Polish Falcons from Nests 31, 79, and 86 around Detroit, Mich., participate in military exercises in 1916.
From 1795 to 1918, Poland was partitioned between three different nations: Prussia, Russia, and Austria. Many Poles believed that they would have to be prepared to win their independence through direct military action, czyn zbrojny. The Polish Falcons of America, founded in 1887, used their physical fitness activities to begin preparing for military service. When World War I began in Europe, the Polish Falcons increased their military training exercises and began an aggressive recruitment campaign. Ultimately, more than 20,000 Polish-American men joined the ranks of General Haller’s Polish Army in France to support the cause of Polish independence.
To learn more about the military history of the Polish Falcons of America, check out the photographs in our Military Collection!