Narcyz Witczak-Witaczyński, part 1
Narcyz Witczak-Witaczyński, 1898-1943, (above) was one of Poland's most popular photojournalists. During World War I he fought against Germany in the Polish cavalry. He was captured and conscripted by the Bolsheviks, but he escaped and then fought against the Bolsheviks. After the war he served in the cavalry of the new nation of Poland.
Today we see photos by Witczak-Witaczyński documenting Poland's 1st Cavalry Regiment between World War I and World War II.
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Above, the 1st Cavalry Regiment crossing a river, probably the Vistula, in 1926. The cavalry soldiers very sensibly did not wear uniforms when they were in the river.
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Crossing the river.
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On the beach of the river, probably the Vistula.
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The rest of these photos date from between 1926 and 1931. Above, the 1st Cavalry Regiment crossing the river.
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Crossing the river.
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Crossing the river.
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The 1st Cavalry Regiment.
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Washing the horses.
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We end with a portrait of one of the 1st Cavalry Regiment soldiers. From his apparent age, I'm guessing he was an officer.
Next time: More photos by Narcyz Witczak-Witaczyński.
8 comments:
I like the relaxed attitude about being naked in military situations. I had a photo of my dad and his buddies stripped, swimming in a hot spring in Iceland in WWII. It was all hanging out, nobody seemed to care. Now, with females in the military, I doubt if that would fly.
Back in the day...when men weren't afraid of other men seeing their dicks.
Also loved everyone being comfortable being naked together and it not being an issue. And nice to see the guys nude in horseback and washing to horse and leading the horses nude. Wonderful and special look back in time.
These are really neat!
The horses are also nude, they're being ridden barebacked!
If they are crossing and not getting their uniforms wet then who or what is carrying their uniforms?
@Ike - Presumably the uniforms were taken across on a boat. I found some photos of the officers crossing on a boat, fully dressed, so it seems that only the enlisted men rode the horses across naked.
Narcyz Witczak-Witaczyński 1898-1943.
In 1915 at 17 he joined the Polish Calvary regiment of tsarist Russia where he fought against the Bolsheviks. Captured in 1918 by the Bolsheviks he was made to fight for them, he eventually escaped only to be captured by the Germans who imprisoned him. In 1919 he escaped the German prison and fled to a now independent Poland, and became part of the ceremonial honor guard of Poland’s army as its official photographer, hence the photos seen here. He took part in the defense of Poland against Nazi Germany in 1939, following Poland’s defeat he became a counter intelligence chief of the Polish Home Army and was editor of the underground magazine Apel / Roll Call. In 1942 he was arrested by the Nazi occupation authorities and sent to Pawiak prison, then in 1943 he was transferred to the Majdanek concentration camp where he was murdered on Nazi orders.
Many of Witczak’s photos and negatives survived the war and are well documented due to the fact that he meticulously kept a record of date and place where each were taken.
The National Archive of Poland has the site nac.gov.pol where his photos of military and civilian life in Poland can be seen.
-Rj
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