Anton Sokał-Kutyłouski

Anton Sokał-Kutyłoŭski (; 7 February 1892 – 7 March 1983) was an active participant in the Belarusian independence movement, a military leader of anti-Soviet resistance in the early 20th century and a Gulag prisoner.

Early life Sokał-Kutyłoŭski was born into the family of a petty nobleman in the hamlet of Pieravaloki-Darahišča (later Čyrvonaja Horka), Pinsky Uyezd in the Minsk Governorate of the Russian Empire (now Luninets District of Brest Region in Belarus).

In 1910 he graduated from the Panevėžys Teachers' Seminary and in 1913-1915 studied in St Petersburg.

Under his command, the Slucak brigade made some initial successful attacks near Kapyl, Cimkavičy and Vyzna and engaged the Omsk division of the Red Army along a 60-km front. However, despite support from the local population, the Belarusian units lacked ammunition and arms and on 31 December 1920 the Slucak brigade retreated across the Soviet-Polish border.

Later life Between 1921 and 1939 Sokał-Kutyłoŭski lived in the Second Polish Republic. Following the Soviet invasion of Poland he was arrested by the NKVD, Soviet secret police, but escaped from jail after the commencement of the German-Soviet War in 1941.

Between 1941 and 1944 Sokał-Kutyłoŭski worked in Hancavičy as a school inspector and was also involved with the Belarusian Home Guard and the Belarusian Independence Party.

In April 1945 he was again arrested by the Soviet secret police and sent to the Gulag. He was released in November 1957 during the Khrushchev Thaw and subsequently emigrated to Szczecin (the Polish People’s Republic) where he lived until his death on 7 March 1983.

Sokał-Kutyłoŭski is buried in the Central Cemetery in Szczecin.