Rafał Gan-Ganowicz

Rafał Gan-Ganowicz (23 April 1932 – 22 November 2002) was a Polish soldier-in-exile, mercenary, journalist, member of the National Council of Poland, and a political and social activist.

Early Life

Rafał Gan-Ganowicz was born in Warsaw on April 23, 1932. His family had Tatar origins. His father served in the French Foreign Legion for a time, and later traveled to Argentina for financial reasons before returning to Poland. His mother was killed by Nazi forces during the Invasion of Poland. His father later died during the Warsaw Uprising.

As a teenager and now an orphan in post-War Poland, Gan-Ganowicz created an underground resistance that spread anti-communist information to the public through leaflets and signs.

In June of 1950, Gan-Ganowicz escaped to West Berlin and a few months later traveled to France. There he attended military officer school, organized by NATO, and received the rank of Second Lieutenant from Generał Władysław Anders.