ordered that inhabitants of all Polish villages in the area should move to Przebraze. Some Poles disobeyed, soon afterwards they were murdered by the Ukrainians. On July 4, 1943, Przebraze was attacked. Malinowski gave an outstanding example, fighting on the front line. After the attack, more Poles came to the fortress, whose population grew to 20,000. Malinowski took care of all those who needed help, and when on August 30, the Ukrainians attacked again, his stance, courage and faith in victory boosted the morale of defenders and the Ukrainians were repelled. Soon afterwards, Malinowski was arrested by the
Gestapo The (, ), Syllabic abbreviation, abbreviated Gestapo (), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of F ...
. The Germans found out that Poles had been helped by Soviet partisan units, that were stationing in the Volhynian forests. Incarcerated in the
Lutsk Lutsk (, ; see #Names and etymology, below for other names) is a city on the Styr River in northwestern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Volyn Oblast and the administrative center of Lutsk Raion within the oblast. Lutsk has a populati ...
prison, Malinowski did not break down and during the investigation, German authorities did not find enough evidence to support their claim and - to the surprise of all, Malinowski was released. Unfortunately, after release, the Pole was caught by the Ukrainians, who wanted him for commanding the defence of Przebraze. Polish units made a quick decision. A group of
Home Army The Home Army (, ; abbreviated AK) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) established in the ...
soldiers attacked a Ukrainian police quarters in Lutsk and after a bitter fight, they rescued severely beaten, unconscious Malinowski, who was then taken to
Kiwerce Kivertsi (, ; ) is a city in Volyn Oblast, in north-western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Kivertsi urban hromada. Total area is 848,200 ha. Population is It is located in the historic region of Volhynia, 12 km northeast from ...
and treated by a doctor. When
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...
pushed
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...
out of Volhynia (early 1944), Malinowski joined
Ludowe Wojsko Polskie The Polish People's Army (, ; LWP) was the second formation of the Polish Armed Forces in the East during the latter stages of the World War II, Second World War (1943–1945), and subsequently the armed forces of the History of Poland (1945 ...
, and fought as a sergeant in Kolobrzeg and
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
. After the war, he settled in
Niemodlin Niemodlin (; ) is a town in Opole County, Opole Voivodeship, Poland, with 6,315 inhabitants (2019). History The community was first mentioned as ''Nemodlin'' in a 1224 deed and received town privileges in 1283. The German place-name ''Falkenberg ...
. Communist authorities treated him with suspicion, he was imprisoned and tortured, after 1956 his fate got better. He died in 1962 in Niemodlin.


Awards and decorations

* Gold Cross of Merit * Cross of Valour *
Partisan Cross The Partisan Cross () was a Polish military decoration awarded to World War II partisans (part of resistance movement fighting in the countryside). It was introduced by the Council of Ministers on October 26, 1945. It was awarded from 1945 unt ...
* Bronze
Cross of Merit with Swords The Cross of Merit with Swords () is a Polish military award established October 19, 1942, by the Polish Government in Exile. Criteria The Cross of Merit with Swords is awarded for deeds of bravery and valor during time of war not connected with ...
* Silver Medal for Merit on the Field of Glory *
Medal for Warsaw 1939–1945 The Medal for Warsaw 1939–1945 () was a Polish commemorative medal awarded by the Polish People's Republic to commemorate active participation in defending Warsaw in 1939, 1944 Warsaw Uprising, and in liberation of Warsaw from Nazi Germany in ...
*
Medal for Oder, Neisse and Baltic The Medal for Oder, Neisse and Baltic () was a Polish commemorative medal awarded by the Polish People's Republic to commemorate those who directly participated in combat against the Nazi Germany for the liberation of Poland and the restoration of ...
*
Medal of Victory and Freedom 1945 Medal of Victory and Freedom 1945 ( Polish: ''Medal Zwycięstwa i Wolności 1945'') was a Polish military decoration awarded to persons who fought during World War II against Nazi Germany. Overview The medal was introduced by a decree of the Counc ...
*
Medal of the 10th Anniversary of People's Poland The Medal of the 10th Anniversary of People's Poland (Polish: ''Medal 10-lecia Polski Ludowej'') is a former Polish civil state award established by the Council of State on 23 May 1954 to recognize services to the state. It was created to mark ...
*
Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" The Medal "For the Victory Over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" () was a military decoration of the Soviet Union established on May 9, 1945, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to denote military partici ...
*
Medal "For the Capture of Berlin" The Medal "For the Capture of Berlin" () was a World War II campaign medal of the Soviet Union established on June 9, 1945 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to satisfy the petition of the People's Commissariat for Defe ...
* Medal "For the Liberation of Warsaw"


See also

* Przebraże Defence * Henryk Cybulski *
History of Poland (1939–1945) The history of Poland from 1939 to 1945 encompasses primarily the period from the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union to the end of World War II. Following the German–Soviet non-aggression pact, Poland was invaded by Nazi ...


Sources

*
Władysław Filar Władysław Filar (18 July 1926 – 13 August 2019) was a Polish historian, academic and a soldier of the 27th Home Army Infantry Division (Poland), 27th Home Army Infantry Division. Filar was born in Ivanychi Raion, Iwanicze Nowe in Volhynia, S ...
, Przebraże bastion polskiej samoobrony na Wołyniu, Rytm Oficyna Wydawnicza, 2007.


External links

* https://web.archive.org/web/20080402234849/http://malinowski.masaz-lomilomi.pl/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Malinowski, Ludwik 1887 births 1962 deaths Polish resistance members of World War II Massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia People detained by the Polish Ministry of Public Security People from Pajęczno County