1. Zygmunt Henryk Berling was a Polish general and politician.
14 Facts About Zygmunt Berling
1. 2.
Zygmunt Berling fought for the independence of Poland in the early 20th century.
3.
Zygmunt Berling was born in Limanowa, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, on 27 April 1896.
4.
Zygmunt Berling retired from active duty in June 1939 because of divorce problems and conflicts with his superiors.
5.
Zygmunt Berling did not participate in the Polish defence effort during the Invasion of Poland in 1939.
6.
Zygmunt Berling remained in prison until 1940, first in Starobilsk and later Moscow, eventually agreeing to cooperate with the Soviets.
7.
From 1940, Zygmunt Berling had been involved in efforts to create a Polish division in the Soviet Union, at first within the Soviet Red Army.
8.
On 8 April 1943, Zygmunt Berling proposed the establishment of a new Polish army; permission was granted after the break in Soviet-Polish diplomatic relations.
9.
Zygmunt Berling was nominated to be the commander of its first unit, the 1st Tadeusz Kosciuszko Infantry Division, and was promoted to general by Stalin.
10.
Zygmunt Berling became the overall deputy commander of the Polish Army on the Eastern Front on 22 July 1944.
11.
Zygmunt Berling was transferred to the War Academy in Moscow, where he remained until his return to Poland in 1947.
12.
In Poland, Zygmunt Berling organized and directed the Academy of General Staff.
13.
Zygmunt Berling held a variety of government positions after 1953.
14.
Zygmunt Berling is buried at Powazki Military Cemetery in Warsaw.