During the German occupation, the clandestine group had about 400–500 members. The main geographical area of its activity was the city of Nowy Targ itself and the village of Waksmund in the same county. At the end of summer 1941 the first combat unit of the Tatra Confederation was established, named Mountain Division (Dywizja Górska) led by Major Edward Gött-Getyński (nom-de-guerre Sosnowiecki). The unit never became a division contrary to the intentions of its organizers; it consisted of about a few dozen guerrillas at its peak. Its main defence area and military base were the Gorce Mountains – part of the Western Beskids, and the vicinity of Turbacz Mountain in the same range.[1]
Konfederacja Tatrzańska published an underground newsletter in German, with a monthly circulation of about 100 copies, called Der Freie Deutsche, meant for the occupiers.[2] It was edited by Aleksander Stromenger from Poznań as well as Bernard Mróz, and printed under heavy guard at the remote house of the Wincenty Apostoł family in Nowy Targ. Most articles came from Polish originals submitted by Suski himself.[3] The paper was so well written that the Nazis believed it to be the product of internal saboteurs, and frantically investigated the Wehrmacht, but to no avail. The extent of their investigation became known after the end of the war, during the German court trial of the Gestapo chief from Zakopane, Robert Weisman.[1]
The German Stationhouse in Nowy Targ, Poland, shown decorated with Nazi swastika flags in 1940; one of the prime political targets of clandestine work by the Tatra Confederation
The principal aim of the Tatra Confederation was to oppose the implementation of the Goralenvolk action by Nazi Germany, aimed at germanization of the Polish Gorals.[4] Due to organizational errors however, the Confederation was quickly broken up by the Gestapo. Augustyn Suski was murdered in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp on 26 May 1942, while Major Edward Gött-Getyński was shot dead in the same camp on 25 January 1943. Other, previously arrested members of the organization, including Tadeusz Popek, were interrogated and tortured at the Gestapo headquarters in Zakopane in the cellars of the Palace Hotel ("Death's Head Resort" – as called by its victims; some 300 Jews, including women and children, were murdered there also). Waksmund village was repeatedly "pacified" for its alleged collaboration with the Tatra Confederation.[5]
Under Soviet dominationedit
The guerrillas of the Mountain Division who survived the wave of arrests joined the Home Army (AK) and fought the Nazis from within the AK structures until the end of war, under the leadership of Lieutenant Józef Kuraś (Orzeł). He changed his pseudonym from Eagle to Fire (Ogień) after the pacification of Waksmund on 29 June 1943, when his family including wife and son were massacred by the Germans. Kuraś was eventually expelled from the Home Army (AK) for insubordination and created his own guerilla unit called Błyskawica.[6]
After liberation, Kuraś turned against the communist authorities including UB and the NKVD in April 1945, once he learned about an arrest warrant issued against him by the supporters of the new Stalinist regime. He committed suicide on 22 February 1947, when his remote hideaway at the village of Ostrowsko was ambushed by the Internal Security Corps special-purpose unit (Korpus Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego, KBW) tipped off by an informant.[7][8]
The infamous Palace Hotel in Zakopane housed a tuberculosis sanatorium in communist Poland, and a state-run child care centre with qualified staff. Thanks to the efforts of Auschwitz survivors and World War II historians, there was a Museum of Struggle and Martyrdom set up in its basement with a permanent exhibit of the Gestapo headquarters. However, it is now a privately owned guesthouse, and was recently put up for sale. The future of the museum is in doubt. The building may be completely refurbished or torn down, if the local council is unwilling to buy it back from its private owners.[9]
Notes and referencesedit
^ abc. Lista świadków historii (in Polish). Stowarzyszenie Auschwitz Memento. Archived from the original on 2015-01-23. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
^Stanislaw Newcourt-Nowodworski. "The Polish Underground Movement (1939–1945)" (PDF 716.1 KB). Black Propaganda during WW2. Symposium organized by PUMST at the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum in London on 22 Nov 2004 on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Warsaw Rising 1944. p. 4. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
^"Pod Giewontem. Losy mieszkancow Podhala 1939–1956". Podhalański Portal Informacyjny Podhale24.pl. September 12, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
^Marek Lubaś-Harny (September 15, 2009). "Byłem kronikarzem Ognia". GazetaKrakowska.pl. pp. 1 of 5. Retrieved April 20, 2012.
