Polish weapons and militaria - got any?

Many thanks ;-)
So grandfather was a soldier during Polish-Soviet war?

Yes.He was going to fight for the Battle of Warsaw but got wounded when adavancing to Warsaw.Did anyone in your family fight in the Polish-soviet war?

If you're fighting the war....my total respect!


No idea? Nobody still alive to ask :-(
The Polish-Soviet war is still little appreciated.

Sjam,

Norman Davies wrote a fantastic book capturing the war, "White Eagle Red Star: The Polish-Soviet War 1919-1920 (and the Miracle on the Vistula)" I highly recommend this book; it is not an easy read, but it is very well written, factual and captures political winds 10+ years prior and a few post the war.

Emil,

The medals are in the mail this morning.

H

Respect from me to!


Thats to bad but theres a really high chance that someone did.The Polish-sovet war is indeed very little appreciated scince it could of saved Europe from Communism.Thanks for sending the medals Henry!

Thank you Emil.

H

No No No Thank you!
Where did you get your medals done??I would love to get mine done like that!

I had the medals in storage, and then I bought one from ebay because my grandfather lost one years ago... I had the frame done at a local framing chain store... they should be able to do it rather easily.

Let me know how you make out.

H

Oh i think there might be a framing store where i live.Those medals are truely beutiful.

I agree ;-) Zamoyski's Warsaw 1920: Lenin's Failed Conquest of Europe is an easier reading style, and I think a better book.


Totally agree! Poland saved Germany (and the rest of western Europe) from the Bolshevik repression that itself had to endure for so many decades....try getting that point across to some of the numbskull neo-nazi fantasists on this forum ;-)))

Sjam,

Could you please send to me via e-mail, or post it here, the citation information on Zamoyski's text? Year, Publisher, etc.?

Thanks!

Henry

I have hardback copy. Available from Amazon. Not sure if paperback edition is available?
As historian I am not sure there is anything new here that is not in Red Star White Eagle but is for sure an easier writing style to read than N.D.

Warsaw 1920: Lenin's Failed Conquest of Europe
Adam Zamoyski
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: HarperPress (4 Feb 2008)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0007225520
ISBN-13: 978-0007225521
Product Dimensions: 20.6 x 13.8 x 2.4 cm

There is a new Katyn book authored here in UK which contains newly researched archival documents. I cannot tell you too much right now as the author is still negotiating with a publisher (I know the author personally a Polish lady living in London). When the deal has been concluded I will let you know as I read this is an area of interest to you?

I am very interested in gen. Anders plan to unite the entire Polish Army from Italy and Germany as one force to be perpared for striking back into Poland against USSR and also Anders involvement in anti-communist resistance. There is not much published in English on this matter or the near mutiny of sections of 2nd Corps in Italy after Yalta declaration is also not much discussed even by Polish 2nd Corps veterans.

I learn something new everyday!!I never knew that Gen.Anders planned on uniting the Polish exiles and Germany and the Poles in the German army.I wish my Great Uncle was still alive so he can tell me something about the Anti-Communist Resistance.There is a book called `Zamoczyna` [not sure about spelling] the second part 1943-1959 tells you alot about anti-communist resistance.

Its by:Zygmunt Klukowski.

Sjam,

Yes! This is exactly my area... much appreicated. When it comes about, please feel free to e-mail me directly through my profile on Polish Forums.

Dziekje!

Henry

Not many are aware of this.

I have been conduction primary research this area for a while now using original papers from archives so I know that the sources are not secondary sources.

The British government of the time were very aware of Anders plans and made damn sure than everything was done by both Britain and US to stop Anders creating such a united Polish 'Free' Force on German soil whose purpose was liberating Poland from the Soviets. I have copies of most of the original secret papers by the British government and intelligence services that show just how seriously they took Anders plan. These documents are in Public Recourd Office in London where I took photographs of the actual wartime papers which have now been declassified. The Polish 2nd Corps was effectively infiltrated by NKVD (and the Brits had their own agents in 2nd Corps) so these plans were known by Soviets who again did their utmost to stop Anders using anti-Anders propaganda in US and British media and by the Soviet spy network operating in British Government and Foreign Office.

The Polish Airforce in Britain was deliberately grounded by the British authorities on several occasions just in case they were going to be used to support Anders plans.


