Janusz Meissner

Janusz Meissner
Janusz Meissner
Born	21 January 1901; Warsaw, Russian Empire
Died	28 February 1978 (aged 77); Kraków, Poland
Occupation	pilot, soldier, journalist, author
Nationality	Polish

Janusz Meissner (pen name: "porucznik Herbert," English: "Flt Lt Herbert"; 21 January 1901 in Warsaw – 28 February 1978 in Kraków) was a Polish writer and journalist, and a pilot of Polish Air Force.

Life

In late 1919 Meissner completed pilot training at

Cross of Valor

, and promoted to lieutenant.

After the Polish-Soviet War he participated in the preparations for the Third Silesian Uprising and in actual terror operations beginning 2/3 May 1921, commanding a special-forces detachment of the Wawelberg Group. For his contribution to the success of the Uprising, he was decorated with the Virtuti Militari (Poland's highest military decoration), 5th class, on 27 June 1922,^[1] and with the Cross of Independence with Swords.

After the Silesian Uprisings he was discharged from the army and returned to civilian life. After an unsuccessful attempt to become a businessman he returned to the military in 1922 and remained until 1946. He served as chief pilot in

Polish Air Force Academy (Wyższa Szkoła Oficerska Sił Powietrznych). From 1944 he was an officer in the RAF. In 1946 he returned to Poland to live in Zakopane. In 1956 he moved to Kraków

, where he died.

He left two sons: Andrzej and Jerzy.

Works

Books in Polish

Meissner is most known as the author of 48 popular books on flying, pilots, sea, pirates, sport, as well as hunting.

Szkoła orląt ("School of Eagles")
L jak Lucy (L for Lucy)
Żądło Genowefy (G – for Genevieve)
trilogy: Czarna bandera, Czerwone krzyże, Zielona brama ("Black Ensign", "Red Crosses", "Green Gate")
Trzy diamenty
Sześciu z "Daru Pomorza"