Major General Aleksander Waszkiewicz (Belarusian: Аляксандр Аляксандравіч Вашкевіч, Russian: Александр Вашкевич, often transliterated as Vashkevich; 1901–1945) was a Soviet military officer of Polish descent.[1] He served in the Red Army as commander of the 793rd Rifle Regiment during 1942–1944 and later as Deputy Commander of the 116th Rifle Division in 1944. Transferred to Polish LWP in 1944 and assigned as commander of the 5th Infantry Division of the LWP. He died in the Battle of Bautzen (1945). According to some sources, he was captured and tortured before his death.[2]
. . . Aleksander Waszkiewicz . . .
Born 24 August 1901 in Białowieża, then in the Russian Empire, Waszkiewicz received only basic education before joining the Red Army in 1919.[3]
Serving with the 27th Rifle Division, between October 1919 and April 1920 he graduated from a heavy machine gun course.[3] During the Polish-Soviet War he managed to evade captivity following his division’s destruction at Kobryn. Between 1922 and 1924 he studied at the Smolensk Military Academy and was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant.[3]
He spent the remainder of the 1920s as an infantry platoon commanding officer in various Red Army regiments.[3] Gradually rising through the ranks, in 1934 he was promoted to the rank of regimental chief of staff.[3] Considered to be a promising officer, in 1938 Waszkiewicz was sent to the Moscow-based M. V. Frunze Military Academy where he served as both a student and the head of a teaching department. He graduated in 1942.[3]
. . . Aleksander Waszkiewicz . . .