“Je meurs pour la liberté, pour la France et pour la Pologne.” These poignant words, penned by Stanislas Kubacki shortly before his execution, echo the profound sacrifice made by this Polish resistance fighter. Right here, in the Parisian suburb of Livry-Gargan, Allée Stanislas Kubacki stands as a testament to his bravery.
Born in Poland in 1908, Kubacki arrived in France seeking a better life. He found work as a metal worker and later a lumberjack, settling down with his wife and son. But the shadow of World War II loomed large, and Kubacki, a staunch communist, was compelled to fight against Nazi oppression.
His journey took him to Spain, where he joined the International Brigades against Franco’s fascists. Upon returning to France, he joined the FTP-MOI, a resistance group comprised mostly of immigrants. Kubacki’s commitment to fighting for his adopted country was unwavering. He participated in numerous acts of sabotage, derailments, and armed attacks against the occupying forces.
Sadly, Kubacki’s bravery couldn’t shield him from the Gestapo’s reach. He was arrested in 1942 and subjected to brutal torture at their headquarters on Rue des Saussaies. Despite this, he refused to betray his comrades. Kubacki was tried alongside twenty-three other resistance fighters in a sham trial condemned by the French Resistance.
On February 21, 1944, Kubacki, along with most of his comrades, was executed by the Nazis at Fort Mont-Valérien. Their story, however, would not end there. The Nazis, in a move that backfired spectacularly, plastered their faces on propaganda posters dubbed the “Affiche Rouge,” intending to demonize them as foreign criminals. Instead, the posters made them martyrs, symbols of resistance against fascism.
Today, Allée Stanislas Kubacki in Livry-Gargan reminds us of the courage shown by those who fought for freedom. Kubacki’s legacy, like that of so many others who died resisting tyranny, lives on, inspiring us to stand up for what is right.