Witold Modelski
Witold Modelski | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nickname(s) | Warszawiak |
| Born | 11 November 1932 Warsaw, Poland |
| Died | 20 September 1944 (aged 11) Warsaw, Poland |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | Poland |
| Service/ | Home Army |
| Years of service | 1944 |
| Rank | corporal „during the war” |
| Commands held |
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| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | |
Witold Stefan Modelski pseud. „Warszawiak” (born 11 November 1932 in Warsaw, died 20 September 1944 therein) – participant of Warsaw Uprising, Liaison officer in „Gozdawa” Battalion, the youngest (not quite 12 years old) participant of uprising fights, awarded with Cross of Valour.
Life story
During the Second World War, after the Modelscy[note 1] family's house on Nowy Świat Street had burnt out all the family moved themselves onto Leszno Street, where Witold had been maintaining under his mother[note 2] care until the Warsaw Uprising outbroke. At the beginning of August 1944 Witold joined on „Parasol” Battalion[note 3], precisely the 4th pluton of the 1st company. When the Wola had collapsed, Witold Modelski transferred into „The North” Group[note 4] – „Sosna” section[note 5], located on the Warsaw Old Town[note 6]. Witold Modelski ended his martial fate on Czerniaków in „Parasol” Battalion[note 7].[1]
Witold was uncommonly brave. In 23rd August 1944 awarded with Cross of Valour and promoted to rank of corporal „during the war”. Fallen in 20th September on the Czerniaków Coast, in home on the Wilanowska Street 1. Buried on Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw, in the plot of soldiers and emergency medical technicians from the „Parasol” Battalion.
After the war his mother tracked down[note 8] Witold's corpse during the soldiers exhumation on the Upper Czerniaków Uprising. Under the cover of night she transported Witold on the Powązki Military Cemetery and buried him near the cemetery wall on her own. Only after several years later his corps was moved into the plot of soldiers and emergency medical technicians from the „Parasol” Battalion.[2] The exact destination of his grave is the quater A24-10-24.[3]
His martial fate was described in books written by Zbigniew Wróblewski, such as Bakwiri z ulicy Leszno (English: Bakwiri from the Leszno Street) and Z jednego domu (English: From the same home), where there are numerous substantial mistakes, also including a myth that his family had allegedly fallen already in 1939.[4]
Witold Modelski is the patron of the Little Insurrectionist Hall in Warsaw Uprising Museum.[5]
Notes
- ^ „Modelscy” is plural form of surname „Modelski”.
- ^ His mother called Jadwiga Maria Modelska.
- ^ „Parasol” Battalion was a part of Radosław Group.
- ^ „The North” Group was a part of „Gozdawa” Battalion.
- ^ Polish: Sosna → English: Pine
- ^ Precisely he joined to the 2nd onslaughting company.
- ^ Back then a part of „Broda 53” Diversion Brigade.
- ^ Thanks to the help of female emergency medical technicians from Polish Red Cross.
References
- ^ Powstańcze Biogramy - Witold Modelski, www.1944.pl, retrieved 2017-11-02
- ^ Powstańcze Biogramy - Jadwiga Modelska, www.1944.pl, retrieved 2017-11-02
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ Wyszukiwarka cmentarna - Warszawskie cmentarze (in Polish), cmentarzekomunalne.com.pl
- ^ Bakwiri z ulicy Leszno, Lubimyczytać.pl, 2017, retrieved 2017-11-02
- ^ 4. Sala Małego Powstańca, Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego, 2010, retrieved 2010-02-23