Warsaw. Comic book about the Bielany campaign

One of the most reckless operations of the Polish underground during World War II found comic cards. “Action Bielany” tells how a dozen or so soldiers of the Home Army blew up five German Luftwaffe machines.

Of the five airports that operated in Warsaw, Bielańskie is the least known. His story was the shortest and is not well documented. It is known that it was in the place of today's Wawrzyszew housing estate, hooking the area of ​​the tram depot and the eastern areas of the steelworks.

Unfinished airport

– A phenomenon of interest in aviation broke out in the Second Polish Republic. It was associated with adventure, risk, and the great world. International competition aroused great social interest. The military pilots and sport were idols from the headlines. This phenomenon made a real sports airport needed in Warsaw. It was to be built in Bielany. This idea was preceded by the liquidation of the airport in Pole Mokotowski – said the historian Mateusz Napieralski during the recent premiere of the comic book “Akcja Bielany”.

Work on the new airport began in 1938, the war interrupted. During the occupation, the Germans took over the area and transformed it into the Luftwaffe air base. They hardened the runway, built hangars, flight control tower and refueling points.

– It was a stage, liaison and transport airport – the supply of the Eastern Front went through them. It was strongly guarded, but not strong enough that the fences could not be pushed and a few junkers to pieces – noted Napieralski.

“Action Bielany” was released

They destroyed five aircraft

The action was carried out by a special unit “Jan” (in short Osjan) created by Captain Jan Kajus Andrzejewski, nickname “Jan”. After his promotion in the structures of Kedyw, the command was taken by lieutenant Julian Barkas “Sawicz” and formally speaking, from that moment the unit was called from his nickname. But the first name was entered in the historical and collective literature, so we will also use it.

It was Jan Andrzejewski who was the originator of the action and took part in it. He commissioned the plan and recognition to Sergeant Aleksander Wąsowicz “Fate” and Jerzy Trushall “Oliwa”. The command center was arranged in an unfinished house on the corner of Kasprowicza Street and Aleja Union.

A dozen or so people headed towards the airport, where the Junkers Ju 52/3m triangular aircraft stood. They cut the net to get to the plate. After a while, five double teams ran towards the planes. At the junction of the left wing with the hull, they put on explosives.

“Jan” was to be only an observer on behalf of Kedyw, but he was suffered by a soldier's fantasy. He tried to remove the machine gun from one aircraft, which he finally failed. Lonts were set on fire to the whistle of the commanding action “falls” and the subversives rushed to escape. A moment later they were shelled by German sentries. They answered with fire. There were without own losses – only one of the soldiers was harmlessly wounded in the buttock.

They killed Poles in retaliation

The action turned out to be a success. Five junkers were completely destroyed, three more were damaged. The scale of the impact was so great that the Germans were initially convinced that the Allied aviation was bombarded. It wasn't until the morning that they understood how they were out of them.

They took revenge on the inhabitants of the nearby Brzezina colony for their failure.

– According to reports from the underground press, they burned three or four buildings, then there were wooden buildings. The historian of the Home Army Tomasz Strzembosz in the “Armed Actions of underground Warsaw” said that in the forest near Łomianki, as a consequence of this action, eight residents of Brzezin were murdered. This was the price – said Napieralski.

Who was the source of Bartoszewski?

Mateusz Napieralski noticed that the “Bielany” campaign and the airport itself are still waiting for their historian.

– Most of the knowledge is based on one text by Władysław Bartoszewski from the weekly “Capital” from October 1957, that is, after Gomułkowska, when it was possible to write about the Warsaw Uprising and the Home Army. I asked myself: where did Władysław Bartoszewski know about her 13 years after this action? – said Napieralski. And he noticed that Bartoszewski was not witnessing the action, he could only know her from laconic reports, while he gave accurate information and even cited dialogues.

– I thought he had to talk to one of the participants. I started checking at cemeteries in which every participant of the action died. It turned out that when Bartoszewski wrote his text, nine participants lived. I selected that the main personal source was Zygmunt Roloff, the nickname “Wojtek”. He was the only participant whose author of the article did not mention by name, only gave the nickname – Mateusz Napieralski described his inquiries. He added that the second informant could also be the driver of “Osjana” Jan Stanisław Cwil.

You will get the comic for free

The comic script was written by Maciej Jasiński, experienced in a historical subject author of such items as “1956: Poznań June”, “1981: Wujek Mine” or the series “Secrets of Dag Fabrik”. Despite the limited source material, he coped with the task. He did not ignore the difficult topic of German retaliation – the prices paid by civilians for the “Bielany” campaign.

For the cartoonist Jacek Michalski, the challenge was the fact that the operation took place at night. He could show expression at the scenes of explosions. In flashbacks and episodes taking place in closed spaces, he reached for a more subdued, “autumn” colorist.

The RM Publishing House took care of a good printing level.

The comic can be obtained for free at the Bielany District Office. Earlier, you should send an email to bielany.fototeka@um.warszawa.pl and make an appointment.