After long interrogation by soviets Pilecki said to his wife during one of the visits: "They(soviets) finished me of, Auschwitz was just a game". Imagine a horror in Soviets jails, when a man who voluntarily went to nazi death camp said that that was nothing compare to soviets.
@@SpecialProjectY Namely Pol Pot - history of introducing communism to Kampuchea is most brutal and inhumane thing humans ever did to other humans.The length these people went to brake apart existing society structure on a whole country scale is hard to imagine...NSDAP, Bolsheviks,Communist party of China, Red Khmer -all these marxist ideologies are responsible for hundreds of millions of innocent human lives.
@@GrafRamolo Lots have, actually. We live in vastly better world than even 20 years ago. It puzzles me why people are so blind to western civilisation achievements ...Did you know that in 1990 over 2 bilion people lived under extreme poverty line ($2 a day)- recent data shows that number fell to 500 million :)
When I was growing up in 1960's America, a lot of people talked of the Poles as if they were lazy and stupid. In fact, "Pollock" jokes were common. I'm not sure where that came from, but I was amazed as an adult to hear story after story of Polish heroism, as well as to learn about many Polish scientists and doctors. I heard Pilecki's story probably 20 years ago, and I continue to be amazed every time I hear about him.
@@Helo_rides_for_commies So were Marie Curie and Albert Sabin. It's very weird thinking back to how Poles were negatively perceived by so many people when I was a kid.
The Poles are incredibly clever people. How else would they learn to speak Polish? Seriously though - as a Brit who's aware of history, I have a massive amount of respect and gratitude towards the Polish people. This incredible man is inspirational, but the story doesn't surprise me!
That is a common and stupid things from humans. We tend to render people from other countries as "dumb" because of immigration. Feelings of nationalism on countries with favoured economies, along with the fact that people who move from their countries may have "funny" experiences making them look "dumb" not because they are stupid, but because when you take just about any human an put it in a place with a different language, customs and laws you may feel a bit lost even on tasks that should be relatively easy to the locals who know how they should act.
The men and women of that generation were by far the bravest and most loyal of all. They were willing to give their lives in service to freedom and all of humanity. This man alone is the embodiment of true heroism.
To any person who's asking why there wasn't there any big movie made about this guy yet: Hollywood agents already reached Pilecki's family in 2000s about making biopic. His son declined the offer once they started insisting his father had Jewish origin (while he openly lived strict Catholic all throughout his life). I know that from one of his interviews.
Yup. No evil of WW2 can be recognized unless it was performed against our people, and n ogood unless it was by or for the benefit of our people specifically. Fuck hollywood
@@nxgua it just narrows the the perspective , if he is one of the greatest hero’s in history’s , he would still be one of the greatest polish heroes , along side Wojtek the bear
Today, I learned about a new hero. The world was unkind to this man but his spirit never stopped doing what was right. It's also amazing how little information on RUclips we have in English about this man.
I don't feel like thoughty gets the love and appreciation he deserves. You truly make quality content and are a very fun person to watch, and every day you upload is a little better than it was before. Thank you.
This is a very important figure for my country. Thanks Arran yet again for making a fantastic high quality video about our history for a wider audience! You did a great job with Wojtek's story before and now with the Rotmistrz Pilecki. I could recommend you making a video of Polish codebreakers who cracked the Enigma before Alan Turing. Peace and love!
Turing designed and built (with others) a machine that would decipher the enigma quickly. Up until then it took too long to do it. This machine was of cause a computer.
@@TIMMEH19991 I believe he built this ‘machine’ based on the intel and algorithms from those mathematicians. Poland didn’t have the resources and ability to make something like this happen at the time. It doesn’t matter exactly who deciphered the code but I think it’s good to acknowledge everyone involved.
My grandad was in a concentration camp too, he was put before firing squad three times and every time he was picked out of line to be taken back to work because he wasn’t ‘ready’ to be disposed of. Three times. This guy was not scared of ANYTHING! I always said he was the toughest, hardcore guy I know on so many levels and lived until 90. This story tops that for sure! Thanks Arran!
Wow what a amazing story, my great uncle who is Jewish was there to liberate Auschwitz he never got over the things he saw that day and was never the same afterwards. So for your grandad to come out the other side still intact is truly amazing 😃
My patron saint (Catholic) has a similar story. St. Maximilian Kolbe was arrested for aiding Jewish people, and at one point in Auschwitz he heard the cries of a man named Franciszek Gajowniczek in grief over being told he'd be killed, leaving his family without a father and husband. St. Maximilian Kolbe offered himself to die in this man's place, resulting in Gajowniczek living another 50 years after the war
@Camelot House The point he is trying to make is that, during the communist era, a lot of people who were in power, were pretending to be of Polish descent, but were actually Jewish Soviets, imported into Poland under changed names. None of these people were ever put on trial for atrocities they committed between 1945 and 1989, mostly because of political machinations. Not only that, but some of the Jewish people who survived WW2 are now coming back in media, slandering Poland and talking like we were in cahoots with the Germans. Which is then used to strong-arm our government into giving away real estate property to people who have zero proof of it ever belonging to their ancestors. There were also other allegations, like the Israeli government openly teaching their kids that Poland is filled with anti-semites, who would immediately shank them, if ever given the chance. I can tell you from experience, people here are too busy trying to survive the taxes and bureaucracy, while _all_ of our politicians constantly steal, lie and sell one thing after another to other countries for personal gain. Including peoples' rights. Not that any of that matters. So Polish-Jewish relations are a touchy subject for us, for various reasons, not the least of which is that even mentioning any of these issues to a wider audience can get you booted out of any sort of public show and called a Nazi. Because you know. You can criticize anyone. Except for... I mean, I am not a collectivist, so I am always trying to judge people based on their own character, but... A certain ethnic group has a really lousy PR team, if you get my meaning.
