Stanisław Tatar ''

nom de guerre A ''nom de guerre'' (, 'war name') is a pseudonym chosen by someone to use when they are involved in a particular activity, especially fighting in a war. In Ancien régime, ''ancien régime'' Kingdom of France, France it would be adopted by each n ...

'' "Stanisław Tabor" (3 October 1896 – 16 December 1980) was a Polish

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

in the

interwar period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period, also known as the interbellum (), lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days) – from the end of World War I (WWI) to the beginning of World War II ( ...

and, during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, one of the commanders of

Armia Krajowa The Home Army (, ; 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) established in the ...

, Polish resistance movement. He was appointed brigade general in 1943 and half-a-year later flew from occupied Poland to London. After the war ended, Tatar betrayed the London-based

Polish government-in-exile The Polish government-in-exile, officially known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in exile (), was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent Occupation ...

by organising an illegal handover of its vast reserves of money and gold (donated by the nation and called the Fund of National Defense), to the communist regime. The first batch of money was stolen en route by a consul in 1945, yet Tatar went on with his plan in 1947. He came back to Poland in 1949 on the promise of military leadership with LWP, only to be arrested and falsely accused of conspiracy against the party by the Stalinist secret police (''

Urząd Bezpieczeństwa The Ministry of Public Security (), was the secret police, intelligence and counter-espionage agency operating in the Polish People's Republic. From 1945 to 1954 it was known as the Security Office (, UB), and from 1956 to 1990 as the Security ...

''). Subsequently, Tatar was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment in the so-called Trial of the Generals, but released from prison during Polish October of 1956.

Biography

Tatar was born on 3 October 1896 in Biórków Wielki village in

Lesser Poland Lesser Poland, often known by its Polish name ''Małopolska'' (; ), is a historical region situated in southern and south-eastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Kraków. Throughout centuries, Lesser Poland developed a separate cult ...

. In 1915, during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he was conscripted to the tsarist Russian Army. In 1917 he was transferred to the 1st Polish Corps formed in Russia. In November 1918, together with the remnants of his unit, he joined the renascent sovereign

Polish Army The Land Forces () are the Army, land forces of the Polish Armed Forces. They currently contain some 110,000 active personnel and form many components of the European Union and NATO deployments around the world. Poland's recorded military histor ...

. During the interbellum he continued serving in the military. Having finished numerous officer courses, in 1934 he became one of the tutors of artillery tactics at the Higher War School (''Wyższa Szkoła Wojenna'') in

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

. He held that post until 1938, given the Knight's Cross of the

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta (, ) is a Polish state decoration, state Order (decoration), order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on alien (law), foreigners for outstanding achievements in ...

. During the

Invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign, Polish Campaign, and Polish Defensive War of 1939 (1 September – 6 October 1939), was a joint attack on the Second Polish Republic, Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak R ...

he served at various posts, including the command over a military detachment named after him. After the Polish defeat he evaded being captured by the Germans and Soviets and joined the newly formed Związek Walki Zbrojnej (ZWZ), the biggest resistance organisation, that eventually transformed itself into the

Home Army The Home Army (, ; 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) established in the ...

. From 1940 to 1943 he served as the head of the 3rd detachment (Operational) of the general staff. After 1943 he also served as the deputy chief of staff of the entire Home Army. Among his most notable achievements was creation of the plans for

Operation Tempest file:Akcja_burza_1944.png, 210px, right Operation Tempest or Operation Burza (, sometimes referred to in English as "Operation Storm") was a series of uprisings conducted during World War II against occupying German forces by the Polish Home Arm ...

. In 1944, shortly before the

Warsaw Uprising The Warsaw Uprising (; ), sometimes referred to as the August Uprising (), or the Battle of Warsaw, was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance movement in World War II, Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from ...

, he was transferred to

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, where he assumed the post of deputy commander in chief for home matters. After the end of

in 1945 he became the commander of artillery of the 1st Polish Corps in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. After it was disbanded in 1947 he remained in the UK.

