The Polska Organizacja Walki o Niepodległość (Polish Organization for the Struggle for Independence, French: ''L'Organisation polonaise de lutte pour l'indépendance ''), also known as the POWN, was a Polish resistance army during

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 ...

, It was founded in the south of France by

Aleksander Kawałkowski Aleksander Kawałkowski (1899–1965) was a Polish soldier and diplomat. He joined the Polish armed forces (Polska Organizacja Wojskowa) in 1915, and then the recreated Polish Army in 1918. During the time of the Second Polish Republic, he was a ...

in 1941, and conducted intelligence activities and propaganda. It operated at first primarily in France, where it was the major component of the

Polish resistance in France during World War II After the fall of France, many Poles who were not involved in the regular Polish Army in France during World War II, or who were unable to reach the United Kingdom where the Polish Army in the United Kingdom had been formed, became the pillars of t ...

, where it was also known by the code name "Monika" or "Monica" It was called : Monique-bas in the free zone) and Monique-haut in the occupied zone. The armed organization was placed under the authority of Colonel Daniel Zdrojewski (known as "Justyn" in the Polish resistance), reporting to the top Polish command in London and in association with the French Resistance. On May 29, 1944, after an agreement with

Jacques Chaban-Delmas Jacques Chaban-Delmas (; 7 March 1915 – 10 November 2000) was a French Gaullist politician. He served as Prime Minister under Georges Pompidou from 1969 to 1972. He was the Mayor of Bordeaux from 1947 to 1995 and a deputy for the Gironde ''d� ...

, it placed its combat units under the tactical command of the French Forces of the Interior. The last official, who was responsible for the liquidation of the movement, was Czesław Bitner.

References

External links

Article sur la résistance des Polonais en France, sur le forum Beskid
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site of the POWN.

References

External links

Further reading