COLLECTED CONTENT: THE HOME ARMY

Home Army Soldiers National Remembrance Day

14 February 2025 marks the first observance of Home Army Soldiers National Remembrance Day. The commemoration was enacted by the Polish Parliament on 9 January 2025, in tribute to the soldiers of the Home Army – the largest underground resistance force engaged in a heroic struggle to regain the Republic of Poland's sovereignty and independence during World War II.

On 14 February 1942, a cable from General W. Sikorski reached the Homeland. It was addressed to General S. Rowecki “Kalina”:

Following my order L2926 from 3 September 1941 1. I abolish for external use of the name ZWZ. All soldiers on active military duty in the Homeland make the Home Army subordinate to the General as its commander 2. The General`s post is called the Commander of the Home Army

Commander-in-Chief Sikorski, Lieutenant-General.

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The Army of Free Poland

We encourage you to read an article by Prof. Karol Polejowski, Deputy President of the Institute of National Remembrance featured as part of the "Opowiadamy Polskę Światu"/ We are telling the World about Poland project

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The Home Army – Poland, I’m in Love; A press conference on the 80th anniversary of the transformation of the Union of Armed Struggle into the Home Army

VIDEO : Home Army Girls

The "Poland, I’m in Love" campaign honors all Home Army members, but this video focuses on young women in its ranks, who fought and lost their lives. Introducing a few medics, couriers, Intelligence operatives and soldiers, we honor thousands these few represent.

ARTICLE by Karol Nawrocki, Ph.D: The Home Army Generation

The Home Army molded a whole generation of Poles. Even those who were not officially sworn in.

ARTICLE by Karol Nawrocki, Ph.D: "Poland, I’m in love"

Two anniversaries — the dissolution of the Home Army in 1945, and the establishment of the Institute of National Remembrance in 1999

The Home Army was one of the largest armed resistance movements in Europe during World War II. The Polish soldiers were faced with the necessity of conducting an unequal fight against the Germans in order to defend Poland.

The downloadable "Polish Underground State" web app – available on the IPN’s website

The „Polskie Państwo Podziemne” /"Polish Underground State" is an educational game presenting the wide spectrum of activities of the Polish Underground State by displaying the portraits and biographies of people who were actively involved in its activity as part of the structures of the Polish Underground State.

The most beautiful Polish battle

The Warsaw Uprising to this day gathers a lot of emotions. Some claim that the August insurgency had no sense, was a national catastrophe, mistake (even madness) or that it was caused by irresponsible and self-proclaimed officers of the Home Army and the fight was doomed to fail.

More about the Warsaw Uprising

Fighting Poland Anchor

On March 20th 1942, residents of Warsaw passing the Lardelli’s bakery saw a stylised symbol of an anchor painted on a post. It was the first time it appeared on the streets of the capital, to then forever become the symbol of Fighting Poland.

DOWNLOAD: The Polish Underground State exhibition

The exhibition was prepared by the IPN’s National Education Office in Białystok on the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Service for Poland’s Victory.