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The ''Kotwica'' (;
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
for "
Anchor An anchor is a device, normally made of metal , used to secure a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the craft from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ''ancora'', which itself comes from the Greek ἄγ ...
") was a
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
emblem of the Polish Underground State and ''
Armia Krajowa The Home Army ( pl, Armia Krajowa, abbreviated AK; ) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) esta ...
'' (Home Army, or ''AK''). It was created in 1942 by members of the ''AK''
Wawer Wawer is one of the districts of Warsaw, located in the south-eastern part of the city. The Vistula river runs along its western border. Wawer became a district of Warsaw on 27 October 2002 (previously it was a part of Praga Południe district, a ...
Minor sabotage A minor sabotage (''aka'' little sabotage or small sabotage; pl, mały sabotaż) during World War II in Nazi-occupied Poland (1939–45) was any underground resistance operation that involved a disruptive but relatively minor and non-violen ...
unit, as an easily usable emblem for the Polish struggle to regain independence. The initial meaning of the initials PW was ''Pomścimy Wawer'' ("We shall avenge Wawer"). This was a reference to the
Wawer massacre The Wawer massacre refers to the execution of 107 Polish civilians on the night of 26 to 27 December 1939 by the German occupiers of Wawer (at the time a suburb and currently a neighbourhood of Warsaw), Poland. The execution was a response to th ...
(26–27 December 1939), which was considered to be one of the first large scale massacres of Polish civilians by German troops in occupied Poland. At first, Polish scouts from
sabotage Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening a polity, effort, or organization through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. One who engages in sabotage is a ''saboteur''. Saboteurs typically try to conceal their identitie ...
groups painted the whole phrase upon walls. However, it was soon abbreviated to the letters PW, which over time came to symbolise the phrase ''Polska Walcząca'' ("Poland Fighting"). Early in 1942, the AK organised a contest to design an emblem to represent the resistance movement, and the winning design ''(pictured)'' by
Anna Smoleńska Anna Smoleńska (; February 28, 1920 in Warsaw – March 19, 1943 in Auschwitz-Birkenau), pseudonym "Hania", Polish student of art history at the University of Warsaw, author of the symbol of Fighting Poland during World War II, girl scou ...
, a member of the
Gray Ranks "Gray Ranks" ( pl, Szare Szeregi) was a codename for the underground paramilitary Polish Scouting Association (') during World War II. The wartime organisation was created on 27 September 1939, actively resisted and fought German occupation in ...
who herself participated in minor sabotage operations, combined the letters P and W into the Kotwica. Smoleńska was arrested by the
Gestapo The (), abbreviated Gestapo (; ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one organi ...
in November 1942 and died in
Auschwitz Auschwitz concentration camp ( (); also or ) was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It con ...
in March 1943, at the age of twenty-three.


