Jan Bytnar

Jan Roman Bytnar (codenames: Rudy, Czarny, Janek, Krokodyl, Jan Rudy; born 6 May 1921, Kolbuszowa, Poland - died 30 March 1943, Warsaw, Poland) was a Polish Scoutmaster (harcmistrz), Polish Scouting resistance activist and Second Lieutenant of the Armia Krajowa during the Second World War. The son of Stanisław Bytnar and Zdzisława Rechulówna, Jan Bytnar is a leading character of both Aleksander Kamiński's Kamienie na szaniec and Barbara Wachowicz's Rudy, Alek, Zośka.

Arrest, death, and reprisal

He was arrested by the German Nazis on 23 March 1943 and rescued by the Grupy Szturmowe of the Szare Szeregi three days later during the so-called Arsenal action on 26 March. He died on 30 March from injuries sustained by the Gestapo, aged 21.

The extremely brutal interrogation of Bytnar was conducted by SS Rottenführer Ewald Lange and SS Obersturmführer Herbert Schultz. Both were assassinated by Grupy Szturmowe of Szare Szeregi. Schultz was shot dead on 6 May 1943 by Sławomir Maciej Bittner (aka "Maciek") and Eugeniusz Kecher (aka "Kolczan"). Lange was shot dead on 22 May 1943 by Jerzy Zapadko (aka "Dzik").