Gwardia Ludowa

(People’s Guard), the military organization of the Polish Workers’ Party that operated in 1942 and 1943 in Poland when the country was occupied by fascist German troops. Its actions were directed by the High Command, which was formed in January 1942. The first detachment of the Gwardia Ludowa under the command of F. Zubrzycki began operations in May 1942. In 1943 the Gwardia Ludowa became a mass organization. Detachments of the Gwardia Ludowa were most active in Lublin, Warsaw, Kielce, Kraków, and Rzeszów województwos, in Silesia, and in Łódź. During the period of its existence detachments of the Gwardia Ludowa fought 237 engagements with the fascist occupation forces and their confederates, derailed 127 trains, and destroyed 36 railroad stations. On Jan. 1, 1944, the Gwardia Ludowa became part of the Armia Ludowa.