The Little Insurgent Monument in Warsaw

The Little Insurgent Monument, located on Podwale Street in Warsaw, commemorates the youngest participants of the Warsaw Uprising. It was designed by Jerzy Jarnuszkiewicz in 1946 during his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts and while volunteering in the reconstruction of the war-torn city. The sculpture, originally known as the Child-Hero, received an honorable mention in a competition organized by the Association of Polish Artists and Designers. The statue depicts a young boy wearing a German Stahlhelm helmet adorned with a Polish eagle and a red-and-white armband. It was cast at the Marcin Nowotko Mechanical Works thanks to the initiative of scouts who raised funds for its construction. The monument was unveiled on October 1, 1983, in the presence of scouts and government representatives. It honors the children who fought in the uprising, including Jerzy Romuald Grzelak, the youngest soldier, who was just nine years old. The sculpture stands on the remains of a defensive bastion, adding historical depth to its symbolism. A commemorative plaque featuring a fragment of the insurgent song "Warszawskie Dzieci" (Children of Warsaw) accompanies the monument. Interesting facts include replicas of the statue, such as one displayed in the Little Insurgent Hall at the Warsaw Uprising Museum, and the sculpture *Children of June 1956*, which was inspired by the Little Insurgent. The artist himself later expressed mixed feelings about his work, reflecting the complex perception of this important symbol in Polish history.