Voytek playing with two local lads george hall, des divine. Voytek s mischief gets him into trouble along the way, but he also provides some unexpected encouragement for the soldiers amidst the reality of war. George recalled how he was told not to be afraid of the bear. The story of wojtek, a brown bear adopted as a orphaned cub by polish soldiers is wellknown in some quarters, notably in britain and among polish veterans of world war ii. The soldier bear was lauded as a hero for successfully capturing an enemy agent, who in turn was interrogated and gave up vital intelligence on enemy positions. Aileen orr, who lives in hutton, is campaigning for a memorial. While traveling through the mountains of iran, two polish soldiers encountered a small boy carrying a large sack which contained a small, malnourished bear cub.
Adopted as a mascot by soldiers of the 4th platoon, the bear was named wojtek pronounced. The mischievous bear cub was named voytek smiling warrior by the soldiers. During world war ii, an orphaned brown bear went from being a cuddly pet to an officially enlisted soldier in the polish army, and reportedly saw fierce combat in italy. Sep 24, 2018 wojtek, the bear who helped polish soldiers win one of the most brutal battles of the second world war, is to be the subject of an animated film by the executive producer of childrens christmas. This is an informative book for adults and also contains an entertaining story for young children. Soldier bear would not be complete without illustrations of the smiling warrior, voytek, and his ragtag group of animal friends. However, his story may not be so well known elsewhere. A bear cub purchased by a pair of polish free soldiers in the iranian desert in 1942. He makes friends with a dalmatian and they are inseparable. Bought this for my dad who met voytek when he was in the polish army in the middle east during the war. In 1974 the story of voytek the soldier bear was narrated over three episodes of the bbc childrens television series jackanory by harry towb. Soldier bear is an absolutely delightful fictionalized account of the soldierly life of the real voytek and made even more delightful because of the wonderfully whimsical illustrations of philip hopman, a dutch artist, on the cover and throughout the book.
Originally adopted as a mascot by the polish army in iran, wojtek soon took on a. The complete story on dvd produced by animal monday. Voytek, a brown bear, was found by polish soldiers in iran. Draw or copy a map that includes all the countries where the book takes place, and then draw arrows to show where the characters traveled. From that moment on, private voytek slept and lived with his company like any other soldier. The author explains in the afterword that voytek was a syrian brown bear. The stories of wojteks shenanigans as the soldier bear were well told but the atrocities of war were never far away, and rightly so. The soldiers decide that the bear, named voytek, is their mascot and they bring them along with himeven though he steals their christmas dinner, even. Private voytek was a different matter entirely, not only was he a bear mascot for the polish 22 nd transport company, he was also a registered soldier who performed admirably during battle. He was even officially sworn into the polish army as a private.
Heartwarming because of the very real affection with which orr approaches her subject. He proved a valuable asset on the frontline, carrying heavy shells and ammunition. Amazing as this is, the book also records the sad tale of the soldiers who found. As he grew, the bear not only entertained the soldiers by getting into mischief, he also lifted their spirits and raised morale in the midst of wars. Private voytek the polish bear soldier war history online. The one show bbc1 shows an article about wojtek the soldier bear, an iranian brown bear who became a soldier in the polish 2nd army corps.
The 22nd artillery supply company of the polish ii corps would name him wojtek by the soldiers and soon he would become a morale boosting mascot for the troops. Soldier bear by bibi dumon tak, laura watkinson 9780802853752. Philip hopman was born the youngest son of a tulip farmer. Buy a cheap copy of soldaat wojtek book by bibi dumon tak. Caught outside their homeland due to the war, 120 poles joined up with the british and became part of the allied invasion of italy and the fight to liberate europe from the nazis. Soldier bear captures the boys attention with war, the girls with a sweet bear and ties in everybody that it is a true story. Niedzwiedz zolnierz o imieniu wojtek by paulin, garry isbn. As the soldiers journeyed through iran and iraq on their way to their assignment in palestine to join their brtish allies, even the officers softened at the adorable teddy bear of a cub. Voytek known as the soldier bear later lived near hutton in the scottish. The soldier bear strange stories of world war ii youtube.
