Lyrics of Inmate 4859 of Sabaton
The dawn of century a boy born by a lake
Resettled from Karelia’s plains
Go to a man in exile as the Great War came
Unleashed a shadow on his world
Oh, no
Oh, no
Who knows his name?
Inmate in hell or a hero imprisoned?
Soldier in Auschwitz who knows his name?
Locked in a cell, waging war from the prison
Hiding in Auschwitz who hides behind 4859?
Outside help never came, decided to break free
The end of April ’43
Joined the uprising, fight on the streets while hiding his rank
Takes command all for serving his country in need
Oh, no
Oh, no
Who knows his name?
Inmate in hell or a hero imprisoned?
Soldier in Auschwitz who knows his name
Locked in a cell, waging war from the prison
Hiding in Auschwitz who hides behind 4859
Sent to the prison where the heroes are judged as traitors
Accused of treason by his own
Sentenced by countrymen under pressure of foreign influence
Men he once fought to free
Inmate in hell or a hero imprisoned?
Soldier in Auschwitz we know his name
Locked in a cell, waging war from the prison
Hiding in Auschwitz he hides behind 4859
Historical Background
In short: The song is about Witold Pilecki, a Polish resistance fighter in Auschwitz.
4859 – The Man Who Fought from Inside Hell
Some soldiers fight on the battlefield. Others fight from the shadows of a prison.
Sabaton’s 4859 tells the story of Witold Pilecki, a man who did what no one else dared—he volunteered to be imprisoned in Auschwitz to gather intelligence and organize resistance. His story is one of unimaginable bravery, betrayal, and sacrifice.
This is how one man walked into hell to fight from within.
A Patriot’s Journey – From Karelia to War
“The dawn of century, a boy born by a lake. Resettled from Karelia’s plains.”
Born in 1901 in Karelia, Witold Pilecki grew up with a deep love for Poland. By the time World War II broke out, he was already a soldier, fighting against the German invasion of Poland in 1939.
When Poland fell under occupation, he joined the Polish resistance, determined to continue the fight from the underground.
A Mission Like No Other – Volunteering for Auschwitz
“Who knows his name? Inmate in hell or a hero imprisoned?”
In 1940, Pilecki did the unthinkable. He volunteered to be captured and sent to Auschwitz—the most infamous Nazi concentration camp.
His mission?
- Document the horrors inside.
- Organize resistance among prisoners.
- Smuggle reports to the outside world.
His prisoner number: 4859.
“Hiding in Auschwitz, who hides behind 4859?”
For almost three years, Pilecki secretly gathered intelligence on the Nazis’ crimes, risking torture and execution. His reports, smuggled to the Allies, were among the first eyewitness accounts of the Holocaust.
But outside help never came.
Escape and the Warsaw Uprising
“Outside help never came, decided to break free. The end of April ’43.”
Realizing that no rescue was coming, Pilecki escaped from Auschwitz in April 1943—one of the few who ever did.
But he didn’t run to safety.
Instead, he joined the Warsaw Uprising in 1944, taking command and fighting in the streets against the Nazi occupation of Poland.
Betrayed by His Own People
“Sent to the prison where the heroes are judged as traitors.”
After the war, Poland fell under Soviet control, and Pilecki continued his resistance against communist rule.
For this, he was arrested in 1947, tortured, and put on trial by his own countrymen—now serving the Soviet-backed regime.
“Sentenced by countrymen under pressure of foreign influence, men he once fought to free.”
In 1948, Pilecki was executed by the Polish communist government, his legacy erased for decades. His final words before his execution:
“I have tried to live my life in such a fashion that in my last hour, I would rather feel joy than fear.”
Why 4859 Still Matters
“Soldier in Auschwitz, we know his name.”
For decades, Pilecki was forgotten. The communist government suppressed his story, branding him a traitor. Only after the fall of communism did Poland finally recognize him as a hero.
Today, he is honored as one of the greatest resistance fighters of World War II.
- He volunteered for Auschwitz—knowing he might never escape.
- He fought against two brutal regimes—Nazi Germany and Soviet communism.
- He gave his life for Poland, even when his own country betrayed him.
The Lesson?
Some heroes never live to see their victories.
But their sacrifice ensures that others will.
And now, the world knows the name behind 4859.
