Here, amidst the hustle and bustle of Warsaw, stands a simple plaque. It’s a tribute to a man who led a life brimming with action and adventure, a man of many masks. This plaque is a silent sentinel, a guardian of the memory of Bolesław Kontrym, better known by his codename, “Mudzin.”
The plaque sits on the facade of the Mostowski Palace, once the home of the Warsaw militia, now the headquarters of the city’s police. The palace itself bears witness to the ebb and flow of history, its walls echoing tales from different eras. Bolesław Kontrym was a soldier, a spy, a fighter for freedom. He was born in Zaturka, a village in partitioned Poland, in 1898. His life was defined by a confluence of conflicts. He served in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I, before joining the Polish forces in Russia. But in a twist of fate, he was captured by the Bolsheviks and fought against his own countrymen in the Polish-Soviet War. He even rose through the ranks of the Red Army, earning the prestigious Order of the Red Banner three times! It was during this time, while attending the Frunze Military Academy in Moscow, that he began to work for the Polish military attaché, Colonel Romuald Wolikowski. He risked everything to leak Soviet military secrets, then fled to Poland, escaping capture by the GPU, the Soviet secret police.
During World War II, Kontrym was one of the Cichociemni, elite Polish soldiers who parachuted into occupied Poland to sabotage the Nazi regime and resist their occupation. He fought valiantly in the Warsaw Uprising and was decorated for his bravery. The plaque on this building is a testament to his unwavering commitment to freedom. After the war, he was arrested by the Polish Security Service and executed under the auspices of the Communist regime in 1953. His life was a tapestry of daring feats, selfless sacrifice, and a tragic end, a stark reminder of the sacrifices made for the liberty of Poland.