Polish Military Research Articles

The Activity of Army Krajova Vilnius District Partisan Brigades

Vilnius was one of the regional centres of the Polish anti-Soviet underground. Members of the Polish underground operating in Vilnius and Kaunas were gathered there. Throughout the occupation of the north-eastern fringes of the Second Polish Republic, Vilnius was the main centre of the Polish military and civilian (political) underground.

Rethinking Polish (Para)Military Herstory: New Goals for Research on the Militarism–Feminism Nexus

Rethinking Polish (Para)Military Herstory: New Goals for Research on the Militarism–Feminism Nexus

Zarażenia pasożytami jelitowymi u polskich żołnierzy rozmieszczonych w Kosowie

Introduction and objectiveSoldiers of the Polish Military Contingents currently stationed in foreign countries serve under difficult environmental conditions. Military service abroad is associated with the risk of importing infectious pathogens back to soldiers’ home country. The aim of the study was to assess the current prevalence of infections caused by intestinal parasites in soldiers from the Polish Military Contingent Kosovo serving as part of the Kosovo Force operation in the Balkans.Material and methodsParasitological diagnostics was carried out in June 2023 in a group of 221 soldiers from the Polish Military Contingents Kosovo stationed in several military camps across the country. Each participant was asked to provide three stool samples collected at 2–3-day intervals. Faecal examinations were performed using three different light microscopy testing methods (direct smear, decantation, flotation) at the Department of Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine at the Military Institute of Medicine – National Research Institute.ResultsIntestinal parasites, all of protozoan aetiology, were found in 28 out of 221 Polish soldiers taking part in the Kosovo Force operation in Kosovo included in the study (0.9% participants were infected with <i>Giardia intestinalis</i> and 11.7% with potentially pathogenic parasites, <i>Blastocystis</i> spp. and <i>Dientamoeba fragilis</i>). There were no infections with nematodes, cestodes or trematodes among the study participants. No correlation was found between the detection of a parasitic infection and the presence of diarrhoea or other gastrointestinal symptoms within six months prior to the study. The analysis demonstrated that infections with protozoa were most often found in soldiers aged 35–45 years old. As for the military ranks, the rate of infections in each corps (privates, non-commissioned officers, and officers) was similar.ConclusionsCases of intestinal parasitic infections in soldiers from the Polish Military Contingent Kosovo could be associated with the effects of environmental conditions (poor standards of sanitation in the areas of deployment) and failure to comply with disease prevention principles (food and feed hygiene).

Prostitution in the Account of Joseph (Józef) Feliks Zieliński in Exile in France in 1832

Abstract The aim of the article is to present the issue of entertainment in the account of the Polish military and independence activist Józef Feliks Zieliński, from his first months in exile in France in 1832. He was one of the tens of thousands of Polish refugees (the Great Emigration) who, after the collapse of the Independence Uprising (1830–1831) (aimed at freeing the Kingdom of Poland from Russian rule), left their native country. A few thousand came to France, where they received money in the first few months. His observations are unique and of great value to a historian studying everyday life in exile in France. Compared to other diaries of the insurgents, they are distinguished by the description of intimate life. He presented the taboo subject of the use of prostitutes by representatives of the Great Emigration.

The Risk of Orthorexia and the Prevalence of Emotional Eating Behaviours among Polish Military Flying Personnel in Relation to Body Mass Index (BMI) and Sociodemographic Factors.