The dawn of century, a boy born by a lake Resettled from Karelia’s plains Grown to a man in exile as the great war came Unleashed it’s shadow on his world Oh, no Oh, no Who knows his name? Inmate in hell or a hero imprisoned? Soldier in Auschwitz, who knows his name? Locked in a cell, waging war from the prison Hiding in Auschwitz, who hides behind 4859? Outside help never came, decided to break free The end of april -43, Join the uprising, fight on the streets while hiding his rank Takes command all while serving his country in need. Sent to a prison, where the heroes are judged as traitors Accused of treason by his own Sentenced by countrymen under pressure of foreign influence Men he once fought to free Oh, no Oh, no We know his name! Inmate in hell or a hero imprisoned? Soldier in Auschwitz, we know his name! Locked in a cell, waging war from the prison Hiding in Auschwitz, he hides behind 4859! White eagle Blood of Heroes In Heaven Forever Rest in Heaven True Hero Song: Inmate 4859 by Sabaton
Was also looking for this comment. Thank you for not disappointing! As soon as I saw the thumbnail, I knew who this video was about and the song popped in my head.
WOW! This gentleman showed such heroism and bravery while fighting for his homeland and fellow men and women! Witold Pilecki had guts and should be held up as the ultimate example of humanity's best! We solute you Mr. Pilecki!
Important to mention that he was a father to a family with children when volunteered, its so much harder to make this step if you have kids and a wife. Also, during communist torture he said he never felt pain like that in Auschwitz. All of this for nothing - nobody liberated Auschwitz, nobody saved Pilecki at the end, executed by communists in his own country. Anyone praising nazism or commmunism should rethink things.
Communism is a great thing, mate. One man in Poland was famous for bad-mouthing the Soviets, all the while his father kept a silent attitude, one day he asked his father why and he told his son: When the Soviets liberated Poland, I was an orphan, they gave us free education, free healthcare, I owe them anything I have (This included his son? I leave it to your own criterion). The problem is Stalinism, Iosif Stalin wasn't a man to easily forgive slights. When the Polish president was asked by England and France in 1938 about a plan to let Soviet troops defend his territory he declined saying "I fear once the Red Army is in, they will never leave" and while his fear was very justified, he opened the way to a Nazi invation because neither France nor England couldn't help him at the time. Stalin no doubt remembered that anecdote. I don't justify the Soviets executing Witold Pilecki, I think NATO should have helped him in outting the new Polish government.
@@Kriegerdammerung Communism is a virus. It needs to be eradicated at all cost. Soviets didnt liberate Poland - they attacked it in September 1939, splitting it in half with Hitler and occupying it until two thugs started fighting one another. After that Soviets forced Poland into being a satellite country, as they knew the resistance will be to great to ever make it a Soviet Republic. There was no desire for communism in Poland and it was never welcomed - neither was setting Poland backwards for additional 50 years. Poland was culturally and militarily more advanced than Russia for most of times - it repelled the horde many times - famously in 1921. Even in the 20 years between the IIWW and the partition of Poland into three regions [Russia once again was an occupier for over 120 years], the Russian part was the most backwards and neglected.
This man is my hero, plain and simple. I couldn't even imagine what he went through, not just with the camp, but that and everything after. A true hero of Poland, and many more! Everyone should admire this hero, myself included.
They should make a movie about him and his heroic accomplishments. Honestly, I don’t understand why they haven’t already. While I can’t speak for everyone else, I know I would watch it as soon as it was released. This guy was a legend, a true hero, and an incredible man.
@@ironeagle4274 There was a scandal back in early 2000s - Hollywood wanted to make a film about Pilecki, even the script was ready and, how it is done with biographies, send for acceptance to the Pilecki’s family. But in the script Pilecki was presented as a Jew. The family, who wanted the film to be as much accurate as possible, didn’t agree for this change. Then Hollywood threw the whole project to trash and it was forgotten :(
@@floridanews8786 Ah, yeah, after reading it again I can see how that can be misinterpreted. I will edit it so it doesnt seem as if I am trying to call myself a hero of Poland, as I was trying to convey that HE was a true hero, and many others. I completely screwed that up.
"I've been trying to live my life so that in the hour of my death I would rather feel joy, than fear." (Witold Pilecki) A humble, modest, brave man. The hero of our time.
Thats a strange map at 5:00. Current Europe, but with Nazi Germany, but without eastern Prussia. No Soviet Union, no Yugoslavia, no Czechoslovakia and post ww2 Polish eastern border.
What a story. One of the Bravest people ever. Wow. With tears running down my cheeks, I thank you for bringing us this history of a truly remarkable man's life. 💔
This is a story that needs to be told. It's done with sensitivity even though some details are horrendous. Great passion and skills are shown, both by our protagonist and our storyteller. Awesome job bro 👍
*Too many films are made about escaping typical (institutional) prisons.. Contrastingly, far less films are made about genuinely heroic individuals in history such as Pilecki.* *A man, who though despite his unjust death and untimely demise, overcame immense obstacles while enduring unimaginable horrors. Pilecki was and **_is_** a luminary!*
My family is Polish & we lost members during that war to concentration camps. All my life I had been called dumb & knew only the stereotypes. I had never heard of this man before. Turns out- the one country that people want to call lazy & stupid in America- produced a man 1000x stronger than any action hero! Makes me proud to be Polish. If more people knew about this incredible story, the image of Polish people would change forever!
TAK!!!! I had no clue growing up, that Poland was so highly regarded 200 years ago. Winged Hussars cavalry was the best in the world...before tanks and aircraft changed the world. I hear you about how we have been perceived growing up. Had I known I woulda been in alot of fights. Witolds story makes me so proud of my Polish heritage. I am still learning it even today. I would love to see a movie that spans the last 250 years. It would be full of pride and tragedy and a spirit that shows even in today's fighting with Russia in Ukraine. 👍
That's crazy, here in Belgium where i live Polish immigrants are considered to be hard en accurate workers. We really appreciate Polish people! You should definitely be proud on your heritage.
it's fake all the people who died in these places died of starvation and disease outbreaks brought about by allied assaults on German industry. It's a tragedy but the story is really super fake and kind of insulting to everyone..
