Narrative

"You got to have talent, no question. But you got to have luck. And I had lots of it," claimed Jerzy Bartnik, our interviewee. According to Mr. Bartnik, luck and courage are what made him survive World War II. Enduring hardship alone was one of the many struggles he experienced throughout the war. Jerzy Bartnik is an extremely fortunate and independent man who fought for his country.           

Mr. Bartnik described his family as extremely faithful and patriotic. Jerzy's father owned a slaughter house. This experience taught the young Polish boy how to hunt. He also became accustomed to the sight of the death as he was forced to observe it. During his career, Jerzy's father fought for the Polish independence at the onset of the Second World War before being executed in November, 1939. Jerzy, along with his mother and sister, were prisoners of war for over seven months. Miraculously, he and his sister managed to escape the camp. Mr. Bartnik's mother, who was working in the Polish Underground State, perished in Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1942. His sister, to whom he was very close, was shot by the Nazis while bravely fighting in the Warsaw Uprising.

As a fourteen year old, Jerzy was sent with a message to deliver to Italy. Before his father's execution Jerzy promised him that he would take care of his sister. Therefore, Jerzy decided to return to Poland rather than hide in Italy. Coming back from the village near Florence, Jerzy had a dangerous and tiring journey. It took him three months to cross two borders and to reach his final destination: Warsaw. While travelling in a train, he met a group of SS soldiers who invited him to join them. The soldiers offered him wine, sandwiches and treated him like a friend. One of the reasons was because he looked German. "You know I looked like a typical German boy: blond, blue eyes. I spoke with a Danziger accent. They were not suspicious of me."

Battling in the Warsaw Uprising was a formidable task for the fourteen-year-old soldier, Jerzy. He was heroically protecting himself, his loving sister, and his country. After experiencing an emotional breakdown upon his sister’s death during the Uprising, he felt like his whole life was falling apart. Avenging the SS soldiers, for the death of his entire family, Mr. Bartnik felt the urge to shoot any soldiers who blocked his path or caused him danger. "I was a killer. At the age of thirteen I killed the first German," claims Jerzy. He always went for head shots because he did not want to wound anybody.

The brave Armia Krajowa (AK) soldier was wounded a few times during the Uprising and was later deported to London, where he received a glass eye. During his stay in the military hospital in London, the worst day of his life soon arose, ironically the day of the liberation. Mr. Bartnik was of course excited that the war has ended. However, he soon realized that he could not see any future for himself. "My worst day that I could remember was the 8th of May, 1945 ... And why it was the worst day? Because I was at that time in the hospital. I had practically no education, I did not know English, and I was in England. I had no father, no mother, no sister, and I could see no future," stated Mr. Bartnik.

Jerzy's nickname was 'Magik' which means magician. Throughout the Uprising, this replaced his original name, Jerzy Bartnik because "they played cards, dice, and I was always winning. So they said you are cheating or you are a magician. I was always a smart little kid. The nickname was made by the street kids.”

Jerzy Bartnik is now eighty years old. He is an American citizen and has lived outside of Poland for over fifty years (in London, Switzerland, Pennsylvania and Jacksonville, Florida). However, after his retirement as the president of an international company, he decided to move back to his home country. Jerzy decided to become the president of an international company because of his father, who was his ultimate role model. "When the sergeant asked me whom I wanted to be, I said I wanted be like my father, a president of an international company. If he would see me 30 years later, I was," said Mr. Jerzy as the tears welled up in his eyes.

Mr. Bartnik's streak of luck developed during his stay in London. He fell in love with his first wife there. She was a classy, attractive, and well mannered lady coming from a well-educated and wealthy European family. Jerzy and his wife had a joyous marriage raising two daughters. Unfortunately, his wife died of cancer in 1971. However, a couple of years after this tragic event, his luck changed yet again and he was remarried to his beautiful second wife. Together, they had two daughters: one adopted and one biological.

"Virtuti Militari is similar to the United States Confidential Medal of Honour," Jerzy Bartnik explained. For his achievements, such as fighting in the Warsaw Uprising as the youngest Boy Scout, he was decorated with Poland’s most distinguished medals: Virtuti Militari and the Brave Cross. He is currently married to his second wife and lives with one of his four daughters and a five year old grandson in Warsaw. Mr. Bartnik compares his survival to a miracle. "You know, you have got to have luck in your life."