Słupno: Memorials to the Battles of 1920
Accommodation in Słupno
Słupno is connected with the battles of 1920: on August 13, it was a rallying point for a regiment; the following day, a battalion commander fell here. An obelisk and a restored wooden cross commemorate different aspects of this history.
Słupno at a glance
- On August 13, 1920, shortly after the Bolsheviks captured Radzymin, Słupno was the rallying point for the 46th Regiment.
- On August 14, Captain Ryszard Downar-Zapolski, commander of the 1st Battalion of the 85th Vilnius Rifle Regiment, fell in the center of Słupno.
- A memorial obelisk to Downar-Zapolski stands in the courtyard of Szkoła Podstawowa nr 1 im. M. Konopnickiej.
- A wooden cross, donated and restored by local residents, commemorates the victims of the 1920 Battle of Warsaw.
What role did Słupno play in August 1920?
Two consecutive days are key to understanding the events. On August 13, shortly after the Bolsheviks captured Radzymin, Słupno served as the rallying point for the 46th Regiment. On August 14, Captain Ryszard Downar-Zapolski fell in the center of the town. He commanded the 1st Battalion of the 85th Vilnius Rifle Regiment. The town’s history thus brings together two specific military events: a regiment’s rallying point and the death, the following day, of a commander from another regiment. During the fighting, the residents of Słupno supported the military by disarming and capturing Bolsheviks. Thus, the remembrance of 1920 brings together not only military roles and the fallen officer, but also the actions of local residents.
Which memorials commemorate this history?
The memorial obelisk is dedicated to Captain Ryszard Downar-Zapolski; the wooden cross commemorates the victims of the 1920 Battle of Warsaw. The two memorials therefore point to different aspects of the history: one focuses on a named officer, the other on the victims of the battle. The cross was donated and restored by local residents. It stands at the entrance to ul. Norwida from the old route of Road No. 8, almost opposite the Scania business. The obelisk is in the courtyard of Szkoła Podstawowa nr 1 im. M. Konopnickiej in Słupno. Since it stands in a school courtyard, it is best to check access to the school grounds before visiting.
Discover more destinations: Kobyłka, Tłuszcz, Radzymin, Cegielnia, Borki, Wołomin, Nowe Załubice and Trojany.
FAQ
What happened in Słupno on August 13, 1920?
Shortly after the Bolsheviks captured Radzymin, Słupno was the rallying point for the 46th Regiment.
Who is the obelisk dedicated to?
It commemorates Captain Ryszard Downar-Zapolski, who fell in the center of Słupno on August 14, 1920, and commanded the 1st Battalion of the 85th Vilnius Rifle Regiment.
Where is the wooden cross, and what does it commemorate?
It stands at the entrance to ul. Norwida from the old route of Road No. 8, almost opposite the Scania business. It commemorates the victims of the 1920 Battle of Warsaw.
Go to the main travel overview: Wołomin.