No disrespect to my school teachers, love you all but I would enjoy all my lectures with a Teacher like this guy. His way of explaining is marvelous and funny. Love the content.... learning and enjoying it.
I'll think about this story the next time I'm whining about some mundane nonsense or mild discomfort... what a life this guy lived... that's incredible
Thoughty thank you for always doing justice to the legacy theses people left behind. Many will never be known, but the ones you share with us will have this beautiful narration of why their lives were so special!
love your videos. My moms grandmother escaped from the Nazis in Russia, and my dads mom and her parents were saved from boarding a Nazi train by two priests in Bulgaria. And also my moms great uncle was a Partizan. your content about the holocaust is great and its really important to pass as many stories from this time to the next generation.
What incredible selflessness and courage from an individual. It is with great admiration I see Pilecki and his amazing accomplishments. He placed the value of his country and his people over anything in his life.
Thanks for posting his story. Somebody needs to write a major book or make a major movie about him so that his story will be much more known. He was a true hero of the highest order.
At least there's a Sabaton song about him that has spread the word quite a bit. Really love how that band gets more and more people into war history every day.
Polish person and your years-long fan here. Thank you for making this video - I truly appreciate you chose this topic and enjoyed watching it! Witold Pilecki was one of the greatest badasses in the history of mankind and his story deserves to be heard by more people.
They should make a movie about him and his heroic accomplishments. Honestly, I don’t understand why they haven’t already. I can’t speak for everyone else, but I, personally, would watch it as soon as it was released.
Pilecki's family was already reached like decade ago by Holywood agents, but they backed off, once the execs started insisting about changing his background to Jewish (guy was devout Catholic). I'm not kidding, I know that from interview with Pilecki's son.
Where did you get that map at 5:00, it's quite inaccurate. Most noticeably for me is that poland has its 1939 borders merged with its modern borders. Yugoslavia is split Czechoslovakia is split The soviet union has split Now that I think about it, it is basically modern borders apart from Germany and Poland, which have a mix of the two. Austria and Czechoslovakia would've been invaded by germany at this time so it's not historical but it's not modern as it owns parts of modern Poland. I get that it isn't a map video but I feel obliged to point out a few glaring details. There may be more but that's atleast what I can quickly see
WOW ! A true hero of Poland and an inspiration to us all. I don't think that we know enough about Polish heroics not just in WW2 but throughout history. Victory to Ukraine from me in England UK. 💗
thank you so, so much, Arran. going way back to late 1800’s, Poles were very brave and incredible fighters. my husband’s great grandfather was hung fighting for Poland. there was a group of incredible Polish pilots who emigrated to England. they were ruthless fighter pilots
I'm impressed how well you pronounced Pileckis name. Well done man, as a polish man living near the camp I really wanted to see something about our national Heros.
Inmate in hell or a hero in prison? Soldier in Auschwitz, who knows his name? Locked in a cell, waging war from the prison Hiding in Auschwitz who hides behind 4859 Sabaton fans know this story by heart!
Thank you for the wonderfully informative video. I live on the street of his name in Warsaw, and I see mural with his face everyday yet I didn’t know his story in detail … also thank you for this video being .. truthful :) there is so much misinformation about Poland during II world war (like “polish concentration camps” 🤦♀️..) while it was in short, underground resistance till the end, horror of concentrations camps and in the end .. Russians eliminating heroes that survived. This history makes us, Poles, so sympathetic and supportive of Ukraine. It could have been us, it was us.
Another person to look at: Jan Karski, a soldier, got out of Russian hands before the Katyń massacre, resistance fighter, courier to and out of occupied Poland, author of "The Secret State" book published in 1944, met President Franklin D. Roosevelt to inform him about the situation of Jews and other German atrocities.
I read of Witold Pileski's unbelievable courage a few years ago. To me, he might be the bravest of the brave, and for sure, the man I'd nominate for 'most courageous WWII soldier'... bar none. Thanks for this, Thoughty2. Well done.
Thank you for your videos. I occasionally get really bad anxiety before bed, and something about your videos gets me thinking straight again. I greatly enjoy the facts and interesting stories about people and places around the world. Keep it up, you really make a difference!
Thanks to Hearts of Iron IV and specifically Inmate 4859 by Sabaton introduced me to Wiltold Pilecki's plight. Amazing story of heroism and there needs to be more movies/series like this being made. Especially in the times we are living in today!
I love this. I so didn't expect the "protagonist" of this to be from Poland and it all being about Poland. I'm from Poland and barely anyone even knows we exist!
Thank you for this. As a Pole, it's really reassuring when people talk about our history. Not sure why that is, perhaps it's like being a kid in a class that has always been bullied and somebody talks nice things about him.
Mrs Richards: "I paid for a room with a view!" Basil: (pointing to the lovely view) "That is Torquay, Madam." Mrs Richards: "It's not good enough!" Basil: "May I ask what you were expecting to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically past?..." Mrs Richards: "Don't be silly! I expect to be able to see the sea!" Basil: "You can see the sea, it's over there between the land and the sky." Mrs Richards: "I'm not satisfied. But I shall stay. But I expect a reduction." Basil: "Why?! Because Krakatoa's not erupting at the moment ?"
Great video....ended up binge watching Peaky Blinders after your last video and I also did a bit of research. There is so much we still do not know and your videos help a great deal.
