1943: Jerzy Iwanow (Georgios Ivanof)
January 4th, 2010 Headsman
On this date in 1943, Polish-born Greek resistance hero Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz was shot (or shot attempting to escape the Kaisariani execution ground, which amounts to pretty much the same thing) for a dramatic career fighting the occupation of Greece.
Iwanow (Polish) — or Georgios Ivanof — was the son of a Russian officer, but his parents divorced in his childhood, and mom married a Greek.
Jerzy was on his way to a cosmopolitan upbringing, mastering half a dozen languages and apparently just as many sports.
His athletic and linguistic prowess would both come in handy for derring-do missions (more Polish) in the Greek waters that saw him sink a German submarine and a destroyer with magnetic bombs. He even escaped the first two times he was captured.
Third time was a charm for the Nazis.
Sounds like celluloid material. As a matter of fact, a 1972 Polish film valorized Iwanow as Agent Nr. 1.
You can see the full movie on Veoh, if you’re prepared to install their viewing software.
On this day..
- 1879: Juan Oliva Moncusi, attempted regicide - 2020
- 1745: William Hook - 2019
- 1957: Geza Szivos - 2018
- 1944: Kaj Munk, Danish pastor-poet - 2017
- 1794: Nicolas Luckner, German marshal of France - 2016
- 1568: Eighty-four Valenciennes iconoclasts - 2015
- 1943: "Native parachutists" in Morocco - 2014
- 1897: The Bicol martyrs of Philippines independence - 2013
- 2011: Ryu Kyong, Kim Jong-un rival - 2012
- 1721: John Stewart, pirate - 2011
- 1946: The treacherous Theodore Schurch - 2009
- 838: Babak Khorramdin - 2008
Entry Filed under: 20th Century,Borderline "Executions",Capital Punishment,Death Penalty,Execution,Germany,Greece,Guerrillas,History,Martyrs,Occupation and Colonialism,Power,Shot,Soldiers,Treason,Wartime Executions
Tags: 1940s, 1943, athens, cinema, georgios ivanof, january 4, jerzy iwanow, kaisariani, thessaloniki, world war ii
Gdzie znajduje si? pomnik Jerzego Ivanova – Szajnowicza (adres) w Salonikach?
What a poignant damnation of premature death. Compare the beauty of this man with the nihilist Nazi thugs who even terrorised their own citizenry.