Today marks 110 years since the battle of Pakosław, fought between 493 Poles of the Puławski legion against the advancing German army in Eastern Poland.
The Legion consisted of supporters of Dmowski’s National Democrats, the main Polish ethnonationalist movement at the time & one of the main 2 Polish national movements. They fought to prevent the German occupation of Poland, which would bring with it the liquidation of Congress Poland, German settlement and a favourable position for Jews over Poles (while in Congress Poland Poles had a favourable position over Jews).
On the night of April 19, 1915, members of the legion received an order to leave all their personal belongings in the night and to march through the Puławski swamp in total silence through the night. In the early morning, with the element of surprise having been maintained, the Poles charged at the German trenches, where hand to hand combat with bayonets ensued. The Poles managed to capture multiple sections of the first line of trenches.
The Legions Podpułkownik Antoni Reutt Jankowski as well as 60 others were wounded in the hand to hand combat, while 42 Legionaries died and 11 were missing. Despite initial successes large numbers of German reinforcements arrived and the Legion had to retreat.
As Ppł Jankowski was wounded, command was given to Pułkownik Jan Rządkowski. The legion would continue to fight through 1915. Due to their higher morale then the Russian Army, they were known for their eagerness to fight rather than retreating, and as such took heavy casualties. Before the end of the year only 100 Legionaries were left, with the rest dead or wounded and the unit was reorganised.
After Ppł Jankowski recovered, he was given a command in Petrograd, where he served until “mysteriously falling from a height” in 1917, in what was likely a covered up murdered due to his opposition to the revolution.
We wish you a Happy Easter, and we remember those who sacrificed so we could be here to celebrate it.
