Zigmund Berling
PolandBirth and Early Life
Zygmunt Henryk Berling was born in Limanowa, Poland, in 1896.Military Service in World War I
In 1915, Berling joined the Polish Legion led by Józef Piłsudski and fought on the side of the Austro-Hungarian army. He served in both the 2nd and 4th regiments, rising to the rank of platoon and company commander. In May 1918, he transferred to the Austro-Hungarian army and served in the 32nd Infantry Regiment.
Interwar Period
After the war, Berling joined the Polish Army as a lieutenant in the 4th Infantry Regiment. During the Polish-Soviet War of 1920, he commanded a battalion and earned the Silver Cross of Virtuti Militari for his bravery. In the interwar period, he held various staff positions and commanded the 6th and 4th infantry regiments, rising to the rank of colonel in 1930.
World War II
With the outbreak of World War II in July 1939, Berling retired from the army. During the Polish campaign, he remained at his home in Vilnius until he was arrested by the NKVD and sent to the Starobelsk POW camp. While in captivity, he agreed to cooperate with the Soviet secret police and was transferred to a special camp for Polish officers sympathetic to communism.
In June 1941, Berling became the first signatory of a letter from 13 Polish officers to the Soviet government, requesting permission to fight against Germany. After the formation of the 5th Polish Division under General Władysław Anders, Berling was appointed its chief of staff. He later commanded the division's training camp in Krasnovodsk.
Creation of the "Berling Army"
Following the evacuation of Anders' army from the USSR, the Soviet government began forming a new, communist-controlled Polish army. Berling was placed in command of this force, known as the 1st Polish Division named after Tadeusz Kościuszko. He led the division in combat alongside Soviet troops. In August 1943, the division was expanded into a corps under Berling's command.
In March 1944, Berling became commander of the Polish Army in the USSR, and in July 1944, he led the 1st Polish Army as part of the Soviet forces. The army was largely staffed by Soviet citizens with Polish-sounding surnames.
Later Career
After a failed attempt to cross the Vistula River in October 1944, Berling was recalled from the army and sent to study at the Military Academy of the General Staff in Moscow. He returned to Poland in 1947 and was appointed head of the Polish Army's General Staff Academy the following year. He retired from the army in 1953 and joined the Polish United Workers' Party in 1963.
