Maj. Jerzy Krusenstern, codename "Tom"
Defender of Grodno in 1939, Home Army soldier
Born in 1924 in the Vilnius region, at the Krusenstern estate in Druskininkai.
He began his education at a grammar school in Grodno and was active in the scouting auxiliary service of the Border Defense Corps.
After September 17, 1939, the Soviets entered Grodno – it was the only city that mounted a defense. Threatened with arrest by the NKVD due to his scouting activities, on Christmas Eve 1939 he crossed the German-Soviet border and reached Warsaw.
There he met the Szalikashvili family. It was then that he last saw his young relative "Duck", who half a century later became Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Armed Forces.
Service in the Home Army
Jerzy Krusenstern joined the Home Army (AK), serving in the 5th Mounted Rifles Regiment, which was stationed in the Dębica area.
Post-war life
In communist Poland there was no place for people like him. He came from an old German aristocratic family. His ancestors held many prominent positions. His great-great-grandfather in direct line, Adam Johan von Krusenstern (1770–1846), was a distinguished traveler, geographer and explorer at the Tsar's court. Jerzy Krusenstern's mother, from the O'Brien de Lacy family, came from an old Irish family related to the English royal house.
In 1945 Jerzy Krusenstern was arrested in Tarnów by the Security Office (UB), which however did not discover his activity in "WIN" (Freedom and Independence). He was released thanks to the intercession of a local official with whom he had worked during the occupation. That official advised him to leave Tarnów as soon as possible.
He moved to Inowrocław, where he worked as a night watchman at the local salt mine, while during the day he studied and prepared for college, eventually enrolling in a commercial school in Kraków.
After graduating, he received a work assignment at the Nowa Huta construction site. He was frequently harassed by the UB – summoned and interrogated. At that time he lived on what is now Piłsudski Street, at the apartment of Professor Suchorzewska of the Jagiellonian University, in a 7-room flat where each room was occupied by a different family.
One room was rented by Jerzy Krusenstern, another was occupied by the mother of Major Dobrzański "Hubal". Her daughter Krystyna often visited from Wrocław, and Jerzy was engaged to her for some time.
Later he worked at various construction companies and managed to go on contracts to Iraq and Germany.
Social activity
He was a co-founder of the Home Army Museum in Kraków and was actively involved in the World Association of Home Army Soldiers, serving for many years as president of the Kraków Branch.
His passion became bringing a large group of Polish children from Lithuania (especially from his native Druskininkai) every summer for holidays in the homeland of their ancestors. He co-organized summer stays for them at his own expense and also financially supported Polish Lithuanians pursuing studies in Kraków.
Family
He has 5 children with his wife Maria, who is a doctor:
- Tomasz
- Katarzyna
- Zofia
- Adam
- Dominika
He passed away on July 27 in Kraków, at the age of nearly 95.