Proper nutrition has a positive impact on health. Paradoxically, excessive preoccupation with healthy eating may lead to the emergence of abnormal eating behaviours and increase the risk of developing disorders. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of orthorexia (ON) and the prevalence of emotional eating (EE) in military flying personnel of the Polish Air Force in relation to BMI and sociodemographic factors. This study included 760 soldiers (including 60 females) taking part in the National Health Programme 2021-2025. The ORTO-15 questionnaire and EEQ were used to assess the risk of ON and EE. The risk of ON occurred in 28.9% of military flying personnel and was significantly more frequent in soldiers with a normal weight (46.4%), under 40 years of age (42.7%), and with higher education (42.7%). The prevalence of EE was found in approximately 12.3% of the respondents and was significantly more common in soldiers with diagnosed obesity (17.5%), women (21.7%), and soldiers with higher education (13.6). Other sociodemographic variables did not differentiate the results of the ORTO-15 questionnaire and EEQ. The obtained results indicate that the problem of eating disorders also occurs in military populations. The necessity of continuing research in this area is discussed.

Renal injuries in conflict zones: a 6-year study of traumatic cases in Afghanistan

PurposeDuring hostilities, gunshot wounds are the most common cause of penetrating injuries. In 8–10% of abdominal injuries kidneys are involved. The treatment method include surgical or conservative treatment (fluids + blood components).MethodsOf 1266 combat trauma cases treated during 6 to 14 rotation of the Polish Military Contingent in Afghanistan, we extracted a subgroup of 44 kidney injuries. Corelation of trauma mechanism, PATI score, treatment methods, and outcomes was evaluated.ResultsOut of the 41 renal injuries, 20 considered left, 18 right, and 3 both kidneys. There were no statistical significancy in injury lateralization (p = 0.669), and no differences regarding side of a trauma and quantity of blood component used for the treatment (p = 0.246). Nephrectomy was performed on 17 patients (13 left vs. 4 right). A significant correlation between PATI score and the need for a nephrectomy (p = 0.027) was confirmed. Penetrating trauma recquired higher number of blood components comparing to blunt trauma (p < 0.001). The renal salvage rate was in study group was 61.36%. The overall survival (OS) rate was 90.25% − 4 patients died due to trauma.ConclusionsThe damage side does not result in a statistically significant increase in the need for blood transfusions or differences in the PATI score. The mechanism of trauma does, however, affect the number of blood components required for treatment, particularly in cases of penetrating trauma. With the introduction of proper treatment, the overall survival rate exceeds 90%, even when opting for conservative treatment.

Body Composition and Cardiovascular Risk: A Study of Polish Military Flying Personnel.

(1) Background: Military personnel worldwide exhibit high rates of obesity. Obesity, and especially visceral obesity, contribute to various health issues, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). While BMI is commonly used to diagnose obesity, it has limitations and does not consider factors like fat distribution or muscle mass. This study aims to assess the relationship between BMI, percent body fat, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and cardiovascular risk factors in Polish military flying personnel. Methods: This study involved 200 men from the Polish Air Force aged 38.8 ± 8.5 years. Anthropometric tests, body composition tests, and tests of biochemical markers of CVD were conducted. (2) Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity varied based on the evaluation criterion; they were present in 63.5% of soldiers by BMI and in 52.5% by percent body fat; abdominal obesity was present in almost half (47%) of the surveyed soldiers according to WC and in 62.5% according to WHtR. All markers of obesity correlated positively with various biochemical markers of CVD, and 8.5% of subjects met the criteria for metabolic syndrome. (3) Conclusions: The prevalence of obesity in Polish military flying personnel, regardless of the evaluation criterion, is associated with significant metabolic complications in the form of lipid disorders and insulin resistance.

Biografia inżyniera Jerzego Budzyńskiego (1892-1979) na podstawie zasobu archiwalnego Instytutu Badawczego Dróg i Mostów

