The seat of MFSP at a site of value for the history of the Warsaw Rising
01.08.2022
Today we celebrate the 78th anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Rising. During the Rising, the current seat of the Ministry of Family and Social Policy hosted the command of the 1st headquarters of the “Falcon” (Sokół) Assault Battalion of the Śródmieście Południowe Home Army Subdivision.
The commemorating plate with the following inscription has been placed at the Ministry’s building: “During the Warsaw Rising, the annex to the house at 5 Nowodworska Str. hosted the command of the battalion headquarters and the headquarters of the “Falcon” Assault Battalion of the Home Army formation of Major Narcyz Łopianowski “Sarna” of the subdivision of Colonel Jan Szczurek – Cergowski “Sławbor”.
The Battalion insurgents have fought in the Śródmieście District within the streets: Bracka, Nowogrodzka, Żurawia, Krucza, Aleje Jerozolimskie, Nowy Świat and Książęca as well as Trzech Krzyży Square.
One of the Battalion soldiers was Antoni Szczęsny Godlewski, the legendary Antek Rozpylacz (Antek The Destroyer). He died in the very early days of the Uprising at the age of only 21 years, during the fights near the junction of Bracka and Aleje Jerozolimskie Streets. He was buried at the yard at 5 Bracka Str. – next to the existing seat of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy.
The funeral of the insurgent was held on 9 August at 5 Bracka Str. On 1 August 1945, the body of Antoni Godlewski was exhumed and buried at the Powązki Military Cemetery. Today, at the yard of the real property, in the place of the previous burial, we can see an inscription made in 1945 by his mother: “Antek Rozpylacz was buried at the Military Cemetery”.
On 8 August, at the 48th anniversary of the Antek Rozpylacz death, the inscription was covered with a glass panel. A symbolic bulwark made of granite brick was blessed.