Artur Woźniak (English)

Z Historia Wisły

Artur Woźniak (born November 10, 1913, in Kraków – died May 31, 1991, in Kraków) was a footballer for Wisła Kraków, a forward, top scorer of the Polish league, national team player, and later a coach of the "White Star" team. He was the younger brother of Andrzej Woźniak.

Artur was a product of the Wisła youth system and made his first-team debut in 1931 at the age of 18. His football career began during a generational shift within the White Star squad, and as a young player, he was entrusted with replacing the club’s aging legends. When Henryk Reyman retired, Woźniak took over his position as the center forward — a role he fulfilled with great success. In only his second season, he became Wisła’s top scorer, and the following year, he was the leading scorer in the entire Polish league. He earned the top scorer title again in 1937 and scored a total of 102 goals in the league.

Given his goal-scoring prowess, it's no surprise he was called up to the national team, although he only made 5 appearances for Poland. In 1939, he was considered for the Olympic Games squad, but as is well known, the tournament was canceled due to the outbreak of war.

During the German occupation, Woźniak played in underground matches organized by Wisła.

He was also a soldier of the Home Army (Armia Krajowa), operating under the pseudonym "Władysław." Because of his resistance activities, he was pursued by the Gestapo. He decided to move to Warsaw, where he was arrested during the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. Eventually, he was sent to the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp as a political prisoner, where he remained until liberation in May 1945.

In the years 1946–47, Woźniak returned to play once again for Wisła.

Woźniak (often known simply as "Artur") was renowned for his excellent technique and intelligent play.

After ending his playing career, he became a coach and led several prominent Polish football clubs. He managed Wisła Kraków during the 1956–57 seasons.

Artur Woźniak died in 1991 and is buried at Rakowicki Cemetery in Kraków.

Memories – The Occupation Period

Artur Woźniak’s wife recalled two incidents from the time of the German occupation in which she and her husband narrowly avoided arrest. The first took place on a tram in Kraków, when during a conversation she made a disparaging remark about the Germans. A couple standing nearby overheard her, threatened to report them, and took the Woźniaks to the Gestapo headquarters. There, after a brief conversation, an officer redirected everyone to the Polish police. Ultimately, the man from the accusing couple demanded an apology, and after it was given, both parties went their separate ways. The second incident occurred in Wola Justowska. It happened during a football match or possibly just a social gathering—in any case, in a relaxed atmosphere, the group began to sing “Jak długo na Wawelu.” However, this took place near the barracks of the Sonderdienst (German: Special Service—a police and technical formation in the General Government composed mainly of Volksdeutsche). Officers from the Sonderdienst detained the group but, seeing that the gathering was of a festive nature, decided to hand them over to the Polish police. In this way, the Woźniaks once again avoided persecution, and they were extremely fortunate—just a day later, the Germans conducted a brutal operation, and it is likely that neither the Woźniaks nor their companions would have been released had they been arrested then.

Artur Woźniak's wife also recalled the time they spent in Warsaw. She lived in Bielany and worked at a café, and Arthur arrived in Warsaw just before the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising. Until August 28, the situation in their area was relatively calm. However, one day, while they were in the kitchen of their apartment on Cegielniana Street, a shot was fired from buildings across the street by a German soldier. The bullet flew through the window and, by a fortunate coincidence, missed her husband’s head. Had Artur Woźniak been a bit taller, he would have undoubtedly been killed by that shot.

The danger did not subside — that night, another bullet lodged itself in the wall of their apartment. After some time, the Woźniaks moved in with acquaintances, but soon the Germans evicted them and destroyed the building by throwing grenades inside. After that incident, they relocated to Wawrzyszew, where they shared shelter with many others. However, German field police soon arrived there as well and ordered everyone to leave. They were all driven to Pruszków, where they ended up in large halls, former tram depots. People slept on boards or whatever they could find. During the first few days, the Woźniak couple stayed there together, but later they were separated.

These recollections illustrate the dramatic reality of everyday life in occupied Kraków, marked by constant uncertainty and danger. Even seemingly trivial situations could lead to arrest. Woźniak’s wife’s memories stand as testimony to a time of terror, while also emphasizing the significant role of chance and luck in avoiding tragedy.

Source: recordings of memories from the family archive, shared by Mr. Filip.