by Tucker Koch, Commentary Writer
The Polish people faced brutal conditions during the Second World War. Two of the era’s most ruthless regimes attacked them, forcing many to flee while others were captured and tortured in concentration camps.
This hardship caused most of the Polish people, including the government and the army, to flee in every direction. The Soldiers and citizens who fled east later formed the Anders’ Army in 1941, hoping to help reclaim their nation. They were traveling through Iran (yes, they somehow managed to sneak through the entire Soviet Union and ended up in Iran … still trying to figure that one out) when they encountered a small boy. This boy showed them a tiny Iranian orphan bear cub. The battalion, feeling fond of the orphaned bear cub, adopted it into their ranks.
They then spent the next couple of months raising the bear on their walk over to British-controlled Egypt. The troops fed him various fruits, gave him some condensed milk from an old vodka bottle, showed him how to smoke, and trained him to carry supplies and munitions for the army. When the army finally arrived in Egypt to support the British invasion of Italy, they denied Wojtek access on the boat due to their strict policy of not accepting animals or mascots on their vessel. To get around this, Wojtek was officially drafted into the Polish army as a private. He quite literally had his own serial number and paystub. (The bear got paid). He then helped the Allies storm Italy, overthrow Mussolini, and participated in the Battle of Rome.
After the war, Wojtek retired from his position and spent the rest of his life in retirement in Scotland at the Edinburgh Zoo, where he interacted with locals and attended local press events. (Keep in mind, this is still a fricken bear we are talking about here.) He ended up passing away peacefully in December of 1963. His legacy has endured through statues of him, plaques bearing his name, numerous books written about his life, including children’s books, and even an entire street in Poland named after him. This is Tucker Koch, and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this.
