Foreigners who fought for Poland

Andrzej Potiebnia, a Ukrainian revolutionary who fought alongside the Polish insurgents in 1863 January Uprising as a volunteer and died in a battle.

His remains were interred beneath a granite tombstone in Pieskowa Skała near Krakow.

Photos of the tomb

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I did, paw! Only joking:-)

OK. :):):) But please constrain from joking in such serious threads...

Developing 1863 January Rising context:
François Rochebrune (Polish: Franciszek Rochebrune) (born June 1[1] or January 1,[2] 1830, died November 19, 1870. was a French army officer and Polish general. He participated in the January Uprising against Tsarist Russia, in which he organized and led the Zouaves of Death.



He reorganized the Zouaves of Death in Kraków and led them in battles of Chrobrze and Grochowiska.[3] In the latter engagement, after General Marian Langiewicz lost control over the Polish forces, Rochebrune, with the help of his Zouaves, took command and restored order,[3] by personally grabbing panicked soldiers, throwing them back into the line, pointing his gun at them and cursing in broken Polish ("Psiakehv! Ktoha godzina?" - "God dammit! Would you tell me the time?" - which according to contemporary sources was the only Polish he knew).[5]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Rochebrune

Speaking of Zouaves of Death representing the French part of the Foreign Legion that fought for the Polish cause there was also a small group of Italians lead by Colonel Francesco Nullo who died on 5th of May 1863 in the Battle of Krzykawka. In May of this year there was a wreath-laying ceremony marking the 150th anniversary of his death at his statue in Warsaw.

mfa.gov.pl/en/news/wreath_laying_ceremony_at_francesco_nullo_statue

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Nullo

A brief summary of some of the Scots taken from
homepage.ntlworld.com/josephd.ross/index.html

1571 - Captain Cullane died in the Polish service.
1581 The Scots took part on the Polish side in the Livonian campaign. Two hundred and fifty of them participated in the assault on the fortress of Pskov in Russia.

1601 Against Sweden, Fieldmarshal ( Hetman ) Zamoyski had in his service two companies of Scottish infantry with 300 soldiers each.
1609 James Murray, a naval engineer, was engaged in building naval vessels for Poland. Prince Janusz Radziwill had special Scottish units in his private forces at his Court in Kieydany.

1619 Colonel Peter Learmonth served in the Polish forces. against the Duke of Sudermania, and during the whole of the Russian War
1617 Andrew Innes, Captain in the Polish forces, during the reign of Sigismund III
162I Scots soldiers fought on the Polish side against the Turks.
1683 George Guthry; organized at his own expense a regiment of Hussars at Vienna in 1683.
1756 Francis Gordon held the rank of a Major General in the army of the last Polish King

'It would fill another volume'-writes T .A. Fischer-'to write extensively on the Scottish officers in the service of Poland. Their numbers were. ..very large, their services much appreciated'

Za naszą i waszą wolność - Tak 2014 !

Given that the trades and crafts were traditionally in the hands of Lowland Scots, is it safe to assume that the soldiers for the most part were Scottish Highlanders? :) Scots and Poles have a long history indeed.

Za naszą i waszą wolność.

August Agbola O'Browne is believed to have been the only black participant of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. :-)

Of course, we shall not forget this soldier, as long as PF is alive: https://polishforums.com/history/august-agbala-nigerian-soldier-warsaw-uprising-48456/


Yes, but don`t forget one Scotsman who is truly remembered and respected by Poles:
A Scotsman, Ketling moved to Poland where he became a Colonel of Artillery in service of the king of Poland John Casimir. Ketling got married to Krystyna Drohojowska, a former fiancee of his friend, Michał Wołodyjowski.Ketling was killed in the Siege of Kamieniec Podolski, when he (together with Wołodyjowski) blew himself up in a gunpowder depot.

See the red-haired guy in action:

youtu.be/_T-7wv4vGk0

Czechs and Slovaks fought too.

fcafa.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/czechoslovak-legion-in-poland-1939

After the fall of Czechoslovakia on the 15th of March 1939, many Czechoslovak politicians and soldiers left their country and emigrated. The larger part of these reached France, their numbers amounting to around 4,000. Of those that passed through Poland 1,212 soldiers (including 477 airmen) set sail (for France) from Gdynia in six freighters. They (the soldiers) entered the French Foreign Legion with the airmen going to the l'Armée d'Air.

