Stanisław Kasznica

Stanisław Józef Bronisław Kasznica (July 25, 1908 – May 12, 1948) was the last commander of the National Armed Forces (NSZ), an anti-communist, and anti-Nazi paramilitary organization, which was part of the Polish resistance movement in World War II and in the period following it.

He was born in Lwów, and his father, Stanisław Wincenty Antoni Kasznica, was rector and professor of the Poznań University in Greater Poland. During World War II he initially fought in the Polish Army, joining the National Armed Forces resistance group after the defeat of Polish military. After the war he did not cease the fight for Poland's freedom and fought with the NSZ against the Soviet-installed communist regime.

He was arrested by the Polish communist secret police, the Urząd Bezpieczeństwa, in February 1947, tortured and condemned to death by a communist Polish court. He was executed on May 12, 1948, in the Warsaw Mokotów Prison. His symbolic grave is located at Warsaw Powązki Cemetery.

Kasznica used numerous nom de guerres, including Stanisław Wąsacz, Wąsowski, Przepona, Służa, Maszkowski, and Borowski.

Honours and awards

 * Silver Cross of Virtuti Militari
 * Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (posthumously, 2009)
 * Cross of Valour
 * Cross of the National Armed Deed (posthumously, 1993)
 * Silver Cross of the National Deed Armed with Swords (1944)