Thank you for an outstanding history of a man, who's humanity and will to save lifes, all under the worst thinkable circumstances and danger of his own health and life, maybe the most touching story I've ever heard. With tears in my eyes, for him, and the men in the network he organised in probably the Germans most " efficient"death camps. As long there are people with his love and respect for human life's, there is hope. Sadly he went true all torture without someone in power did something to help. Strange isn't it, that the political power, who were safe in their officers, thought all of his suggestions was to dangerous and differcult to deal with! Although they had the best consult, the man who knew the camp inside out. What a faith, survive all this, just to be executed by the Soviets. It's nice he got so many awards, very late. Hope he has some living relatives, that can be proud of them. It was a very good opening you gave in your video, 8 % of human history has been rather almost peaceful. I appreciate your videos, they are really one of the best, regarding history and all kinds of things. 🌹 For all of us that are thoughty 2!
Pilecki had got wife and a son. He was killed when the son was a newborn or baby. He was writing some letters to his child - real weepy stuff. According to my knowledge the son is still living now in his +90 yo.
@@karczameczka Thank you for your answer! That he had wife and a newborn son makes it really more tragic. Because he was at last ready to go for a happy normal family, he must had been looking forward to this, when he got murdered. But obviously he was that kind of man that just couldn't stand cruelty against humanity, and in those parts of the world, it was dangerous, and he was to intelligent not to understand the risks.
If you're a Sabaton fan, you KNOW of Inmate 4859 When you realized that the other side, the reds, were just as brutal, and definitely more into camps and gulags.
I just wanted to say that I've really enjoyed enjoyed every video that you've posted and your book "Stick A Flag In It" I haven't gotten your latest yet but I do plan on it! Thanks, Aaron
Thanks for watching! Get Surfshark VPN at Surfshark.deals/thoughty2 and enter promo code THOUGHTY2 for 83% off and 3 extra months for free!
4:55 that map burns my eyes
Hi I'm a big fan
RIP Rudy Vrba.
GERMAN DEATH CAMP , you insult polish ppl with that idiotic nazi word
Just because an Operating System runs entirely in volatile memory, it doesn't mean one can't log any data.
If you ever get a chance read the book The Volunteer. It is an incredibly detailed account of this story. He is the definition of unsung hero.
Thanks for the recommendation! Such a live is truly worth reading about so his legacy is never forgotten. Thanks 👍
Hey Austin any relation Lana?
I'd love to read this! Thanks for the recommendation!
No thanks
Sabaton sings about him though
NEVER underestimate the determination and bravery of an actual hero.
Never never Trevor
Never underestimate the brutality and mercilessness of an actual villain.
After long interrogation by soviets Pilecki said to his wife during one of the visits: "They(soviets) finished me of, Auschwitz was just a game". Imagine a horror in Soviets jails, when a man who voluntarily went to nazi death camp said that that was nothing compare to soviets.
It's like, Nazis were bad, really, really bad but then there's always a bigger fish...
The Russians tortured him for an entire year while in Auschwitz he was just another inmate to the Nazis
Nothing changed.
@@SpecialProjectY Namely Pol Pot - history of introducing communism to Kampuchea is most brutal and inhumane thing humans ever did to other humans.The length these people went to brake apart existing society structure on a whole country scale is hard to imagine...NSDAP, Bolsheviks,Communist party of China, Red Khmer -all these marxist ideologies are responsible for hundreds of millions of innocent human lives.
@@GrafRamolo Lots have, actually. We live in vastly better world than even 20 years ago. It puzzles me why people are so blind to western civilisation achievements ...Did you know that in 1990 over 2 bilion people lived under extreme poverty line ($2 a day)- recent data shows that number fell to 500 million :)
When I was growing up in 1960's America, a lot of people talked of the Poles as if they were lazy and stupid. In fact, "Pollock" jokes were common. I'm not sure where that came from, but I was amazed as an adult to hear story after story of Polish heroism, as well as to learn about many Polish scientists and doctors. I heard Pilecki's story probably 20 years ago, and I continue to be amazed every time I hear about him.
Copernicus was a Pole.
@@Helo_rides_for_commies So were Marie Curie and Albert Sabin. It's very weird thinking back to how Poles were negatively perceived by so many people when I was a kid.
These jokes come from Germans, Jews and Russian mostly.
The Poles are incredibly clever people. How else would they learn to speak Polish? Seriously though - as a Brit who's aware of history, I have a massive amount of respect and gratitude towards the Polish people. This incredible man is inspirational, but the story doesn't surprise me!
That is a common and stupid things from humans. We tend to render people from other countries as "dumb" because of immigration.
Feelings of nationalism on countries with favoured economies, along with the fact that people who move from their countries may have "funny" experiences making them look "dumb" not because they are stupid, but because when you take just about any human an put it in a place with a different language, customs and laws you may feel a bit lost even on tasks that should be relatively easy to the locals who know how they should act.
The men and women of that generation were by far the bravest and most loyal of all. They were willing to give their lives in service to freedom and all of humanity. This man alone is the embodiment of true heroism.
Very well said and
And that's because they were raised since kids to do that. Same like a pig is raised to be bacon.
Damn they got shot before they finished their sentence
@@leekorbel1191 and what
@@AdriansCreatures he was probably referring to the
To any person who's asking why there wasn't there any big movie made about this guy yet: Hollywood agents already reached Pilecki's family in 2000s about making biopic. His son declined the offer once they started insisting his father had Jewish origin (while he openly lived strict Catholic all throughout his life).
I know that from one of his interviews.
Yup. No evil of WW2 can be recognized unless it was performed against our people, and n ogood unless it was by or for the benefit of our people specifically.
Fuck hollywood
Woah
Thats disgusting, typical hollywood, they wanted to make it about jews.
Typical hollywood bullshit. Can't tell a story without shaping it the way they want.
Can’t rewrite history, Hollywood
One of the greatest Polish heroes in history. Thank you for honoring him in this video!
