About the Patron of the Center

“…I appeal to future generations of Poles not to forget the names of the Heroes of the Polish Underground State, to care for Their graves and for the places of struggle and martyrdom, and above all, to love our Homeland – Poland.”

A generational message from Brigadier General Zdzisław Baszak on his 102nd birthday.

Brigadier General Zdzisław Baszak, codename Pirat (1920–2024), soldier of the 16th Tarnów Infantry Regiment, participant in the Defensive War of 1939, officer of the Home Army (AK) Tarnów Inspectorate, founder of the Tarnów District of the World Association of Home Army Soldiers and the Home Army Memorial Room in Tarnów.

Powiśle Dąbrowskie – childhood and school years

Zdzisław Baszak was born on 8 July 1920 in Wola Gręboszowska, in the Dąbrowa Tarnowska district. His father, Jan, came from the area of Sądowa Wisznia (now Ukraine), and his mother, Stefania Tarka, from Borusowa in the Powiśle Dąbrowskie region. He also had a younger brother, Zbigniew. He was educated successively at the primary school in Delastowice, the Municipal Coeducational Gymnasium of Marshal J. Piłsudski in Dąbrowa Tarnowska, and from 1935 at the 2nd Gymnasium of Hetman Jan Tarnowski in Tarnów, where he passed his final examinations in 1938.

Before the war

Before beginning his law studies, he decided to complete his compulsory military service by attending the Infantry Officer Cadet Course of the 6th Infantry Division in Kraków. Shortly before the outbreak of war, he was assigned to the 2nd battalion of the 16th Infantry Regiment stationed in Tarnów, serving as commander of the heavy machine gun platoon.

First wartime experience

Together with his regiment, he took part in the border battle near Pszczyna, where on 2 September 1939 the platoon under his command was crushed by an attack of the German 5th Panzer Division advancing through Ćwiklice. In that battle, 217 soldiers of the 2nd battalion were killed; according to Zdzisław Baszak, he himself “miraculously survived.” After regrouping, the retreating units of the 16th Infantry Regiment continued fighting until the surrender of the 6th Infantry Division on 20 September near Cieszanów.

In the Service for Poland’s Victory, the Union of Armed Struggle… codename “Pirat” (October 1939–1941)

After returning home in October 1939, he was recruited by Major Stanisław Sowiźrał into the Service for Poland’s Victory (SZP). At just nineteen years old, he began forming the Dąbrowa Tarnowska district of the SZP–ZWZ, where he served as deputy commander. In March 1940, he handed over his duties to Captain Władysław Kabat “Brzechwa.” That same year, he was captured by the Germans. Among the arresting officers was Engelbert Guzdek, a German gendarme known for his cruelty, called the “Executioner of Powiśle.”

In fortunate circumstances, Zdzisław Baszak escaped German custody. He left the Dąbrowa region and, living undercover as Zdzisław Barański, began organising operations in the Busko district against the Germans as well as actions supporting the local population.

In the Service of the Home Army (Armia Krajowa)

From the end of 1942, in cooperation with the commander of the Dąbrowa Tarnowska Home Army District, “Drewniak” (“Brzechwa”), he carried out sabotage and diversion operations (including the seizure of weapons depots in Wola Rogowska and Przybysławice, and the disarming of Germans from the local Stützpunkt), as well as expropriation actions (“Sugar”, “Coal”) and liquidation operations against informers and blackmailers.

As an officer of diversion, he commanded the Dąbrowa Tarnowska–Radgoszcz post (“Dzięcioł”, “Danuta”) until January 1945.

(In the photo: Core group of the sabotage and diversion unit; from left: standing — Władysław Dul, codename “Kmicic”, Zdzisław Baszak, codename “Pirat”, Mieczysław Skrzek, codename “Konrad”; seated — Ludwik Purchla, codename “Walek”. Autumn 1944. Photo: Tarnów District of the World Association of Home Army Soldiers.)

