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'Wojtek,' Katy Carr's song was originally released on her 4th album ' Paszport' (2012) Proper Music UK for more info please visit www.katycarr.com This video was released on 17th September 2015 to commemorate the Soviet of Poland in 1939 on Folk Radio UK - http://www.folkradio.co.uk/2015/09/video-premiere-katy-carr-wojtek/ We are paying a special tribute to our friends in Syria (Wojtek's homeland) who are cold, lost, frightened, hungry and terrorised due to the war raging in their country.

Directed by Hannah Lovell
Featuring Maciek O'Shea on vocals and as The Gentleman
Wojtek played by Liam Bewley
DOP: Simon Richardson
Editor: Hannah Lovell
Additional Art Direction: Helen Rowland
Make-up and hair: Marlene Andersson

Wojtek's photos and logo were licensed for use in this music video with kind permission from the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum in London, England. Please visit the museum for further information on Wojtek the Soldier bear and the Polish freedom fighters of Europe as they are a great museum and deserve our support :)

This video is dedicated to Wojtek 'The Soldier Bear' and to the Polish soldiers who loved him. Wojtek (The Soldier Bear) was a Syrian brown bear and the mascot of the soldiers in the 22nd Artillery Supply Company of the Polish II Corps, WWII. At the Battle of Monte Cassino 1944 Wojtek helped his soldier friends carry crates of ammunition. Unable to return to Poland after WWII, due to Poland falling behind the Iron Curtain and under a Totalitarian Communist regime, Wojtek was exiled in Scotland and ended his days in Edinburgh Zoo. Much loved by Poland and Scotland and all his freedom fighter friends, his presence will never be forgotten.



A historial note - Poland was invaded by Germany on 1st Sept 1939 and the Soviet Union on 17th Sept 1939 due to the Molotov-Ribbentrop agreement - 'The Nazi - Soviet' pact which was signed on 23rd Aug 1939, a week before the beginning of WWII - in essence aimed to split Poland in two and enslave Poland and her people between the two super powers. The soldiers of the Polish II Corps had mostly been those Polish civillian people and Polish military personel who had been transported from Poland to the Soviet Union to work as slave labour (or many say be murdered through starvation) in Stalin's notoriously cruel Gulag system across the USSR throughout and post WWII. Nearly 2 million Poles were enslaved. For those Poles in this dreadful situation, it was only after the Sikorski–Mayski Agreement which was a treaty between the Soviet Union and Poland, signed in London on 30th July 1941 that allowed those enslaved Polish civillians and military personel who were if able bodied and not crippled by starvation and harsh cruelty the ability to join the British troops then stationed in the Persian Corridor to continue their fight for a Free Poland and for the Freedom of their Allies in the West. Poland was Britain's only Ally during the first two years of WWII 1939-1941 and her largest Ally at the end of WWII after USA. Due to the outcome of the Yalta Conference Feb 1945, Poland was the only Allied nation to fall under the Iron Curtain at the end of WWII under a Totalitarian Communist Regime. In 1946 during the Victory Parade in London, so as not to upset Stalin and the newly elected Communist Government in Poland which had been chosen by Stalin in Moscow, Poland's exiled military personel from the Polish Air Force, Polish Navy, Polish Army were refused the right to march alongside their Allies even though every other nation who had fought alongside Great Britain was granted permission to join the celebration and victory march.

Special thanks go to Basia Zarzycka for the wonderful vintage hat box and roses, Sanchia Lovell for the incredibly tasty 'Wojtek' cake (yum yum yum yummy!) and to Aileen Orr author of 'Wojtek the Bear: Polish War Hero' and Scotpipe and the Duncan Family in Edinburgh for your wonderful support and love (and Scottish kilt!!!) :)