NOWAK Alojzy

1894

1939

Organiser and commander of the insurgent troops in the Września poviat and lieutenant colonel of the Polish Army. Born on 20 June 1894 in Poznań, to the family of Wawrzyn - a school usher, and Weronika née Maciejewska. In 1914, he graduated from gymnasium in Krotoszyn. In August, he was drafted into the Germany army. In October 1918, he was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. In the middle of December he arrived in Września together with his regiment, where he took part in preparations for the Uprising. He organised companies in Miłosław, Strzałkowo and Września. From 27 December, he was the commander of the Września battalion. He took part in the seizure of Witkowo (29 December) and in the skirmish near Zdziechowa (30-31 December 1918). From 8 January 1919, he commanded the Września machine gun company. He became famous during the battles for Szubin (11 January 1919). On 5-6 February, he commanded the 4th Jarocin Company in the so called second battle of Rawicz. In April 1919, he was appointed commander of the 2nd battalion of the 4th Greater Poland Rifle Regiment (58 Infantry Regiment). On 24 June 1919, he was promoted to second lieutenant, then in January 1920, he was promoted to the rank of captain. In the ranks of the regiment, he fought on the Eastern Front. From January 1921, he worked covertly in the Upper Silesia region under the pseudonym “Neugebauer", as one of the leading organisers of the third Uprising, and then became the commander of the operating group: “North”. One of the insurgent armoured trains was named after him. Upon completion of the training course at the Infantry Training Centre in Rembertowo (November 1921 - February 1922), he took over command of the 2 battalion of the 58 Infantry Regiment. In January 1928 he was promoted to the rank of major and in January 1934 – lieutenant colonel. In 1938, he became the commander of the 13th Infantry Regiment. In 1939 he commanded that regiment in heavy fighting in the area of Modlin. He was killed on 24 September, leading an attack of the regiment from the area of Kazuń towards Czosnów and Palmiry. He was buried at the cemetery in Kazuń Polski, from which he was exhumed and buried at the Powązki Cemetery on 20 February 1952. He was awarded the Order of Virtuti Militari of the 5th class, the Cross of Independence, the Cross of Valour (twice), the Golden Cross of Merit, and, posthumously, the Greater Poland Insurgent Cross. From his marriage to Maria Ganke, he had two sons: Lech and Ludomir.

B. Polak, Nowak Alojzy (1894-1939) (in:) Słownik biograficzny powstańców wielkopolskich 1918-1919, ed. A. Czubiński, B. Polak, Poznań 2002, pp. 250-251

Michał Polak