Comment: In autumn 1940 or at a turn of 1940 and 1941 within Office of Information and Propaganda (BIP) of the General Command of Union of Armed Struggle (KG ZWZ) a department of civil combat was appointed which became a germ of Direction of Civil Combat. Initially its works were directed by Jerzy Makowiecki with help of Marian Gieysztor and Stanislaw Kauzik. In April 1941 direction of the department was taken over by Stefan Korbonski. Soon department of civil combat was transformed into IX Department of BIP KG ZWZ. On the 15th of April 1942 Korbonski became a commissioner of Delegate of Governmnet and Commander of AK (the Home Army) for Civil Combat, and Marian Gieysztor his deputy.

In structure of the Delegacy previous Department of Civil Combat of BIP KG ZWZ was given name Direction of Civil Combat (KWC). By KWC General Commission of Civil Combat was established, which consisted of representatives of political parties assembled at Political Negotiating Committee (PKP).

There were three commissions by KWC: of youth, of women and of clergy. Already at the end of 1940 general Stefan Rowecki with cooperation of Tadeusz Kruk-Strzelecki and Stanislaw Kauzik prepared rules of civil combat, which were going as follows: "1) boycott of all actions of the occupant aimed at weakening spirit in the society and creation of atmosphere conducive for such actions, 2) boycott of all persons cooperating with the occupant and punishment for such people, 3) execution of small sabotage by putting up leaflets, boycotting all kinds of entertainment events organized by Germans, such as cinema and theatre shows etc., 4) help for victims of the occupant, displaced persons, wounded soldiers, political prisoners and their families as well as people wanted by occupation authorities".

First task of KWC was propagation of rules and regulations of Civil Combat around the country - including Codex of rights and duties of a Pole, detailed bans, orders, warnings and instructions of KWC (for example an announcement summoning to collect materials on German crimes or warning Polish clerks serving Germans and taking bribes). Second task was making sure they were obeyed. To execute obedience underground tribunals were established which were organized and administrated by KWC. Special Civil Tribunals and Judging Commissions of Civil Combat - which had character of civil courts.

According to Stefan Korbonski Direction of Civil Combat was managed by a staff divided into the following departments: judicary, sabotage-subversive, radio information, armament, chemical, delegalization and registration of German crimes. On the 15th of July 1943 Direction of Civil Combat of Delegacy of Government was integrated with Direction of Conspiratorial Combat KG AK. In result Direction of Underground Combat (KWP) was established, presided by General Commander of AK. A small staff of KWP was joined by Stefan Korbonski, as a director of Social Resistance, together with the whole structure of KWC. (Tomasz Wronski)

External description: Original, print, in Polish, paper, periodical (Biuletyn Informacyjny, no. 48 of the 10th December of 1942) size 213 x 159 mm, p.8.

Location: State Archive in Cracow, Collection of conspiratorial press, cat. no. ST 5, p.315-316.