^Marek Jan Chodakiewicz (2003). After the Holocaust: Polish-Jewish conflict in the wake of World War II. The University of Michigan. p. 154. ISBN0880335114. Retrieved April 21, 2012. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
^Maciej Korkuć; Bolesław Dereń; Łukasz Majerczyk. "Mjr Józef Kuraś "Ogień" (1915–1947)". Zapomniani Bohaterowie. Żołnierze Wyklęci. pp. Part 4. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
^Polska Agencja Prasowa. ""Palace" – wystawiony na sprzedaż. Pojawił się pomysł, by Katownię Podhala kupiły podhalańskie samorządy". Grupa Medio. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
Further readingedit
Łukasz Majerczyk,
Paweł Smoleński, Koszmar był, odszedł i go nie ma? in: Gazeta Wyborcza
Mjr Józef Kuraś „Ogień” i Zgrupowanie Partyzanckie „Błyskawica”
Maciej Korkuć, "Horror podmalowany" in: Tygodnik Powszechny, 27 February 2008
tatra, confederation, polish, konfederacja, tatrzańska, confederation, tatra, mountains, polish, resistance, organization, operating, southernmost, podhale, region, during, nazi, german, occupation, poland, founded, 1941, nowy, targ, historical, capital, podha. The Tatra Confederation Polish Konfederacja Tatrzanska or Confederation of the Tatra Mountains was a Polish resistance organization operating in the southernmost Podhale region during the Nazi German occupation of Poland The Tatra Confederation was founded in May 1941 in Nowy Targ the historical capital of Podhale by the poet and partisan Augustyn Suski nom de guerre Stefan Borusa with Tadeusz Popek as his deputy The organization had its ideological roots in the peasant movement of the Goral Lands of interwar Poland 1 Contents 1 Wartime activities 2 Under Soviet domination 3 Notes and references 4 Further readingWartime activities editDuring the German occupation the clandestine group had about 400 500 members The main geographical area of its activity was the city of Nowy Targ itself and the village of Waksmund in the same county At the end of summer 1941 the first combat unit of the Tatra Confederation was established named Mountain Division Dywizja Gorska led by Major Edward Gott Getynski nom de guerre Sosnowiecki The unit never became a division contrary to the intentions of its organizers it consisted of about a few dozen guerrillas at its peak Its main defence area and military base were the Gorce Mountains part of the Western Beskids and the vicinity of Turbacz Mountain in the same range 1 Konfederacja Tatrzanska published an underground newsletter in German with a monthly circulation of about 100 copies called Der Freie Deutsche meant for the occupiers 2 It was edited by Aleksander Stromenger from Poznan as well as Bernard Mroz and printed under heavy guard at the remote house of the Wincenty Apostol family in Nowy Targ Most articles came from Polish originals submitted by Suski himself 3 The paper was so well written that the Nazis believed it to be the product of internal saboteurs and frantically investigated the Wehrmacht but to no avail The extent of their investigation became known after the end of the war during the German court trial of the Gestapo chief from Zakopane Robert Weisman 1 nbsp The German Stationhouse in Nowy Targ Poland shown decorated with Nazi swastika flags in 1940 one of the prime political targets of clandestine work by the Tatra ConfederationThe principal aim of the Tatra Confederation was to oppose the implementation of the Goralenvolk action by Nazi Germany aimed at germanization of the Polish Gorals 4 Due to organizational errors however the Confederation was quickly broken up by the Gestapo Augustyn Suski was murdered in the Auschwitz Birkenau concentration camp on 26 May 1942 while Major Edward Gott Getynski was shot dead in the same camp on 25 January 1943 Other previously arrested members of the organization including Tadeusz Popek were interrogated and tortured at the Gestapo headquarters in Zakopane in the cellars of the Palace Hotel Death