Fundusz Obrony Narodowej affair

In July 1947 Tatar organized the secret transfer to Poland from the London-based

of the treasury of the prewar Fund of National Defense (''Fundusz Obrony Narodowej'', FON). The new Polish government promised to use it to help veterans. Already in 1945 on advice of Jerzy Putrament, Tatar gave Polish communists 100,000 dollars and a hundred gold coins stolen en route to Poland by consul Sobolewski who vanished. The 1947 shipment consisted of gold bars (350 kg) and $2.5 million in gold and silver coins. The 10 metal containers were brought to Warsaw on the 3rd and 13 July by Col. Leon Szwajcer i Pola Landau-Leder from the embassy. W WSI znaleziono skarb z FON i afery “Żelazo”, qazeta.pl
Most of it however, was subsequently stolen and split among the Stalinist dignitaries and security forces under Jakub Berman, without leaving a paper trail.Dr Andrzej Leszek Szcześniak
Historia Funduszu Obrony Narodowej
''Encyklopedia Białych Plam''. Retrieved January 4, 2013. Unlike some of his fellow generals of the

, Stanisław Tatar was not deprived of Polish citizenship by the

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

-backed communist authorities of Poland and in 1949 was allowed to legally return to his homeland. Upon his arrival to Warsaw, however, he was arrested by the Soviet

NKVD The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (, ), abbreviated as NKVD (; ), was the interior ministry and secret police of the Soviet Union from 1934 to 1946. The agency was formed to succeed the Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU) se ...

, imprisoned and charged with espionage. As a victim of the Trial of the Generals (

show trial A show trial is a public trial in which the guilt (law), guilt or innocence of the defendant has already been determined. The purpose of holding a show trial is to present both accusation and verdict to the public, serving as an example and a d ...

) of 1951 he was sentenced to life imprisonment and imprisoned in Wronki Prison. After

Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Dzhugashvili; 5 March 1953) was a Soviet politician and revolutionary who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until Death and state funeral of Joseph Stalin, his death in 1953. He held power as General Secret ...

's death and the start of a period of liberalisation in Poland in 1956 he was released from prison and rehabilitated. Tatar died in 1980.

Awards and decorations

* Gold Cross of

Virtuti Militari The War Order of Virtuti Militari (Latin: ''"For Military Virtue"'', ) is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was established in 1792 by the last King of Poland Stanislaus II of Poland, ...

* Silver Cross of Virtuti Militari (1921) *

Cross of Independence Cross of Independence () was the second highest Polish military decoration between World Wars I and II. It was awarded to individuals who had fought actively for the independence of Poland, and was released in three classes. History The Cr ...

(4 November 1933) * POL Polonia Restituta Oficerski BAR

Officer's Cross of the

(1948) *

Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1938) * Cross of Valour (five times) * Gold Cross of Merit (19 March 1936) * Ribbon - Victory Medal

Allied Victory Medal''Personnel Journal of the Minister of Military Affairs'' no. 61 from 06 June 1925. * Order of the Bath UK ribbon

Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...

(United Kingdom, 1944) * Legion Honneur Officier ribbon

Officer of the Legion of Honor (France, 1937) * Order of Saint Anna ribbon bar

Order of Saint Anna, 2nd and 3rd Class (Russian Empire) *

Order of Saint Stanislaus The Order of Saint Stanislaus (, ), also spelled Stanislas, was a Polish order of knighthood founded in 1765 by King Stanisław August Poniatowski of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It remained under the Congress Poland, Kingdom of Pola ...

, 2nd and 3rd Class (Russian Empire)

Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tatar, Stanislaw Polish generals 1896 births 1980 deaths Burials at Powązki Military Cemetery Polish People's Republic rehabilitations Russian military personnel of World War I Military personnel of the Russian Empire Polish People's Army generals Recipients of the Order of St. Anna Polish people detained by the NKVD

Biography

Fundusz Obrony Narodowej affair

Awards and decorations

See also

Notes and references