Antoni Heda was a Polish military commander and a notable veteran of the Polish resistance movement in World War II and later independence movement against Soviet occupation following the war. Among the best known of his partisan actions was the raid on Communist prison in Kielce in August 1945, in which roughly 300 political prisoners were freed. His codename was "Szary" (Grey).
Antoni Heda
2005
Plaque commemorating general Antoni Heda at Gdynia Chylonia train station. Here he was arrested by communist Ministry of Public Security.
The Raid on Kielce Prison, which took place in Kielce, Poland, in the night of 4/5 August 1945, was carried out by members of anti-Communist resistance, the so-called Cursed soldiers. Their target was a Communist secret services prison, where soldiers of the Home Army, National Armed Forces and other organizations were kept. The raid was carried out by some 200 former Home Army soldiers, led by Antoni Heda and Stefan Bembiński. It resulted in the release of some 350 prisoners.
Antoni Heda speaking during the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the raid, Kielce 2005
Lieutenant colonel Antoni Żółkiewski