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In the history of cryptography, the Biuro Szyfrów was the Cypher Bureau of Polish Military Intelligence. On 8 May 1919, a Cipher Section (Sekcja Szyfrów) of the Polish Army was formed by Lt. Józef Staslicki , and a few months later was renamed Biuro Szyfrów. It contributed substantially to the defeat of the Soviets by Pilsudski during the Polish-Soviet War of 1920, as Soviet military cryptography of the time was less than unbreakable. Later on, German communications became its primary focus; "BS4" was the section dealing with German ciphers, headed by Maksymilian Ciezki .Ciezki hired three young Polish mathematicians early in the 1930's: Jerzy Rózycki , Henryk Zygalski and Marian Rejewski. Rejewski made one of the biggest advances in cryptographic history by applying methods of pure mathematics in breaking the German Army's new crypto system, Enigma, in 1932. The staff of the Biuro also designed, and had built, the cyclometer device to assist in the Enigma work, and later on the Bomba kryptologiczna to do the same.
As it became clear that Poland could not survive the Nazi attack, most of the staff of the Biuro were evacuated. Many made it to France and some of them worked on German communications with/for French Intelligence in Paris and later at PC BrunoPC Bruno was the code name for the intelligence station operated at a farmhouse in the west of France to which French cryptanalysts retired after Paris was captured by the Germans in 1940. PC Bruno did not function for long, as its director, Capitaine Gus. After PC Bruno was shut down many of the Polish staff (ie, the ex Biuro folk), including Rejewski, were again evacuated this time to Britain.
One of the Biuro's staff, Antoni Palluth, was part owner of a small machine/radio shop (Wytwórnia Radiotechniczna AVA) which did much of the fabrication of the cyclometers, the Bombas, and other devices. Some of the workers at that machine shop were not evacuated for one reason or another as Poland was overrun in September 1939Events January-June January 2 End of term for Frank Finley Merriam, 28th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Culbert Levy Olson. January 24 Earthquake kills 30. 000 in Chile about 50. 000 sq mi razed January 26 Falangists take Barcelona January 26 and were captured by the Germans. Somehow they managed to avoid saying anything which might lead the Germans to suspect that the Biuro had broken the Enigma.
Szyfrów, Biuro
Polish history
