A chill wind whispers secrets through the cracks of this weathered stone. This is the Batalion AK “Bończa” Plaque. Before you stands a silent testament to courage. A tribute to a unit that fought fiercely during the Warsaw Uprising.
This plaque isn’t just a piece of granite. It’s a portal to a brutal summer of 1944. It embodies the bravery of the soldiers of the Home Army’s “Bończa” Battalion. They fought on the Old Town’s front lines. Their battleground was a labyrinth of narrow streets. The air thick with smoke and fear.
The “Bończa” Battalion formed sometime between 1940 and 1941. It started as part of the Związek Walki Zbrojnej. It later became a unit of the Home Army. Many of the battalion’s officers were pre-war cavalry. The battalion’s name came from the pseudonym of its commander. That commander was Lieutenant Edward Sobeski. The men under his command were mostly young workers. They were also young high school students from the Old Town Wola and Powiśle districts.
During the Warsaw Uprising the “Bończa” Battalion’s strength grew. It consisted of three companies: 101 102 and 103. Their mission was to secure the Kierbedź Bridge’s approaches. They also aimed to seize an artillery battery in the Podzamcze district. Their assault was broken by the German defenses. In an attack on the fortified Schichta house Company 103 was almost completely wiped out. Only four soldiers survived. Companies 101 and 102 occupied the northern part of the Castle. They then took part in the construction of six fortified points of resistance.
On August 7th the area defended by the battalion came under heavy artillery fire. It came from Praga and from air bombardments. The battalion faced direct combat with General Reinefarth’s troops. On August 7th on the Castle Square soldiers from the 2nd platoon of Company 101 captured a German half-tracked armored personnel carrier. They named it “Starówka”. Due to the Old Town’s tight spaces it wasn’t used in combat. It stayed near the passage under the cathedral bell tower.
By August 2nd through recruitment the battalion grew to approximately 300 soldiers. Their task was to defend the section from Piwna Street. The defense stretched across Castle Square Dziekania Kanonia Brzozowa Street and Kamienne Schodki. The fight for the Old Town was relentless. The battalion faced incredible hardships and losses. The commander Lieutenant Edward Sobeski was killed on September 6th 1944. Despite this the remnants of the battalion continued to fight. Their bravery remains a powerful symbol of resistance. They fought to the very end of the Warsaw Uprising. This plaque serves as a poignant reminder. It reminds us of their sacrifice their courage and their indomitable spirit. Let’s honor their memory. Let’s never forget the Batalion AK “Bończa”.