Leśni

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Leśni (short for Leśni ludzie, Polish for the men from the forests) is one of the informal names applied to the partisan groups operating in occupied Poland during the World War II. The groups were formed mostly by people who for various reasons could not operate from settlements they lived in and had to retreat to the forests. Contrary to most of the organised groups of resistance, with the Home Army being the most notable, the forest people formed some sort of a standing army as opposed to regular partisan units that gathered shortly before an action and then retreated to their homes.

The first such groups were formed in 1939, shortly after the invasion of Poland, mostly by marauders from the Polish Army and other people who evaded being arrested by the new Nazi or Soviet authorities (the most famous was the group of Henryk Dobrzański). Soon they were joined by large number of Jews and other categories of people endangered by the brutal German and Soviet policies.

Although most of the groups accepted the overall command of ZWZ and then the Home Army, different realities made them remain largely independent.

In early 1943 strength of leśni group can be estimated at about 40 groups numbering in total 1,200-4,000 but the numbers would grow significantly during Operation Tempest in 1944).^[1]