“Dom Harcerza” (Scout’s House), Wąsowiczów 8 Str.
The headquarters of the Polish scouting organization before the outbreak of the war (as well as today). Most of the people involved in the Nowy Sącz underground movement used to be scouts. The scouting ideals and values encouraged many to engage in both helping others and in underground activity. During the occupation, a significant part of scouts has joined the structures of the underground state and its armed forces and was active in the charity organizations. Only a small number of the instructors and the younger scouts would continue as illegal scouting structures.
Fire Brigade Watchtower, Grybowska Str.
In early September 1939, a pre-war scoutmistress Maria Gruber, together with five girl guides, organized one of the first sanitary facilities here. After the Germans seized the city, the girl scouts, together with firemen, would help transport the wounded soldiers to the hospital in Nowy Sącz. Before the war, the girl scouts would practice first aid in the exercises of the so called “Girl Scout Emergency Service”.
Military Barracks, Jagiellońska 84 Str.
After Nowy Sącz was seized by the Germans, they have created a prisoner of war camp here. The girl guides, posing as the wives of the soldiers, by giving the guards small gifts or by having friendly conversations with them, would receive permission to take their “husbands” for a short walk, from which the soldiers would not come back. Then at the houses of the individual girl guides, the soldiers would receive plain clothing, so that they could go back home. After the camp was closed, the barracks’ area has been infiltrated by a five-person group of the 1st Girl Scout Troop led by team leader Maria Jasińska, known as “Druhna Maryla”. A large amount of ammunition and two rifles have been found and eventually have been dumped in the bog under the “Gęsie Planty” park.
Former Pastry Shop “Oaza” (Oasis), Św. Ducha 2 Str.
The first of the meal dispensaries for children opened at the beginning of the occupation by girl scouts together with team leader Maria Gruber; the place was used on permission of msgr. Roman Mazur on request of the Jesuits. Then others started operating. The girl guides also got involved in charity work as part of the newly created Polish Welfare Committee, and then the Central Welfare Council, outside of the structures of the scouting organization.
Miczyński Family Manor House in Przetakówka District, Tarnowska 13 Str.
The Otmianowski family, displaced from Poznań, stayed in the house. In the years 1940–1941 Andrzej Otmianowski studied at a vocational school in Nowy Sącz (such schools were allowed to continue teaching by the Germans), getting to know the people of Nowy Sącz, including the scouts. After the destruction of the structures of POBOR (“Resurectio” Polish Organization of the White Eagle) in 1942 Andrzej Otmianowski “Garda” gathered the scouts decimated by blown covers. His aim was to organize and give military training to young lollygaggers and raise them in the spirit of the scouting ideals and earnest performance of their duties. Otmianowski was initially in contact with the “Gray Ranks” command in Kraków via scoutmaster Stanislaw Wąsowicz. In March 1941, following Wąsowicz’s arrest, this contact was cut. Later, Otmianowski’s group became part of the National Democratic “Harcerstwo Polskie” (Polish Scouts) organization. After the NOW (National Military Organization) was merged with the AK (Home Army), the team was getting ready for combat operations during the planned uprising. Garrison and field training was carried out; the group would gather in houses on the outskirts of the city or in secluded areas (including over the Dunajec river, near the First World War cemetery in Zabełcze). Andrzej’s sister – Zofia “Małgorzata” – organized and led a female team. It was made up mainly of sisters of the scouts from the male team.
House of Jan Wójcik, stepfather of the Król siblings, Kraszewskiego 54 Str.
Jan Król and his sister Irena (later Styczyńska) used to live here. Jan Król “Foka”, was the second-in-command of Otmianowski “Garda” in the Polish Scouts.
House at Sienkiewicza 38 Str.
