Warsaw Uprising veteran and activist Wanda Traczyk-Stawska dies aged 99

Wanda Traczyk-Stawska, a veteran of the Warsaw Uprising and a long-time advocate for women's and disability rights, has died at the age of 99. Her passing was announced by Warsaw’s mayor, Rafał Trzaskowski, who called her a “heroine, a soldier... but above all a teacher.” Traczyk-Stawska lived through some of the darkest moments of the 20th century, surviving the Nazi occupation of Poland and the brutal suppression of the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. She later dedicated her life to activism, speaking out on issues ranging from gender equality to the rights of disabled individuals. Born in Warsaw in 1927, Traczyk-Stawska was just 12 years old when Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939. As a teenager, she joined the Grey Ranks, an underground youth resistance organization linked to the Polish scouting movement. Her involvement in sabotage operations marked the start of her commitment to the cause of Polish independence. By the time she was 17, she had become a member of the Home Army, the largest resistance organization in occupied Poland. During the Warsaw Uprising in 1944, she served as a riflewoman and liaison officer, using the alias “Pączek,” which translates to “Bud.” The uprising, one of the largest acts of armed resistance against Nazi forces during World War II, lasted 63 days before being crushed by German troops. Traczyk-Stawska sustained serious injuries during the conflict and was captured after the revolt failed. She spent the remainder of the war imprisoned in German POW camps, enduring harsh conditions before finally being released upon the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. Returning to Warsaw after the war, Traczyk-Stawska pursued higher education, earning a degree in psychology. She went on to teach disabled children in Warsaw, combining her academic training with her deep sense of social justice. Over the years, she remained actively engaged in remembering the sacrifices made during the Warsaw Uprising, often participating in commemorative events and speaking publicly about the legacy of resistance. In recent decades, Traczyk-Stawska expanded her advocacy beyond historical remembrance. In 2018, she attended a parliamentary session to support a protest by disabled individuals and their caregivers demanding greater state assistance. The following year, at the age of 93, she joined the Women’s Strike, a nationwide demonstration against a restrictive abortion law introduced by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party. Speaking to TVN, she emphasized the connection between past struggles and present-day battles for dignity and autonomy. During the Women’s Strike, Traczyk-Stawska criticized PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński for wearing a badge bearing the anchor symbol, which had been used by the Home Army during the war. She argued that such symbols should not be co-opted for political purposes unrelated to their historical context. Throughout her life, Traczyk-Stawska spoke frequently about the role of women in the Warsaw Uprising. In a 2023 speech marking the 79th anniversary of the uprising, she recalled how early on, military leaders questioned the necessity of including women in combat roles. However, by the end of the uprising, she said, women had gained equal status with men. She warned that current efforts to roll back women’s rights violated constitutional guarantees of equality. In both the 2020 and 2025 presidential elections, Traczyk-Stawska participated in public debates and rallies, continuing to challenge policies she believed undermined democratic values and civil liberties. Her presence in political discourse underscored her belief that the lessons of wartime resistance should inform contemporary struggles for justice and equality. Traczyk-Stawska’s death comes amid ongoing discussions about the legacy of the Warsaw Uprising and the broader history of Polish resistance. Her life spanned nearly a century of transformation, from the horrors of war to the challenges of modern democracy. As Warsaw mourns her loss, her words continue to resonate with those who see her as a living embodiment of resilience and principle.