# Home Army Witness Statements _Slug: `ak-witness-statements` · HTML: https://czartoryski.dcz.ca/articles/ak-witness-statements.html_ AK service testimonials for Adam Czartoryski  |  Transcribed by Jerzy Czartoryski, Aylmer, 2016 AK Witness Statements -- Adam Czartoryski Both documents are handwritten, on both sides of the same sheet of paper, apparently by my Father rather than by the witnesses. One wonders whether both attached documents were prepared by Father for Kablak and Cieslak -- as both texts are nearly identical. Jerzy Czartoryski, Aylmer, QC, 24 May 2016. -- -- -- Witness Statement -- Page 1 28 February 1985 Jan Kablak-Ziembicki\ Codename "Halny," codename "Klin." Participant in the Resistance Movement in the Podhale region; member of ZWZ-AK in 1940-44; from September 1944, Commandant of the AK Nowy Targ District, Inspectorate "Niwa" (Nowy Sacz). Witness Statement I declare that the citizen Adam Czartoryski, son of Witold and Jadwiga nee Dzieduszycka, born 16 January 1906 in Pelkinie, participated in armed struggle against the occupier in the ranks of the Home Army in the Podhale region, for a total period from March 1942 to November 1944. He was sworn in by me on 17 March 1944 and appointed by the then Commandant of the AK Nowy Targ District as Commandant of the AK post "Siec" (Network) in Szczawnica. I met the above-mentioned officer multiple times at briefings and meetings in the area of Nowy Targ, Szczawnica, safe houses, and partisan camps -- including at the premises of Captain B. Durkala ("Slawic") on Luban, Captain "Lampart" (J. Zapala) in Ochotnica, Major "Borowy" (A. Stabrawa) in Szczawa, and elsewhere. In November 1944 he was transferred to the AK District in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, where he continued to participate in clandestine activities until January 1945. Lieutenant "Szpak" -- during the period from March 1942 to November 1944 -- served as commandant of AK post "Siec" in Szczawnica and periodically as commander of the 11th Company, 4th Battery, 1st Podhale Rifles Regiment AK, in the rank of lieutenant. As director of the spa establishment and chief forester of the Szczawnica-Szlachtowa forest district, he conducted very active clandestine activities in both the civilian and military spheres. He employed workers in the forests, holding 45 fictitious Arbeitskarten, protecting people from deportation to Germany. In directing the spa establishment, he provided substantial assistance to the local health service in serving the civilian population and in treating Polish and Soviet partisans. He organised the distribution of underground press and the supply of food (mainly bread) to partisan units. Lieutenant "Szpak" organised two military platoons in Szczawnica, kept secret, providing their equipment and training, as well as appropriate intelligence activity concerning the movements, numbers, and arms of the Germans, passing the collected information to headquarters. Initiating clandestine activity among the blue police, and acting in agreement with Major "Borowy," on 28 July 1944 he ordered the mobilisation of the blue police training school in Szczawnica, during which 4 gendarmes were eliminated. Lieutenant "Szpak" administered the oath to the policemen and handed them over with partisan escort from his post, as a combat unit with weapons, to Captain "Lampart" in the Gorce mountains. Through appropriate information action among the civilian population (instruction and guidance), he brought it about that the disoriented Germans carried out no reprisals against the inhabitants. Lieutenant "Szpak" moved with one platoon into the forests of the Radziejowa range and later to Captain "Lampart" in Ochotnica, where for a period he was commander of the 11th Company of the 4th Battalion, which he subsequently handed over to Second Lieutenant A. Wirnicki, codename "Pazur." He took part in combat operations against the Border Guard posts at Biala Woda (1 October 1944), Szlachtowa, and elsewhere. In mid-November 1944 he was transferred to the AK District Command in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, where he continued clandestine activities until liberation in January 1945. For his activity in the AK Resistance Movement, Lieutenant Adam Czartoryski, codename "Szpak," by order of the Commander of the Silesia-Cieszyn Operational Group and General "Olza" at the end of January 1945 was decorated with the Silver Cross of Merit with Swords. He was an outstanding organiser of the Resistance Movement, a distinguished and brave soldier. Vice-President of the Board of the ZBOWID Krakow-Nowa Huta District,\ Mgr. Inz. Zbigniew Faix-Dabrowski,\ Jan Kablak-Ziembicki\ Commandant, AK Nowy Targ District -- -- -- Witness Statement -- Page 2 Jan Cieslak, "Maciej"\ Chief of Staff, 1st PSP AK\ Inspectorate "Niwa" "...of the AK Resistance Movement. In March 1942 he was sworn in by Lieutenant Jan Kablak-Ziembicki, codename 'Halny,' 'Klin,' officer of the AK Nowy Targ District Command, and appointed Commandant of the Szczawnica post. During the reorganisation of the PSP-AK he served as first commander of the 11th Company, later handed over to Second Lieutenant 'Pazur.' I had official contact with the above-mentioned in the command of the 4th Company of Captain 'Lampart' in Ochotnica, in the regimental command at Major Borowy's in Szczawa, in Nowy Targ, and in other locations. The above-mentioned held the rank of lieutenant, assigned to the AK Nowy Sacz Inspectorate, for a total period from March 1942 to November 1944. Lieutenant 'Szpak' arrived in Szczawnica in March 1942, and after being sworn in by the AK Nowy Targ District Commandant as Commandant of the post 'Siec' in Szczawnica, began the organisational and training work of two partisan platoons. Through appropriate propaganda and clandestine work, on 28 July 1944 he brought about the mobilisation of the blue police school in Szczawnica, its mutiny, and the elimination of the German gendarmes. Lieutenant 'Szpak,' after administering the oath to the policemen -- publicly, in Szczawnica's Dietl Square -- sent the unit to Captain 'Lampart's' camp in the Gorce mountains. The action was carried out in such a way as not to provoke reprisals from the occupier. After his exposure, Lieutenant 'Szpak' moved with a platoon to the forest in the Radziejowa range, later to the Gorce mountains to Captain 'Lampart.' Lieutenant 'Szpak' took part in a number of combat operations, including on 1 October 1944, when together with Second Lieutenant 'Pazur' he commanded the action against the German border guard post at Biala Woda, and participated in organising the attack on the post at Szlachtowa, carried out by Lieutenant 'Przyjaciel.' In the Szczawnica-Kroscienko area and its surroundings an excellent intelligence network functioned, organised among others by Lieutenant 'Szpak.' All information about the Germans was passed to the post on Luban or directly to the regimental command. Apart from his military activities, Lieutenant 'Szpak,' as commandant of a field post, looked after the civilian population, organised assistance for the health service enabling the treatment of Polish and Soviet partisans, the sick and the wounded, and protected the young from deportation to Germany for forced labour, through appropriate contacts with the Arbeitsamt, etc. Lieutenant Adam Czartoryski was an outstandingly gifted conspirator in the Resistance Movement, a brave and prudent soldier who properly fulfilled his duty to the Fatherland. In November 1944 he was transferred to the command of the AK District at Kalwaria Zebrzydowska." Mgr. Inz. Zbigniew Faix-Dabrowski,\ Vice-President of the Board of the ZBOWID Krakow-Nowa Huta District,\ Jan Cieslak, codename "Maciej"