Not only was Zdzisław Łukasiewicz the 4th volunteer in the Polish Army under General Anders that formed in the USSR after the Sikorski Mayski Agreement. He was given the job of travelling across USSR to muster Poles who had been incarcerated in gulags and prisons.

In this episode of Monte Cassino 80, we meet Konrad “Radders” Harandon, the grandson of Zdzisław Łukasiewicz member of the Polish 4th “Skorpion” and then 2nd Armoured Brigade who became the editor of “Taran,” the newspaper of 2nd “Warsaw” Armoured Division. Prior to Cassino, Zdzisław Łukasiewicz was transferred to Brigade HQ, and the Referatura Kultury i Prasy / Culture and Press Department.

In this podcast we follow his incredible journey from his childhood as a defender of Lwow, his student life at Jan Kazimierz University, his family links to the Armia Krajowa / Home Army and the Warsaw Uprising. we learn about Zdzislaw's and his wife’s arrest and their forced deportation to the USSR. We hear how Zdzislaw was saved by his artistic skills and how he became a key person in General Ander’s mustering of Poles to the Polish army after the Sikorski Mayski Agreement.

With Konrad we follow his grandfather’s incredible and well documented journey across the battlefields of Italy: Monte Cassino, onwards through Piedimonte and on to victory at Ancona in July 1944.

Follow Konrad "Radders" Harandon's fantastic Twitter feed where he describes himself as an Anglo-Polish history lover. Polish 2nd Armoured Brigade/Division during the Second World War. On his feed, Konrad features some of the amazing photos from his father's archives as well as sharing detailed and fascinating insights into the 2nd Armoured Brigade.

"We spoke about" Links:

Konrad “Radders” Harandon X (Twitter) @konnie83

Tadeusz Szumanski https://twitter.com/konnie83/status/1723648876849078371

Hubal film https://youtu.be/5rbuWiC5iGY?si=JMc-W5OxTzpE1p8O

Stanisław Tabisz („Piotrowski”) https://www.1944.pl/powstancze-biogramy/stanislaw-tabisz,45565.html

Gliwa https://www.foto.karta.org.pl/nasze-zbiory/fotografowie/s-gliwa,63633,zdjecie.htm

http://fototekst.pl/bitwa-o-monte-cassino-najdluzszy-polski-fotoreportaz/

Ognisko Polskie’s Monte Cassino 80 podcast is presented by Jola Piesakowska

Supported by the Polish Cultural Institute

Produced by Salt and Pepper Productions in association with #MyLondyn

Connect with Ognisko Polskie

X : @ognisko_polskie

Instagram: @ognisko_polskie

Facebook: OgniskoPolskieUK

Website: http://www.ogniskopolskie.org.uk/

Ognisko Polskie

Princes Gate,

55, Exhibition Road,

London,

United Kingdom

Subscribe to make sure you don’t miss an episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marek Mrozek, talks about the 2nd corps soldiers’ their reputation for grit, determination and fearlessness in battle. Across 2 podcasts we will be talking about the historical and social journey of the Polish men and women, of the 2nd Corp, drugi korpus led by general Anders. We will explore why the volunteered to fight and why they were ready for the victory at the Battle for Monte Cassino

In part 2 of The Polish Soldiers' Grit, Determination and Fearlessness in Battle, before leaving the Middle East for Italy we find out about Tobruk and preparations for the Italian Campaign and then we examine General Anders' motivation for and the strategic details of the Battle of Monte Cassino. Marek draws our attention to the dedication and focus of the front line soldiers who were supported by the entire Polish 2nd Corps / Drugi Korpus and how the Battle was won by the efforts by every man and woman.

Marek is a volunteer at Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum, london and the curator of the highly successful exhibition Polish Armed Forces on the Front Lines 1944 Polskie Sily Zbrojne na Frontach Wojny

Thanks to Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum, London (PISM) - the largest archival and museum institution in Western Europe that is focused on Polish history, predominantly covering the first half of the 20th century. From its foundation in 1945 until the fall of communism in 1989, the Institute was one of the main exiled institutions where Poland’s true history was presented to the public.

You can explore at https://pism.org.uk/

Or visit at

20 Prince’s Gate

London SW7 1PT

Tue – Fri : 9.30am - 4pm

Ognisko Polskie’s Monte Cassino 80 podcast is presented by Jola Piesakowska

Supported by the Polish Cultural Institute

Produced by Salt and Pepper Productions in association with #MyLondyn

Connect with Ognisko Polskie

X : @ognisko_polskie

Instagram: @ognisko_polskie

Facebook: OgniskoPolskieUK

Website: http://www.ogniskopolskie.org.uk/

Ognisko Polskie

Princes Gate,

55, Exhibition Road,

London,

United Kingdom

Subscribe to make sure you don’t miss an episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Monte Cassino 80, we meet Marek Mrozek. Across 2 podcasts we will be talking about the historical and social journey of the Polish men and women of the 2nd Corp, Drugi Korpus led by General Anders. We will explore why and how they volunteered to fight and why they were ready for the victory at the Battle for Monte Cassino.

Marek is a volunteer at Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum, London and the curator of the highly successful exhibition Polish Armed Forces on the Front Lines 1944 Polskie Siły Zbrojne na Frontach Wojny 1944.

In part one Marek Mrozek takes us through the invasion of Poland in September 1939, the fate of the Polish army captured by Soviets, the forced deportation of civilians in the eastern Polish borderlands to Siberia. We discuss how and why young and old volunteered for the Polish Army after the Sikorski Majski Agreement, and the journey of these Polish men and women took to form a resilient and determined fighting force.

Thanks to Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum, London (PISM) - the largest archival and museum institution in Western Europe that is focused on Polish history, predominantly covering the first half of the 20th century. From its foundation in 1945 until the fall of communism in 1989, the Institute was one of the main exiled institutions where Poland’s true history was presented to the public.

You can explore at https://pism.org.uk/

Or visit at

20 Prince’s Gate

London SW7 1PT

Tue – Fri : 9.30am - 4pm

NOTE from the podcast:

Orlęta - Young Eagles / Eaglets a youth organisation operating in Poland from 1933 part of Strzelec - Riflemen's Association - also active in the underground movement during World War II. https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orl%C4%99ta_(organizacja)

Ognisko Polskie’s Monte Cassino 80 podcast is presented by Jola Piesakowska

Supported by the Polish Cultural Institute

Produced by Salt and Pepper Productions in association with #MyLondyn

Connect with Ognisko Polskie

X : @ognisko_polskie

Instagram: @ognisko_polskie

Facebook: OgniskoPolskieUK

Website: http://www.ogniskopolskie.org.uk/

Ognisko Polskie

Princes Gate,

55, Exhibition Road,

London,

United Kingdom

Subscribe to make sure you don’t miss an episode.

© Ognisko Polskie

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.