Byłem w ZOMO is a 1991 Polish memoir by Bogdan Juruś about his service in the Motorized Reserves of the Citizens’ Militia (ZOMO). A library catalog summary places the service described in the book in Kraków and Warsaw from 1982 to 1984. It is a personal account, not a comprehensive history of the formation.
Book identity and edition
The full catalogued title is Byłem w ZOMO [Zmotoryzowanych Oddziałach Milicji Obywatelskiej], expanding ZOMO as Zmotoryzowane Oddziały Milicji Obywatelskiej. The Inowrocław public library identifies the book as a Warsaw publication from Comfort in 1991, ISBN 83-85377-06-9. Its record lists 93 pages plus 16 pages of plates and a 21 cm format. Source: Biblioteka Miejska im. Jana Kasprowicza w Inowrocławiu catalog.
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- Author: Bogdan Juruś
- Publisher and year: Comfort, Warsaw, 1991
- ISBN: 83-85377-06-9
- Catalogued extent: 93 pages plus 16 pages of plates
What the memoir recounts
A catalog summary from the Konin public library describes a young man who joined the Milicja Obywatelska to become financially independent and support a family, and says he served in ZOMO in Kraków and Warsaw during 1982–1984. This is the catalog’s account of the memoir’s subject, rather than independent confirmation of each autobiographical detail. Source: Miejska Biblioteka Publiczna im. Zofii Urbanowskiej w Koninie catalog.
A 1992 excerpt in Tygodnik Swarzędzki adds that Juruś decided to join after learning he would become a father. The excerpt calls the book “interesting but ambiguous” (“Książka ciekawa, ale niejednoznaczna”), but does not identify the reviewer; the assessment should not be attributed to a named critic. Source: Tygodnik Swarzędzki, 1992, no. 2.
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How to read it as a documentary account
The book’s value is its first-person perspective on the author’s own experience as described by the catalog. It should not be treated on its own as a complete account of ZOMO, its institutional role, or the wider political history of the period. An IPN scholarly article focused on Gdańsk ZOMO includes Juruś’s memoir in its bibliography; that citation places the book in related scholarship but does not turn it into an institutional history. Source: Instytut Pamięci Narodowej, 2024 scholarly article on Gdańsk ZOMO.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Finding the exact book
For identification, match the author and ISBN, not just the words “ZOMO” or “PRL” in a listing. The established edition is the 1991 Comfort book with ISBN 83-85377-06-9. The catalog records document that print edition, but do not establish that it is currently in stock or available in a digital format. An archived Allegro listing ended on 30 June 2025; it is evidence of a past used-copy sale only, not a current offer or price. Source: Allegro archived listing.
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