On the 82nd anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising, representatives of Kozminski University laid flowers at the Warsaw Uprising Monument, paying tribute to the insurgents and all the residents of Warsaw who fought for Poland's freedom.
This anniversary holds particular significance for the University. Its patron, Professor Leon Koźmiński, was a soldier of the Home Army and a participant in the Warsaw Uprising. Holding the rank of lieutenant, he fought in the Mokotów district as a member of the command of the AK "Baszta" Grouping, where he was responsible for organising supplies for the insurgent units and aiding the civilian population. Earlier, during the September Campaign of 1939, he fought in the defence of Poland and narrowly escaped Soviet captivity. Throughout the German occupation, he taught in the underground Warsaw School of Economics and was actively involved in the resistance as a member of the "Z" ("Western Territories") unit within the Government Delegation for Poland.
The University's history is also closely linked to Professor Witold Kieżun, a long-serving faculty member and honorary doctorate recipient. During the Warsaw Uprising, he served in the special operations unit "Harnaś" of the "Gustaw" Battalion under the nom de guerre "Wypad". For his courage and bravery, he was awarded the Cross of Valour and the Virtuti Militari, Poland's highest military decoration. After the war, he was deported to a Soviet labour camp, where he narrowly escaped death.
Professor Kieżun often described the Warsaw Uprising as "the most beautiful period of my life" and as an extraordinary experience of a community united in the fight for values greater than themselves. His testimony remains an important part of preserving the memory of that generation.
Professor Witold Kieżun's account of his experiences during the Warsaw Uprising is available here.