The article describes the life of Jerzy Budzyński, born in 1892 in Warsaw, a student of the gymnasium branch of the Warsaw E. Konopczyński School, a student of the Belgian University of Liège, and a graduate of the Warsaw University of Technology. Fragments of his unpublished diary show how Polish independence organizations were formed in the early 20th century: the Association of Polish Progressive and Independence Youth “Filarecja”, the Union of Active Struggle, the Riflemen’s Association, and the Polish Military Organization. The content of the justifications for the applications for the threetime decoration of the Cross of Valor document Jerzy Budzyński’s participation in the capture of the Mokotów Airport in Warsaw in November 1918 and the self-sacrificing fight in defense of Łomża against the Soviet III Cavalry Corps of Gai-Khan (Gai Dmitrievich Bzhishkyan), at the end of July 1920. During the interwar period, Budzyński was the head of the Road Traffic Division of the Road Department in the Ministry of Transport, creating conditions for the development of road transport and the construction of modern roads in Poland. After the war, as the head of the Poviat Road Administration in Grójec, he rebuilt roads and bridges, e.g. using bridge structures donated by the United Nations Relief and Reconstruction Administration (UNRRA). Budzyński ended his professional career working at the Central Research and Development Center for Road Technology (currently the Road and Bridge Research Institute) as the manager of the Center for the Scientific, Technical and Economic Information and Documentation, disseminating world achievements in road technology in Poland. Jerzy Budzyński’s personal file has been preserved in the archives of the Road and Bridge Research Institute, containing source documents of great value for research on the history of Poland in the 20th century.

Experience gained by the Polish Military Contingent of IRAK in the field of logistic support and preparation of military equipment

ObjectivesThe aim of the article is to present the experience gained by the Polish Military Contingent in Iraq in the field of logistic support and preparation of military equipment. An additional goal is to present how the process of technical security of the Polish Armed Forces outside the country has evolved.MethodsTheoretical research methods were used to author this article, e.g. analysis of specialist military literature and the empirical method - diagnostic survey, interview technique. Based on the observations of soldiers and military personnel, the basic elements of technical protection and preparation of military equipment for a military mission were presented.ResultsThe analysis of the collected information allowed to identify and characterize the experience gained by the Polish Military Contingent in Iraq in the field of logistics support and preparation of military equipment. The article presents the types of used equipment, which has undergone continuous adaptation and modifications.ConclusionsA meticulously organized and functioning technical subsystem determines the proper functioning of military units. The main task of the technical subsystem is to meet the needs of the Polish Armed Forces in times of peace, crisis and war by providing the appropriate amount of military equipment with a maintenance base, as well as providing repair services in the right place and time. On the other hand, in the training process, the technical subsystem prepares logistic units for technical protection in order to ensure the continuity of operations by military subunits.

ІНЦИДЕНТИ ТА КОНФЛІКТИ В ЖИТТІ ПОЛЬСЬКИХ ПАРАМІЛІТАРНИХ ОРГАНІЗАЦІЙ НА ВОЛИНІ В 1921–1939 РОКАХ

The article attempts to outline the incidents and conflicts that took place in the life of Polish paramilitary organizations in Volyn in 1921–1939. It was established that the most common form of resistance to Polish immigrants by the local population was attacks on colonists' farms. It was established that a large number of incidents and conflicts among Ukrainian youth fell on the Rifle Union. It is noted that the Polish military emigrants themselves were often aggressors in relation to the local population. From the very beginning, the resettlement of military settlers to a «foreign» territory was strongly opposed by the Ukrainian peasantry, which rightly did not want to share the land with former Polish soldiers. According to the documents of the State Archives of the Rivne and Volyn regions, in the period of the 20s – 30s of the 20th century. A large number of displaced persons turned to the police and the army with a request to provide weapons (pistols, rifles and even grenades) for self-defense of themselves and their families. It is worth noting that the squatters often appealed to the district elders with complaints about the local voyts and soltis, who insulted and even harassed the squatters and their work. This does not seem surprising, because almost most of the positions in the villages and towns were held by Ukrainians, who made up the majority, and whose attitude towards the Polish military and civilian immigrants was extremely negative. As a form of resistance, raids by local peasants of the settlement farms were extremely common in the Volyn Voivodeship. Polonization, the eradication of Ukrainian identity, multiplied by colonialist treatment, created the basis for the superior behavior of representatives of Polish paramilitary organizations.

