390:
Roman
Romkowski (Natan Grinszpan-Kikiel) who along with Marek Fink (Mark Finkienberg) devised and supervised the conduct of the Operation "Lawina". In 1970, Fink began to use the name Witold Jozwicki. Jan Fryderyk Zielinski, Polish Secret Police functionary stated that the murdered NSZ soldiers were buried in two pits, and further elaborated that "Neither , nor other functionaries knew where going. When arrived there, it became apparent that in Lambinowice. At night cordoned off the entire area, and began operation in the morning. Wladyslaw 'Wladzio' Osobowski finished off the 'Bartek's' unit guard with a knife. Next, through opened windows, somebody threw two grenades into two rooms. After explosions however, most of them still alive. They started to run. They were shocked by both the explosions and the alcohol that they drank earlier. The whole area was surrounded, and all of them were captured. After they were detained, they were ordered to take their clothes off, and then naked, they were individually lead to a 3 meter deep pit where they were murdered; everyone with a shot to the back of the head. After the shooting, either a diesel fuel, and/or gasoline was poured on bodies, and clothes, and then it was set on fire".
377:, organized by a secret police mole in Flame's unit, the UB convinced him and many of his men that they could be transported to the American zone in Germany. In actuality while waiting to be transported out of Poland, around 200 of his soldiers were first drugged, then stripped and taken into the forests and murdered. "Bartek" himself escaped from the transport when he realized that something was not right. The exact place of the execution site is unknown but the forests near
132:
361:. This military parade lasted two hours and took place in full sight of the local communist authorities who could not do anything about it. This demonstration of power by the "King of the Beskid foothills", as Flame soon became known, remained a source of embarrassment for the communist authorities even after Flame's death and underlined the lack of support for communists in the
414:
328:
31:
389:
have been proposed. After this incident the initiative passed to the secret police and Flame found himself hunted and more and more of his men were caught and killed. Individuals implicated in the annihilation of the Flames'-lead NSZ units were: Henryk
Wendrowski (UB agent who penetrated its ranks),
335:
On
February 12, 1945, the Red Army entered Czechowice. Flame, acting on the orders of NSZ command, revealed himself to Soviet authorities and together with his men presented himself at their disposal. However, at the same time, the group retained its conspiratorial structure (the ostensible purpose
397:
on
February 22 which promised underground soldiers that they would not be prosecuted (the promise was not kept). Henryk presented himself to the UB in Cieszyn on March 11, 1947. While this was regarded as quite a success for the communist authorities, many of them wanted revenge. However, for the
356:
region. At its height his unit numbered 300 men, all of whom had military uniforms and were well armed thanks to Flame's previous efforts as commandant of the MO. All together the group carried out around 340 military actions. Among the best known occurred when Flame's men marched in formation
298:
In
Hungary together with other Polish soldiers he was interned and placed in a temporary holding camp from which he soon escaped. However, while hiding with a Hungarian farmer, he was denounced to the German authorities who arrested him and imprisoned him in a POW camp in a part of
307:. In the second half of 1940, thanks to the intervention of his family he was released and came back to his home town of Czechowice.. Back home, Flame began working as a machinist at the local rail year while at the same time establishing contacts with the anti-Nazi resistance.
340:(MO). Realizing the orders of NSZ command he put his own men in charge of the police force and hired other anti-communists into the militia. At the same time he began stockpiling weapons knowing that sooner or later a confrontation with the real communists was inevitable.
314:(AK). The purpose of the organization was gathering intelligence and sabotage. At the end of 1943, due to the danger of an arrest by the Gestapo, together with his men he escaped to the forests where he organized an independent partisan group, which operated in the
543:
IPN, "Investigation in the case of the murder of approximately 200 soldiers of the
National Armed Forces from the Unit Bartek in the region of Podbeskidzie committed in Autumn 1946 in the area of Łambinowice by the officers of the Public Security Ministry",
318:
foothills. The command of the
National Armed Forces (NSZ) took notice of his actions and he received an invitation to join that organization. He agreed and in October 1944 he was sworn in as a soldier of NSZ and promoted to the rank of captain.
524:
Teresa Semik, "Katowicki IPN szuka na
Opolszczyźnie śladów ludobójstwa na żołnierzach konspiracyjnego Podbeskidzia" (Katowice IPN is searching the Opole region for the place of the murder of Podbeski underground soldiers),
343:
In April 1945 he was once again threatened with arrest, this time by the communists. As before he escaped to the forests, assumed the nom-de-guerre "Bartek" and created a partisan unit - the NSZ Group of the 7th Region of
598:
Dariusz
Wegrzyn, IPN Katowice, "Zgrupowanie NSZ Henryka Flamego, "Bartka", (1945-1947)" (NSZ Group of Henryk Flame, "Bartek" (1945-1947)), Niezależna Gazeta Polska - Special IPN addition, February 1, 2008,
690:
504:
Zdzisław
Zblewski, "Mie̢dzy wolna̢ Polska̢ a "siedemnasta̢ republika̢": z dziejów oporu" (Between a free Poland and the 17th Republic: from years of resistance", Ksie̢garnia Akademicka, 1998, pg. 163,
429:(who was also responsible for "Action Lawina" in which Bartek's men were killed). Flame was shot while dining in a restaurant. Neither Dadak nor anyone else involved was ever charged with his murder.
