The only black fighter during the Warsaw Uprising
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by
INPRO
The Only Black Fighter During the Warsaw Uprising
During the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, a pivotal event in World War II, many volunteers from foreign lands joined the Polish resistance to fight against the German occupation. Among these brave individuals was August Agboola Browne (also known as O’Browne), likely the only black participant in this historic uprising.
The Warsaw Uprising, lasting for 63 days, was the largest underground resistance operation during World War II. Polish insurgents fought heroically against German forces, despite being vastly outnumbered and under-equipped. They faced tanks, heavy artillery, and aircraft, while the Germans used brutal tactics, including the Kaminski Brigade, a group notorious for its violence, to suppress the Polish fighters.
Despite their incredible courage, the insurgents could not defeat the well-armed German forces. Over 200,000 people were killed, and Warsaw was left in ruins. The tragedy was deepened by the inaction of Soviet troops, who remained on the outskirts of the city, choosing not to intervene, a betrayal that is still felt in Polish historical memory.
August Agboola Browne: A Unique Story of Resistance
August Agboola Browne, a jazz musician originally from Nigeria, came to Poland in 1922 at the age of 27. By the time of the Nazi invasion in 1939, Browne had lived in Poland for 17 years. He joined the resistance under the code name “Ali,” and fought for his adopted homeland during both the 1939 Siege of Warsaw and later the Warsaw Uprising.
Browne was part of the “Iwo” Battalion of the Armia Krajowa (Home Army), fighting in the district of Śródmieście Południowe (Southern Śródmieście). His survival was nothing short of miraculous, given that 94% of Warsaw’s population was either killed or displaced during the war.
After the war, Browne remained in Warsaw until 1956, when he moved to Britain with his second wife, continuing his life far from the city that had been so brutally devastated.
August Agboola Browne’s story, though little known, serves as a powerful reminder of the diverse individuals who stood up for freedom in one of history’s most desperate and tragic moments.
Written by Federico Bussani, ESC volunteer at INPRO