Wojtek The War Bear

Bears are known as roaring, killing, scary beasts but this bear was special. Wojtek didn’t kill or threaten, instead, he comforted and helped. Most important of all, he saved a country and culture that over 60 million people can be proud of. Wojtek, a kind bear cub raised by humans, made a difference in so many people's lives. He helped soldiers with simple gestures and encouraged them to keep going when times were tough.

Wojtek was a Syrian brown bear who was adopted by soldiers of the 2nd Polish Corps during World War II. His mother was shot when he was a young cub and he was found by a boy from Iran in the mountains. Then Wojtek was sold to the Polish soldiers, who had just evacuated from the Soviet Union and he traveled back to camp with them. He comforted the soldiers by sleeping with them and making things a joke to lighten the mood like turning training into a wrestling match.

In order to keep him, they eventually enlisted him as a soldier on the rank of a private and then promoted him to corporal. Later he accompanied the soldiers to Italy where he helped move crates full of ammunition to the battle of Monte Cassino. The crates weighed 100 pounds (45kg) and were full of 25-pound artillery shells. The crates were usually carried by 4 men. He carried them by himself and didn't even drop one. He served during the years of 1943-1945 and then was taken out of the army to live the rest of his life at the Edinburgh zoo, in Scotland.

He was born in 1942 in Hamedan ,Iran and died Dec. 2 1963 in the Edinburgh zoo in Scotland at the age of 21. The name Wojtek, a nickname for Wojciech meaning ‘’ Happy Warrior’’ was chosen for him because of his happy nature.  Wojtek had a problem swallowing so the soldiers fed him condensed milk. He also liked to copy what the soldiers did. He would walk on his hind legs and chew up cigarettes. He wrestled with the soldiers for fun and even was taught to salute when someone greeted him.

After some time, Wojtek became the mascot for all of the units stationed nearby.  When the soldiers spoke to him in Polish he roared like he understood what they were saying. After he was moved to the Edinburgh Zoo, his old friends visited him constantly. He was also visited by the news and became a very popular attraction in the zoo.

People all over the world still remember Wojtek as the funny, kind, and helpful bear he was. He is a reminder that even the smallest kind gesture can change the world. Just like Wojtek we can help people around us even with just a smile. Even when life throws challenges in our life we can still be encouraging and helpful. Who knows, maybe our gesture of kindness can help in ways we can’t even imagine.