Wartime Portraits

Bronislaw Hellwig's daughter, Hanna, shares stories about her father's heroic efforts as a skillful combat driver in German-occupied Warsaw.

A rebellious adventurer and highly decorated pilot, Jan Zumbach led the No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron in the battle against the Nazis.

September 1939: Polish submarine Orzel makes repairs in Estonia, but is impounded. Lieutenant Commander Jan Grudzinski takes command when his commander is taken ill. Grudzinski escapes with crew and boat to join with the British Navy.

The final foreign minister of the Second Republic of Poland, Józef Beck was interned by Romanian authorities in 1939 and died in exile.