Learn the story of the bear who was an official member of the Polish army
Answer quickly: What are the requirements for a candidate to be admitted as a member of the army in your country? Good physical condition, good results in endurance tests, adulthood and so on. It is not very difficult to deduce some of the answers, which is why the following story will surprise you: Poland, during World War II, featured a bear as a soldier. Yes, a bear.
The country had been invaded by Russia and Germany, causing the army there to leave Warsaw, but continued to fight, even if it was outside their country. Russia was subsequently attacked by Germany and then decided to release some of its Polish prisoners. These freed prisoners would later form a new army.
The newly freed Poles went to Egypt and Palestine, with the intention of gathering more men and having enough personnel to fight the English enemies. And then, in the middle of this war story, comes the bear.
Mascot
The soldiers were in mountainous regions when they came across a boy who had recently encountered a bear cub - as food was scarce, the boy agreed to trade the bear for canned meat. The animal was named Wojtek, meaning "one who likes war."
It was not long before the bear was regarded as a pet and then as a soldier. Garry Paulin, in his book on the subject, stated that these soldiers were devastated, defeated, hungry, desperate, and that the bear was their only incentive.
Wojtek was then named a member of the Polish Second Battalion Artillery. The soldiers passed through places like Iraq, Syria, Palestine and Egypt. The bear was always with them.
Creation
As a baby, the bear was fed condensed milk, and his bottle was made of empty vodka bottles - to balance the diet, Wojtek ate lots of fruits as well as honey. Then the soldier began to eat more solid foods. When he grew up, he received beer, which became the teddy's favorite drink. Wojtek also smoked and ate some cigarettes.
Despite these somewhat wrong living habits, the bear grew well, reached almost 2 meters high and weighed 219 kg. Among Wojtek's favorite pastimes were games such as tug-of-war and fighting.
The bear's interaction was not just with the soldiers, but also with animals. His best friend was a Dalmatian, belonging to an English officer. Wojtek's problem was the horses, from which he had already been kicked during approach attempts.
Missions
His work actually began in Palestine when he helped capture an ammunition thief - the task was relatively simple, as Wojtek slept in the storeroom when the man came in to steal some items and was surprised by a upset bear. The animal was then presented with a bottle of beer.
In 1944, when the soldiers were leaving for Naples, they were barred from boarding the ship with Wojtek. The problem was solved, however, by buying a ticket for the bear, which by then could already signal the soldiers' greeting. When they arrived in Naples, the Polish soldiers had to report and the bear caused great astonishment.
Coat of arms
It was not long before everyone understood that Wojtek was much more than a mascot, because during a series of robberies known as “Battle of Monte Cassino”, the bear was of great help; after all, he had been trained and carried heavy materials.
After the battle, a bear medal helping to carry weight was made in his honor, becoming the official coat of arms of the Polish battalion - the image used on vehicles, flags and uniforms.
With the end of the war, many Polish soldiers were sheltered in Scotland for some time and then returned to their homes. Wojtek stayed in an Edinburgh zoo, where he became a famous attraction and was constantly visited by Polish friends. The bear soldier died at age 22 in 1963.
* Posted on 1/10/2013
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