吉鸿昌 (1895～1934),字世五,生于河南省扶沟县吕潭镇,家境贫寒。1913年,冯玉祥在河南招兵,18岁的吉鸿昌应募入伍。他身材魁梧,性格豪爽,作战勇敢,号称 “吉大胆” ;屡立战功,提升很快,1927年升为师长;在北伐战场上,是西北军的一员猛将。
        1929年,吉鸿昌担任宁夏省主席后,开始学习马列著作,并爱不释手。1930年,冯 (玉祥) 、阎 (锡山)合作与蒋介石中原大战失败后,吉鸿昌部被蒋介石改编为第二十二路军,并调二十二路军去围攻大别山苏区。吉鸿昌大为不满,拒绝执行。蒋介石于1931年春天,撤销了吉鸿昌的军职,让他去国外考察。
        1932年2月,吉鸿昌从欧美回国,由沪抵津,居住在原法租界霞飞路40号(今和平区花园路5号),与共产党的地下组织发生联系,并加入了中国共产党。其住所成了共产党在津活动的秘密据点。
        1933年5月,在华北危亡的形势下,吉鸿昌在家中会见冯玉祥将军的代表后,成立 “察哈尔民众抗日同盟军” ,任北路前敌总指挥,率军开赴前线收复了沦陷70多天的多伦城,并乘胜将日伪军完全逐出了察哈尔省境。成为“九一八”事变以来,中国军队首次从日伪军手中收复失地之举,给日军以沉重打击,给全国抗日力量以极大鼓舞。在共产党的发动下,天津各界人民捐款支援前线,许多工人、学生前往参加抗日队伍。但是在日本侵略军和中央军的夹击下,抗日同盟军遂遭瓦解。
        1934年6月,吉鸿昌将军在天津组织成立“中国人民反法西斯大同盟” ,他任主任委员,将花园路5号的住宅,作为中共地下联络站,被称为“红楼” ; 并设立秘密印刷所,出版了《民族战旗》等刊物。活动被发现后,转移到法租界国民饭店。吉鸿昌将军夫人胡洪霞变卖家里的财产、衣物,为抗日前线筹集军火。

        同年11月9日晚,在同广西李宗仁的代表秘密会谈时,吉鸿昌将军于天津法租界国民饭店38号房间,被国民党特务用手枪击伤臂部,为法租界工部局逮捕。在北平炮局子陆军监狱,吉鸿昌将军大义凛然,威武不屈。
        是年11月24日,吉鸿昌将军就义前,用树枝在地上写了气壮山河的诗句: 恨不抗日死,留作今日羞; 国破尚如此,我何惜此头。并慷慨陈辞: “我为抗日而死,不能跪下挨枪。我死了也不能倒下! 给我拿个椅子来,我得坐着死。”吉鸿昌坐在椅子上冲着刽子手大义凛然地说:“我为抗日而死,死得光明正大! 不能在背后挨抢,我要亲眼看着你们怎样打死我! ”并高呼: “抗日万岁! ” “中国共产党万岁! ”牺牲时才39岁。1984年,在纪念吉鸿昌牺牲50周年前夕,聂荣臻题词: “民族英雄吉鸿昌烈士永垂不朽! ”河南省扶沟县人民在烈士陵园为吉鸿昌烈士塑了铜像。

        

·察哈尔民众抗日同盟军开赴抗日前线

        Ji Hongchang (1895-1934)`s alias was Shiwu. He wasborn in a poor family at Lutan Town,Fugou County,Henan Province. In his childhood,his mother died andhe helped his father run a tea house. When he grew up,he went to a grocer as an apprentice. In 1913,18-year-old Ji Hongchang joined Feng Yuxiang`s army. He wastall,strong and brave,known as "Brave Ji",so he waspromoted quickly. In 1927,he was division commander.In the battlefield of northern expedition,he was a heroicgeneral of the Northwest Army.
        In 1928,Ji Hongchang was the Chairman ofNingxia Province. He began to study the classics ofMarxism and Leninism and was absorbed in them.In 1930,Chiang Kai-shek defeated the joint army ofFeng Yuxiang and Yan Xishan at Zhongyuan Battle. JiHongchang`s army was adopted by Chiang Kai-shek asthe 22nd Army and sent him to attack Dabie MountainArea controlled by CPC. Ji Hongchang was dissatisfiedand adopted the perfunctory strategy. Chiang Kai-shekknew his intention,dismissed him from the militarypost,and sent him to investigate overseas.
        In February,1932,Ji Hongchang returned fromAmerica and Europe. He arrived in Tianjin fromShanghai and lived at No. 5,Huayuan Road,HepingDistrict. He contacted with the underground organizationof CPC and joined CPC. His residence became the secretliaison of CPC in Tianjin.
        In May,1933,at the crisis of north China,JiHongchang set up "Anti-Japan United Army of Chahar`sPeople" after receiving the representative of FengYuxiang. Ji Hongchang,as the Chief-Commander,ledthe army to the front and reoccupied Dulun city 70 daysafter its fall. They drove the Japanese army and thepuppet army out of Chahar Province. Since 9.18 Event,this was the first time that the Chinese army reoccupiedthe lost land from the enemies,which was a heavy blowto the Japanese army but an inspiration to the anti-Japanese forces in China. Promoted by CPC,Tianjinpeople donated money to support the front. Manystudents and workers joined the anti-Japanese army.However,the United Anti-Japan Army was dissolvedby the converging attack of the Japanese army andKuomintang army.
        In June,1934,General Ji Hongchang set up "ChinaPeople`s Anti-Fascist Union". As the director-general,he changed his residence at No. 5,Huayuan Road asthe underground liaison of CPC,which was called "RedBuilding". He published the magazines such as BattleFlag of the Nation by his secret printing office. His wifesold the fortune and even clothes to buy weapons for theanti-Japanese front.
        In the evening of November,General Ji Hongchangwas wounded by the shot from Kuomintang secret agentduring his secret talk with Li Zongren`s representative inNo.38 room of People`s Hotel at the French concessionin Tianjin. In the jail of the Land Army at Paojuzi ofPeking,General Jihongchang declared that "I am aCommunist. I am happy to die for the Anti-JapaneseWar."
        On November 24,before his death as a martyr,JiHongchang wrote a poem with a branch on the land. "Ihate I cannot kill enemies now. It is really my shame. Mymotherland is torn. What`s the use of my head." He shoutedthat "I die for the anti-Japanese career. I will never kneeldown to receive the bullet. I wil not fall down even after mydeath. Give me a chair.I`ll sit on it to die." and "Long livethe Anti-Japanese War." "Long live the Chinese CommunistParty." Ji Hongchang died at the age of 39.

        

·吉鸿昌将军就义前写给妻子胡红霞的遗书