Brok Eugeniusz Lokaiski 1908-1944: a reporter. Warsaw Museum Copy Rare

This is a unique collection of photographs documenting the Warsaw Rising of 1944, the most important event in the history of Warsaw. Eugeniusz Lokajski, 'Brok', was a track and field and Olympic athlete, a soldier and one of the best known photographers of wartime Warsaw. During the Rising Lokajski was in the center of events and the images captured with his 'Lajca' constitute an unusual chronicle of life in the City Center district of fighting Warsaw. Those pictures transport us to the middle of everyday events during the Rising. — Lokajski, born in 1908 in Warsaw, joins Warszawianka sports club in 1924. At the 1934' Championship of Poland he wins 1st place in javelin and in pentathlon. The following year he comes second in pentathlon at the World Championship in Budapest. His javelin record from 1936 will stand unbroken for 17 years. Having suffered a severe injury at the Olympic Games in Berlin, Lokajski focuses on teaching and devotes his time to photography, his life-time passion. During the September Campaign Brok commands a platoon of the 35th Infantry regiment. Taken prisoner near Brzesc, he escapes and returns to Warsaw where he opens a photo shop. During the occupation he organizes clandestine athletics activities at the Central Institute for Physical Education. Following the tragic death of his brother, he is sworn in as AK (Home Army) soldier. He takes command of a platoon in the 3rd Company Praga and serves as liaison officer for the AK staff headquarters in the Warsaw area. At the same time he is granted permission to carry and use a camera. On August 21 and 22 an anonymous premiere takes place of his film showing the storming of the PAST building (the tallest building of Warsaw). On August 30 he assumes command of Platoon 2 of the Koszta Company. On September 29, 1944 he dies in the ruins of a bombed house. Shortly before his death he hands a box with negatives of photographs taken during the Rising to his sister Zofia Domanska.