British bear and cigarette favorite, brave bear of the Polish army who was active in World War II "Voitek Nibiru"

I belonged to Polish 2nd Corps 22nd Ammunition Supply Company during the Second World War, and it became a fierce battleBattle of Monte CassinoAt the moment the shells flew away, they did not drop the ammunition box and hit the replenishment missionSyrian brown bearofVoitekIs known as a hero in Poland.

Voitek, who was active as a soldier and was loved as a mascot of a squadron who relaxed the heart of a soldier far away from home, was stationed in Scotland with a squadron who avoided Poland, which became communal sphere after the war, I died in Edinburgh Zoo in 1963, but it seems that the statue commemorating Voitek was founded in Edinburgh, which was the last place in Edinburgh.

Details of photos and videos that Voyotek plays with soldiers are from the following.Wojtek The Soldier Bear - In the Ranks of Victors - Home

Polish bear 'that fought Nazis' to be commemorated - Telegraph

Mother's bear was shot by a hunter and Iran'sHamadanVoyotek was picked up by a local boy in the vicinity in 1942, three months after birth. The soldiers of Polish army ammunition supporters who landed from the Caspian Sea and moved in the mountains of Hamadan, aiming for Egypt, a confluence with the British Army, looked at the boy who drew a strange form of luggage during the break, He seems to have bought a baby from a boy in exchange for canned meat.


A young Vojtek could not get food well in the beginning, soldiers impregnated the handkerchief with diluted condensed milk and put it in a vodka bottle and made it to drink. The alcohol left in the vodka bottle at that time was mixed in the milk, and after that Voitek became to prefer alcohol (especially beer), and the soldiers came to think later. By the way, in addition to beer, cigarettes are also a favorite favorite, but it is a voterik like a military person likes very much, but tobacco liked to eat rather than suck, and for some reason it did not show interest if it was not a cigarette with fire It seems.

Pictures taken in Iran in 1943 with Polish soldier and local guide. It seems that there is a meaning such as "cheerful warrior" in the name of Wojtek (Wojtek).


From Iran to Iraq, Palestine, through Syria, to Egypt, it grew quickly while advancing with squadrons, and became familiar with soldiers well. The meals were given fruits and marmalades, honey and syrup, and as for the place to sleep, they wrapped in blankets and military uniforms as little as possible, and the beds were made with bathtubs and trunks as the body grew larger. However, Amae Baobaek liked sleeping with soldiers, sometimes staying in bed with a sleeping soldier during the night, he was licking her face in the morning and sometimes surprised.

Voitek loves to wrestle with soldiers and sometimes causes the soldiers to win.


Voy tech boxing with Polish soldiers.


Voyotek likes to swim and play in the water, he said that he also learned to use a shower in the summer. Voytek who found a squad shower cabin door open a little on a hot summer day day, nearly tried to bathe and found an Arab spy. The spy surprised by the appearance of a sudden bear led to capturing the enemy who was planning a surprise by whitening everything, Voitek was granted credit, two bottles of beer were given to the reward, and enjoyed playing in the water And that.

Remember not to salute, too, if you are left alone, you cried "crooked" or cried, hiding your eyes with forelimbs, and soon began to live a long life with humans like a human-like gesture.


When the company was placed in Italy in 1944, it was necessary to register as a soldier to take Voitek. Voitek is officially registered as a name and number, class, as a member of the 22nd ammunition supplement company, board a ship from the port of Alexandria, and for the liberation of RomeBattle of Monte CassinoI will head to.


It is Voitek who witnessed full battle for the first time in Italy, but he soon got used to the sound of the fierce fire of the front line, he sometimes climbed the tree and looked at the far explosion.

One day, looking at the soldiers who load and unload ammunition, fuel, food, etc. on the transportation vehicle, Voitek stands up with two legs and hands his forefoot like "let me carry something" When approaching a soldier who unloads the car from the vehicle and carrying the heavy ammunition box with two legs as it is to the truck for transshipment, he also said that he returned as "What next should be carried?" After that he said he was eager to help with shipment of ammunition.

Voice-truck riding a company's vehicles.


In the battle of Monte Cassino, which became a fierce battle, we carried ammunition as a member of the unit and acknowledged the activity of Voytech that it never dropped the ammunition, and the headquarters approved the "emblem with a cannon with a shell" I approved to make it an official symbol of the company.


Insignia of the company.


Voytek who made many friends during the army, the friendship is not limited to only human beings, but also with the Dalmatian, etc, which the British liaison officer had been keeping, becoming friends, playing around and rolling around the soldiers is. However, it seems that there was a bad compatibility with the horse, and when approaching the horse grazed during the camp in the village of Iran, the head and the neck were killed by a frightened horse, and in the subsequent army, a horse and a donkey There is also an episode that did not try to come near at all to.

You can see the picture of Voytek's playing with soldiers from the following.

YouTube - Voytek Soldier Bear archive film Wojtek Niedźwiedź Żołnierz


After the end of the war it was Voytech who was stationed in Scotland with the company, but in 1947 when the Polish army was dismantled, I had to leave my friends. On November 15, 1947, VoytechEdinburgh ZooI will stay in the zoo until I die in 1963 at the age of 22.

Many people came to Voitek who became popular as a hero in the UK, but Voitek has reacted only to calls in Polish until the end. Soldiers' soldiers frequently visited Voitek even after returning to Japan, throwing favorite cigarettes, jumping into the ori and enjoying wrestling.

In Edinburgh the statue by Scottish sculptor Alan Herriot is to be built to commemorate Voitek. Although it seems that the exact place where the statue is built has not yet been decided,Carlton HillAnd Hillside · Crescent are in the candidate and the unveiling ceremony will be held within one year after approval of Edinburgh City Council.

Sculptor Alan Herriot said, "Voyotek may be famous for being a bear carrying ammunition, but the real significance is that his existence has raised the soldiers' morale.I am a voterk and soldiers I thought that I wanted to draw the deep friendship of Voitek and the existence that Voitek had a distraction and a laugh at the soldiers. "Talking about Voitek's not carrying ammunition, a soldier who was a" breeding owner " Peter Prendys of Mr. Peter's cuddling figure.


Author Aileen Orr of the book on Wojtek the Bear: Polish War Hero tells the story of Voytech from a grandfather to grandfather that he had met Voitek many times during the war, when he was 8 years old When I visited the Edinburgh Zoo with a Polish friend, I heard that I have been deeply moved by seeing Voitek who reacts to a Polish talked by a friend and waving his hands.

"For soldiers who are far away from home, Voyotek has been a comforting alternative on behalf of his wife, children, pets and family members who are comfortable.In the battlefield, Voitek is a loving, It was, "Orr says.

In addition to this, you can see many photos of Voitek from the following links.

Flickr: wojteksoldierbear's Photostream