Henryk Dobrzański
Henryk Dobrzański | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Hubal |
| Born | 22 June 1897 Jasło, Austria-Hungary |
| Died | 30 April 1940 (aged 42) Near Opoczno, Poland |
| Allegiance | Second Polish Republic (1918–1939) |
| Branch | Polish Army |
| Years of service | 1912–1940 |
| Rank | Major |
| Battles / wars | World War I Polish–Ukrainian Polish–Bolshevik War World War II |
| Awards | Virtuti Militari (2) Krzyż Walecznych (4) |
| Part of a series on the |
| Polish Underground State |
|---|
Major Henryk Dobrzański (22 June 1897 – 30 April 1940), also known by his nom-de-guerre "Hubal," was a Polish soldier, sportsman and partisan. He fought in the Polish Legions in World War I, Polish–Ukrainian War of 1918, the Polish–Bolshevik War of 1919–1921 and the Polish September Campaign of 1939. He is however best known as the leader of the partisan unit known as the Detached Unit of the Polish Army which operated in 1939 and early 1940 near Kielce.
Exploits of Dobrzański and his unit, considered the first partisans in Poland and arguably, of World War II, became a legend in Poland already during the war. Known as Hubal, he has been described as Poland's last "Romantic Hero" and compared to figures such as Robin Hood, William Tell, Till Eulenspiegel and Davy Crockett.