The pre-war commandant of the Nowy Sącz district of ZHP (Polish Scouting and Guiding Association), Doctor of Laws and judge of the District Court, Stanislaw Wąsowicz, used to live here. Together with the President of the District Court, dr. Stanislaw Borowiecki, urged by the colleagues from Kraków, he created an underground resistance group, which used to be called the “Court Group”. As the pre-war district commandant, he was charged with the matters of the youth by the group. He was supposed to develop ways to protect young people from psychological and moral degeneration resulting from the war and occupation. The “Court Group” would not enter the ZWZ (Union of Armed Struggle) structures until the beginning of 1940 and then Wąsowicz „Sztoś” became a member of the staff of the command of the Nowy Sącz inspectorate, which was responsible for the information and propaganda operations. Wąsowicz, as the president of the District Board of the Polish Red Cross, would also be involved in organization of social aid before the Polish Welfare Committee and the Central Welfare Council took charge of it.
Adam Mickiewicz School, Długosza 2 Str.
The pre-war troop leader from this school, Ludwik Kowalski, after his return from Hungary, on the break of November and December 1939, initiated the creation of the first underground scouting organization called the “Resurectio” Polish Organization of the White Eagle. Kowalski became its commandant. The tasks of the organization included: smuggling former soldiers and volunteers to Hungary and sustaining of national spirit through the distribution of leaflets with messages from radio monitoring.
House at Długosza 57 Str.
Ludwik Kowalski, the co-creator of the “Resurectio” Polish Organization of the White Eagle (POBOR) stayed at this address, in a rented room. In the room Kowalski monitors radio transmissions, and it is also where the members of POBOR are sworn in.
House of the Flis Family, Jagiellońska 29 Str.
Zofia Flis has been involved in secret teaching since the beginning of the occupation. At the address there was a pawn shop run by Danuta Szkaradkówna. In the shop there was an underground mail box exchanging letters between the scouts and the Home Army Inspectorate.
House at Grodzka 39 Str.
During the war, the Kardaszewicz family, involved in underground hard-scouting structures, used to live here. Following the departure of the team leader Zofia Otmianowska to Krakow, the girls’ district of the “Polish Scouts” was taken over by Ewa Kardaszewicz.
House at Na Rurach 51 Str.
During the war, the Jaworski family used to live here. After the departure of the team leader Zofia Otmianowska, it was the meeting place of the girl scouts from Nowy Sącz, including sisters Janina and Wanda Jaworski.
Wysokie, the Execution Site
On June 27, 1940, the captured members of POBOR (“Resurectio” Polish Organization of the White Eagle) were executed in an operation under the mocking name “General’s Name Day”, on the birthday of gen. Sikorski.
House at Baterogo 80 Str., the Apartment of the Korsak family
Andrzej Korsak “Aczek”, one of the scouts of the “Kacabaj” team. He was involved in helping the Jewish people Jews (as part of the “Żegota”) and smuggled them through the border. The Korsak’s apartment was, among other things, used to hide people who were smuggled out from the ghetto before they continued on their way. Andrzej Korsak would also smuggle weapons and various materials (including to the commandant of the girl scouts, troop leader Krynicka, who was hiding in Łososina Dolna).
House at Kolejowa 48 Str.
The apartment of the Kuczyński family, railroad workers and scouts. Mieczyslaw “Kacabaj” Kuczyński used to live here. Under his command, the scouts would carry out minor sabotage operations, help smuggle people through the border and more
White Monastery of Sisters of the Immaculate Conception
One of the places of the secret teaching of young people, in which the girl scouts would participate among others.
Rdziostów, Execution Site
The execution site of many people involved in the underground resistance work, including scouts (1944).
Manor House in Łososina Dolna
Throughout the entire occupation period, the pre-war chief scout-mistress of the girl guides Maria Krynicka, wanted by the Germans would hide here.
Home of the Król Family in Sienna
Situated on a picturesque lake, which was new at the time. Here, the best of the Andrzej Otmianowski’s team would meet, sometimes trying to sail and swim in the lake (the water sports section was named “Marynarka Dębkowska”, the same as it was called in Otmianowski’s pre-war team in Poznań, which would spend their time in Dębki near Karwia). The home of the Król family in Sienna, after the team broke up, was a supply base for food packages organized for the prisoners, which would later be delivered by Irena Król (later Styczyńska).