Zygmunt Rumel

Zygmunt Jan Rumel (1915 – July 10, 1943) was a Polish poet and soldier of the Bataliony Chłopskie. Rumel's poetic talent was acknowledged by a renowned Polish poet Leopold Staff,pl icon Tadeusz Szyma, [http://film.onet.pl/kino/8805,1225416,kino.html "Dwie biografie - dwie drogi służby"] ] and author Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz.Barbara Olak, [http://www.zielonysztandar.com.pl/index.php?co=wiecej&id=1471&dzial=59 "Petruniu, ne ubywaj mene",] 29 July 2007. No. 30] One of his poems entitled "Dwie matki" ("Two mothers") in which Rumel described his love of Poland and Ukraine, was published in a popular "Płomyk" magazine in 1935 (issue No. 28).pl icon Antoni Serednicki, [http://www.bunt.com.pl/index.php?module=Pagesetter&func=viewpub&tid=2&pid=136 "Wychowankowie Liceum Krzemienieckiego".] ] He was killed during the Ukrainian Insurgent Army massacres of Poles in Volhynia in 1943.

Early years

Rumel, whose talent was often compared to the one of Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński, grew up in Krzemieniec, then a part of Russian province of Volhynia. The exact location of his birth has not been confirmed. He came from a military family, his father, an engineer of agriculture, was also an officer of the Polish Army who fought in the Polish-Soviet War and was awarded the Cross of Virtuti Militari.

The Rumel family lived in the countryside near Krzemieniec, in a manor once belonging to the family of Juliusz Słowacki. His parents were avid readers and their son inherited it from them. At home, he read Polish classics of Slowacki and Adam Mickiewicz.

Rumel graduated from a renowned Liceum Krzemienieckie and went to Warsaw to continue his education at the Warsaw University. Leopold Staff once said to his mother Anna: "Keep an eye on this boy, he will be a great poet one day".

War years and death

In 1939, as a result of the joint attack of Germany and Soviet Union on Poland, the province of Volhynia was incorporated into the Ukrainian SSR. Then, in June 1941 (see: Operation Barbarossa), it was overrun by Nazi Germany. Rumel, who until early 1943 lived in Warsaw, became an active member of the Polish resistance movement. In the spring of 1943 he returned to his native Volhynia and became a commandant of the Bataliony Chłopskie's VIII District covering the area. His nom de guerre was "Krzysztof Poreba".

In early summer 1943, when the partisans of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, together with local Ukrainian nationalists, began a series of massacres of Polish civilians in Volhynia, Rumel, who spoke Ukrainian fluently, was assigned to get in touch with leaders of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and start talks, which would bring an end to the massacres. The order was issued by Kazimierz Banach, chief of staff of the Bataliony Chłopskie and a delegate of the Polish government-in-exile in Volhynia.en icon Tadeusz Piotrowski, [http://books.google.com/books?id=Mfy2IZcbmHgC&pg=RA1-PA70&lpg=RA1-PA70&dq=+Zygmunt+Rumel+&source=web&ots=Gm0s0E9Fn0&sig=d-XNZSXgXAgvrsly0_tjeEk-IHo&hl=en "Genocide and rescue in Wolyn: Recollections",] Published 2000, McFarland, ISBN 0786407735]

On July 7, 1943, Rumel, together with officer Krzysztof Markiewicz (aka "Czort"), both dressed in military uniforms, aided by guide Witold Dobrowolski, contacted the Ukrainians. They were officially representing the Polish government.

However, instead of peace talks, a different fate awaited them.pl icon Michał Klimecki, Zbigniew Palski, [http://www.ipn.gov.pl/wai.php?serwis=pl&dzial=82&id=1284&poz=3 IPN Report at www.ipn.gov.pl,] 13 May 2002.] Both were tortured for three days. Then, on Saturday, July 10, Rumel was tied to four horses and his body ripped apart.pl icon Ks. Tadeusz Isakowicz-Zaleski, [http://www.isakowicz.pl/index.php?page=news&kid=8&nid=773&PHPSESSID=de127694ec1d37c02add5b8183e725f1 "Diament rozerwany końmi",] 2008-05-13.] pl icon Dr Lucyna Kulińska, [http://www.polskiejutro.com/art.php?p=13100 "Dlaczego Polacy tak mało wiedzą o Kresowych zbrodniach 1939-1947?"] ] Markiewicz and Dobrowolski were killed in the same manner in the village of Kustycze, near the Volhynian town of Turzyska.pl icon Feliks Budzisz, [http://free.of.pl/w/wolyn/akt_003.html "Przekażcie sobie znak pokoju"] ] The next day, Sunday, July 11, 1943, was the bloodiest day yet of the Volhynian massacres, when armed Ukrainians attacked Polish settlements and churches, killing thousands of people, including infants, women and senior citizens.

Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, upon hearing of Rumel's death, wrote in his diary: "He was one of our diamonds, with which we shot at the enemy. This diamond could have shined..."

Aftermath

In 2004, Polish director Wincenty Ronisz made a documentary "Poeta nieznany" ("Unknown poet"), which describes the life and death of Rumel, who is also a patron of several clubs of young Polish poets. However, he remains unknown to the majority of Poles.

References

ee also

* Polish literature
* Polish culture during World War II
* List of Poles