547:
587:
Grzegorz Wa̜sowski, Leszek Żebrowski, "Żołnierze wyklęci: antykomunistyczne podziemie zbrojne po 1944 roku" (Cursed soldiers: the anti-communist armed underground after 1944), Volumen, 1999,
685:
336:
was to infiltrate the Communist authorities and bureaucracy with NSZ men). Despite objections from local communist activist, Flame was made the commandant of the Czechowice
670:
563:
545:
660:
680:
700:
655:
110:(or Flamme, nom de guerre "Grot" or "Bartek"; January 19, 1918 – December 1, 1947) was a corporal and pilot in the Polish Air Force, and a
179:
220:, which he completed in 1939 with the rank of corporal-pilot. He was allotted to the 123rd Fighter Squadron which was stationed in
695:
398:
time being because of the amnesty, Flame could not be legally prosecuted. A secret death sentence was supposedly issued by the
622:
675:
157:
153:
405:
himself, who could not forgive the humiliation associated with a 400 strong NSZ unit staging a military parade in Wisła.
248:
took place, during which the plane piloted by Flame was shot down. From then on he was under the direct command of the
288:
615:
Annihilation of the NSZ (National Armed Forces) Armed Underground Units under command of Captain Henryk Flame "Bartek"
393:
Because the situation became hopeless Flame decided to give himself up. The opportunity arose with the passage of the
142:
650:
567:
268:. However, Flame remained and most likely became part of the newly formed Reconnaissance Squadron operating on the
161:
146:
284:
665:
291:. He organized from various groups of retreating soldiers a convoy, which at the end of September crossed into
614:
233:
588:
494:
241:
352:. From May 1945 until February 1947 Flame "Bartek", led the largest anti-communist partisan group in the
115:
426:
374:
645:
640:
253:
216:. In 1936 he volunteered for the army and began studying at the School for Cadets of the Airforce in
201:
425:
Henryk Flame was assassinated by the local communist policeman Rudolf Dadak, in a plot organized by
470:
399:
249:
402:
526:
505:
209:
551:
394:
99:
192:
Henryk was the son of Emeryk and Maria (née Raszyk). In 1919 the Flame family moved from
378:
111:
600:
530:
445:
634:
493:
Tomasz Gdula, "Miałem spłonąć w tej stodole", October 5, 2007, Nowa Trubuna Opolska,
310:
He started an underground organization called "HAK" which soon was merged into the
245:
95:
260:. On the 17th of the same months most of the soldiers of the squadron crossed the
474:
304:
273:
131:
353:
197:
311:
237:
217:
205:
221:
413:
327:
256:. On the 7th of September the 123rd Squadron was withdrawn from Warsaw to
382:
358:
193:
51:
30:
422:
362:
349:
345:
337:
331:
Henryk Flame, first from the right, photographed after the 1947 amnesty
315:
300:
292:
280:
269:
261:
213:
68:
257:
279:
Sometime after the 17th of September his plane was shot down by the
412:
386:
326:
265:
417:"Bartek"'s corpse after being killed in a restaurant in Zabrzeg
125:
114:
of the anti-Nazi, and anti-Communist resistance organization
691:
People shot dead by law enforcement officers in Poland
469:
Anna Laszczka, "Operacja "Lawina"" (Action "Lawina"),
91:
83:
75:
58:
45:
37:
21:
623:OPERACJA "LAWINA" - UBecka zbrodnia bez precedensu
236:in 1939, as a pilot of the squadron he fought the
244:. On September 1, 1939 the first air battle of
8:
564:"IPN, Przegląd Mediów - 8 października 2007"
686:People murdered by law enforcement officers
160:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
29:
18:
671:Polish military personnel of World War II
180:Learn how and when to remove this message
264:border in order to avoid capture by the
489:
487:
485:
483:
481:
438:
539:
537:
520:
518:
516:
514:
512:
7:
465:
463:
461:
459:
457:
455:
453:
158:adding citations to reliable sources
287:in accordance with the Nazi-Soviet
14:
661:Cursed soldiers killed in action
303:which had been made part of the
130:
681:Assassinated military personnel
446:Website of Górki Wielkie i Małe
1:
701:Polish people from Trans-Olza
656:National Armed Forces members
717:
