The Joyful Warrior
Poland has not always had the easiest time on the world stage; whether it is something serious like being invaded or something trivial like being the butt of jokes about intelligence. One thing that can not be denied is the pride of the Polish people, and above all others the story that highlights the pride of the Polish people is when they drafted a orphaned brown bear into the army.
In 1942 a new regiment was formed out of recently released Polish prisoners from Siberian work camps. The bulk of these prisoners were taken under the 1939 Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, in which both Germany and the Soviet Union would invade Poland from the west and east respectively and furthermore they agreed not to invade one another. In 1941, when Germany invaded the Soviet Union the pact became null and void and prisoners taken under the pact (which were mostly Polish) set free. This was probably more Stalin playing politics in getting Poland to not choose neutrality than Stalin being mad at Hitler (because if in the same position Stalin probably would have done the exact same thing).
Although the unit was created in the Soviet Union, it was quickly shifted under British command. The organizing area for the unit’s first combat mission was to be in the Middle East, and on their way the soon to be soldiers encountered a cub in a mountainous region of Persia (present day Iran). The cub was an orphan and tended to by a shepherd boy; a civilian traveling with the troops took a liking to the bear and persuaded an officer to purchase him. The boy’s family taught the soldiers how to care for the bear, such as feeding him from a bottle. When the troops arrived in the organizing area of Palestine, the bear was taken to his new home (at least for a few years): the 22nd Artillery Company, Polish 2nd Corp. The bear was given the name first name Wojtek (pronounced Voy-tek) and made unit mascot while training in Palestine. Wojtek became more than a mascot however, he became a friend.
As the bond between Wojtek and his comrades grew they increasingly wanted Wojtek to accompany them on a transport ship to Italy, but there was only one problem Wojtek’s handler, a solider by the name of Peter Prendys, neglected to tell the unit commanding officer about Wojtek. When the C.O. met Wojtek for the first time Peter knew he would have to get rid of the bear, especially after Wojtek playfully bit Peter’s C.O., but the C.O. stunned Peter by laughing it off and admiring the bear for his spirit. He also surprised Peter by suggesting Wojtek be drafted into the Army as the bear’s spirit and “will to survive” might rub off on the soldiers. When official documents had to be filed for Wojtek, he was given the last name Perski (the Polish word for Persian) as an inside joke.
Wojtek and the army both took his new ‘promotion’ seriously. He had his own paybook (though he didn’t receive money), ID, slept with the troops, he even carried mortar shells to the front during the Battle of Monte Cassino (Wojtek reportedly did not drop a single box of ammunition). Wojtek wasn’t all work however, often wrestling the men who could gather enough courage to wrestle a full grown bear, even though the soldiers knew Wojtek was a gentle soul who would never hurt them. If victorious (which he always was) Wojtek would get a reward; either a bottle of beer, which he would peer into when empty or a lit cigarette, which he would take one puff of then promptly eat. Wojtek even stopped a robbery while back in Palestine. The would be thief broke into the ammunition depot on the base where the 2nd Corp awaited their deployment orders, which was where Wojtek was sleeping. The thief had the usual reaction to waking up a sleeping bear, and was caught dead in his tracks, scared to move. Wojtek’s reward? A bottle of beer. Wotek also enjoyed ‘showing off’ for civilians, and made friends with other company mascots, such as a monkey named Kasha (Kasha is rumored to have died of a broken heart after her baby lived less than a year).
When WWII ended in 1945, the 22nd artillery was disbanded in Scotland and Wojtek was sent to the Edinburgh Zoo. Most of his former unit remained in Scotland, because Poland had been overthrown by a communist government, including his friend Peter Prendys. Various members of Wojtek’s old unit would come and visit from time to time, and throw him occasional cigarette, but never Peter. Peter could not bring himself to see Wojtek locked up in a zoo.
Although the communist government in Poland wanted to bring him back home, Wojtek’s comrades came to his aide. They fought for Wojtek to remain at the Edinburgh Zoo where he was happy entertaining tourists. Wojtek died in 1963 still waiting for Peter, his death was a major news story, he is remembered in books, documentaries, monuments, and even a logo in the Polish army. In a time when the Polish people had lost their country to the Nazis and later to the Communists, Wojtek became a symbol of the spirit of the Polish people. Poland could not be more proud of their soldier bear.
Sources:
Wojtek the bear: Polish war hero - Aileen Orr Soldier bear - Bibi Dumon Tak and Philip Hopman The soldier bear Wojtekk story - Thesoldierbear.com Story of Poland's 'Soldier Bear’ Wojtek turned into film - Martin Vennard [BBC News]