Prudential, Prudential, PASTa - what do these names have in common with Colonel Henryk Leliwa-Roycewicz? It combines character, legend and symbolism, just as he contributed to the legend of Polish equestrianism as an outstanding rider and Olympian, it was under his command that strategic buildings were captured in the first days of the Warsaw Uprising, such as the Prudentail skyscraper, the Main Post Office, or during the uprising symbol of Fighting Poland - PASTa building.
– “In these times, it is also worth showing heroism, you can achieve a lot, but also be prudent. Therefore, the educational and financial project People with Character draws on tradition, bringing values such as prudence, property protection and succession into modernity. Traditions oblige, but it is always better to be insured than not to be..." - says Volunteer Cavalry Captain Jakub Czekaj, partner of the People with Character program, whose grandparents (Matylda née Sapieha and Juliusz Osterwa) had an apartment in the Prudential skyscraper, lost irretrievably in 1939.
***
Henryk Leliwa-Roycewicz was born on July 30, 1898 in Janopol.
Twice Knight of the Order of Virtuti Militari, three times Knight of the Cross of Valor, Cross of the Home Army, Medal for the War 1918-1921, Medal of the Decade of Regaining Independence, Uprising Cross.
Silver medalist of the Olympic Games in Berlin in the Versatile Riding Horse Competition.
sports results:
OLYMPIC GAMES
Versatile Riding Horse Competition:
Berlin 1 – August 16, 1936 – team silver medal on Harlekin III, together with Captain Zdzisław Kawecki on Bambino, Captain Seweryn Kulesza on Tośka. Fifteenth individually.
POLISH CHAMPIONSHIPS
Dressage:
Warsaw, September 30 - October 2, 1932, bronze on Tulips.
Warsaw, September 29 - October 1, 1933 - silver on Tulip.
Warsaw, September 30, 1935, silver medal on Tulip.
Bydgoszcz, October 6-7, 1938 - silver medal at Typhoon.
Obstacle Jumping:
Warsaw, October 3-5, 1931 - silver medal on The Hoop.
eventing:
Warsaw, June 8-10, 1933, silver medal at Twostep.
Warsaw, June 7-9, 1934, gold medal at Wisła IV.
Warsaw, October 2-4, 1935, bronze medal on Tulip.
Warsaw, June 4-6, 1936, silver medal on Harlekin III.
1935 rtm. Roycewicz, after winning an individual Army Champion as one of the prizes, was able to choose a horse for himself and purchase it at the expense of the Ministry of Military Affairs. He saw Harlequin III during a par force hunt in Łańcut at Count. Potocki. The horse was tough, disobedient and a lot of trouble - the perfect fighter/eventer horse.
August 1-16.08.1936, 4069 - XI Olympic Games in Berlin. 49 participants from 112 countries. The Polish team consists of 8 people. The Olympic flame brought from Olympia burns for the first time. According to Hitler's order, the Olympics were to be a demonstration of the impeccable organization and power of the Third Reich. It was a show of power, but the organization left much to be desired. Schemes and frauds of the German organizers probably deprived the Polish team of the gold medal. The 35-kilometre course contains 200 obstacles, the competition was watched by about 000 spectators. There was a water obstacle on the route. A murky, muddy, duckweed-covered deep pond that could be safely traversed by one route known only to German racers. Of the 46 riders who reached this obstacle, 32 had a fall. Harlequin III was stopped by the judges in the cross-country test before obstacle 20. He was informed that he had made a mistake on the course. He returned 2,5 km and then found out that there had been a mistake. Thus, the 8 km route was extended by 5 km. Before jumping, Harlequin felt the effort of the previous day. In total, the pair of Henryk Leliwa-Roycewicz and Harlequin III took 15th place and the Polish team wins the silver medal.