Operation “Most III” (25/26 July 1944)

“Most III” (“Bridge III”) was a special transfer operation whose goal was to deliver to the Allied forces fragments of Hitler’s “wonder weapon” — the V-2 rocket, the unexploded remains of which had been obtained in May 1944 near Sarnaki on the Bug River by soldiers of the 22nd Home Army Infantry Regiment.

The V-2 was the first successful ballistic missile in history and was used by the Germans on a large scale as a retaliatory weapon aimed at the cities of Europe.

Zdzisław Baszak secured the course of Operation “Most III”, serving as deputy commander of the landing zone “Motyl” (“Butterfly”), located between the villages of Wał-Ruda and Jadowniki Mokre. From this site, couriers and parts of the V-2 — together with the analysed technical documentation — were to be transported to the West.

Thanks to his quick reaction and resourcefulness, he contributed to the success of the operation by enabling the takeoff of a C-47 Skytrain “Dakota” aircraft, which had become stuck in the marshy ground, on its way to the Campo Cassale airbase. Those responsible for organising Operation “Most III” were: Inspector Stefan Musiałek-Łowicki “Mirosław”, Captain Władysław Kabat “Brzechwa” (commander of the “Motyl” airfield security), and Lieutenant Zdzisław Baszak “Pirat” (deputy commander of the security). Due to difficulties during takeoff, the entire operation lasted about an hour, although it had been planned to take only a few minutes.

(In the photo: the blessing of the Monument to Operation “Most III”; Lt. Zdzisław Baszak delivering a speech, Wał-Ruda, 2009. Photo: Tarnów County Office.)

And after the war… imprisonment (1948–1952)

After the war, Zdzisław Baszak began his studies at the Academy of Commerce in Kraków, but in 1948 he was arrested by the Security Office (Urząd Bezpieczeństwa) for his activity in the Home Army, which forced him to discontinue his education. He was sentenced to six years in prison, but due to an amnesty he spent three years behind bars. During this time, he received — smuggled into the prison — a photograph of his wife with their newborn daughter, Jolanta.

After his release, he had great difficulty finding employment, and it was not until 1967 that he managed to secure a position at the Ministry of Agriculture.

(In the photo: His wife with their daughter Jolanta — a photo secretly delivered to the imprisoned Zdzisław Baszak, 1950. Photo: family archive.)

Among the Ranks of Veterans

In 1982, Zdzisław Baszak retired. In 1989, he co-founded the structures of the World Association of Home Army Soldiers (ŚZŻAK) in the Tarnów region, becoming head of the Inspectorate and later president of the Tarnów District. A year later, he established the Home Army Memorial Room in Dąbrowa Tarnowska, which he moved in 1994 to Tarnów, to a former barracks building on Mościckiego Street. As president, he coordinated the activities of local chapters in several counties, supported the creation of school AK clubs, and initiated cooperation between local governments in commemorating the combat trail of the 16th Infantry Regiment. He organised the commemorations of Operation “Most III” and, in 2000, became the founder of the monument dedicated to the Home Army soldiers and the 16th Infantry Regiment, situated in front of the Memorial Room.

From Officer Cadet to Brigadier General

1939 – After completing the Infantry Reserve Officer Cadet Course, he obtained the rank of officer cadet. During the Defensive War he served as commander of the heavy machine-gun platoon of the 16th Tarnów Infantry Regiment.

1943–1945 – Officer of diversion at the Command of the Dąbrowa Tarnowska Home Army District (“Drewniaki”). During Operation “Most III” he held the rank of lieutenant (with a promotion request submitted on 6 July 1944).

Post-war honorary promotions granted by formal decisions of state authorities: promotions from Captain (1992) to Reserve Colonel (2007).

2010 – By decision of the Minister of National Defence, Bogdan Klich, awarded the Gold Medal of Merit for National Defence.

2020 – By decision of the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, awarded the Medal of the Centenary of Regaining Independence.

2021 – Appointment to the rank of Brigadier General, signed by the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda.