323:After the war (in the NSZ)
28:
204:. He finished the local
16:Polish resistance member
421:On December 1, 1947 in
289:Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact
234:Nazi invasion of Poland
418:
332:
242:Siege of Warsaw (1939)
100:Anti-Soviet resistance
676:Polish murder victims
416:
373:In September 1946 in
330:
76:Years of service
357:through the town of
202:Czechowice-Dziedzice
154:improve this section
696:People from Karviná
471:Tygodnik Powszechny
400:President of Poland
250:President of Warsaw
228:During World War II
108:Henryk Antoni Flame
550:2008-11-23 at the
419:
385:or the village of
369:Operation "Lawina"
333:
651:Home Army members
527:Dziennik Zachodni
427:Henryk Wendrowski
254:Stefan Starzyński
190:
189:
182:
105:
104:
54:, Austria-Hungary
708:
627:
619:
602:
596:
590:
585:
579:
578:
576:
575:
566:. Archived from
560:
554:
541:
532:
522:
507:
502:
496:
491:
476:
467:
448:
443:
375:Operation Lawina
210:Technical School
185:
178:
174:
171:
165:
134:
126:
65:
62:December 1, 1947
49:January 19, 1918
33:
19:
716:
715:
711:
710:
709:
707:
706:
705:
666:Polish aviators
631:
630:
625:
617:
611:
606:
605:
597:
593:
586:
582:
573:
571:
562:
561:
557:
552:Wayback Machine
542:
535:
523:
510:
503:
499:
492:
479:
468:
451:
444:
440:
435:
411:
403:Bolesław Bierut
371:
325:
230:
186:
175:
169:
166:
151:
135:
124:
67:
63:
50:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
714:
712:
704:
703:
698:
693:
688:
683:
678:
673:
668:
663:
658:
653:
648:
643:
633:
632:
629:
628:
620:
610:
609:External links
607:
604:
603:
591:
580:
555:
533:
529:, 02/11/2005,
508:
497:
477:
449:
437:
436:
434:
431:
410:
407:
370:
367:
324:
321:
285:invaded Poland
229:
226:
188:
187:
138:
136:
129:
123:
120:
103:
102:
93:
89:
88:
85:
81:
80:
77:
73:
72:
66:(aged 29)
60:
56:
55:
47:
43:
42:
39:
35:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
713:
702:
699:
697:
694:
692:
689:
687:
684:
682:
679:
677:
674:
672:
669:
667:
664:
662:
659:
657:
654:
652:
649:
647:
644:
642:
639:
638:
636:
624:
621:
616:
613:
612:
608:
601:
595:
592:
589:
584:
581:
570:on 2011-06-11
569:
565:
559:
556:
553:
549:
546:
540:
538:
534:
531:
528:
521:
519:
517:
515:
513:
509:
506:
501:
498:
495:
490:
488:
486:
484:
482:
478:
475:
472:
466:
464:
462:
460:
458:
456:
454:
450:
447:
442:
439:
432:
430:
428:
424:
415:
408:
406:
404:
401:
396:
391:
388:
384:
380:
376:
368:
366:
364:
360:
355:
351:
347:
341:
339:
329:
322:
320:
317:
313:
308:
306:
302:
296:
294:
290:
286:
282:
277:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
255:
251:
247:
243:
239:
235:
227:
225:
223:
219:
215:
211:
207:
203:
199:
195:
184:
181:
173:
163:
159:
155:
149:
148:
144:
139:This section
137:
133:
128:
127:
121:
119:
117:
113:
109:
101:
97:
94:
90:
86:
82:
78:
74:
70:
61:
57:
53:
48:
44:
40:
36:
32:
27:
20:
618:(in English)
594:
583:
572:. Retrieved
568:the original
558:
500:
441:
420:
395:1947 Amnesty
392:
372:
342:
334:
309:
297:
278:
246:World War II
231:
191:
176:
167:
152:Please help
140:
107:
106:
96:World War II
92:Battles/wars
64:(1947-12-01)
23:Henryk Flame
646:1947 deaths
641:1918 births
626:(in Polish)
379:Łambinowice
305:Third Reich
274:Zaleszczyki
232:During the
38:Nickname(s)
635:Categories
574:2009-08-16
433:References
354:Trans-Olza
198:Trans-Olza
122:Early life
312:Home Army
238:Luftwaffe
218:Bydgoszcz
206:gimnazjum
141:does not
79:1939-1947
548:Archived
383:Hubertus
365:region.
283:who had
262:Romanian
208:and the
194:Frysztat
170:May 2012
71:, Poland
52:Frysztat
423:Zabrzeg
363:Cieszyn
350:Cieszyn
346:Silesia
338:milicja
301:Austria
293:Hungary
281:Soviets
240:at the
214:Bielsko
162:removed
147:sources
112:captain
87:Captain
69:Zabrzeg
316:Beskid
276:line.
258:Lublin
222:Kraków
41:Bartek
409:Death
387:Barut
359:Wisła
266:Nazis
348:and
270:Lwów
145:any
143:cite
84:Rank
59:Died
46:Born
212:in
200:to
196:in
156:by
116:NSZ
637::
536:^
511:^
480:^
473:,
452:^
381:,
295:.
272:–
252:,
224:.
118:.
98:,
577:.
183:)
177:(
172:)
168:(
164:.
150:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
