To mark the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising, the Polish Military Group decided to test how well Poles know their history, especially that related to World War II. It turns out we have significant gaps in our knowledge that are worth filling. In the survey*, Poles were asked, among other things, what they associate with the name “Cichociemni,” and only 10% knew the correct answer! PGM wants to change this by publicizing the survey results and educating the public about the important—though, as we can see, still not fully known—heroes of the Warsaw Uprising: the Cichociemni. It plans to release a limited-edition collector’s series of an AR-type carbine dedicated to the memory of these heroes.
Poles don't know their own history!
According to a survey* conducted in July 2024 by SW Research on behalf of the Polish Military Group (PGM), as many as 43% of Poles do not associate the name “Cichociemni” with anything in particular. Only 10% spontaneously give the correct answer that the name refers to an elite group of Polish soldiers who were trained in the United Kingdom during World War II for special missions, including intelligence operations, sabotage, communications, and guerrilla warfare. These soldiers were parachuted into occupied Poland, and it was they who played a crucial role during the Warsaw Uprising, fighting in the streets of insurgent Warsaw while also serving within the command structure of the Warsaw Uprising.
“A survey commissioned by us revealed that as many as 14% of Poles associate the ‘Cichociemni’ with someone suspicious, while 10% believe that this was the term used during the communist era to refer to undercover police officers working for the Security Service. “9% mistakenly assume that it is another name for the Cursed Soldiers, and 5% believe that this was the term used during World War II for German agents acting against the Allies,” — comment Marek Tomkiewicz and Piotr Gniadek, co-founders of PGM and descendants of a Home Army soldier who fought in the Uprising and became a role model for them.
The heirs of the Cichociemni and historians are shaking their heads in disbelief
For history buffs, these findings are alarming, as the truth about the Cichociemni is quite different. “The Cichociemni, an elite group of Polish soldiers from World War II, were trained in Great Britain and then, after being parachuted into occupied Poland, undertook the most difficult sabotage operations against the enemy,” — explains Marcin Krajewski, a former operator with the GROM military unit’s combat team, which considers itself the heir to the Cichociemni’s legacy. “The first parachute drops took place as early as 1941, but it was the Warsaw Uprising that was the greatest battle fought by Home Army soldiers from this secret unit,” adds Krajewski.
The Cichociemni—not enough is said about them
As an elite yet covert unit, the Cichociemni did not wear any distinctive uniforms or insignia. The memory of them is therefore passed down mainly through the nickname that stuck to them not only because of their modus operandi (at night, quietly, and by surprise), but also thanks to the name that first appeared in the training manual of Unit VI of the Supreme Commander’s Staff in September 1941. The Cichociemni also did not have a specific model of weapon they used. However, it had to function quickly and reliably and not be too heavy, as the soldiers had to carry it for many kilometers, often under difficult conditions.
“The PGM team also includes people who have had professional ties to the military in the past. While discussing the history we’re passionate about, we asked ourselves what the Cichociemni’s weapons might look like today. This inspired us to commemorate their heroic deeds by creating a limited-edition, collectible series of AR carbines, which we will soon present at the 32nd International Defense Industry Exhibition (MSPO), to be held in September in Kielce,” – summarizes Radomir Woźniak, CEO of the Polish Military Group, adding: “The series will consist of only 80 pieces, representing the number of years that have passed since the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising, and the engravings on them will serve as a medium for history, which, as our research shows, needs to be refreshed.”