Józef Kuraś - "Ogień/Fire" - who came from a strong highland family, was born in 1915 and lived in Waksmund. In just four years (1943 - 1947) he became first the brightest and then the most sombre legend of the Tatra Mountains. From his hatred of the Nazis, who murdered his family, through his membership in the Home Army, his "love affair" with the People's Republicans and his "career" in the UB, he arrived at an attitude of extreme opposition to communist rule and, to the end of his admittedly short life (in 1947 he was only 32 years old), he fought with his loyal squad against the people's power.