Soldier bear read this book with your kids blogger. Wojtek the soldier bear i cant believe its nonfiction. The incredible story of one of ww2s most incredible polish soldiers a 500pound siberian, beerdrinking. The large animal even helped their armed forces to carry ammunition at the battle of monte cassino. Theres a book written about voytek, soldier bear, by geoffrey morgan. World war ii photographs are included in the back of the book which collaborate the existence of voytek being involved in. Soldier bear is her first novel based on a historical event. Voytek the soldier bear paperback february 29, 2008 by garry paulin author 4. To get around this, the company officially enlisted voytek into the polish army as a private. And also to my father, dymitr szawlugo, and is the story of his early life before he married my mother. This site is dedicated to wojtek the soldier bear and the men of the 22nd transport company, artillery division, polish 2nd corp. Voytek the iranian soldierbear of monte cassino wwii. There is also an alternative rock bank in the uk called voytek the bear.
Black and white pictures at the very back allow readers to see voytek as well as kaska and kubus. Voytek the iranian soldier bear of monte cassino by ryszard antolak august 1, 2005 no comment a fter the battle of monte cassino, one of the fiercest and bloodiest conflicts of the second world war, many accounts emerged of the bravery and heroism of the soldiers. Voytek the iranian soldierbear of monte cassino the. A fascinating account of voytek during world war ii and voytek s antics as a bear who was a mascot of a polish military outfit during world war ii. One group of soldiers within the 2nd corps was the 22nd transport companys artillery division. Story of wwii polish army bear wojtek being turned into. Several books have been written about him, including voytek the soldier bear by garry paulin. Soldier bear by bibi dumon tak 2012 batchelder award winner this is the delightful true story of soldiers with the 2nd polish corps, who while working with the british troops during ww ii, bought a bear cub from a hungry child. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. He didnt receive money, but was officially a polish soldier, mr narebski says. Voytek growled, slapped the dude upside his stupid head, and the man immediately crapped his pants and surrendered.
Dec 08, 2011 to get around this, the company officially enlisted voytek into the polish army as a private. The paperback of the soldier bear by bibi dumon tak, philip. Buy wojtek the bear by aileen orr from waterstones today. Soldier bear is based on true events that occurred during world war ii. His favourite drink was beer, and he was soon enlisted with the 22 nd artillery supply company as a private with his own pay book and army serial number. The story of the iranian bear named voytek wojtek,vojtek, mascot of the polish army the polish. I gather a lot of research went into this book and as we learn about wojtek, we also learn about the treatment of poles during and after the war. Voytek traveled with them everywhere they went, quickly winning over even the most hardened officers with his amusing antics.
Sculpture of wojtek and polish soldier, princes street gardens, edinburgh, scotland, uk. See more ideas about bear, wojtek bear and battle of monte cassino. Soldier bear by bibi dumon tak, philip hopman, paperback. Billy stewart hear more billy stewart here in another band he founded. Story of wwii polish army bear wojtek being turned into film. A journalist for many years, he has also written numerous books and is well.
The soldiers raise the bear and eventually enlist him as a soldier to ensure that he stays with the company. The author of the anastasia books as well as more serious fiction rabble. Wojtek the bear polish war hero niedzwiedz wojtek home. Voytek, the iranian soldier bear at the time of his death in 1964, he was the most famous bear in the world, visited by countless celebrities and adored by the international press. We got this book as a christmas present for a college student who had read about wojtek voytek, a bear that fought nazis alongside some polish troops. The soldiers took the bear in and named him voytek. The polish soldier pointed out that it was always important that voytek was fed before the boys played with him. Wojtek, the bear who helped polish soldiers win one of the most brutal battles of the second world war, is to be the subject of an animated film by. Be the first to ask a question about wojtek the bear. On the road to tehran, polish soldiers encountered a boy caring for a syrian brown bear and decided to buy the young cub. Books and articles were written about him, statues and plaques commemorated his actions. Private wojtek was a 6fttall 35 stone syrian brown bear. Teacher garry paulin has written a book, voytek the soldier bear, which will be published next month. Private voytek the bear was entered into the official lists and got on board the ship with his fellow soldiers.
