Jan Włodarczyk, the soldier of Home Army, pseudonym „Rezeda”, during the occupation lived in Lubomierz village (Bocheński district). Many times he showed great courage and devotion to what he was doing. His wife Zofia also worked for the Home Army.

Gdów wasn’t the best strategically placed location. During the occupation, took place military actions between German and Soviet army. The day before the battle for the crossing on Rabia river Soviet troops found out all points of resistance to the Germans. They were placed on the top of Wymysłów hill, in the forest of near Lubomierz and in the manor in Zagórzany. The German troops were very well equipped with machine guns, supported by artillery. Jan Włodarczyk was the guide and directed the Soviet troops to Zręczyc. The knowledge of the area made the units attacked by surprise and from the back of a manor in Zagórzany. Thanks to this maneuver the Germans did not get to the center of Gdańsk.

At Włodarczyk’s house, was a guerrilla branch of the Home Army commanded by Józef Misior, pseudonym „Prąd”. Jan also chaired the contingent committee and protected the people from forced labor trips to Germany: he recommended to record in protocols that there were no people available for work – they were busy working on the farms; he gave false statistics in favor of the hosts. „During the occupation, the Jews who were hiding in my house got food and aid, and during the Germans invasion on Zagórzany Jews fled at night to the forests. After the departure of the Germans from the village, Jews returned to my house”1.

In the summer of 1943 Jan was arrested by German officers. He was imprisoned and brutally interrogated in Bochnia. He was suspected of being linked to guerrilla groups. „I was present at the release of Włodarczyk Jan in Bochnia, who was beaten by the Nazis to such extent that he could not sit in the car.”2.

Bibliography:

  1. FLV, P. Wajda, Zasłużony gdowianin, Gmina Gdów, listopad – grudzień 2013 r.
  2. FLV, Oświadczenie Ludwika Matuszyka z 07.07.1958 r.
  3. FLV, Oświadczenie Jana Nawalańca z 03.09.1958 r.