of the Second Polish Republic
, the founder of the Secret Polish Army (Tajna Armia Polska) resistance
group and a member of the Home Army (Armia Krajowa
). As the author of Witold's Report
, the first intelligence report on Auschwitz concentration camp
, Pilecki enabled the Polish government-in-exile to convince the Allies
that the Holocaust was taking place.
During World War II
, he volunteered for a Polish resistance operation to get imprisoned at Auschwitz in order to gather intelligence
and escape.
"During the first 3 years at Auschwitz, 2 million people died; over the next 2 years—3 million." (Witold's Report.)
"If Józef Cyrankiewicz|Józef Cyrankiewicz finds out I'm here, I'm dead." (In prison, 1948.)
"I was not a[n intelligence] resident, only a Polish officer. I carried out my orders until arrested. I had no sense that I was spying, and I ask that this be taken into account in deciding my verdict." (At trial, 1948.)
"So they didn't let anybody else off. I can't live like this, I'm finished. Auschwitz was easy." (After death sentence had been pronounced, 1948.)
Category:Political leaders|Pilecki, Witold
pl:Witold Pilecki