Kraków 2008-10-12
The book.
I am just after reading the biographical book entitled Stanisław Skalski, by Ms Katarzyna Ochabska. Before I read it, it seemed to me that the figure of General Pilot Stanisław Skalski was well known to me. Being interested in the Polish Military Aviation, I read almost all available information about this great pilot and the Pole. I knew well his successes in the 1939 Defense War, in the Battle of Britain, in Africa in the "Circus of Skalski". I knew that the communist authorities sentenced him to death for alleged espionage, and after the "thaw" he was sent to the Polish People’s Aviation.
But reading the work of Mrs. Katarzyna Ochabska, page after page, was surprised to find that I simply did not know this wonderful Pole. My knowledge was limited only in the encyclopaedic form.
Let me start by saying that during World War II, Stanisław Skalski was not a good pilot. He was the best in the world. The best in the world. And it’s not about the number of air victories, because they were better. But the fact that everyone wanted to fly by his side. Flying with Skalski was a guarantee of returning home. Skalski was the only foreigner whom the English trusted so much that they entrusted their own squadron. The English and Americans stole Him from themselves.
After World War II, he received many lucrative job offers in the West. But He loved his homeland, fought for it and returned to it. Unfortunately, it was not a dream country. Not even as it was in the interwar period. When in his hometown five nationalities lived in symbiosis and respected each other; Poles, Jews, Ukrainians, Czechs, Russians. The commune came to power in Poland, trampling on what was good, beautiful and noble. This commune also caught the hero of Stanisław Skalski. It destroyed His dignity, impeccable reputation and health. He was tortured, physically and mentally tortured, beaten, starved and frozen. Even a dog is not treated like that. Ms Katarzyna quotes the exact names of the torturers; prosecutors, judges, employees of the then security office. He gives the dates of pseudo hearings and hearings. Facts of preparing evidence. False testimony with a lot of spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. He writes about the choreic fight of Mrs. Józefa, Stanisław’s mother, to free her son. Eight years of ordeal, first with the death penalty and then with life imprisonment. To this day, the torturers (if they are still alive) enjoy high pensions and are "respected" citizens. Nobody has ever apologized to Stanisław Skalski for the harm done to him. At the end of the 1950s, Stanisław Skalski returned to aviation. He had a hard time healing his wounds. Especially the psychic ones. Still, exact in what he was doing. Still giving strength and health to the Motherland as best he could. He loved young people and was very fond of meeting them. He saw in young people who would build a better Poland. But everyone should read about it personally.
These precisely quoted facts were the reason for Ms. Katarzyna Ochabska’s troubles in publishing this only biography, about the General. The publishing houses tried to make deletions and abbreviations. Finally, Ms Katarzyna Ochabska published the book with her own money. And praise her for that. I must admit that I share the views of Katarzyna Ochabska. The issue of the problems with the publication of this one, and I emphasize the only biography about the General, shows how far in My Country, My Homeland, it is to normality. During the years of socialism, the bricks of communist ideology were lying in bookstores on regiments, now there are bricks of the ideology of pornography and death. I know this is a dream from outer space, but this book should be included in the reading list.
Since the publication is protected by copyright, I cannot cite any quotations, but I will only write that if someone does not read this book, do not say that they know the story of Stanisław Skalski. Stanisław Skalski was not a perfect man. He had flaws like everyone else. But his goals were clear and always good. He was a perfectionist at what he did. For me, the General was and will remain one of the most eminent Poles. A soldier, officer, pilot, writer, patriot. He gave his life and health to his homeland. It is thanks to people like General Poland that still exists. Lord, give him eternal rest!
The book titled "Stanisław Skalski", author and publisher Katarzyna Ochabska. 2007 Paperback, 385 pages.
I am one of the lucky ones who have a book with the author’s dedication.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman