Artemi Aroniszydze Stele

Who was the man behind the stele? This, my friends, is the Artemi Aroniszydze Stele. It commemorates a remarkable life intertwined with both Georgian and Polish history. Artemi Aroniszydze, born in Konczkati, Georgia in 1891, began his military career in Tbilisi. When the Bolsheviks took control of Georgia, he made his way to Poland. He joined the Polish Army as a contract officer. He served in the 63rd Infantry Regiment in Toruń. By 1934, his dedication and skill led to his promotion to major. When war broke out in 1939, Major Aroniszydze commanded the 2nd Battalion of the 41st Suwałki Infantry Regiment. He bravely defended Warsaw in the Ochota district. The very spot where we stand was once his defensive position. His courage earned him the Virtuti Militari, a high Polish military decoration, awarded by General Rómmel. Captured after Warsaw’s fall, Aroniszydze’s Georgian citizenship secured his release in 1942. Returning to Warsaw under the alias Jan Pilecki, he joined the Polish resistance, the Home Army (Armia Krajowa). He eventually commanded the Piotrków Trybunalski Inspectorate. The end of the war didn’t bring peace for Aroniszydze. He was arrested by the NKVD in 1945 and identified. The Soviets handed him over to the Polish security service, where he faced a possible death sentence. A 1945 amnesty granted him freedom, and he sought refuge in Wrocław. The hardships he endured took a toll on his health. He died in 1950, leaving behind a legacy of courage and resilience. The Artemi Aroniszydze Stele stands as a testament to his unwavering spirit and service to both his native Georgia and his adopted Poland. It’s a story of courage, resilience, and the complex intertwining of personal destinies with the tides of history.