History of the emblem

The ''Kotwica'' was first painted on walls in
Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
, as a psychological-warfare tactic against the occupying Germans, by Polish boy scouts on 20 March 1942. On 27 June 1942 it was used to initiate a new form of minor sabotage. In order to commemorate the patron saint's day of the
Polish President The president of Poland ( pl, Prezydent RP), officially the president of the Republic of Poland ( pl, Prezydent Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej), is the head of state of Poland. Their rights and obligations are determined in the Constitution of Polan ...
Władysław Raczkiewicz Władysław Raczkiewicz (; 28 January 1885 – 6 June 1947) was a Polish politician, lawyer, diplomat and President of Poland- in-exile from 1939 until his death in 1947. Until 1945, he was the internationally recognized Polish head of st ...
and the Commander-in-Chief
Władysław Sikorski Władysław Eugeniusz Sikorski (; 20 May 18814 July 1943) was a Polish military and political leader. Prior to the First World War, Sikorski established and participated in several underground organizations that promoted the cause for Polish i ...
, members of the
Armia Krajowa The Home Army ( pl, Armia Krajowa, abbreviated AK; ) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) esta ...
in Warsaw stamped several hundred copies of the German-backed
propaganda Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded ...
newspaper, ''
Nowy Kurier Warszawski ''Nowy Kurier Warszawski'', initially ''Nowy Kurjer Warszawski'' ("New Courier of Warsaw") was a German propaganda newspaper issued in the occupied Poland during World War II. Its name was coined after a popular pre-war newspaper ''Kurier Warsza ...
'' (The New Warsaw Courier), with the ''Kotwica''. This became an annual event during the German occupation. In its first year only 500 copies were stamped with the emblem but this number grew to 7,000 the following year. On 18 February 1943, the Armia Krajowa's commander, General Stefan Rowecki, issued an order specifying that all
sabotage Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening a polity, effort, or organization through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. One who engages in sabotage is a ''saboteur''. Saboteurs typically try to conceal their identitie ...
, partisan and
terrorist Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...
actions be signed with the ''Kotwica''. On 25 February, the official organ of the Armia Krajowa,
Biuletyn Informacyjny ''Biuletyn Informacyjny'' ("Information Bulletin") was a Polish underground weekly published covertly in General Government territory of occupied Poland during World War II. The magazine was edited by Aleksander Kamiński and distributed as the ...
, called the ''Kotwica'' "the sign of the underground Polish Army". The emblem gained enormous popularity and became recognised throughout occupied Poland. During the later stages of the war, most of the political and military organisations in Poland (even those not related to the Armia Krajowa) adopted it as their symbol. It was painted on the walls of Polish cities, stamped on German
banknote A banknote—also called a bill (North American English), paper money, or simply a note—is a type of negotiable instrument, negotiable promissory note, made by a bank or other licensed authority, payable to the bearer on demand. Banknotes w ...
s and
post stamp A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail), who then affix the stamp to the fa ...
s, printed on the headers of underground newspapers and books, and it also became one of the symbols of the
Warsaw Uprising The Warsaw Uprising ( pl, powstanie warszawskie; german: Warschauer Aufstand) was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance movement in World War II, Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. It occ ...
(the letters P and W are also abbreviations of ''
Wojsko Polskie The Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland ( pl, Siły Zbrojne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, abbreviated ''SZ RP''; popularly called ''Wojsko Polskie'' in Poland, abbreviated ''WP''—roughly, the "Polish Military") are the national armed forces of ...
'' ("Polish Army") and ''Powstanie Warszawskie'' ("
Warsaw Uprising The Warsaw Uprising ( pl, powstanie warszawskie; german: Warschauer Aufstand) was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance movement in World War II, Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. It occ ...
"). After
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Poland's communist regime banned the ''Kotwica'', although it continued to be used abroad by associations of former ''Armia Krajowa'' members living in exile. Prohibition of the emblem's use was relaxed in Poland in the later years of communist rule and in 1976 it became one of the symbols of Ruch Obrony Praw Człowieka i Obywatela (ROPCiO), an anti-communist organisation defending human rights in Poland. It was also adopted by other anti-communist political organisations, ranging from the rightist
Confederation of Independent Poland Confederation of Independent Poland (KPN, pl, Konfederacja Polski Niepodległej ) was a Polish nationalist political party founded on 1 September 1979 by Leszek Moczulski and others declaring support for the pre-war traditions of Sanacja and Jó ...
(KPN) of
Leszek Moczulski Robert Leszek Moczulski (, born 7 June 1930) is a Polish historian and politician, a member of various organizations, first supporting then supposedly opposing the communist regime in the People's Republic of Poland while dividing the opposition ...
to
Solidarność Walcząca Fighting Solidarity ( pl, Solidarność Walcząca) was a Polish anti-Soviet and anti-communist underground organization, founded in June 1982
(''Fighting Solidarity''), an organisation formed in response to the de-legalisation of the independent trade union Solidarity and government repression of the opposition after
martial law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Marti ...
was declared in Poland in 1981.


