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Polish Thermopylae

Przechodniu, powiedz Ojczyźnie, żeśmy walczyli do końca, spełniając swój obowiązek

Passerby, tell the Motherland that we fought to the end, fulfilling our duty

The Battle of Wizna was fought between September 7 and September 10, 1939, between the forces of Poland and Germany during the initial stages of the invasion of Poland, which marked the beginning of the Second World War in Europe. (...) 720 Poles defended a fortified line for three days against more than 40,000 Germans (...)
Captain Władysław Raginis, the commanding officer of the Polish force, swore to hold his position as long as he was alive. When the last two shelters under his command ran out of ammunition, he ordered his men to surrender their arms and committed suicide by putting a grenade between his chin and neck. (...)
Out of 720 Polish soldiers only approximately 70 survived.


Captain Raginis ordered his second-in-command, Lieutenant Stanisław Brykalski to leave the shelter and surrender but Lieutenant Brykalski (for the first and the last time in his lifetime) declined, stayed with Captain Raginis and shared his fate/demise.

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5 comments

Boro said:

Superbe ******
19 months ago ( translate )

Marta Wojtkowska replied to Boro:

Thank you!
19 months ago ( translate )

Peggy C said:

SADNESS IN THIS PHOTO, BUT THE BRAVE PEOPLE OF POLAND WILL ALWAYS BE DETERMINED TO KEEP THEIR COUNTRY.

REGARDLESS OF WHO IS AT THE DOOR ...

STAY SAFE MY FRIEND,
PEGGY
19 months ago

Marta Wojtkowska replied to Peggy C:

Sadness? Maybe...
For Polish people it is
PRIDE
Watch this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=epeQwq-aYV0
19 months ago

Team said:

Marta has passed away. For lasting comments, thoughts and memories please post in ipernity's In memoria group: In memoria
17 months ago