In extreme conditions it is easy to fall into a tendency to magical thinking. It was no different with the participants of the Warsaw Uprising, who had to fight for survival at every step. What do they think was a misfortune and unlucky?
Jadzia Klarner "Aniołek" was one of the insurgent nurses. It was she who organized a medical point at Woronicza Street; later she and her friends set up a hospital at Idzikowskiego, Mokotów district.
The conditions were tough. There was a shortage of water in particular - so much so that the luxury of a bath was rarely allowed. So when one day the supply seemed sufficient to the "Angel", she decided to wash her head. It would seem that there was nothing wrong with that. And yet it is possible that her friends would try to dissuade her from these hygienic aspirations. As Agnieszka Cubała explains in the book "Miłość". 44 true stories of insurgent love ”:
(...) there were various superstitions among the insurgents. One of them said it was bad luck to wash the whole body . This was especially true of the head .
Jadzia did not care much for such superstitions. But when she washed up and left her friend's house, shooting began. “The dense dust made her see nothing. When it calmed down a bit and she finally made it to the infirmary, she was covered in an even layer of dust! " - says the author of "Miłości '44".
"Don't cook, the bomb is going to fall"
Similar situations made many insurgents believe in the power of ruthless fate, manifested through ordinary objects or activities. “There was also such a superstition in our unit that you cannot wash yourself completely, or you will die. So when there was an opportunity, I washed myself with pieces "- recalled Urszula Katarzyńska, the liaison officer of" Ula ". She herself hadn't washed her head for two months… to save her life!
Many insurgents believed that the success of their actions depends on luck or bad luck - so they tried to avoid the latter at all costs ... Illustrative photo.
The conviction that soap brings misfortune was also shared by Barbara Kolenda-Piasecka. As she wrote:
By a strange coincidence , whenever someone started washing or washing something, we always had some misfortune . So it was this time. The tank shot into our house where we are grouped.
Agnieszka Cubała - a former employee of the Warsaw Uprising Museum, who has been studying the history of this liberation uprising for many years - also cites other examples of the then superstitions. She found their trace in the memoirs of Stanisław Jankowski, "Agaton" from the "Pięść" battalion, among others. He said that:
The boys of Fun Platoon stopped shaving after their commander was wounded twice on the days he shaved. In all seriousness I pointed out the fact of avoiding the queue when lighting cigarettes. I have not yet met a daredevil who would dare to use one match as the third .
For some members of the uprising, the fear of "invoking" bad luck made it impossible to work. For example, Janina Bilińska "Anna", who was active in the kitchen of PKO, noticed that ... whenever she made soup, the shelling starts. "Don't cook, or the bomb is about to fall," said visiting boys.
"Czapa" for the Cross of Valor
Artifacts related to the fallen - both friends and enemies, also caused superstition. It was pointed out by Bronisława Ochman from the insurgent hospital organized in the Hotel Terminus. She noticed that the insurgents did not want to put on the shoes of the fallen . "As always in difficult times, the power of superstition and wonderful amulets grows," she assessed. However, she also added that she respects them herself and has "superstitious respect for all this stupidity ...".
The curiosity is based on the book by Agnieszka Cubała "Miłość". 44 true stories of insurgent love ” (Prószyński Media 2019).
Interestingly, at some point even ... military decorations began to enjoy a bad reputation. In some circles, the Cross of Valor was not welcomed with pride and joy at all. Zbigniew Czajkowski-Dębczyński from the "Parasol" battalion tells:
A few of the colleagues who now find out about the awards are congratulations, but they look very sour. We have taken it for granted that everyone who gets KW must get in the "cap" soon . It may be a coincidence, but it is almost always the rule.
Years later, such beliefs seem silly at best. However, when - like the insurgents - he grinds to death every day, it may be easier to believe in the operation of supernatural forces. “In a situation where a person is balancing between life and death at any moment, more and more importance is attached to metaphysical factors. At that time, many superstitions and superstitions arise that help to deal with a difficult situation "- explains Agnieszka Cubała.
Material prepared by the former CiekawostekHistorycznych.pl team, which parted ways with the portal at the end of July 2019.
Bibliography:
- Agnieszka Cubała, Love '44. 44 true stories of insurgent love , Prószyński Media 2019.
- Materials collected and sent by Agnieszka Cubała.
Learn about real love stories from the Warsaw Uprising, read Agnieszka Cubała's book "Miłość". 44 true stories of insurgent love. ”