Legendary wartime courier dies

A skier, mountain guide and rescuer, Jozef Uznanski fought in Poland's official underground army (AK) during World War II. His intimate knowledge of the highlands of southern Poland made him an invaluable courier during the Nazi occupation.

His mountains exploits became the stuff of legend. On one occasion, he was compelled to abandon a cable car before it reached the peak of the Kasprowy Wierch mountain. Having been tipped off by the conductor that the Germans were waiting for him at the top, he strapped on his skis and descended the slope from an intermediate stop.

In 1957, Uznanski became an official lifeguard for the Tatra mountains. During his long career, he was involved in several hundred rescue operations. He remained a keen sportsman, having competed in the Polish Skiing Championships at the tender age of 16.

Poland's wartime couriers are now a much-depleted group. Other noted figures included Jan Nowak-Jezioranski (d. 2005), who became head of the Polish Section of Radio Free Europe and a security advisor to two American presidents (Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan), and Jan Karski (d.2000), who smuggled detailed reports of the Holocaust to London.

Jozef Uznanski's funeral will be held in Zakopane on Thursday 23 February. (nh)