Born on 18 June 1899 in Poświętnie, pow. Kościan. At age 16 he moved to Berlin in search of work. For 18 years he worked in public baths in the city of Berlin. At the age of conscription, the Prussian authorities have incorporated it into the German army. After the end of your military training was assigned to the Western Front where he fought, among others at the Battle of the Marne. In the summer of 1918 he was wounded. As a result of injuries sent him for treatment and convalescence to a military hospital in Opole. After leaving the hospital was sent to the Border Services Agency (Grenschutzu). During this period his mother seriously ill. Her doctor confirmed a serious condition. As a result, John Mackowiak got a few days' vacation.
Due to the unrest and bad moods prevailing in Germany, went on vacation, fully armed and uniformed soldiers enjoyed by active service. However, obliged him to carry personal weapons deposited in the police district in Wolsztyn. However, our hero of this responsibility, "forgot". During this period, among the German army, especially soldiers - Poles serving in the Prussian army, felt a lot of anxiety. Wait, what will the next few days and weeks.
about the situation and the mood in and around Rakoniewice John Mackowiak was informed by his friends and colleagues, who daily came to his parents' home (located away from the city, near the forest), to practice with weapons, which he brought. Among them were: Stanislaw Myssak (later forest ranger in Rakoniewice), Martin Wielgosz, Ratajczak and James Valentine Lemanczyk.
In early January 1919, all the above the entire group came to create a partisan unit in Rakoniewice. John Mackowiak, he joined the Department fully armed and uniformed Prussian. Only additionally features a red and white armband. Authorities insurgents wanted to redeem filed by John weaponry. Has even been evidence of weapons in favor of putting a partisan unit.
Thus, a Prussian soldier - Pole became an insurgent Wielkopolska. He participated in the battles for the liberation of Rakoniewice, Rostarzewa, Wolsztyn and other localities in the western sector of the front. In the battles for New Kramsko was wounded, and two of his colleagues from Rakoniewice - Todek Wujec and killed in the battle for the glory.
Wielkopolski Uprising After winning the section of the Western Front Jan Mackowiak was drafted into the regular Polish Army. He took part in the war Bolshevik composed of 14 Division on the front of the Lithuanian - Belarusian. The documents preserved in the family shows that he was awarded the Medal of Honor Front Lithuanian - Belarusian. He fought, among others Brezyną over and around the Baranovichi and Smolensk. War, especially during the great frost and heavy rainfall, much exhausted the Polish military forces.
At the collapse of the Polish front after the expedition of Kiev, J. Piłsudzki called on Chief of General Staff Gen. Tadeusz Rozwadowski, which largely attributed to the development plan of the Battle of Warsaw, commonly known as the "Miracle on the Vistula." Jan Maćkowiak brał udział w tej bitwie aż do zwycięskiego końca. Atmosfera panująca w narodzie polskim, odwaga, determinacja i waleczność polskiego żołnierza pozwoliły zwycięsko zakończyć wojnę z przeważającymi wojskami bolszewickimi.
Jan Maćkowiak został zdemobilizowany w 1921 r. Za swoją odwagę, męstwo i bojową postawę żołnierza został odznaczony Krzyżem Zasługi i Medalem Niepodległości oraz Krzyżem Powstańczym.
Po demobilizacji Jan wrócił do rodzinnego domu w Rakoniewicach, ale nie mógł znaleźć tutaj żadnej pracy. Wyjechał na Śląsk do pracy in a coal mine. In November, has married Maria Dudzińska. The couple had two sons and two daughters. After his return from Silesia took kilkuhektarowe farm from his parents.
However, the war-Cpl. John Mackowiak has not yet ended. He was still needed by the Fatherland. Due to the growing threat to the German invasion of Poland on 24 August 1939 John Mackowiak was drafted and put into the 71 PP and directed the defense of Warsaw. After a conditional surrender
capital returned home as a prisoner of war, on the basis of a document of release from captivity issued by the commander 8 German Army (written in Polish and German language).
About unprecedented heroism of the defenders of Warsaw and its inhabitants are often told his children and visitors go to colleagues. He said that Warsaw had never surrendered to an end. A lot of military equipment and weapons have been adequately protected and hidden underground. Warsaw Resistance began almost from the moment of capitulation.
After the war he continued his kilkuhektarowe farm. After the war he was a councilor of the City Council's first term in Rakoniewice. He was a very humble man, friendly neighbor. Its share in three wars treated as a sacred and patriotic obligation to defend its homeland, which is why his lifetime he did not want to use their own merits to obtain military material perks. He did not belong to any military associations, social and political organizations.
He died on 25 January 1958 at the age of 59 years. He was buried in the parish cemetery in Rakoniewice.
DECORATIONS
- Wielkopolski Uprising Cross Order of Merit
- Independence Medal
Prepared by: Edward Laskowski
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