You can remove the “Polish”
@@rasmusliedberg there’s nothing wrong with adding polish into it.😒
@@nxgua it just narrows the the perspective , if he is one of the greatest hero’s in history’s , he would still be one of the greatest polish heroes , along side Wojtek the bear
@@rasmusliedberg hitler: been there, done that
Today, I learned about a new hero. The world was unkind to this man but his spirit never stopped doing what was right. It's also amazing how little information on RUclips we have in English about this man.
bruh he posted this 4 min ago
You didn't even watch the video
It’s a 17 minute video and you posted this comment 2 minutes after the video was posted………..
That’s just sad lol
@@moldova7857 oh look at this, Moldova, well, I would say to you, prepare for the next operation of Transitaria
Rest in peace. He fought for humanity against all the animals. A real hero of the world.
I don't feel like thoughty gets the love and appreciation he deserves. You truly make quality content and are a very fun person to watch, and every day you upload is a little better than it was before. Thank you.
This is a very important figure for my country. Thanks Arran yet again for making a fantastic high quality video about our history for a wider audience! You did a great job with Wojtek's story before and now with the Rotmistrz Pilecki. I could recommend you making a video of Polish codebreakers who cracked the Enigma before Alan Turing. Peace and love!
Turing designed and built (with others) a machine that would decipher the enigma quickly. Up until then it took too long to do it. This machine was of cause a computer.
@@TIMMEH19991 I believe he built this ‘machine’ based on the intel and algorithms from those mathematicians. Poland didn’t have the resources and ability to make something like this happen at the time. It doesn’t matter exactly who deciphered the code but I think it’s good to acknowledge everyone involved.
Thanks for pointing this out. I'll have a look, but I hope he does something on it.
My grandad was in a concentration camp too, he was put before firing squad three times and every time he was picked out of line to be taken back to work because he wasn’t ‘ready’ to be disposed of. Three times. This guy was not scared of ANYTHING! I always said he was the toughest, hardcore guy I know on so many levels and lived until 90. This story tops that for sure! Thanks Arran!
Wow what a amazing story, my great uncle who is Jewish was there to liberate Auschwitz he never got over the things he saw that day and was never the same afterwards. So for your grandad to come out the other side still intact is truly amazing 😃
Tough man❤
That's amazing! We need to remember these heros. Their bravery is amazing
My patron saint (Catholic) has a similar story. St. Maximilian Kolbe was arrested for aiding Jewish people, and at one point in Auschwitz he heard the cries of a man named Franciszek Gajowniczek in grief over being told he'd be killed, leaving his family without a father and husband. St. Maximilian Kolbe offered himself to die in this man's place, resulting in Gajowniczek living another 50 years after the war
@Camelot House Show me one Jew who helped Poles during Jewish-Soviet occupation of Poland.
@Camelot House The point he is trying to make is that, during the communist era, a lot of people who were in power, were pretending to be of Polish descent, but were actually Jewish Soviets, imported into Poland under changed names.
None of these people were ever put on trial for atrocities they committed between 1945 and 1989, mostly because of political machinations.
Not only that, but some of the Jewish people who survived WW2 are now coming back in media, slandering Poland and talking like we were in cahoots with the Germans. Which is then used to strong-arm our government into giving away real estate property to people who have zero proof of it ever belonging to their ancestors.
There were also other allegations, like the Israeli government openly teaching their kids that Poland is filled with anti-semites, who would immediately shank them, if ever given the chance. I can tell you from experience, people here are too busy trying to survive the taxes and bureaucracy, while _all_ of our politicians constantly steal, lie and sell one thing after another to other countries for personal gain. Including peoples' rights. Not that any of that matters.
So Polish-Jewish relations are a touchy subject for us, for various reasons, not the least of which is that even mentioning any of these issues to a wider audience can get you booted out of any sort of public show and called a Nazi. Because you know. You can criticize anyone. Except for...
I mean, I am not a collectivist, so I am always trying to judge people based on their own character, but... A certain ethnic group has a really lousy PR team, if you get my meaning.
@Camelot House Now, I wonder if my first comment will show up, or will I have to use some binary or a hexadecimal translator again.
Got me in my feels, a million salutes to a great hero and human being
Got me to the land of nod!!! Poor sod
The dawn of century, a boy born by a lake
Resettled from Karelia’s plains
Grown to a man in exile as the great war came
Unleashed it’s shadow on his world
Oh, no
Oh, no
Who knows his name?
Inmate in hell or a hero imprisoned?
Soldier in Auschwitz, who knows his name?
Locked in a cell, waging war from the prison
Hiding in Auschwitz, who hides behind 4859?
Outside help never came, decided to break free
The end of april -43,
Join the uprising, fight on the streets while hiding his rank
Takes command all while serving his country in need.
Sent to a prison, where the heroes are judged as traitors
Accused of treason by his own
Sentenced by countrymen under pressure of foreign influence
Men he once fought to free
Oh, no
Oh, no
We know his name!
Inmate in hell or a hero imprisoned?
Soldier in Auschwitz, we know his name!
Locked in a cell, waging war from the prison
Hiding in Auschwitz, he hides behind 4859!
White eagle
Blood of Heroes
In Heaven
Forever
Rest in Heaven
True Hero
Song: Inmate 4859 by Sabaton
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@@cafebars3355 Same its clear that someone is gona do it.
Was also looking for this comment. Thank you for not disappointing! As soon as I saw the thumbnail, I knew who this video was about and the song popped in my head.
@@samanthar1214 Same
WOW! This gentleman showed such heroism and bravery while fighting for his homeland and fellow men and women! Witold Pilecki had guts and should be held up as the ultimate example of humanity's best! We solute you Mr. Pilecki!
Sabaton actually wrote a song in hommage to this guy
Album : Heroes
Song : Inmate 4859
Inmate in hell or a hero imprisoned?
Ooo yesss baby
This brought me to tears. What an amazing man. All humanity owes to him. His fight was the good fight.
