Stanisław Żurakowski (24 July 1920 in Wołomin[1] - 27 July 2023[2][3]) was a Polish war veteran and historian.
Stanisław Żurakowski | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | July 24, 1920 Wołomin |
| Died | July 27, 2023 (aged 103) London |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | Poland |
| Branch | Polish Armed Forces (Second Polish Republic) |
| Rank | Lieutenant colonel |
| Unit | 16 Lwowski Batalion Strzelców |
| Wars and Battles | World War II (Italian Campaign: Battle of Monte Cassino) |
Biography
editHe was the son of Stanisław Ludwik Żurakowski (1886–1940) and Maria Jastrzębska.[4][5] His siblings were Edmund, Anna (died in childhood), Ludwik, Józef, Maria, Julia, Jadwiga (née Czok), Antoni.[4][5][6] His father was a reserve officer of the Polish Armed Forces and a local government official of the Second Polish Republic. From 1928 he was the mayor of the cities Włodzimierz Wołyński, Zdołbunów, and from 1934 to 1939 of Ostróg. After the outbreak of World War I, he was arrested by the Soviets and in 1940 was murdered during the Katyn massacre.[4][5] In 1940, family members were deported deep into the USSR, from where they left with General Anders' army.[7][8][9]
He later became a soldier of the 2nd Polish Corps within the structure of the Polish Armed Forces in the West. He participated in the Italian campaign during World War II in 1944. As a cadet of the 16 Lwowski Batalion Strzelców, he took part in the Battle of Monte Cassino[10].[11][12] During the battles of the 2nd Corps, two of his brothers died.[13]
After World War II, he lived in exile in Great Britain. He was a long-time honorary employee of the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum in London.[14] He authored several historical publications, including "Letters from Kozielsk from the mayor of the city of Ostróg", published in 1989 by the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum and "Calls from Wołyń", which contains correspondence from Stanisław Ludwik Żurakowski during his imprisonment at the turn of 1939/1940 and a description of the fate of his family members deported deep into the USSR in 1940.[8][15]
Sources
edit- Thus, fairy tales--not fairy tales. London: Polish Institute and General Sikorski Museum, 2017, p. 19. ISBN 978-1-9998308-2-4.
References
edit- ^ Stanisław Żurakowski, Thus, fairy tales--not fairy tales, Polish Institute and General Sikorski Museum, p. 19.
- ^ "Funeral ceremonies of Colonel Stanisław Żurakowski – London, 15 August 2023". ipn.gov.pl. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
- ^ "Stanislaw Zurakowski Oobituary". The Times. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ a b c Fr. Witold Józef Kowalów (March–April 2010). "Ostroh Katyn List. Residents of Ostroh and its surroundings who died at the hands of the NKVD in Katyn, Kharkiv, Mednoye, and other execution sites" (PDF). Call from Volhynia. 2 (93). Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine / Diocese of Łuck: 40–41.
- ^ a b c "Biographies of the victims of the Katyn crime. Stanisław Żurakowski". Katyn Museum. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
- ^ "Ostróg". wolyn.ovh.org. Archived from the original on 2017-11-26. Retrieved 2015-01-13.
- ^ "Bibliography of the Katyn Crime". muzeumkatynskie.pl. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
- ^ a b "Letters from Kozielsk". wolaniecom.parafia.info.pl. Retrieved 2015-01-13.
- ^ Joanna Łuba. "Poles in Great Britain. Spoken and visual stories" (PDF). karta.org.pl. pp. 28–39, 32. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-12-25. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
- ^ Wawer
- ^ Zbigniew Wawer (2004-05-28). "Polish battle of Monte Cassino". onet.pl. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
- ^ Joanna Łuba. "Poles in Great Britain. Spoken and visual stories" (PDF). karta.org.pl. p. 33. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-12-25. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
- ^ "I sat at General Sikorski's desk". olaf.salon24.pl. 3 July 2008. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
- ^ "Chronicle of the Polish Institute and the Sikorski Museum". LXVII. Polish Institute and General Sikorski Museum. 2016: 10–11.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "Monty Python and Dad's Army". polishculture.org.uk. Retrieved 2017-06-22.