s Head Resort as called by its victims some 300 Jews including women and children were murdered there also Waksmund village was repeatedly pacified for its alleged collaboration with the Tatra Confederation 5 Under Soviet domination editThe guerrillas of the Mountain Division who survived the wave of arrests joined the Home Army AK and fought the Nazis from within the AK structures until the end of war under the leadership of Lieutenant Jozef Kuras Orzel He changed his pseudonym from Eagle to Fire Ogien after the pacification of Waksmund on 29 June 1943 when his family including wife and son were massacred by the Germans Kuras was eventually expelled from the Home Army AK for insubordination and created his own guerilla unit called Blyskawica 6 After liberation Kuras turned against the communist authorities including UB and the NKVD in April 1945 once he learned about an arrest warrant issued against him by the supporters of the new Stalinist regime He committed suicide on 22 February 1947 when his remote hideaway at the village of Ostrowsko was ambushed by the Internal Security Corps special purpose unit Korpus Bezpieczenstwa Wewnetrznego KBW tipped off by an informant 7 8 The infamous Palace Hotel in Zakopane housed a tuberculosis sanatorium in communist Poland and a state run child care centre with qualified staff Thanks to the efforts of Auschwitz survivors and World War II historians there was a Museum of Struggle and Martyrdom set up in its basement with a permanent exhibit of the Gestapo headquarters However it is now a privately owned guesthouse and was recently put up for sale The future of the museum is in doubt The building may be completely refurbished or torn down if the local council is unwilling to buy it back from its private owners 9 Notes and references edit a b c Historia rodziny Apostolow Lista swiadkow historii in Polish Stowarzyszenie Auschwitz Memento Archived from the original on 2015 01 23 Retrieved April 21 2012 Stanislaw Newcourt Nowodworski The Polish Underground Movement 1939 1945 PDF 716 1 KB Black Propaganda during WW2 Symposium organized by PUMST at the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum in London on 22 Nov 2004 on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Warsaw Rising 1944 p 4 Retrieved April 22 2012 Urszula Perkowska Augustyn Suski 1907 1942 PDF 392 5 KB ALMA MATER No 79 Jagiellonian University Krakow Retrieved April 22 2012 permanent dead link Pod Giewontem Losy mieszkancow Podhala 1939 1956 Podhalanski Portal Informacyjny Podhale24 pl September 12 2011 Retrieved April 21 2012 Marek Lubas Harny September 15 2009 Bylem kronikarzem Ognia GazetaKrakowska pl pp 1 of 5 Retrieved April 20 2012 Marek Jan Chodakiewicz 2003 After the Holocaust Polish Jewish conflict in the wake of World War II The University of Michigan p 154 ISBN 0880335114 Retrieved April 21 2012 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help Maciej Korkuc Boleslaw Deren Lukasz Majerczyk Mjr Jozef Kuras Ogien 1915 1947 Zapomniani Bohaterowie Zolnierze Wykleci pp Part 4 Retrieved April 21 2012 Zgrupowanie partyzanckie Blyskawica O orla w koronie Multimedial exhibit Institute of National Remembrance Krakow Archived from the original on 2016 03 05 Retrieved April 20 2012 Polska Agencja Prasowa Palace wystawiony na sprzedaz Pojawil sie pomysl by Katownie Podhala kupily podhalanskie samorzady Grupa Medio Retrieved April 29 2012 Further reading editLukasz Majerczyk Wizerunek Jozefa Kurasia ps Orzel and Ogien 1915 1947 w literaturze historycznej Pawel Smolenski Koszmar byl odszedl i go nie ma in Gazeta Wyborcza Mjr Jozef Kuras Ogien i Zgrupowanie Partyzanckie Blyskawica Maciej Korkuc Horror podmalowany in Tygodnik Powszechny 27 February 2008 Sylwester Leszczykowicz Mohort Konfederacja Tatrzanska LWS Publishing House Warsaw 1976 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tatra Confederation amp oldid 1142622204, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