Oct 07, 2008 the one show bbc1 shows an article about wojtek the soldier bear, an iranian brown bear who became a soldier in the polish 2nd army corps. The soldiers had stopped in the zagros mountains for a meal break and were joined by a hungry local boy with a sack around his neck. Soldier bear is the story of the bear voytek who became both mascot and comradeinarms to the men of the second polish corps during world war ii. But he chose a career in childrens books instead of tulips, and he has illustrated more than 150 books since 1988, including earth to stella clarion and 22 orphans kane. Voytek was a syrian brown bear who was purchased by a polish soldier in iran and adopted into the military life.
The heartmelting story of wojtek, the soldier bear youtube. Soldier bear is a funny, endearing account of a muchloved animal who helped a small group of soldiers cope with the horrors of war. Always powerful and surprising, bibi dumon taks story. Unveiled in 2015, it presents wojtek and a fellow polish army soldier walking together. Aileen orrs new biography wojtek the bear, polish war hero will help to remedy that. Use an atlas to locate where events in the story happened. Winner of the 2012 batchelder awardbased on a real series of events that happened during world war ii, soldier bear tells the story of an orphaned bear cub adopted. In the heat voytek is cooled down with the camps water, by taking showers. Sep 01, 2010 the stories of wojteks shenanigans as the soldier bear were well told but the atrocities of war were never far away, and rightly so. Wojtek the bear polish war hero by aileen orr is an endearing true story of a syrian bear in the persian mountains that in april 1942 joined a polish contingent of soldiers on their way to palestine.
Story of polands soldier bear wojtek turned into film. During world war ii, an orphaned brown bear went from being a cuddly pet to an officially enlisted soldier in the. Winner of the 2012 batchelder award based on a real series of events that happened during world war ii, soldier bear tells the story of an orphaned bear cub adopted by a group of polish soldiers in iran. World war ii photographs are included in the back of the book which collaborate the existence of voytek being involved in the wartime effort. After germany seized poland in the blitzkrieg, polish forces were evacuated into the middle east to assist britain in the africa campaign. In the spring of 1942 following the release of polish prisoners and deportees in the labour camps in siberia, the main route out of the soviet union was across the caspian sea to persia or iran as it is known today. Each book contains both english and polish languages. Amongst their ranks was a special soldier named wojtek pronounced voytek. Really good book about the true story of voytek, a soldier bear in world war 2. But he chose a career in childrens books instead of tulips, and he has illustrated more than 150 books since 1988, including earth to stella clarion and 22 orphans kanemiller.
Its out of print now, and not cheap to buy, unfortunately. In order to provide for his rations and transportation, he was eventually enlisted officially as a soldier. The bear named voytek was adopted in the middle east by polish troops in 1943,when he was just a tiny bundle of fur wandering in the hills of iran. See all 5 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Wojtek was a syrian brown bear ursus arctos syriacus bought, as a young cub, at a railway station in hamadan, iran, by polish ii corps soldiers who had been. T he story of the iranian bear named voytek wojtek,vojtek, mascot of the polish army the polish bear. Wojtek spelled phonetically as voytek in watkinsons translation was a real syrian brown bear, really in the polish army and really the artillerycarrying subject of his companys emblem. Soldier bear read this book with your kids there is no secret i love reading and i love a book that enraptures so many young readers at one time and can be recommended to anybody.
Unfortunately, dad is now too poorly to properly appreciate this lovely book. Voytek s story is illustrated on every page, with text in both english and polish, outlining the bear s story. And also due to the love and humanity that a little bear cub and later a notsolittle fullgrown bear brought to a group of polish soldiers, taken to stalins labour camps, released due to political expedience. But he chose a career in childrens books instead of tulips, and he has illustrated more than 150 books since 1988, including earth to. When the unit was posted to italy in 1943, the troops wanted the bear to accompany them, and so wojtek was enlisted and given both a service number and the rank of private. Story of polands soldier bear wojtek turned into film bbc news. Private wojtek, the 35stone soldier bear which drank. Soldier bear captures the boys attention with war, the girls with a sweet bear and ties in everybody that it. Sangs n clatter group sung by pupils at robert owen primary school 20078 music. In time, voytek becomes a regular member of the camp.
1058 740 713 910 164 1146 601 776 1141 100 1407 188 54 161 451 390 743 280 732 1194 955 553 792 210 663 805 1400 307 9 646 949 1497 126