Powstanie i działalność struktur wojskowych Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej w zakresie zaopatrzenia materiałowo-technicznego oddziałów Ukraińskiej Republiki Ludowej (kwiecień–październik 1920 r.)

The article is devoted to the little-known aspect of cooperation of the Polish and Ukrainian People Republics. In particular, it addresses the supplies to combat divisions of UPR Army in accordance with the military convention of April 24, 1920. The provision was enabled by the formation and activity of the special military Polish institutions in the Right Bank Ukraine. It deals with the command of the stages of the Polish Troops in Ukraine, Polish military representatives in the UPR government, section “U”, Ukrainian representatives of the 6th Army of the Polish Troops. Their task was to deliver the necessary supplies to the military divisions of the UPR. Special attention was paid to their work performance, which had a general positive effect on the military activity of the Ukrainian divisions in their counteracting the Red Army till the autumn 1920.

Reminiscencje zimnej wojny. Broń jądrowa w realiach Środkowoeuropejskiego Teatru Działań Wojennych

The article presents the importance of nuclear weapons in the military doctrines of the Soviet Union. The analysis concerns the preparations conducted by both the Polish military and its society in the event of a nuclear attack within the Central European Theater of War Operations as well as the risk of mutual nuclear strikes by the Warsaw Pact and NATO. Scenarios of potential strikes and estimates of their hypothetical effects, which were discovered in declassified documents from the Cold War period, were compared to the results of contemporary computerized simulations. The article also covers the importance of nuclear weapons with regards to international relations.

Role of Geographic Information Systems in analysing the selection of cichociemni drop zones based on a case study of the “Mewa 1” drop zone

Abstract The article discusses the possible use of GIS tools in detailed spatial analysis of materials and old maps showing the activities of Polish soldiers during World War II. The research was based on information regarding the military operations of the “Silent and Unseen” paratroopers (in Polish: cichociemni) in the General Government (GG), available in the archives of the Polish Underground Movement Study Trust (in Polish: Studium Polski Podziemnej) in London, as well as on prewar maps of the Polish Military Geographical Institute (in Polish: Wojskowy Instytut Geograficzny – WIG). The authors present the historical background to, and important details of the cichociemni airdrops. They also describe how these operations were organised and suitable airdrop sites selected. The main part of the article is devoted to an analysis and assessment of the extent to which selected drop sites of the cichociemni complied with the criteria contained in the instructions of the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief in London (in Polish: Sztab Naczelnego Wodza w Londynie). The article presents a case study of the “Mewa 1” drop zone located in the GG. The authors used calibrated WIG maps, which they then converted into vector versions. They also made use of modern DTM and a slope map created on its basis. All the criteria for selecting drop zones included in the historical instructions were analysed. Based on the example of the drop zone in question, as well as on the authors’ own spatial analyses, it was concluded that this particular drop zone met some of the criteria formulated in the guidelines of the Commander-in-Chief’s Staff, but only partially met others or failed to meet them at all. In addition, the authors noted a number of limitations regarding these criteria. For example, they did not take into account the locations of the occupiers’ garrisons or anti-aircraft positions, which are particularly important for the success of airdrop operations. The analyses and the results thereof constitute the first study of the armed operations of the cichociemni in GG areas using digital maps and spatial analyses based on GIS.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ПІДГОТОВКИ ТА ВЕДЕННЯ СТАБІЛІЗАЦІЙНИХ ДІЙ ВІЙСЬКОВИМИ ФОРМУВАННЯМИ З ПРАВООХОРОННИМИ ФУНКЦІЯМИ КРАЇН ПІВНІЧНОАТЛАНТИЧНОГО АЛЬЯНСУ

