September 22, 2025

Wojtek the Soldier Bear

From a cub in Iran to a corporal in the Polish Army, Wojtek carried ammo at Monte Cassino and became WWII’s unlikeliest veteran.

Every year, Fat Bear Week celebrates the heaviest champions of Katmai National Park. But among bear histories, there’s one heavyweight who stands apart. He was a proud soldier.

Meet Wojtek, the Syrian brown bear who served alongside the Polish Army in World War II.

Wojtek’s story began in 1942, when Polish soldiers traveling through Iran bought a bear cub from a shepherd. They raised him on condensed milk fed from bottles, then fruit, marmalade, honey, and famously... beer. The cub grew quickly, becoming both a mascot and a companion to the soldiers.

When the unit received orders to ship out, they faced a problem: military rules didn’t allow animals on transport. Their solution was simple, if unorthodox. They enlisted him. Private Wojtek was officially added to the ranks, complete with a serial number, paperwork, and everything.

From there, he marched with the army through Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and eventually Italy. At the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944, one of the fiercest campaigns of the war, Wojtek became a legend. He carried crates of ammunition through heavy fire, never dropping a single one. For his efforts, he was promoted to Corporal. His unit even adopted a new emblem in his honor: a bear carrying a shell.

After the war, Wojtek traveled with his unit to Scotland before retiring to Edinburgh Zoo. Visitors often saw glimpses of his old life. Veterans swore he perked up at the sound of Polish voices. Some even tossed him cigarettes and beer, which he accepted like the old comrade he was.

His fame went beyond the box office. At the very first Academy Awards in 1929, Rin Tin Tin reportedly received the most votes for Best Actor. But the Academy felt the honor should go to a human, and awarded the prize to German actor Emil Jannings instead. Still, the story shows just how beloved Rin Tin Tin had become.

Wojtek passed away in 1963, but his memory lives on. Statues of him now stand in Poland, Scotland, and beyond, reminders of the soldier bear who marched, fought, and lifted the spirits of men far from home.

Fat Bear Week crowns new champions every year, but Wojtek remains in a class of his own—the eternal heavyweight.

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