Many thanks PolskaMan.......I found title on: worldcat.org

Zamojszczyzna by Zygmunt Klukowski


I think Polish is already in process of being produced (or would you prefer English?) I will ask.

This is indeed a revelation. Any chance of posting copies of the papers?

Many thanks for the info - I'll have to do some of my own research now.

Perhaps this theme is worthy of a new thread?

Cheers, Dan

I became interested in this very subject as I had read in Civil War or New Occupation, Poland after 1944. (Ajnenkiel, Andrzej, ed. 2001. Rytm.Warsaw) something dr. Józef. Garliński had written "......that a common slogan amonst the 2nd Corps was ‘One atom bomb and we could again return to Lwów." which I thought was a natural view to hold given the situation that many Polish forces had found themsleves in after it became clear that Poland's western allies were not going to stand in the way of Stalinist expansionism in eastern Europe.

Then I obatined a copy of a OSS (forrunner of CIA) secret report entitled General Wladyslaw Anders' Polish Second Corps as a source of international misunderstanding Department of State (US). Office of Research Intelligence R&A;;3522, 1 1946 (Microfilm). Which summarised the US intelligence reports about Anders views on a united Polish Armed Force that he wanted in Germany and his firmly held opinion that a WWIII between USA and USSR was likely to occur very soon after WWII and the Polish Forces outside of Poland should be held in readiness for this war and the liberation of Poland from USSR.

Will see what I can do re posting some examples ....I have about a dozen full DVDs of document photographs I have taken at PRO archive! I also have many connected to SOE and Poland especially cichociemni both during WWII and the efforts to return as many as possible from Soviet occupied Poland after WWII....ths is also a very interesting story that not many people are aware of. There were also stories of an anti-communist intelligence operation in Poland sponsored by OSS/CIA that was made up of former cichociemni working alongside former Gestapo officers but I have not yet found actual documents to support this...they may still be classified?

English... my Polish language skills are rough at best.

Thank you!

H

A couple more A.K. caps in my collection (if the URL link works?):

Biege cap is from thornb2b.co.uk/UPLOADS/AK_Barbara.jpg - Batalionu “Barbara” 16 pp Armii Krajowej formation from Tarnów.

The dark blue cap is I think from thornb2b.co.uk/UPLOADS/AK_KOT.jpg - A.K. unit 'KOT' which operated around Poznań circa 1946-47 but I am not 100% sure.

Those are GREAT!

Where do you find these caps??

Mainly Poland. I have been collecting for some years so other collectors often contact me when they find interesting militaria ;-) but it is much more difficult to collect such items these days as many find homes in museum exhibits! Which I guess is as it should be.

There are many fake items around which makes things difficult unless you are careful.
I have also been collecting Polish forced worker <P> badges, photos and documents and even these cloth <P> and "OST" badges are now being faked.

Yup but in Poland the prices arnt that bad in 2007 i went to Poland and bought a pre-war eagle hat badge for 20 zloty.About 2-3 weeks ago i wanted to buy a hat badge off ebay and the bidding went up to $160.How much did you buy those 2 caps for im going to Poland this year and i would like to buy some things for my collection, and if i stumble across one of these i would like to know how much they go around for.


Yup they even fake Warsaw Ghetto arm bands which are being sold as original.

Heres what i dream of owning allegro.pl/item541867859_kurtka_oficerska_wz_36_orginal.html

Today, if you come across an WWII A.K. cap for less that $350 you would find a bargain ;-) Polish/German helmets from Warsaw Rising $600 +

Look at this single 'Skorpion' regiment collar badge recently on eBay:
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX: IT&item=200291345944

Thanks!


Wow i never knew collar pennons can be worth so much!

Nor me ;-)

This is also current Allegro auction : Legitymacja krzyża Monte Cassino 4 pułk pancerny

This must end at 450-650zl ?

Probebly,On allegro there was a General Bulak cross of valor which went up to 3000 zl

Do you remember if the seller sold this medal with the correct award document as I am surprised gen. Stefan 'starba' Baluk would let someone sell one of his medals? I know he has a lot of medals on his uniform though :-)

I think your talking about someone else,General Bulak was a Polish General in the Polish-Soviet war and he had made a medal for members of his regiment

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I think you are right :-)) The gen. Baluk I met in Warszawa was a former cichociemni

Your very lucky to meet a cichociem as i recall i think there were about 30-40 of them?But i think im wrong.