In the bulletin of the Association of Cavalry and Horse Artillery in North America No. 54 from July 1989, Henryk Leliwa-Roycewicz reports on his start in the Olympic Games: “However, the Germans want to win. However, their situation is difficult because their rider has to jump with his arm in a sling. He does it in front of me. His horse is sharp and he can't hold it. Finally, he falls to the ground on one of the obstacles. He lies helpless under the poles. People run up, pick him up and put him on the saddle. For this help, for crossing the line, he was disqualified. However, the gold medal was more important than the law.”
On September 01.09.1939, XNUMX, Germany attacked Poland. Squadrons of Heinkels and Junkers bombed Warsaw and the Cavalry Reserve Center in Garwolin. Within a dozen or so minutes, the fire consumed all sports achievements of our Olympians - equipment, trophies and cups. Dozens of the best Polish sports horses stationed there were injured. Adam Królikiewicz and Kazimierz Szosland were tasked with transporting the best Olympians from Grudziądz to Sarny. Another attack by German bombers took place near Mount Kalwaria. Captain Królikiewicz had to finish off the dying Harlequin III.
On September 27.09.1939, 1941 Captain Henryk Roycewicz was seriously wounded in a fight with German troops. He hid his officer rank, thanks to which he avoided death at the hands of the NKVD. From 1943 he lived in Warsaw. He was active in the ZWZ - Home Army, where he was an officer of arms in the fourth region of the Home Army (Warsaw-Śródmieście). In October 1944, he was appointed commander of the Battalion. Kiliński and promoted to the rank of major. In the Warsaw Uprising he commanded a battalion that captured the PASTa building. At the end of XNUMX he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and then to colonel.
Like many Home Army soldiers and Warsaw insurgents, he did not escape post-war persecution. He was sentenced for alleged subversive activity and willingness to change the system of the Polish State, to 6 years in prison, 4 years of deprivation of public rights and civic honorary rights, and forfeiture of all property. On February 22, 1957, Col. Henryk Leliwa-Roycewicz was acquitted of the alleged acts.
After many years, he returned to horse riding. First, he ran the Riding Club at the Horse Racing Track in Warsaw. Then he trained players in the riding section of the "Legia" club in Stara Miłosna.
He appointed the Environmental Commission of the Soldiers of the Home Army Kiliński Battalion. In 1975, he co-founded the Chaplaincy of Veterans of Cavalry and Horse Artillery.
Entry updated: 09.08.2024/XNUMX/XNUMX
Henryk Leliwa-Roycewicz died in Warsaw on June 18, 1990, aged 92. He was buried in Warsaw's Powązki Cemetery in the quarters of the Kiliński Battalion next to his wife, Luta, a liaison officer (quarters B24-3-10a).
25th Greater Poland Uhlan Regiment (Prużana MP, scarlet ring)
The regiment was formed in July 1920 as the 115th Uhlan Regiment (volunteer) from the regimental surpluses remaining after the organization in Greater Poland of the 1st Greater Poland Uhlan Regiment (later the 15th Poznań Uhlan Regiment) and the 2nd Greater Poland Uhlan Regiment (later the 16th Greater Poland Uhlan Regiment) and from the marching squadron of the 2nd Mounted Rifle Regiment - hence the name "Wielkopolska Ulans". At the beginning of hostilities in 1920, the 115th Uhlan Regiment had 450 sabers, and after the fighting during the Korosten concentration camp (in early October of that year) - only 250 sabres. It suffered heavy losses in these battles and was then considered a "small" regiment, as mentioned in one of the cranes. Until 1921, the regiment was stationed in Gniezno, and then was transferred to fight Bolshevik bands in Worończa and nearby villages (Czombrów, Nieżmanów, Morozowicze, Daszkowicze, Mikiewicze) in Nowo-Gródczyżno (near Lake Świteź). The regiment's command was located in Nowogródek.
Formerly it was a combat regiment,
Today it is ruled by white-headed people.
He is named Greater Poland,
And in Pruzhany he repents.
They were called Greater Poland,
They were sent to Polesie.
Half red and half white,
The number is large and the regiment is small.
He wiped all the corners,
The famous twenty-fifth regiment.
In Vilnius, lords are appointed.
And in Pruzhany he repents.
