They overrun the city, blew up the prison gate, opened targets, and freed more than 60 arrested, including 3 soldiers from their squad. On the night of 5 to 6 June 1944, soldiers of the Home Army from the Lt. Antoni Heda "Share" branch broke up a German prison in Konski. This was the 3rd action of the AK, whose goal was to recapture the prisoners there.
"Boys at the order of Grey broke up rapidly and drove across the churchyard under the prison walls. They rushed to take advantage of the minute of surprise before the gendarmes put the prison crew back on their feet," recalled Fr Edward Pashkiel "The lawsuit", a associate in the run to break up the German prison in Koński, Świętokrzyski.
Early June 1944 The Germans have arrested respective soldiers from the guerrilla squad commanded by Cf. Antoni Heda “The Grey” Among others, his deputy Henryk Gruszczyński “Blady”. They were held in custody in Horses and subjected to a violent investigation. Lieutenant Heda has chosen to reflect them. – It was not expected to be the first specified bravado of his branch, in early August 1943 they captured German detention in Starachowice and released about 80 arrested – says Dr. Jan Kownacki, historian of planet War II.
The operation in Konski, however, was not easy due to the fact that there was a strong German garrison in the city. There was a post of German gendarmerie, Polish navy police, and Wehrmacht troops. “What’s interesting, the Polish underground twice organized actions to break up the prison,” says the historian. On 3 November 1942, an AK division led by Zygmunt Wyrewicz "Cumulus" made the first attack. They got into prison utilizing a navy police uniform and freed respective prisoners. On July 25, 1943, the arrest was unsuccessfully attempted by the subordinates of the silent Mariusz Szwiec "Robot", including the branch of Tadeusz Jencz "Allan". However, the Partisans were spotted by the sentinels.
"Gray" (first left) together with its guerrillas, trained in both diversionary actions and in combat with the enemy. Photo: IPN Archive
In 1944, “Gray” perfectly planned and prepared the action. His soldiers, with the support of local conspirators, entered the city at night and covered the most crucial buildings including the Gestapo headquarters, railway station and post office. They besides controlled access roads. The others have attacked the brig. “ The assault group... opened a violent fire from the kaems and empics, and the miners ran up against the walls and put loads of TNT on the gate and windows. In a minute a powerful bang shook the air, the building covered a cloud of dust. Kanonada immediately stopped, and our people rushed to prison," described Fr. “The lawsuit” in a study published on the website “The Kombatant Zeszyta”.
The arks went into custody, found the keys and opened the cells. “Some prisoners were so tortured during interrogation that they had to be helped to get out,” says Dr. Kownacki. According to various data, 60 to more than 70 people were released, including 3 soldiers from the squad. In the fight, 4 arks died: Ryszard Bielejec “Delfin”, Stanisław Ładak “Sikorka”, Stefan Pałka “Grom” and Stanisław Pietrzykowski “Błyskawica”. There were 17 dead on the German side. “We were retreating from the city in a continuous shooting, spreading from various sides. (...) It was already morning erstwhile our group moved towards the forest with an insured march”, Mr Pashkiel recalled.