The article explores the essence and content of the preparation and conduct of stabilization actions by military formations with law enforcement functions according to NATO standards. It discusses the activities of the NATO Centres of Excellence, substantiates the concepts, essence, and content of stabilization actions by the security forces of Ukraine. The NATO Advanced Civil-Military Interaction Training Center for Enhancing Qualifications in Law Enforcement Stabilization Actions serves as an international coordination and knowledge hub for the community of interests in the field of stabilization actions with law enforcement characteristics. Currently, the organization consists of the following structures specialized in the described activities: Carabinieri Corps of Italy, Czech Military Police, French Gendarmerie, Greek Army, Polish Military Gendarmerie, Romanian Gendarmerie, Spanish Civil Guard, Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, and Turkish Gendarmerie. The center examines the concept of stabilization actions with law enforcement characteristics applied by NATO member countries in unstable regions (states) in all types of conflicts, ranging from peacetime to high-intensity conflicts. The spectrum of conflicts encompasses four main types of campaigns in which stabilization actions are conducted. Typically, these actions occur both during the initial stages and throughout armed conflicts (combat operations), as well as after their conclusion. The article introduces the definition of law enforcement stabilization actions, which has not been previously reflected in the normative-legal framework of the security sector components of Ukraine. The implementation of a comprehensive set of law enforcement stabilization actions will play a crucial role in the post-war period during the restoration of constitutional order and territorial integrity of Ukraine, which have been affected by Russian occupation.

THE ROLE OF STANAG TESTING IN STRENGTHENING INTEROPERABILITY OF THE POLISH ARMED FORCES WITHIN NATO FORCES

In recent years, scientific and technological advances have changed the modern battlefield, giving rise to new weapons systems and battle strategies. Apart from the challenges posed by new means and methods of warfare, soldiers are faced with an increasing need to rely on their language skills while joining multinational operations. To succeed in an international military environment, bridging the language gap is a must since it contributes to building and strengthening interoperability with NATO forces. The following article is intended to discuss the role of STANAG tests in developing language competence of Polish soldiers as reflected in the language training framework programme for the Polish military, with a focus on the speaking ability. Most importantly, the article highlights the contribution of language testing according to STANAG 6001 to developing interoperability with the Allies, presenting the main phases of the process. In the final part, the authoress attempts to determine to what extent this contribution is really made.

THE CASE OF THE POLISH MILITARY ORGANIZATION OF THE 1930S IN MODERN HISTORIOGRAPHICAL DISCOURSE

The article examines the historiographical work devoted to the persecution of persons of Polish nationality in the Ukrainian SSR within the Polish Military Organization (PMO) case. Ukrainian, Russian and Polish scholars have tried to reconsider the events of that time, overcoming the remnants of the old bias. The purpose of the study is a historiographical analysis of the process and results of research on the PMO case in the 1930s. The research methods used in the article were selected under the purpose and based on the principle of historicism. They are represented by the general scientific analysis method and special scientific historical-comparative and historical-genetic methods. The application of these methods allowed us to consistently trace the process of formation and development of historical knowledge on the studied issues. The periodization of the government's punitive and repressive policy towards Polish nationals within the PMO case in the 1930s was first proposed. It has been established that Ukrainian, Polish, and Russian scholars have studied the causes, forms, and consequences of the Soviet government's punitive and repressive policies toward Poles within the PMO case and have formed and published a significant corpus of sources. The events were traced to the processes of rehabilitation of convicts and the study of the fate of the families of Polish detainees. It should be noted that the research has great social significance as historians aim to form a public consciousness of the condemnation of Stalin's crimes and the impossibility of an acquittal policy regarding them. Several tasks have been identified that require further research efforts by scientists from different countries.

Analysis of the Number and Type of Vaccinations Performed among Polish Soldiers in 2018-2021.

