Skip to product information
1 of 1

Birlinn

Wojtek the Bear: Polish War Hero (Revised)

Regular price $12.95 USD
Regular price Sale price $12.95 USD
Sale Sold out
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Title
Title: Wojtek the Bear: Polish War Hero (Revised)
Author: Neal Ascherson
ISBN: 9781843410577
Publisher: Birlinn
Published: 2012
Binding: Paperback
Language: English
Edition: Revised
Number of Pages: 240
Condition Note: Clean, unmarked copy with some edge wear. Good binding. Dust jacket included if issued with one. We ship in recyclable American-made mailers. 100% money-back guarantee on all orders.
Publisher Description: This is the inspiring true story of one of the Second World War's most unusual combatants - a 500-pound cigarette-smoking, beer-drinking brown bear. Originally adopted as a mascot by the Polish Army in Iran, Wojtek soon took on a more practical role, carrying heavy mortar rounds for the troops and going on to play his part as a fully enlisted 'soldier' with his own rank and number during the Italian campaign.

After the war, Wojtek, along with some of his Polish compatriots from II Corps, came to Berwickshire, where he became a significant member of the local community before subsequently moving to Edinburgh Zoo. Wojtek's retirement was far from quiet: a potent symbol of freedom and solidarity for Poles around the world, he attracted a huge amount of media interest that shows no sign of abating more than 45 years after his death. In an extended introduction, journalist and historian Neal Ascherson reflects on the Polish experience in the Second World War and gives full recognition to the Poles' heroic sacrifice and the extraordinary influence they had on the countries in which they served.