| Secret Activities of the Polish Underground |
As the Germans retreated from the advancing Soviet armies, the AK intensified its attacks against them, but many were captured and imprisoned by the Soviets. The Soviets were hostile to the AK and its only goal was to destroy them, for the resistance they presented, and for the hope they instilled in all Poles for a free and independent Poland. The qualities of an underground worker had to be one of utmost dependabililty. Any sign of yielding to or collaborating with the Germans was sufficient to permanently bar Poles from being accepted in the AK. The AK had secret schools instructing members on street fighting, sabotage and diversions. There was even a unit called the Little Wolves, young Polish boys, who were engaged in harassing, annoying, and ridiculing the Germans. Their tactics involved spray painting slogans on German trucks, cars, and buildings, flattening tires, festooning the city streets with cartoons and posters ridiculing the Germans. One particular mission involved the removal of all German signs which read, " Nur Fur Deutschen " ( Only For Germans ), and hanging hundreds of these signs over every lamp post and tree in Warsaw, where the Germans had previously hung Polish partisans. For every Polish monument destroyed by the Germans, the Little Wolves scattered flowers at its ruins. For every member of the Underground executed, flowers were placed on the spot. The Education Department in Warsaw alone had more than 85,000 children enrolled in clandestine classes. During the war, more than 1,700 youths graduated from its secret high schools. Classes could not be larger than four to six people, as it would have invited suspicion. The students met at various homes on the pretext of a " social visit ". Tragically, many teachers were arrested, tortured, and murdered. Graduates of the Underground schools received a makeshift diploma, which consisted of a small calling card printed with an obscure greeting, "Thank you for your lovely visit on September 29, 1942. I was indeed pleased. You told me of such interesting stories. Bravo. " This card was to be exchanged for an official diploma after the war. The Underground was skilled and efficient in fabricating false documents to provide its' members with a change of identity whenever it became imperative to do so. Among the documents were the much vied for Arbeitsamts and Kennkarten that entitled the bearer to hold a job, and obtain food and clothing rations. None of the forgeries were ever detected. Sabotage Farms shrewdly evaded German attempts at extortion, and often outwitted them. In many cases, Polish farmers secretly salvaged food for themselves, and handed over to the Germans only the worst produce they had. Resistance The Peasant Party illicited a great deal of influence on the Polish people. They wrote the " Ten Commandments of the Resistance", which was memorized word per word by every Pole, young and old. It was printed in the Underground press. Unusual Activity The Underground even had experts at " biological warfare ". One man, who shall be known as Jan, went everywhere carrying a little inconspicuous case containing an astonishing collection of every type of virus - vials containing typhoid-bearing lice, among many other types of pestilence. "Jan" frequented bars drinking with the Germans, and at the propitious moment, slipped a louse behind the German's collar, or directly into his drink. Retribution Poles in the Underground were especially vigilant to any display of collaboration between Poles and Germans. Retribution was swift and brutal. Depending on the degree of the crime, Poles were either publicly ostracized and humiliated, or were executed. Blackmail and bribery were frequently used against the Germans. In some cases, the Polish Underground took photographs of every detail of an illegal transaction with a corrupt German soldier. They then used this evidence against him in order to obtain continuing cooperation. |
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Listening posts were set up in secret locations to monitor radio broadcasts from London. The Polish Underground sent messages to London by every possible means to alert them of what was happening in Poland. The danger was immense as the Gestapo vans were constantly on the prowl throughout the neighborhood, trying to track down the sources of the radio transmissions. When the AK discovered the fate of the Jewish people under the hands of the Nazis, they sent frequent messages to London giving them detailed accounts of the atrocities that were being carried out, and asking for help to intervene and stop the slaughter. The British response was one of outright condemnation of the Nazi crimes, but no action was taken. |
The AK, despite having had limited resources of its own, gave what assistance it could to the Jewish armed resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto, the ZOG. They were supplied with pistols, hand grenades, explosives, and ammunition, as well as secret training in diversionary tactics. The AK also helped the ZOG obtain machine guns, on the black market. On April 23, 1943, during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, the AK helped the Jews by attacking the Germans at several points inside and outside of the Ghetto walls. They assisted in the evacuation of many Jews, and gave them a map of the sewer network used by the AK and put them in touch with Polish guides. Tragically, the AK fighters were apprehended by the Germans, and were executed, but before they were executed they shouted triumphantly, " Long Live Poland! Long Live Moscow! |
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