Vaccination is a very common topic, but it is rarely raised or discussed with respect to military members. Soldiers are one of the main professional groups to be immunized on a regular basis. The military actively participates in research on new vaccine preparations. This paper presents data from 2018-2021 on vaccination among Polish soldiers. The material obtained from the Central Register of Vaccination for Professional Soldiers was analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. The number of injections performed in a given period depends on the location of the ongoing missions and the vaccination schedule specific to a given Polish Military Contingent. In Poland, soldiers undergo preventive vaccinations in accordance with the scheme developed by the Armed Forces Operational Command, taking into account the specific nature of the service, epidemiological risks and the calendar of current preventive vaccinations. Soldiers serving abroad are immunized against typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies, measles, tick-borne encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis, polio, diphtheria, meningococcal disease, chickenpox, cholera and yellow fever. Regular vaccinations for soldiers are necessary to minimize the spread of infectious diseases, and they have a beneficial effect upon the effectiveness of military operations.

FORGOTTEN HERO: JAN MORAWIŃSKI (1907–1949). PART TWO

Having been discharged from hospital in January 1945, Jan Morawiński became a curator at a new Branch of the National Museum in Warsaw. His main task was guardianship of the collection and Palace’s preservation. On 13 January 1946, Morawiński left for Berlin’s Polish Military Mission as a specialist in restituting Polish cultural assets from Germany. Morawiński’s scope of activities covered first of all the issues of the restitution of Polish cultural assets, acquisition of Polonica from German collections, and purchase of art works. In the course of his mission he operated mainly within the British occupation zone in Germany. The Polish claims submitted by Morawiński to the British were related mainly to the Grasleben depository and the bells amassed in Hamburg. After months-long efforts, he succeeded in leaving for Hamburg in order to ascertain the presence of about a thousand bells of Polish provenance there. Furthermore, Morawiński operated within the Soviet occupation zone. In Saxony’s Nossen he discovered nine paintings which had come from Cracow. One of his greatest successes was to win the permission of the English to recover the archival resources originally from Gdansk, Elbląg, Szczecin, and Toruń. With the financing provided by the Ministry of Culture and Art he purchased, among others, the painting by Teodor Lubieniecki Family in the Park Background, a cup of Augustus II (1698), and two etchings featuring John III Sobieski. Having finished his Berlin assignment, he became head of the Polish Military Mission in the French occupation zone in Germany. In May 1949, he returned to Poland to become a Cultural Counselor at Poland’s Embassy in Rome. Morawiński died suddenly in Warsaw on 13 December 1949.

Threats to the security of Polish military contingents in the UN forces on the example of the PMC in Lebanon – experiences and perspectives

This paper attempts to identify threats to the security environment of Lebanon and the prospects for their changes, affecting the activities of Polish military contingents and their personnel, taking into account historical aspects, internal and external threats and contemporary conditions of the security environment of the region and Lebanon. It uses the results of research conducted by the author in the years 2012-2020. Included in the study there are Polish military contingents operating as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) between 1992 and 2009, such as: the Polish Military Medical Unit, the Polish Military Contingent in Lebanon (PMC Lebanon/PMC UNIFIL), and the “new” PMC in Lebanon, which began performing mandated tasks in November 2019. Polish contingent operations in Lebanon have been affected by the aftermath of the never-ending conflict with Israel since 1948, the civil war in Syria, the growth of terrorist organisations in the Levant region, Shiite Hezbollah, growing in terms of military strength and political influence, and nearly two million war refugees. These factors resulted in a significant increase in threats to peacekeepers and observers serving in Lebanon, and the primary source of these threats is the direct impact caused by the enemy using various heavy weapons, aviation and other arms in attacks on the bases, patrols and posts of the contingent’s subdivisions. UNIFIL forces, together with the PMC Lebanon, are likely to face the problem of “participation” in another armed conflict, whether small or large-scale. The PMC soldiers, due to their deployment and the nature of their tasks, are likely to be exposed to possible personnel loss and material damage.

Food Safety Delivered for Polish Military Cadets during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Food Safety Delivered for Polish Military Cadets during the COVID-19 Pandemic