£10.00
A commemorative Polish first day cover of the "12th Anniversary of Bronislaw Czech and Hannah Marusarzowna (skiers)" and four additional stamps of the same used on the first day cover in brown and blue.
During WW2 Bronisław was a soldier of the Polish Underground (Home Army) and courier from occupied Poland to the West. He was arrested by the Gestapo, imprisoned and eventually murdered in Auschwitz.
At Auschwitz he was assigned to work in the crematorium and to cleaning the Germans quarters and was beaten repeatedly by the SS camp guards on a regular basis, so much so he was reduced to a wreck by the time of his death on 5th June 1944 aged just 36.
He was also a Polish sportsman and artist. A gifted skier, and won championships in various skiing disciplines, including Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing and ski jumping. He was also a member of the Polish national team at three consecutive Winter Olympics, and was one of the pioneers of mountain rescue in the Tatra Mountains and a glider instructor.
Helena Marusarzowna was an active member in the Polish resistance operating from October 1939. She was arrested in March 1940 and executed on 12 September 1941.
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