At first Józef Piłsudski was against enlisting women. However, he believed they could help in the support formations – commissariat, provisioning, sanitary corps and as couriers. And most certainly as spies. Therefore, in 1910 he agreed to create a women section at the Riflemen’s Association. They underwent military training as members of women rifle units. Józef Piłsudski anticipated their engagement in the upcoming war in courier and intelligence activities and to sabotagesabotagesabotage in the Russian Partition.

Just before the outbreak of the war, Piłsudski created independent women paramilitary units. Women were being prepared for paramilitary operations against Russia, they were trained in organization and dislocationdislocationdislocation of the Russian troops, topography, sabotagesabotagesabotage techniques and communication. Some of them were supposed to be assigned with special tasks – courier and intelligence operations, and sabotagesabotagesabotage in the Kingdom of Poland. On August 6th, 1914, women from the women rifle units – at that time about 300 – entered the Kingdom of Poland, following the men units. Their goal was to provoke a national uprising, which eventually did not start. When the rifle units were transformed into Polish Legions, women were removed from the service by the order of Piłsudski. However, Piłsudski did not completely gave up on women’s support, he decided to use their intelligence skills.

This is how, in September 1914, an elite Women Intelligence Unit was established, which became part of the 1st Legions Brigade three months later. The Unit operated until the spring of 1915 when it was dissolved by the Austrian command, prohibiting women from being enlisted to legion brigades. Aleksandra Szczerbińska, future wife of Piłsudski, was the head of it. There were 46 women in the intelligence service – in 1917, 20 of them were distinguished by Piłsudski with badge of the 1st Brigade “For Loyal Service”, 17 received Cross of Valour, and seven – Virtuti Militari order.

Women – disguised as men, using male names – fought also with real arms in the Legions, in the Carpathian mountains and in Volhynia. Historians estimate their number at around 130. One woman that is certain to had fought on the first line of the front is Wanda Gertz, alias Kazimierz Żuchowicz. She fought with the Russians upon Styr and Stochod in August 1916.

Many female legionaries transferred to operate in the secret PMOPMOPMO. Their falsified passports, organized accommodation and board, stored arms, disseminated leaflets, worked and couriers and spies, collected money for the armed forces.

Upon establishing the Voluntary Legion of WomenVoluntary Legion of WomenVoluntary Legion of Women in 1918 – the first women army unit, Gertz became the commander of the Vilnius unit and defended the city against the Bolsheviks. She ended her career as major. Women from the VLW – including many former legionaries – were also involved in the Polish‑Soviet War.

After many years, Piłsudski described the legionaries (who at that time were called “legunki”): Women were the first to join us – he wrote – (...) they had a strong feeling of the beauty of life, they sensed the legion defiance that would defy the entire world, that succeeded despite its own society, demanding from it, if not recognition, at least respect for the Polish soldier.

legionistki Source: http://wyborcza.pl/alehistoria/7,121681,23573886,legionistki-pilsudskiego-zakladaly-mundury-i-udawaly.html.