The communist authorities continually thwarted efforts to commemorate the Uprising of 1944, though by the early 80s cracks in their resolve were beginning to show. On October 1, 1983, the most poignant of all Uprising monuments was unveiled by the walls of the Barbican. Designed by Jerzy Jarnuszkiewicz and funded by collections undertaken by scouts, the bronze installation shows the figure of a boy soldier clutching a Sten gun and weighed down by an adult-sized helmet. Commemorating the children who served as messengers and frontline troops, the figure is inspired by the story of 13-year-old corporal Antek, himself killed in action close to the scene on August 8, 1944.
