Wanda Gertz
Polish soldier and male impersonator / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Major Wanda Gertz (13 April 1896 – 10 November 1958) was a Polish woman of noble birth, who began her military career in the Polish Legion during World War I, dressed as a man, under the pseudonym of "Kazimierz 'Kazik' Żuchowicz". She subsequently served in the Ochotnicza Legia Kobiet (Women's Voluntary Legion) of the Polish Armed Forces during the Polish–Soviet War. In the interwar period she became a reserve officer but faced discrimination and was stripped of her officer rank. She worked closely with Marshal Piłsudski and remained an activist in the cause of women in the military.
Wanda Gertz | |
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Birth name | Wanda Gertz von Schliess |
Born | (1896-04-13)13 April 1896 Warsaw, Congress Poland, Russian Empire |
Died | 10 November 1958(1958-11-10) (aged 62) London, England |
Buried | 52°15′30″N 20°57′11″E |
Allegiance | Poland |
Service/ | Polish Land Forces |
Years of service |
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Rank | Major |
Commands held |
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Battles/wars | |
Awards | |
With the outbreak of World War II her experience and skills in Special operations were ultimately recognised by military men and having joined the resistance in 1939 under codename, "Lena", she became an officer and commander of an all-female battalion in the Home Army.[1] She was awarded the highest Polish military honours, a singular rarity for any woman of her generation to achieve.