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TheBattleofPeta,foughton4July1822,wasoneofthemostimportantbat-
tlesintheGreekWarofIndependencethathadbegunin1821,anditcon-
tributedsignificantlytotheGreekstruggle’sspreadingfameinEuropeandto
strengtheningthePhilhellenicmovement.
ManyPhilhellenevolunteersfromalloverEuropetookpartinthebattle
againsttheTurks.
TheroleofPolishPhilhellenesinthefightforindependenceatPetawas
especiallyimportant.Thecommanderofthe2ndCompanyofthePhilhellenes
BattalionwasCaptainMierzejewski.
Mierzejewski’scompany,whichcomprisedPolishPhilhellenes,diedatragic
deathdespitetheirincrediblecourageandvalourinthefinalstageofthebattle.
TheytookcoverinStGeorge’sChurch,wheretheyweredecimatedwhenthebar-
barianhordesintendingtobreaktheirresistancesetfiretothechurch.The
onlyPolewhosurvived,AleksanderKusianowski,aphysician,wastaken
captiveandheldprisoneruntil1823.
TheeliteoftheEuropeanPhilhellenicmovementperishedintheBattle
ofPeta.Two-thirdsofthetwoPhilhellenicunitsdiedandwereburiedat
Peta,remainingtruetothehighidealsthathadbroughtthemtoGreece,
fightingforourcountry’sfreedomandmakingthemostprecioussacrifice-
givingtheirlives.
Transl.byJoannaDutkiewicz
