This Day In History

Not exactly on this day in history, but over the last few days of April in 1943 Witold Pilecki escaped from the Auschwitz concentration camp and fled into the Polish wilderness. This escape is amazing by itself, but what is truly memorable is that Pilecki was prisoner at Auschwitz after he volunteered to infiltrate the camp to obtain information that could lead to the camp’s destruction. A soldier in the Polish cavalry, Pilecki continued to fight for the Polish resistance after the German occupation of Poland in 1939. In 1940 he proposed and acted in a voluntary mission to be taken prisoner by the Germans, which led to his internment at Auschwitz. During his three years at Auschwitz he fed invaluable information back to the Polish resistance and Allied forces, while strengthening the resistance efforts within the camp for an eventual combined attack on Auschwitz. This attack never happened for many reasons, and eventually the Germans began executing any suspected resistance members within the camp, forcing Pilecki to undertake his daring escape. His bravery did not end there, as now he worked with the Home Army towards the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 that was an attempt to free the city of German control.

The efforts of men such as Pilecki continue to leave me in awe, as his courage seems unreal to me. In my peaceful 21st century world I am never truly faced or challenged with anything close to what Pilecki confronted, and I wonder if I would have the necessary constitution to act with half the bravery he exhibited. His story is one that should be known to all, so that we can remember his actions and also be inspired to live with similar strength in our own personal struggles.