Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
A story from the other side of the Iron Curtain
I registered my M.Sc. thesis at the Warsaw Technical University on the same day I was told to report at the Military Academy (now defunct) in Kraków. I was a conscript soldier with the rank of private-cadet. Luckily, InterCity trains already operated in 1987 so I reported at my unit in the evening. It was not a nice welcome; I was expected to report in the morning (although the hour was not specified in the document). Those were four hard months of service; the first month was the basic training and we had seen no woman for that month. Visits of wives, girlfriends and families were allowed afterwards, especially on the Oath Day.
That day was quite funny. We were taught to march at even pace. While marching in the front of the crowd of families, I had to look forward but I was trying to spot my wife with the corner of my eye at the same time The oath itself was loathed by all of us; nobody was happy to live in a Commie country back in 1987, especially after the Solidarity revolution of 1980 and after the martial law of 1981-1983. We were expected to say, among others "I swear allegiance to the Soviet Union...." -- there was only mumbling at the moment -- followed by "and if I fail, let the austere hand of People's justice reach me" -- men could not say it because everybody was at the verge of laughter at that very moment Though, the happiness was great as finally we could get on the leave and spend the night with our women.
Later, we were sent to Masuria (which is the Polish lakeland in the former East Prussia) for the field training. While at the camp, I learned my daughter was born. I had the right for an instant a week's leave; I was taught the patience; instead of wasting time for travelling home from Masuria and back, I was advised to wait until the training was complete, return to Kraków with the rest of the unit, take the InterCity and join my wife and baby in Warsaw. The patience was rewarded with far longer leave than a week. I must say the most of the cadre, the commissioned officers were human; as long as you at least tried and made no trouble (and you could nicely smile), they were about to understand and help.
At the end of the four months of the Military Academy, we were to be sent to different Army units for 8 months of regular service as the members of the cadre. Most of the men were sent to remote garrisons far away from the civilisation. The "protection" was the keyword. Had you a "protection" (someone in your family at high enough position in the armed forces), you would be sent to some large city, I was lucky. A "protected" mate voluntarily gave his "protection" away for me, the father of a baby. So I spent the next eight months serving in my hometown and being able to stay with the family very often. I ended my military service as a sergeant-cadet, specialist chemical trooper.
Now, how did we feel about a potential war with the NATO? In 1987 nobody wanted to fight. We were aware how obsolete our armed forces were. Everybody had seen the "Blue Thunder" movie featuring a high-tech American helicopter. One day, I was ordered to do a training called "Organised defence against a helicopter assault by a squad using their AK-47 rifles". It all ended in laughter!
-- Citizen Cadet! -- said one of the men -- When we see the Blue Thunder, we'll rather surrender than shoot!
Any military stories to share, friends?
I registered my M.Sc. thesis at the Warsaw Technical University on the same day I was told to report at the Military Academy (now defunct) in Kraków. I was a conscript soldier with the rank of private-cadet. Luckily, InterCity trains already operated in 1987 so I reported at my unit in the evening. It was not a nice welcome; I was expected to report in the morning (although the hour was not specified in the document). Those were four hard months of service; the first month was the basic training and we had seen no woman for that month. Visits of wives, girlfriends and families were allowed afterwards, especially on the Oath Day.
That day was quite funny. We were taught to march at even pace. While marching in the front of the crowd of families, I had to look forward but I was trying to spot my wife with the corner of my eye at the same time The oath itself was loathed by all of us; nobody was happy to live in a Commie country back in 1987, especially after the Solidarity revolution of 1980 and after the martial law of 1981-1983. We were expected to say, among others "I swear allegiance to the Soviet Union...." -- there was only mumbling at the moment -- followed by "and if I fail, let the austere hand of People's justice reach me" -- men could not say it because everybody was at the verge of laughter at that very moment Though, the happiness was great as finally we could get on the leave and spend the night with our women.
Later, we were sent to Masuria (which is the Polish lakeland in the former East Prussia) for the field training. While at the camp, I learned my daughter was born. I had the right for an instant a week's leave; I was taught the patience; instead of wasting time for travelling home from Masuria and back, I was advised to wait until the training was complete, return to Kraków with the rest of the unit, take the InterCity and join my wife and baby in Warsaw. The patience was rewarded with far longer leave than a week. I must say the most of the cadre, the commissioned officers were human; as long as you at least tried and made no trouble (and you could nicely smile), they were about to understand and help.
At the end of the four months of the Military Academy, we were to be sent to different Army units for 8 months of regular service as the members of the cadre. Most of the men were sent to remote garrisons far away from the civilisation. The "protection" was the keyword. Had you a "protection" (someone in your family at high enough position in the armed forces), you would be sent to some large city, I was lucky. A "protected" mate voluntarily gave his "protection" away for me, the father of a baby. So I spent the next eight months serving in my hometown and being able to stay with the family very often. I ended my military service as a sergeant-cadet, specialist chemical trooper.
Now, how did we feel about a potential war with the NATO? In 1987 nobody wanted to fight. We were aware how obsolete our armed forces were. Everybody had seen the "Blue Thunder" movie featuring a high-tech American helicopter. One day, I was ordered to do a training called "Organised defence against a helicopter assault by a squad using their AK-47 rifles". It all ended in laughter!
-- Citizen Cadet! -- said one of the men -- When we see the Blue Thunder, we'll rather surrender than shoot!
Any military stories to share, friends?