The Story of Voytek, Soldier Bear

Voytek was a Syrian Brown Bear who became an official soldier in World War II and who helped carry ammunition to the front during the Battle of Monte Cassino in Italy.

Orphaned as a cub, Voytek was rescued by Polish Army soldiers stationed in Iran prior to their transport to the Italian front. The men – all twenty-somethings – were returning to their base when they thought they saw a small cub tumble out of the arms of a ragged child spotted along a roadside. Intrigued, they pulled their Jeep over to make sure their eyes weren’t playing tricks on them. They weren’t. They had indeed seen a baby bear.

The men recognized that the small animal was in distress. Due to the recent invasions of their country by its neighbors, Germany and Poland, some of these young soldiers had themselves been orphaned, had known hunger and privation, and had seen their friends and relatives die. They could relate to the plight of the bear.

It was against regulations, but they decided to adopt the cub. Pooling their resources, they offered the boy a pen knife, some chocolate and a generous sum of money for the bear. The boy happily handed the cub over. Bundling him up, the soldiers transported him to their base, deciding to name him Voytek along the way. Voytek, which means “smiling warrior” in Polish, was a traditional Polish boy’s name.

Voytek grew up to be “one of the guys” – a bear that loved having a bottle of beer and a cigarette; a bear who enjoyed wrestling with his fellow soldiers; a bear as tame as a family dog; a bear who carried ammunition to the front during a raging battle of World War II; a bear who was actually officially made a soldier of the Polish Army; a bear who to the end of his days loved visits from his Army buddies and loved hearing the Polish language.

Voytek was funny. He was endearing. He was brave. And he was amazing. He was all those things during his lifetime. Today, for me – and I hope for visitors to this site – he is a reminder that in the darkest hours, angels appear – although sometimes in unexpected forms – to give us hope and to lift our spirits.

 

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. – Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 5