The Beer Drinking Bear that Helped Win the War Against the Nazis
By: Justannet
Tags: War, Animals, Pets, History, True Story

The Beer Drinking Bear that Helped Win the War Against the Nazis

The story of Wojtek, the Polish military bear

Wojtek in the battle field, 1942 (Source: Wikipedia)

In 1941 Polish soldiers were passing through Iran en route to Iraq when they picked up a bear cub that they named Wojtek which means “happy warrior”. The bear cub had been orphaned by hunters who had shot his mother. He was in dire need of food, love and care, all of which the soldiers were keen to give. Wojtek seemed to warm the hearts of the soldiers, perhaps because they too had experienced similar struggles to the bear cub. At this stage, they had no idea that Wojtek would not only be a fun addition to the group but an integral part of the future wars they would fight.

The group of soldiers who were later known as the 22nd Artillery Supply Company of the Polish II Corps (the Corps) tried to hide Wojtek from their superiors for fear that they would be commanded to abandon him. However, it wasn’t long before the superiors discovered the existence of the bear but surprisingly they allowed Wotjek to stay with the soldiers.

The superiors even appointed a dedicated carer for Wojtek. His name was Peter Prendys. The soldiers cared for the bear cub as if he was a baby. Prendys made sure that the bear was well fed and cared for. He fed Wotjek milk from an old vodka bottle until he could consume solid food on his own. Wojtek grew to be a big bear weighing about 220 kilograms.

Wojtek marching with the soldiers (Source: Icepop)

Wojtek was surrounded by soldiers for most of his life. As a result, he developed some very peculiar habits. He would march alongside the soldiers when they would head out on a mission, he was very good at standing up on his hind legs. He enjoyed smoking and eating cigarettes as he sat by the campfire with the other soldiers. He also enjoyed drinking beer but due to his large size, he never got drunk. He considered himself one of the lads and would often play fight the soldiers.

Wojtek in the battlefield

In 1942 the Corps linked up with the British 8th Army. This was a potential problem for Wojtek because the British High Command did not permit animals in their camp. Despite this rule, the Corps found a way around this. Wojtek was formally enlisted into the army ranks as Private. He was involved in all army activities and was treated as an official member of the army. This enabled him to have access to the campsite.

Wojtek’s finest hour came in May 1944 when the Corps managed to capture the “mountain fortress” of Monte Cassino from the Germans. This had been something that many other army units had failed to do. Wojtek had been a crucial part of the battle. He had carried heavy ammunition for the soldiers from one point to another. He maintained composure during all the ruckus and did not drop any of the ammunition.

Emblem of the 22nd Artillery Supply Company featuring Wojtek (Source: Wikipedia)

Wojtek’s service at Monte Cassino did not go unnoticed. He was promoted to the rank of corporal and the official emblem of the Corps was updated to a bear carrying an artillery shell. Wojtek’s promotion is interesting as it would mean that some human would be ranked lower in the army than him. We can only speculate as to how lower-ranked human soldiers felt about this.

Life after the war

Wojtek was moved to Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland. He spent the rest of his life there as he could no longer live with the soldiers who had all dispersed to live their separate lives. However, the soldiers continued to visit him whenever they could and it is reported that Wojtek would be extremely excited when they did.

Besides life at the zoo, the bear also became somewhat of a media sensation as he often appeared on television shows and was the subject of many fluff pieces in various newspapers. He died in December 1963. He will forever be remembered as the brave bear who played a crucial role in defeating the Nazis.