Gallery

File:Polish Underground Symbol on Pilot Monument.jpg, The Aviator Monument in
Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
during the German occupation, with ''Kotwica'' graffiti added by ''
Szare Szeregi "Gray Ranks" ( pl, Szare Szeregi) was a codename for the underground paramilitary Polish Scouting Association (') during World War II. The wartime organisation was created on 27 September 1939, actively resisted and fought German occupation i ...
'' member
Jan Bytnar Jan Roman Bytnar, ''nom de guerre'' "Rudy" (''Ginger'') (born 6 May 1921, Kolbuszowa, Poland – died 30 March 1943, Warsaw, Poland) was a Polish scoutmaster, a member of Polish scouting anti-Nazi resistance, and a lieutenant in the Home Army du ...
. File:Lotnika Monument in Warsaw 02.jpg, The permanent ''Kotwica'' that was added to the Polish Pilots monument in 2010. File:Warsaw Uprising - Getto Bunker at Muranowska Street.jpg, The ''Kotwica'' painted on a German bunker near Bonifraterska Street during the
Warsaw Uprising The Warsaw Uprising ( pl, powstanie warszawskie; german: Warschauer Aufstand) was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance movement in World War II, Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. It occ ...
. File:Flaga PPP.svg, The unofficial wartime flag of the ''
Armia Krajowa The Home Army ( pl, Armia Krajowa, abbreviated AK; ) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) esta ...
'' and the Polish Underground State (the
Polish flag The national flag of Poland ( pl, flaga Polski) consists of two horizontal stripes of equal width, the upper one white and the lower one red. The two colours are defined in the Polish constitution as the national colours. A variant of the flag ...
emblazoned with the ''Kotwica''). File:Zoska odzn bt.png, The ''Kotwica'' on the emblem of the Zośka battalion of the ''
Armia Krajowa The Home Army ( pl, Armia Krajowa, abbreviated AK; ) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) esta ...
''. File:AK MIOTLA.jpg, The ''Kotwica'' on the emblem of the Miotła battalion of the ''
Armia Krajowa The Home Army ( pl, Armia Krajowa, abbreviated AK; ) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) esta ...
''. File:Krzyz AK 64081946chl.jpg, The ''Kotwica'' on the
Armia Krajowa Cross The Cross of the Home Army ( pl, Krzyż Armii Krajowej) is a Polish military decoration that was introduced by General Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski on 1 August 1966 to commemorate the efforts of the soldiers of the Polish Secret State between 1939 and ...
. File:Dewiza-SW.jpg, The ''Kotwica'' incorporated into the
Fighting Solidarity Fighting Solidarity ( pl, Solidarność Walcząca) was a Polish anti-Soviet and anti-communist underground organization, founded in June 1982
logo. File:Aleje Ujazdowskie - miejsce pamięci zamachu na Kutscherę - 04.JPG, The ''Kotwica'' on the back of the memorial commemorating the assassination of SS Police Chief Franz Kutschera by the Polish resistance. File:Ak grupa kampinos pomnik01.jpg, The ''Kotwica'' on a monument in the cemetery dedicated to the Kampinos Group of the ''
Armia Krajowa The Home Army ( pl, Armia Krajowa, abbreviated AK; ) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) esta ...
'' in Budy Zosine. File:The Observation Tower of the Warsaw Uprising Museum.JPG, The ''Kotwica'' on the observation tower of the
Warsaw Uprising Museum The Warsaw Rising Museum ( pl, Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego), in the Wola district of Warsaw, Poland, is dedicated to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. The institution of the museum was established in 1983, but no construction work took place for m ...
. File:Warszawa2qe.jpg, The ''Kotwica'' on the wall next to the
Warsaw Uprising Monument Warsaw Uprising Monument ( pl, pomnik Powstania Warszawskiego) is a monument in Warsaw, Poland, dedicated to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. Unveiled in 1989, it was sculpted by Wincenty Kućma and the architect was Jacek Budyn. It is located on t ...
in Krasiński Square. File:Bielany Pomnik Armii Krajowej 001.JPG, The ''Kotwica'' on the ''
Armia Krajowa The Home Army ( pl, Armia Krajowa, abbreviated AK; ) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) esta ...
'' monument in Bielany. File:Kopiec2 DSC1536.JPG, The ''Kotwica'' on top of Warsaw Uprising Hill.


See also

*
Home Army The Home Army ( pl, Armia Krajowa, abbreviated AK; ) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) esta ...
* Polish resistance movement in World War II *
Minor sabotage A minor sabotage (''aka'' little sabotage or small sabotage; pl, mały sabotaż) during World War II in Nazi-occupied Poland (1939–45) was any underground resistance operation that involved a disruptive but relatively minor and non-violen ...
during World War II in Nazi-occupied Poland *
Warsaw Uprising The Warsaw Uprising ( pl, powstanie warszawskie; german: Warschauer Aufstand) was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance movement in World War II, Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. It occ ...
*
Symbols of Poland National symbols of Poland ( pl, Polskie symbole narodowe) are the tangible and intangible national symbols, symbols, emblems or images that are found in Poland to represent the country's unique customs, Poland#Holidays and traditions, traditions, ...


References


History of the Kotwica
(in Polish) Internet Archive. Retrieved July 7, 2013.

(in Polish)


Further reading

* Lesław J. Welker "Symbolika znaków Polski Walczącej", publisher Adam Marszałek , * Jan Bijata, Wawer, Książka i Wiedza, Warszawa 1973 {{Armia Krajowa Home Army Poland in World War II National symbols of Poland