Poleszuki. guys, gentlemen.
Pruzhany's are ulan.
Source: Żurawiejki (1995) – Stanisław Radomyski
Publications in the Polish Digital Equestrian Library:
Click on the links below to go to related materials in the Polish Digital Equestrian Library:
“Henryk Leliwa-Roycewicz. A champion in sports and combat” [link] (2021) – Athletes for independence
“Olympians – August 1, 1944” (2019) – Zbigniew Chmielewski
“Polish Olympic riders of the interwar period, part II” (2019) – Hanna Łysakowska
“Polish Olympic riders of the interwar period, part I” (2018) – Hanna Łysakowska
“Harlequin III, probably the last photo” (2016) – Robert Woronowicz
“Berlin 1936, or about the famous Polish Olympic eventing competition” [link] (2012)
“Riders-Olympians of the Second Polish Republic” (2012) – Renata Urban
"Olympic Riders" (2000) - Hanna Łysakowska
“25th Greater Poland Uhlan Regiment” (1996) – Lesław Kukawski [0872]
“Żurawiejki” (1995) – Stanisław Radomyski
“History of horse riding, part XIV” (1993) – Witold Domański
“History of horse riding, part XI” (1992) – Witold Domański
“History of horse riding, part X” (1992) – Witold Domański
“Excerpts from Krystyna Rudowska's interview with Col. Roycewicz” (1990) – Krystyna Rudowska
“For the funeral of Henryk Leliwa-Roycewicz” (1990) – Antoni Bieniaszewski
“Biography of Henryk Leliwa-Roycewicz” (1989) – Krystyna Rudowska
“Poles in the Nations Cup, 1923-1982” (1982) – Witold Domański
“Berlin Olympics 1936” (1982) – Witold Pruski
"Harlequin and the Olympics in Berlin" (1980) - Henryk Leliwa Roycewicz
“Equestrian sport in horse arms of the Second Polish Republic” (1974) – Zygmunt Bielecki
"Book of Polish Riding" (1938) - Collective work
“Polish horse riding in 1936” (1937) – Leon Kon
“Die Reitkunst Der Welt an des olympischen spielen 1936” [DE][EN][FR] (1937) – G. Rau
“Horse Games of the 1936th Olympiad” (XNUMX) – Leon Kon
“The Olympic jury d`appel took away the silver medal from Poland in the Militari competition” (1936)
“Hard-fought – silver Olympic medal” (1936) – Tadeusz Grabowski
“Horses at the 1936 Olympics – Harlequin III” (1936)
Related Legends:
Jan Tarnowski
Participant of the Greater Poland Uprising, the war with the Bolsheviks, the September Campaign and the Warsaw Uprising. He commanded a squadron of the 13th Vilnius Lancers Regiment of the Vilnius Cavalry Brigade.
Tadeusz Komorowski
Colonel of the Polish Army cavalry. Commander in Chief of the Home Army. Commander of the Warsaw Uprising. Prime Minister of the Polish government in exile.
Sergiusz Zahorski
Brigadier General of the Polish Army, head of the Military Cabinet of the President of the Republic of Poland, co-founder of Polish equestrian sports, participant of the 1912 Olympic Games in the Russian national team.
Rider and Breeder, 1922-1939
A pre-war weekly magazine addressed to breeders, athletes, racing and horse enthusiasts. Poles for whom the history of our country is inextricably linked with horse breeding and equestrian sports.
1936th Summer Olympic Games – Berlin, XNUMX
Polish team composed of: Rtm. Z. Kawecki / Bambino; Major S. Kulesza / Tośka; captain H. Roycewicz-Leliwa / Arlekin III – won the team silver medal.
ARLECIN III (BAFUR - BLACKFISH)
“He covers roads and paths with a beautiful, balanced trot (…) The horse shows no sign of fatigue. A vigorously galloped steeple (…) The horse has a wonderful way of covering space and overcoming obstacles. "
Dr. Gustaw Rau about Harlequin III
Gallery:
From the collection of the National Digital Archives.
