Konstantin Rokossovsky

Soviet Officer

December 21, 1896 Warsaw, Poland

August 3, 1968 Moscow, Russia

Julia Barmina

Konstantin Rokossovsky was a prominent Russian military general during World War II. Though he was of Polish origin, his allegiance was with Russia, which ruled Poland back then. He was one of the main commanders of the ‘Red Army.’ He had also served as the “Marshal of Poland,” the “Marshal of the Soviet Union,” and the defense minister of Poland. He played a major role in the Russian Civil War, but following Joseph Stalin's the “Great Purge,” he was imprisoned and tortured as a traitor. After the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, Konstantin defended Moscow and contributed to the defenses at Stalingrad and Kursk. He was a major part of Operation Bagration. After Władysław Gomułka became the leader of Poland, Konstantin was forced to return to Russia, where he remained till his death in 1968.