Walter John König (

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...

: Walter Jan König; 25 June 1903 – 26 February 1966) was an Austrian-Polish inventor, industrialist and soldier who fought for Polish freedom during the

Second World War 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 ...

Life

Walter König was born on 25 of June 1903 in

Bielitz Bielsko (, ) was until 1950 an independent town situated in Cieszyn Silesia, Poland. In 1951 it was joined with Biała Krakowska to form the new town of Bielsko-Biała. Bielsko constitutes the western part of that town. Bielsko was founded by ...

, in a Jewish family. No sooner did Poland regain its independence than he acquired Polish citizenship. He spent his early life in

. Having had finished school, he headed for

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

to study at the local university. Unfortunately, as

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

did not recognize dual citizenship, he had to renounce Polish citizenship. In 1925 he patented the manufacture of objects of early

plastic Plastics are a wide range of synthetic polymers, synthetic or Semisynthesis, semisynthetic materials composed primarily of Polymer, polymers. Their defining characteristic, Plasticity (physics), plasticity, allows them to be Injection moulding ...

s. In 1930, Eng. König founded the "Rogolith" company in

Bielsko Bielsko (, ) was until 1950 an independent town situated in Cieszyn Silesia, Poland. In 1951 it was joined with Biała Krakowska to form the new town of Bielsko-Biała. Bielsko constitutes the western part of that town. Bielsko was founded by ...

, which produced buttons from these artificial materials. About 60 people were employed in this company. In 1938 he was baptized. At the end of the 1930s König also applied for Polish citizenship. However, it was not easy, even though he married a Polish woman. His attempt was interrupted by the outbreak of

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 ...

. While many Polish citizens of German origin living in

supported the

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...

and conducted sabotage against the Polish soldiers, Walter König volunteered to join the Polish Army. After losing the

September campaign 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 Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak Republic, and the Sovie ...

he was sent to the

Soviet Union 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 ...

. There, due to his education, he was sent to Siberia, where he was involved in infrastructure development. Though, he still wanted to fight for Poland's freedom. Despite his efforts, he failed to join General Anders's Army. It was not until 7 November 1943 that he became a private soldier in the 5th Heavy Artillery Brigade in Sletsy. Later on, he participated in numerous battles, including liberation of

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 ...

Oder The Oder ( ; Czech and ) is a river in Central Europe. It is Poland's second-longest river and third-longest within its borders after the Vistula and its largest tributary the Warta. The Oder rises in the Czech Republic and flows through wes ...

-crossing and battle of Berlin. When he returned to

, it came to light that he did not have Polish citizenship. The new communist regime suggested that he should go to Germany. His past as an industrialist was also a detriment. In 1946, however, he managed to bring his wife back from the

USSR 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 ...

, and a year later he was called to receive Polish citizenship. Sadly, his button factory was taken away from him. König found work in a building materials' warehouse. For the next years he was subject to surveillance and even arrested under false charges of stealing materials from his workplace. At the end of his life, he fell seriously ill. Nevertheless, he did not want to leave

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

to go to

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

for treatment because he knew that the communist authorities would not allow him to return to his homeland. Walter König died on 26 February 1966. He was buried in Bielsko-Biala.

Bibliography

* Kachel Jacek, ''Sekrety Bielska-Białej'', Wyd. 1., Łódź, Księży Młyn Dom Wydawniczy, 2016 (in Polish) * Private archive of the König family * http://jacekkachel.blogspot.com/2013/08/pamiec-buduje-swiadomosc.html

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:König, Walter 1903 births 1966 deaths People from Bielsko 20th-century Polish Jews 20th-century Polish inventors Polish military personnel of World War II Polish expatriates in Austria Polish expatriates in the Soviet Union