Important to mention that he was a father to a family with children when volunteered, its so much harder to make this step if you have kids and a wife. Also, during communist torture he said he never felt pain like that in Auschwitz.
All of this for nothing - nobody liberated Auschwitz, nobody saved Pilecki at the end, executed by communists in his own country.
Anyone praising nazism or commmunism should rethink things.
Nazism and communism are the 2 sides of the same coin bow down to some stupid idiotic ruler
@@vladislavzdravkov4057 I agree, totalitarian hells run by quasi-governmental absolutists in the name of utopian sociopathic ideas.
Say that last statement louder for the idiots in the back!
Communism is a great thing, mate. One man in Poland was famous for bad-mouthing the Soviets, all the while his father kept a silent attitude, one day he asked his father why and he told his son: When the Soviets liberated Poland, I was an orphan, they gave us free education, free healthcare, I owe them anything I have (This included his son? I leave it to your own criterion).
The problem is Stalinism, Iosif Stalin wasn't a man to easily forgive slights. When the Polish president was asked by England and France in 1938 about a plan to let Soviet troops defend his territory he declined saying "I fear once the Red Army is in, they will never leave" and while his fear was very justified, he opened the way to a Nazi invation because neither France nor England couldn't help him at the time.
Stalin no doubt remembered that anecdote.
I don't justify the Soviets executing Witold Pilecki, I think NATO should have helped him in outting the new Polish government.
@@Kriegerdammerung Communism is a virus. It needs to be eradicated at all cost. Soviets didnt liberate Poland - they attacked it in September 1939, splitting it in half with Hitler and occupying it until two thugs started fighting one another. After that Soviets forced Poland into being a satellite country, as they knew the resistance will be to great to ever make it a Soviet Republic. There was no desire for communism in Poland and it was never welcomed - neither was setting Poland backwards for additional 50 years.
Poland was culturally and militarily more advanced than Russia for most of times - it repelled the horde many times - famously in 1921. Even in the 20 years between the IIWW and the partition of Poland into three regions [Russia once again was an occupier for over 120 years], the Russian part was the most backwards and neglected.
Omg I couldn’t help but start to clap my hands. What a life this man lived. He has every ounce of respect from me. RIP sir!
I can't believe he didn't talk when they tortured him. That is truly amazing
This man is my hero, plain and simple. I couldn't even imagine what he went through, not just with the camp, but that and everything after. A true hero of Poland, and many more! Everyone should admire this hero, myself included.
They should make a movie about him and his heroic accomplishments. Honestly, I don’t understand why they haven’t already. While I can’t speak for everyone else, I know I would watch it as soon as it was released. This guy was a legend, a true hero, and an incredible man.
@@ironeagle4274 I couldn't agree more.
@@ironeagle4274 There was a scandal back in early 2000s - Hollywood wanted to make a film about Pilecki, even the script was ready and, how it is done with biographies, send for acceptance to the Pilecki’s family. But in the script Pilecki was presented as a Jew. The family, who wanted the film to be as much accurate as possible, didn’t agree for this change. Then Hollywood threw the whole project to trash and it was forgotten :(
May be that I misread that, but did you just say you were a hero of Poland? 🧐
@@floridanews8786 Ah, yeah, after reading it again I can see how that can be misinterpreted. I will edit it so it doesnt seem as if I am trying to call myself a hero of Poland, as I was trying to convey that HE was a true hero, and many others. I completely screwed that up.
"I've been trying to live my life so that in the hour of my death I would rather feel joy, than fear."
(Witold Pilecki)
A humble, modest, brave man. The hero of our time.
He is the personification of what we should represent in our darkest hour. Best wishes from Poland friends. Stay safe.
Thats a strange map at 5:00. Current Europe, but with Nazi Germany, but without eastern Prussia. No Soviet Union, no Yugoslavia, no Czechoslovakia and post ww2 Polish eastern border.
What a story. One of the Bravest people ever. Wow. With tears running down my cheeks, I thank you for bringing us this history of a truly remarkable man's life. 💔
This is a story that needs to be told. It's done with sensitivity even though some details are horrendous. Great passion and skills are shown, both by our protagonist and our storyteller. Awesome job bro 👍
*Too many films are made about escaping typical (institutional) prisons.. Contrastingly, far less films are made about genuinely heroic individuals in history such as Pilecki.*
*A man, who though despite his unjust death and untimely demise, overcame immense obstacles while enduring unimaginable horrors. Pilecki was and **_is_** a luminary!*
My family is Polish & we lost members during that war to concentration camps.
All my life I had been called dumb & knew only the stereotypes. I had never heard of this man before.
Turns out- the one country that people want to call lazy & stupid in America- produced a man 1000x stronger than any action hero! Makes me proud to be Polish.
If more people knew about this incredible story, the image of Polish people would change forever!
You should always be proud to be polish Poland has done many great and brave things
TAK!!!! I had no clue growing up, that Poland was so highly regarded 200 years ago. Winged Hussars cavalry was the best in the world...before tanks and aircraft changed the world.
I hear you about how we have been perceived growing up. Had I known I woulda been in alot of fights. Witolds story makes me so proud of my Polish heritage. I am still learning it even today.
I would love to see a movie that spans the last 250 years. It would be full of pride and tragedy and a spirit that shows even in today's fighting with Russia in Ukraine. 👍
That's crazy, here in Belgium where i live Polish immigrants are considered to be hard en accurate workers. We really appreciate Polish people! You should definitely be proud on your heritage.
it's fake all the people who died in these places died of starvation and disease outbreaks brought about by allied assaults on German industry. It's a tragedy but the story is really super fake and kind of insulting to everyone..
@@theloniuspunk383 honestly mate, your lack of historical knowledge is an insult to everyone
No disrespect to my school teachers, love you all but I would enjoy all my lectures with a Teacher like this guy. His way of explaining is marvelous and funny. Love the content.... learning and enjoying it.
