07-05-2025
Defeated soldiers buried WWII flag in Poland forest. Duo found it 85 years later
World Defeated soldiers buried WWII flag in Poland forest. Duo found it 85 years later
A pair searching the forest near Zielone found the hidden banner, pennant and ribbons of a regiment defeated in WWII, officials said.
Photo from M. Podgórski via Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments
A group of soldiers knelt in a forest of southern Poland in the fall of 1939 and buried several flags. They'd been defeated by invading Nazi German forces but didn't want anything to happen to their important emblems.
The plan worked. Their flags stayed hidden for 85 years — until now.
Maciej Podgórski and Piotr Szynala headed into a forest near Zielone in early May to search for World War II relics, the Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments said in a May 6 news release.
The pair expected to find at least something, but what reemerged left them stunned. Officials said the duo dug up a pile of fabric wrapped in a tarp, as seen in a photo.
The banner of Poland's 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment found near Zielone.
Photo from M. Podgórski via Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments
Podgórski and Szynala immediately contacted archaeologists, who identified the fabric items as a banner, pennant and ribbons from WWII-era Polish troops.
The banner belonged to the 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment, officials said. Photos show the front and back of the square flag. Its red and gold design features several wreaths, eagles and shield emblems.
The banner was the best-preserved artifact, likely because it was made of high-quality materials, such as gold and silver threads, officials said.
The underside of the banner from Poland's 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment found near Zielone.
Photo from M. Podgórski via Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments
Podgórski and Szynala also found a pennant and ribbons belonging to the 21st Mountain Infantry Division, officials said. Photos show the front and back of the fabric items. The main pennant has a blue-black hue with three central emblems, all quite worn. The three ribbons are dark red with some gold text and gold edging.
Traditionally, the pennant was given to a regiment within the 21st Mountain Infantry Division with the highest shooting achievement and transferred annually, officials said. The pennant was given to the 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment in 1938 and was still in its possession when WWII broke out in 1939.
The pennant and ribbons of Poland's 21st Mountain Infantry Division found near Zielone.
Photo from M. Podgórski via Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments
The 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment was stationed in southern Poland and fought against the invading Nazi German forces during the outbreak of WWII. The regiment suffered heavy losses and by mid-September 1939 formally ceased to exist, instead merging with other units, officials said.
The regiment's surviving soldiers reported hiding the banner, pennant and ribbons by wrapping them in tarps and burying them in the forest near Zielone 85 years ago. In the 1960s after WWII ended, the veterans unsuccessfully tried to find the flags.
The underside of the pennant and ribbons of Poland's 21st Mountain Infantry Division found near Zielone.
Photo from M. Podgórski via Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments
Now, the historic flags have been taken to a nearby museum and transferred to professional conservators, officials said.
Officials suspect some other artifacts from the 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment may still be buried in the forest near Zielone and hope to conduct a professional excavation.
Zielone is a village in southeastern Poland, near the border with Ukraine, and a roughly 180-mile drive southeast from Warsaw.
Google Translate was used to translate the Facebook post from the Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments.
Aspen Pflughoeft
McClatchy DC Go to X Email this person
Aspen Pflughoeft covers real-time news for McClatchy. She is a graduate of Minerva University where she studied communications, history, and international politics. Previously, she reported for Deseret News.
