Wanda Traczyk-Stawska, Warsaw hero dies at 99

19 August 2026 Poland Radar 0 Comments

Wanda Traczyk-Stawska, a Warsaw Uprising courier and guardian of the Powstańcy cemetery, has died aged 99. Her activism shaped Warsaw’s memory.

Wanda Traczyk-Stawska, a veteran of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, has died aged 99. Consequently, Warsaw leaders and activists paid tribute to a lifelong guardian of memory.

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Wanda Traczyk-Stawska: From scout to fighter

She joined the underground scouts, the Szare Szeregi, as a teenager. Moreover, she learned small sabotage and helped distribute underground press. In addition, she fought in the Uprising at age seventeen. She used the noms de guerre Pączek and Atma. Therefore, she served as a courier and riflewoman in central Warsaw. Her unit operated around Nowy Świat and Marszałkowska. However, the final months brought capture and imprisonment in Stalag Lamsdorf and Zeithain. She returned to Poland in 1947 and resumed civilian life.

Cemetery, memory and civic work

After the war she studied psychology. In addition, she worked for decades with children in special schools. She considered that work as meaningful as her wartime service. Moreover, she led the committee that restored the Cmentarz Powstańców Warszawy on Wola. Therefore, she helped create the adjacent Izba Pamięci at the cemetery. Consequently, she insisted the site remember civilian victims too. She said the cemetery should call to the world: never again war. Furthermore, she received national awards for that work. For example, she held the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, and she earned a national medal for protecting memory sites.

Public voice to the end

She did not retreat into private life. Moreover, she spoke at protests and supported social causes. In addition, she backed disability protesters in the Sejm and joined the Women’s Strike. Her 2021 speech at the Powstańców cemetery reached wide audiences. Therefore, young people often quoted her short plea: remember us when we are gone. She also appears in recent documentaries and a long interview book. Consequently, Poland keeps renewing interest in veterans’ testimonies.

💡 GOOD TO KNOW: For expats, Warsaw’s memory culture shapes public spaces. The Cmentarz Powstańców Warszawy on Wola is a mass grave and memorial for 1944 victims. In addition, public institutions like ZUS and NFZ handle pensions and health care here (ZUS = social security; NFZ = national health fund). Moreover, Polish identity documents include PESEL, a national ID number needed for many services. Therefore, when attending commemorations, expect formal ceremonies and media coverage. Also, plan travel and parking in central Warsaw, because commemorations often affect traffic.

Her death came as politicians and civil society noted her contributions. Consequently, the city marked her as an Honorary Citizen of Warsaw. Moreover, cultural institutions like the Warsaw Uprising Museum awarded her lifetime honors. Therefore, her legacy extends beyond history. It affects how the city teaches and remembers the war. In addition, it affects public debates about tolerance and civic duty.

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