About 1,000 soldiers remained in Poland (amongst them were 190 airmen) they didn't want to go to a foreign country, but like the example of fighting for the independence of their country as a legion as in World War I.

Poland fights


There was also a Czech regiment which participated in the battle of Grunwald 1410:
radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/jan-zizka-at-grunwald-from-mercenary-to-czech-national-hero

Today, Jan Žižka is considered one of the greatest Czechs, and is admired as a brilliant commander and defender of his nation. But the reality was rather more complex.

The Battle of Grunwald, where 600 years ago the Polish and Lithuanian armies defeated the mighty order of the Teutonic Knights, changed the map of central Europe. The legendary Czech 15th century general Jan Žižka took part in the battle on the side of the Poles. But Žižka was yet to become the leader of the Hussite movement and a Czech national hero. When the armies clashed at Grunwald on July 15, 1410, Jan Žižka was a ruthless mercenary ready to fight for whichever side hired him.

Merged: DRAŻA, THE SERBIAN CHETNIK IN THE POLISH WWII UNDERGROUND

an article

Dragan Mihajlo Sotirovic- Draza joined in late March 1944 to the Home Army's 14th Regiment of Jazlowiec Uhlans, commanded by Colonel Andrzej Choloniewski. Soon after he became deputy of commander. Fought against UPA. He also fought in the Lwow Uprising, attacking German positions east of the city. For his bravery, he was on July 27, 1944 awarded the Virtuti Militari by Colonel Wladyslaw Filipkowski.

DRAŻA THE SERBIAN CHETNIK IN THE POLISH UNDERGROUND
Source: jkorowicz.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/draza-the-serbian-chetnik-in-the-polish-underground/




Serbian Patriotic Chetnik March dedicated to Draza

youtube.com/watch?v=s_1DiV793dI

Merged: Dragan "Draża" Sotirović - Polish James Bond



kresy24.pl/serbski-oficer-ak-w-walce-o-polski-lwow

Dragan Mihajlo Sotirović ("Draża", "X", "Michał";; 5 May 1913 - 5 or 6 June 1987) was a Serb Chetnik, Captain of the Yugoslav Army, and Major of the Home Army's 14th Regiment of Jazlowiec Uhlans. For his service and bravery, Sotirovic was awarded the Virtuti Militari .






Kpt. Dragan Sotirovic "Draża" (1912-1987), Serb, oficer armii jugosłowiańskiej i AK, aresztowany przez NKWD 31 lipca 1944 r. w czasie odprawy, zbiegł, ze zbiorów Światowego Związku Żołnierzy Armii Krajowej Obszar Lwów

jkorowicz.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/draza-the-serbian-chetnik-in-the-polish-underground

The cult of personality of Sotirović is very highly regarded especially among the younger generation of Poles as we see in this first shot, they are grateful to him for everything he has done for people in the Volyn (Ukraine), appreciate and respect it. The military cemetery in Warsaw (Povonzki) there is a plaque dedicated to Sotirović.

The man who for this young Pole was compared to Robin Hood, James Bond, the legend of Armia Krajowa "Home Army" the greatest Polish resistance movement during WWII.

Seventy-three years after the Hollywood film "Chetniks - The Fighting Guerillas", another movie is recorded with the Serbian guerrillas in the title, now in Poland.

Judging by the trailer, the movie was done very professionally by the director Jerzy Oleszkiewicz. The role of major Sotirović interprets famous Polish actor Sebastian Cibulski. Reconstruction of events recorded are very dynamic, with authentic costumes and weapons. The feature of this film is cut with interviews with Poles who remember major Sotirović. And with this little understanding of the Polish language, we see that they talk about Sotirović with a lot of warmth and respect.

According to the information given by the film crew, a street in Rzeszow will soon carry the name of Dragan Sotirović.

The Poles will offer their film to (RTS) Radio-Television of Serbia.

Racowie for free Poland. Poland without foreign troops. Poland in independent Intermarium.
Defend Her. Defend Poland. Sarmats awake.

For many Polish man, woman and children, he stood as last difference between life and death, stood against UPA Nazis

New Polish documentary about Serbian Chetnik Captain Dragan Sotirovic, hero of Volyn and Lwow

youtu.be/2MSiFFu3_r0