Posthumous Commemoration

Zdzisław Baszak passed away on 28 November 2024 at the age of 104 — until the end full of spirit, energy, and faith in the future of the Homeland and the nation. A SOLDIER and a PATRIOT.

25 November 2025 – the day of the ceremonial naming of the Regional Education Center of Remembrance and the square with a monument commemorating the 16th Infantry Regiment and Home Army soldiers, located in front of the building of the institution, after General Zdzisław Baszak.

Its permanent exhibition is dedicated to key issues related to World War II, also significant in the context of Tarnów and the region, including the history and combat routes of the 16th Infantry Regiment and the 5th Mounted Rifles Regiment, the German occupation of Tarnów and the surrounding area, forms of underground resistance activity, the first mass transport of Poles to KL Auschwitz, Operation “Most III,” and the Battle of Jamna fought in 1944 as part of Operation “Tempest.”

An additional asset of the exhibition is the presentation of biographies of important figures for the region during World War II and the period of post-war repression. A fundamental role of the branch is also museum education directed primarily at pupils of primary and secondary schools. The classes offered complement school curricula in both history and Polish language education. Participants, both young and adult, encounter the past and learn facts in an engaging and interactive way, and – most importantly – in direct contact with authentic World War II artifacts.

The Regional Center for Education about Remembrance is also a venue for historical events, including the Historical Picnic – the Feast of the 16th Infantry Regiment, which keeps the region’s history alive in this place.

(In the photo: Brig. Gen. Zdzisław Baszak with members of the Tarnów District of the World Association of Home Army Soldiers during the opening of the Regional Center for Education about Remembrance, 29.11.2021, photo: Maciej Małozięć, Vice-President of the Tarnów District of the ŚZŻAK).

One place – two directions of commemorating history…

35 years of the Tarnów District of the ŚZŻAK.

One shared maxim: “The Good of the Republic is the supreme law.”

The building of the Regional Center for Education about Remembrance also houses the headquarters of the Tarnów District of the World Association of Home Army Soldiers (ŚZŻAK). In June 1990, the Tarnów Inspectorate of the ŚZŻAK was established, subordinate to the Małopolska District of the ŚZŻAK based in Kraków. On 14 February 1991, following elections, the board of the Tarnów Inspectorate was appointed: Zdzisław Baszak became President, Józef Lulek – Secretary, and Roman Majka – Treasurer. That year, the membership included 876 people (717 regular members, 108 associate members, and 51 dependents). The territorial reach encompassed as many as 16 local branches.

From May 1994, when the Tarnów District of the ŚZŻAK was established, the Brzesko Branch and the Dębica Division were additionally incorporated. In the following years, branches from Nowy Sącz and Gorlice also joined the District. By 1995, the Tarnów District had grown to nearly 1,400 members. By mid-2010, only 457 remained. Zdzisław Baszak served as President of the Tarnów District until 2014, when he was awarded the title of Honorary President during the assembly, and his role passed – through voting – to Ryszard Żądło, who continues to hold the position.

The achievements of the Tarnów District of the ŚZŻAK include:

• Annual July commemorations of Operation “Most III” in Zabawa and Wał-Ruda, August ceremonies honoring those who fell in the Battle of Kałużówka, as well as events in Jamna, Dąbry, and Lichwin commemorating the bravery of the “Barbara” Battalion.
• Numerous monuments and plaques funded to commemorate the heroism of Home Army soldiers (including in Wał-Ruda, Dębica, Jamna, Dąbry, Sucha Góra, Brzesko, Gorlice, and Lichwin), as well as a series of memorial plaques dedicated to Home Army soldiers in Tarnów.
• School History Clubs named after the Home Army, established by Zdzisław Baszak starting in 2010, cultivating history and remembrance of the AK and the phenomenon of the Polish Underground State.

All activities of the ŚZŻAK are directed toward preserving memory, promoting the history of World War II, and supporting the few remaining “witnesses of history.”