Gerontology Research Group honors the oldest living man in Poland

The Gerontology Research Group (GRG) is delighted to announce that Cpt. Tadeusz Lutak, born August 29, 1917 has been recognized as the Oldest Living Man (Doyen) in Poland on the day of his 107th birthday by our scientific institute, represented by Wacław Jan Kroczek, GRG Acting Director for Supercentenarian Research and Database Division, as well as the GRG Correspondent for Poland and Nordic Countries.

Tadeusz Lutak was born on August 29, 1917 in Żarnowa. After graduating from primary school, he joined the army. On November 25, 1937, he was assigned to the non-commissioned officer school as an equestrian of the 2nd Armored Battalion in Żurawica. After graduating from the non-commissioned officer school in September 1938, he was assigned to the Vickers tank company as a motorcycle messenger. In the same year, he took part in the occupation of Cieszyn Silesia, Orava and Spisz.

During the Polish defensive war of September 1939, he took part in the battles of the 121st light tank company as part of the 10th Cavalry Brigade and was captured by the Germans, from which he managed to escape. From 1940, he was involved in conspiratorial activities within the Union of Armed Struggle, and then the Home Army. He was a member of Stanisław Mikulski’s sabotage group, pseudonym “Żmija”. As part of the intelligence and sabotage organization subordinate to the Home Army, codenamed “Ruch”, he obtained intelligence information. He took part in sabotage and sabotage actions, as well as in the liquidation of the German collaborator Edward Koch in Niebylec. He was a soldier in the dispositional platoon of the Rzeszów Inspectorate of the Home Army, and in 1944 he became the commander of the sabotage squad from Żarnowa in the sabotage platoon of the Strzyżów Home Army Outpost commanded by 2nd Lt. Mikulski. After the Red Army entered, he left for the Recovered Territories. He returned to his homeland in 1946 and in the following years worked in Żarnowa as a farmer and butcher.

After the systemic transformation in Poland, he became involved in veterans’ activities as a member of the World Association of Home Army Soldiers and the Association of Veterans of the Republic of Poland and Former Political Prisoners. In 2001, he was promoted to retired second lieutenant of the Polish Army. In 2019, he received the Honorary Award of the Institute of National Remembrance – “Witness of History”.

In August 2022, he celebrated his 105th birthday, being at that time also the oldest former tankman of the Polish Army. He was then awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Strzyżów County. On 3 March 2023, he was promoted to retired captain of the Polish Army. In February 2024, he received the honorary badge “Meritorious for the Podkarpackie Voivodeship”.

On 26 July 2024, following the death of 108-year-old Wladyslaw Fidos, he became the oldest known living man in Poland.