I'll think about this story the next time I'm whining about some mundane nonsense or mild discomfort... what a life this guy lived... that's incredible
You be sure to do so.... bro
Thoughty thank you for always doing justice to the legacy theses people left behind. Many will never be known, but the ones you share with us will have this beautiful narration of why their lives were so special!
love your videos. My moms grandmother escaped from the Nazis in Russia, and my dads mom and her parents were saved from boarding a Nazi train by two priests in Bulgaria. And also my moms great uncle was a Partizan. your content about the holocaust is great and its really important to pass as many stories from this time to the next generation.
how come we never get any evidence I'm tired of just "believing" every crazy hair-brained wwii story they tell
Enthralling
What incredible selflessness and courage from an individual. It is with great admiration I see Pilecki and his amazing accomplishments. He placed the value of his country and his people over anything in his life.
Thanks for posting his story. Somebody needs to write a major book or make a major movie about him so that his story will be much more known. He was a true hero of the highest order.
At least there's a Sabaton song about him that has spread the word quite a bit. Really love how that band gets more and more people into war history every day.
Polish person and your years-long fan here. Thank you for making this video - I truly appreciate you chose this topic and enjoyed watching it! Witold Pilecki was one of the greatest badasses in the history of mankind and his story deserves to be heard by more people.
They should make a movie about him and his heroic accomplishments. Honestly, I don’t understand why they haven’t already. I can’t speak for everyone else, but I, personally, would watch it as soon as it was released.
Pilecki's family was already reached like decade ago by Holywood agents, but they backed off, once the execs started insisting about changing his background to Jewish (guy was devout Catholic). I'm not kidding, I know that from interview with Pilecki's son.
This man is my personal hero. Thanks so much for covering him, Arran.
Where did you get that map at 5:00, it's quite inaccurate.
Most noticeably for me is that poland has its 1939 borders merged with its modern borders.
Yugoslavia is split
Czechoslovakia is split
The soviet union has split
Now that I think about it, it is basically modern borders apart from Germany and Poland, which have a mix of the two. Austria and Czechoslovakia would've been invaded by germany at this time so it's not historical but it's not modern as it owns parts of modern Poland.
I get that it isn't a map video but I feel obliged to point out a few glaring details.
There may be more but that's atleast what I can quickly see
A cartographer perhaps?!?!?!?
Yeah, this map is so wrong
yeah he literally used a modern day map and just changed germany and poland
WOW ! A true hero of Poland and an inspiration to us all.
I don't think that we know enough about Polish heroics not just in WW2 but throughout history.
Victory to Ukraine from me in England UK. 💗
thank you so, so much, Arran. going way back to late 1800’s, Poles were very brave and incredible fighters. my husband’s great grandfather was hung fighting for Poland. there was a group of incredible Polish pilots who emigrated to England. they were ruthless fighter pilots
As a Pole, I confirm that you've told the story of Witold Pilecki perfectly. Amazing story of an amazing hero.
Fascinating. One so brave/devoted to his people MUST be REMEMBERED!
*Sabaton sounds*
They really ought to make this man into the subject of a Hollywood movie. More people should learn about him.
I only learned about him from Sabaton
I feel Bollywood would do it more justice...
@@ianblair5032 weird comment.
Holywood wanted but requested to make him jewish 😂
@@swirlingfudge well, that's how americans learn, I guess...
Thank you so much for this! Brought tears to my eyes; what a great and noble man.
I'm impressed how well you pronounced Pileckis name. Well done man, as a polish man living near the camp I really wanted to see something about our national Heros.
Can’t believe I’ve never heard of this legend of a man. He deserves to have all the praise there is to be given
Inmate in hell or a hero in prison?
Soldier in Auschwitz, who knows his name?
Locked in a cell, waging war from the prison
Hiding in Auschwitz who hides behind 4859
Sabaton fans know this story by heart!
There it is
I never heard about this amazingly brave man. Thank you very much for enlightening me.
Thank you for the wonderfully informative video. I live on the street of his name in Warsaw, and I see mural with his face everyday yet I didn’t know his story in detail … also thank you for this video being .. truthful :) there is so much misinformation about Poland during II world war (like “polish concentration camps” 🤦♀️..) while it was in short, underground resistance till the end, horror of concentrations camps and in the end .. Russians eliminating heroes that survived. This history makes us, Poles, so sympathetic and supportive of Ukraine. It could have been us, it was us.
I live nearby too :)
I love the transition “by volunteering to go to Auschwitz. If you love traveling like i do…”
"Meet the man who voluntarily went to Auschwitz. Anyway, if you love travelling, like I do..."
Was that transition... intentional?
Thank you for sharing the lives of these great men.
Another person to look at: Jan Karski, a soldier, got out of Russian hands before the Katyń massacre, resistance fighter, courier to and out of occupied Poland, author of "The Secret State" book published in 1944, met President Franklin D. Roosevelt to inform him about the situation of Jews and other German atrocities.
And how. 👍🏼
I’ve heard this account . Amazing man & a true patriot who loved his country!❤️
Wow! You managed to a whole video on a man that described the Auswitz camp and its horrors without the word "Jew"..You are good!
no evidence though
He said minorities, and Jews were a minority in Poland, along with Gypsies, Tatars etc.
@@platynowa everyone is a minority under some categorization such a stupid trick they play with language
@@platynowa Sure but considering that out of the estimated 1.2 million deaths in Auschwitz, 1 million were Jews, your excuse is laughable.
@@deavman And, so what? These were mostly Polish citizens, are we going to make a beauty pageant out of this?
Great video man. Had never heard of this man and Im very glad you bought attention to such a hero
I heard of Witold Pilsky Pilecki from a Sabaton song called 4859
I read of Witold Pileski's unbelievable courage a few years ago. To me, he might be the bravest of the brave, and for sure, the man I'd nominate for 'most courageous WWII soldier'... bar none. Thanks for this, Thoughty2. Well done.
