Military Police Officers Hospitalized In Poland After Opening a Letter From Germany

In the Polish town of Nowa Dęba, two military police officers and a civilian employee were hospitalized after opening a letter from Germany.

RMF24 reported on the incident.

The package arrived on September 30 at a local unit of the Military Gendarmerie in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. According to the prosecutor’s office, a civilian employee accepted the envelope and handed it to the deputy head of the unit, who opened it.

Inside was a postcard with the inscription ‘Hello, Zlota.’ Investigators determined that there were no visible liquids or other substances in the envelope, and nothing spilled out when it was opened.

Shortly thereafter, the gendarme who opened the letter began to experience shortness of breath. Another military officer and a civilian employee complained of throat irritation. Skin irritation on the face and hands was also reported.

Four other gendarmes who showed no symptoms were placed in isolation. A total of 133 people were evacuated from a neighboring building. A specialized chemical and environmental rescue team responded to the scene. The Internal Security Agency and the Military Counterintelligence Service were notified of the incident.

According to an eyewitness account cited by Tygodnik Nadwiślański and reported by Onet, after the ambulances arrived, the hospital temporarily blocked the entrance to the emergency room. People were told the restrictions were due to possible quarantine measures.

On the evening of September 30, a spokesperson for the Polish Military Gendarmerie reported that an analysis of the letter ruled out the presence of chemical, biological, or radiological agents. Medical examinations revealed no signs of poisoning, after which all three were discharged from the hospital.

According to an update from the prosecutor’s office on October 1, the case is being investigated by the District Prosecutor’s Office in Lublin in cooperation with the Polish Military Gendarmerie and the Military Counterintelligence Service. The investigation concerns the possible exposure of individuals to an immediate risk of death or serious harm to their health.

Investigators are identifying the sender and the exact location from which the letter was mailed. The postcard is to be examined for fingerprints and genetic material. The prosecutor’s office is also verifying whether the employees’ symptoms were related to the envelope: spokesperson Marcin Kozak noted that they could have had another cause.

Poland has previously investigated the use of mail to carry out sabotage operations. In October 2025, it was reported that a group, acting on orders from Russian intelligence services, attempted to send packages containing explosive and incendiary materials to Ukraine. The packages were intended to explode or catch fire during transport, but they were intercepted by Romanian authorities.

At the same time, in the case of the letter in Nowa Dęba, Poland has not yet reported any established connection to Russian intelligence services or previous sabotage operations.