Zenon Józef Jachymek
Born(1912-12-09)9 December 1912
Komarów, Poland
Died6 March 1986(1986-03-06) (aged 73)
Wrocław, Poland
Years of service1939–1946
Unit
Battles/wars

Zenon Józef Jachymek (9 December 1912 – 6 March 1986) was a Polish army captain. His early life and educational background are not widely documented, but like many Poles of his generation, his formative years were influenced by the geopolitical upheavals of the early 20th century.

Jachymek, known by various pseudonyms, such as "Sławek", "Waldemar", "Wallenrod", "Wiktor" and "Zygmunt Nowosad", served as a captain in the infantry of the Polish Army. His military career spanned the interwar period and World War II, a time of significant upheaval for Poland.

After World War II, Poland fell under Soviet influence, and a communist government was established. Despite these changes, Jachymek's contributions to the resistance were recognized, and he continued his service in the Polish military. He was eventually promoted to the rank of captain.

Jachymek died on March 6, 1986, in Wrocław, Poland. His legacy is remembered for his role in the resistance against the UPA and his participation in significant wartime events.

Early Life

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Jachymek was born on 9 December 1912 in Komarów, Poland. He attended gymnasium in Tomaszów Lubelski, where in 1933 he received his secondary school leaving certificate. From 1933 to 1935, he studied veterinary medicine in Lwów. From 1935 to 1936, he completed a one-year military service during which he graduated from the Divisional Reserve Infantry Officer Cadet Course of the 3rd Infantry Division of the Legions organized at the III battalion of the 9th Infantry Regiment of the Legions in Tomaszów Lubelski. He continued his studies from 1936 to 1938.

World War II

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In the summer of 1939, he was mobilized into the Polish Army and assigned to the 9th Legions Infantry Regiment, with which he participated in the September Campaign of 1939. Initially a platoon commander, later of the 9th company of the III battalion, he fought near Iłża and Starachowice, and then in the Lublin area. After the end of the September 1939 campaign, he avoided captivity and returned to his hometown.

During the German occupation, starting from the autumn of 1939, he began underground activities. He was a co-organizer of the beginnings of the Union of Armed Struggle (Związek Walki Zbrojnej, later transformed into the Home Army) in the area of Komarów. Initially, he was the deputy commander, later the commander of the ZWZ (later AK) outpost in Komarów. At the turn of 1940/1941, he was appointed commander of assault and guerrilla warfare units in the Tomaszów district of the ZWZ. He led numerous actions and battles against Germans and UPA (Ukrainian Insurgent Army) forces. In December 1942, as one of the first, he attacked the German-settled village of Komarów, the village of Komarów, and Wolicę Śniatycką. In March 1943, he was appointed commander of Region VII in the Tomaszów Lub. District of the Home Army (AK), and on November 11 of that year, he was promoted to lieutenant of the infantry reserve. In the spring of 1944, he was the originator and commander of the so-called anti-Ukrainian sectors, which concentrated the main forces of the district to fight UPA units. On March 10, 1944, he commanded Polish partisan units that committed the crime in Sahryń. On 2 June 1944, he led a major operation against UPA near Dąbrowa, Rzeczyca, and Ulhówek. After the Red Army entered the district, he was vigorously sought by the NKVD and UB. He hid in militia outposts, which at that time were largely composed of former soldiers of the Home Army (AK) and BCh.

After World War II

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He continued to be active in anti-communist conspiracy - the Resistance Movement of the Home Army. In May 1945, he was transferred to the Hrubieszów District of the Freedom and Independence (DSZ/WiN), where from June to December 1945 he served as deputy district commander. Promoted by Order No. 319 of 1 June 1945 of the DSZ Delegate to the Country to the rank of reserve captain. In December 1945, he organized a smuggling channel to Sweden for "burned" members of the organization. From the end of 1945, he personally resided in Sweden, from where he returned to the country in May 1946. He used a "legal" ID of an MBP employee in Sopot issued under the name Zygmunt Nowosad.

He was betrayed to the UB by the wife of one of his colleagues. Arrested by an UB officer on 21 September 1946, in the village of Kosowo, Świecie county. Initially imprisoned in the PUBP Świecie detention center, then WUBP Bydgoszcz, from where he was transferred to the WUBP prison in Lublin. Arrested by the WPR Lublin, he underwent severe interrogation. By the judgment of the WSR Lublin of 23 September 1947 (file number Sr 857/47), he was sentenced to death three times and lost his rights forever. Based on the amnesty of 22 February 1947, the death sentence was commuted to 15 years in prison, and he was imprisoned at the Lublin Castle and in CWK in Wronki.

By the decision of the Lublin Voivodship Court on 20 June 1956, based on the amnesty of 27 April 1956, his sentence was reduced to 10 years and immediate release from prison was ordered.

Death

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Zenon Józef Jachymek, a prominent Polish military officer and resistance fighter, died on 6 March 1986, in Wrocław, Poland. Throughout his life, Jachymek was known for his courageous actions during World War II and his continued resistance against oppressive regimes post-war. He was buried in the parish cemetery in Komarów.

Jachymek's death marked the end of a life dedicated to defending Polish sovereignty and fighting for freedom against both Nazi and Soviet occupations. His legacy continues to inspire those who commemorate his contributions to Polish history and resistance movements.

References

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  • "Zenon Jachymek" - Polish Wikipedia
  • Karski, Jan. Story of a Secret State: My Report to the World. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1944.
  • Piesakowski, Tomasz. The Fate of Poles in the USSR 1939–1989. New York: Gryphon Editions, 1982.