Extremely important video about Witold Pilecki.
Thanks for keeping this history alive, sir. Appreciate it a lot!
Greets from the Netherlands 🌷, T.
thank you for covering this. i first heard about this from a sabaton song
As a Pole, I really appreciate you for the work you put into the preparation of this video!
Great video as always! Just one thing that bugged me in it. 4:54 that is not a map of Europe from 1939
Thanks for the new video! Great one as always. I'll definitely have to look more into "The Volunteer ". And as always bro, love the mustache!!
Witold Pilecki was a hero before WWII. In 1920 he (19 yo) fight in polish-soviet war. Great soldier, leader, spy, poet, painter... great man.
Thank you for your videos. I occasionally get really bad anxiety before bed, and something about your videos gets me thinking straight again. I greatly enjoy the facts and interesting stories about people and places around the world. Keep it up, you really make a difference!
Thanks to Hearts of Iron IV and specifically Inmate 4859 by Sabaton introduced me to Wiltold Pilecki's plight. Amazing story of heroism and there needs to be more movies/series like this being made. Especially in the times we are living in today!
Goosebumps all over. A real hero.
Dude, this map REALLY needs correction. Any Hearts of Iron player or just WW2 enthusiast will tell you that.
I love this. I so didn't expect the "protagonist" of this to be from Poland and it all being about Poland. I'm from Poland and barely anyone even knows we exist!
All the autospies they performed. they didn't find one person dying from gas.
authopsies on what? ash?
You need way too much Zyklon B to kill a person, especially if the room you're filling it with isn't insulated properly
How did the Germans not notice the enormous balls on this guy? That alone should have given him away. What a boss warrior!
Sabaton fans already know this that’s for sure
The other ones are Polish
@@arturb5450 that too
inmate in hell or a hero in prison?
@@angiestalesfromwales1590 soldier in Auschwitz
Thank you for this. As a Pole, it's really reassuring when people talk about our history. Not sure why that is, perhaps it's like being a kid in a class that has always been bullied and somebody talks nice things about him.
Thank you for telling his story to your viewers. He was a mystery to me up to 2018. For his courage...he is my personal hero...Witold Pilecki :-)
I have never felt more proud to be Polish. Thank you, Aaron, for telling this stiry.
Mrs Richards: "I paid for a room with a view!"
Basil: (pointing to the lovely view) "That is Torquay, Madam."
Mrs Richards: "It's not good enough!"
Basil: "May I ask what you were expecting to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically past?..."
Mrs Richards: "Don't be silly! I expect to be able to see the sea!"
Basil: "You can see the sea, it's over there between the land and the sky."
Mrs Richards: "I'm not satisfied. But I shall stay. But I expect a reduction."
Basil: "Why?! Because Krakatoa's not erupting at the moment ?"
Such commitment and bravery are rare in this day and age
He's a Polish hero taught in our schools
Great video....ended up binge watching Peaky Blinders after your last video and I also did a bit of research. There is so much we still do not know and your videos help a great deal.
Thank you for the amazing content
What an unimaginably heroic man.
Thank you for an outstanding history of a man, who's humanity and will to save lifes, all under the worst thinkable circumstances and danger of his own health and life, maybe the most touching story I've ever heard. With tears in my eyes, for him, and the men in the network he organised in probably the Germans most " efficient"death camps. As long there are people with his love and respect for human life's, there is hope. Sadly he went true all torture without someone in power did something to help. Strange isn't it, that the political power, who were safe in their officers, thought all of his suggestions was to dangerous and differcult to deal with! Although they had the best consult, the man who knew the camp inside out. What a faith, survive all this, just to be executed by the Soviets. It's nice he got so many awards, very late. Hope he has some living relatives, that can be proud of them. It was a very good opening you gave in your video, 8 % of human history has been rather almost peaceful. I appreciate your videos, they are really one of the best, regarding history and all kinds of things. 🌹 For all of us that are thoughty 2!
Pilecki had got wife and a son. He was killed when the son was a newborn or baby. He was writing some letters to his child - real weepy stuff. According to my knowledge the son is still living now in his +90 yo.
@@karczameczka Thank you for your answer! That he had wife and a newborn son makes it really more tragic. Because he was at last ready to go for a happy normal family, he must had been looking forward to this, when he got murdered. But obviously he was that kind of man that just couldn't stand cruelty against humanity, and in those parts of the world, it was dangerous, and he was to intelligent not to understand the risks.
If you're a Sabaton fan, you KNOW of Inmate 4859
When you realized that the other side, the reds, were just as brutal, and definitely more into camps and gulags.
Ok, nice tough with the animation, with his actual number. Bravo
fun fact, sabaton actually made a song on him, its called prisoner 4859
*inmate
Thank You for making this video.
I am a Pilecki I have know idea if my family is related but he is my hero
Incredible man who lived an incredible life bravely.
I just wanted to say that I've really enjoyed enjoyed every video that you've posted and your book "Stick A Flag In It" I haven't gotten your latest yet but I do plan on it! Thanks, Aaron
What a story ! And a real hero . So inspirational
Nice videos thoughty2 it really makes my day!
He was the bravest person I ever heard of.
The bravest man i have ever met
You met him??? This I very much doubt..
This story needs to be made into a movie.. Jesus christ this dude was badass
He already has a song: "Inmate 4859."
How was he able to survive getting captured by the Nazis two times, yet immediately getting killed by the Soviets?
Soviets was no any better to Polish people than Germans(yes GERMANS not NAZI).
Probably because Soviets were kinda far worse than Nazis, in fact they still are but under different banner...
Thank you for making this video.
Thoughty2 making my day better once again
Same here
They don't make people like this anymore....it's truly amazing