Franciszek Alter was a Polish

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

 general.

Career

Franciszek Alter began his career as an officer in the Austro-Hungarian Army

Austro-Hungarian Army

The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...

, reaching the rank of captain. He fought in the Polish Army during the Polish-Soviet War

Polish-Soviet War

The Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...

. He was promoted to general in March 1939. During the German invasion of Poland, he commanded the 25th Infantry Division (part of the Army Poznań). His division took part in the battle of Bzura and the defense of Warsaw

Siege of Warsaw (1939)

The 1939 Battle of Warsaw was fought between the Polish Warsaw Army garrisoned and entrenched in the capital of Poland and the German Army...

, where it capitulated on the 28 September.

Death

Alter refused to sign the Volksliste

Volksliste

The Deutsche Volksliste was a Nazi institution whose purpose was the classification of inhabitants of German occupied territories into categories of desirability according to criteria systematized by Heinrich Himmler. The institution was first established in occupied western Poland...

, and was imprisoned in the Oflag VII-A Murnau

Oflag VII-A Murnau

Oflag VII-A Murnau was a German Army POW camp for Polish Army officers and generals during World War II. It was located in the Bavarian town of Murnau am Staffelsee....

. In the Oflag, he fell ill, and died in early 1945, on 23 January.

Awards

Alter was awarded with the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari

Virtuti Militari

The Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war...

, the Knight's Cross of the Polonia Restituta

Polonia Restituta

The Order of Polonia Restituta is one of Poland's highest Orders. The Order can be conferred for outstanding achievements in the fields of education, science, sport, culture, art, economics, defense of the country, social work, civil service, or for furthering good relations between countries...

, the Cross of Valour (four times) and the Cross of Independence

Cross of Independence

Cross of Independence was one of the highest Polish military decorations between World Wars I and II. It was awarded to individuals who had "fought heroically for the independence of Poland," and was released in three versions.- History :...

.