Jan Nowak-Jeziorański facts for kids
Jan Nowak-Jeziorański (born Zdzisław Antoni Jeziorański; 2 October 1914 – 20 January 2005) was a brave Polish journalist, writer, and patriot. He played a very important role during the Second World War as a resistance fighter. He is best known for being a special messenger, called the "Courier from Warsaw". He carried secret messages between the Polish underground army and the Polish government in London. He also fought in the Warsaw Uprising. After the war, he led the Polish section of Radio Free Europe. Later, he advised US presidents Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter on security. In 1996, President Bill Clinton gave him America's highest award for civilians, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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About Jan Nowak-Jeziorański
Zdzisław Jeziorański was born in Berlin on October 2, 1914. He later used the secret name Jan Nowak during the war. He added this name to his original surname after the war. He went to school in Warsaw and studied economics. In 1936, he worked as a teaching assistant at Poznań University.
Joining the Resistance
In 1939, he joined the Polish Army and fought as an artillery soldier. He was captured by the Germans but managed to escape. He returned to Warsaw and quickly joined the Polish resistance.
After 1940, he became a main organizer of "Akcja N". This was a secret group that created fake German newspapers and other materials. Their goal was to trick German soldiers and lower their morale.
The Courier from Warsaw
Jan Nowak-Jeziorański also worked as a special messenger. He traveled between the commanders of the Home Army in Poland and the Polish Government in Exile in London. He also visited other Allied governments. On his first trips, he told Western leaders about the difficult situation in Poland under German and Soviet rule. He was also the first person to report on the Warsaw Ghetto uprising.
In July 1944, he returned to Warsaw just before the Warsaw uprising began. During the Uprising, he actively fought against the Germans. He also helped set up a Polish radio station. This station kept in touch with Allied countries through daily broadcasts.
Just before Warsaw surrendered, the Home Army commander told him to leave the city. He was ordered to go to London and bring important documents and photos. He successfully escaped and reached Great Britain. For his bravery and dangerous travels, he received the Virtuti Militari. This is the highest Polish military medal.
After the War
After the war, Nowak-Jeziorański stayed in the West. He lived in London, then in Munich, and later in Washington. From 1948 to 1976, he was a well-known voice on the BBC Polish Section. In 1952, he also became the head of the Polish section of Radio Free Europe in Munich.
Through his daily radio shows, he became very popular. People in communist Poland and Poles living abroad listened to him. After 1976, he became an important member of the Polish American Congress. He also advised the American National Security Agency and US presidents. He helped convince many politicians in the USA to support Poland joining NATO. Poland joined NATO in 1999.
In the 1990s, he started working with Polish Radio. He wrote a series of broadcasts called Polska z oddali (Poland from a Distance). From 1990, he also appeared on Polish television. In July 2002, he returned to Warsaw for the last time. He strongly supported Poland joining the European Union. Many of his books became best-sellers, making him even more popular.
He received many important Polish literary awards for his writings. He was also given the Człowiek Pojednania (Man of Reconciliation) prize in 2003. This was for his efforts to improve understanding between Poles and Jews. Many Polish universities, including Warsaw University and Jagiellonian University, gave him honorary degrees.
Jan Nowak-Jeziorański passed away in Warsaw on January 20, 2005. He gave all his historical papers to the Ossolineum Institute.
Awards and Honors
Jan Nowak-Jeziorański received many important awards for his service and bravery:
- Virtuti Militari (1944) – Poland's highest military award.
- Cross of Valour
- Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta
- Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Polish Republic (1993)
- Order of the White Eagle (1994) – Poland's highest award.
- Presidential Medal of Freedom (1996) – The highest civilian award in the United States.
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas (1998) – Lithuania's highest civilian award.
- King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom (United Kingdom)
- Kisiel Prize (1999)
- Ksawery Pruszyński Award (2001)
- Man of Reconciliation (2002) – For his work on Christian-Jewish dialogue in Poland.
- Wiktor Award and Superwiktor (2003) – Awards for television personalities.
- Honorary citizen of Warsaw, Gdansk, and Kraków.
Images for kids
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Monument to Jan Nowak-Jeziorański in Warsaw (bronze)
In Spanish: Jan Nowak-Jeziorański para niños
