Traczyk-Stawska was 17 years old when the Uprising broke out and served in a unit under the direct command of Antoni "Monter" Chruściel, the tactical commander of the insurgent forces. Despite her age, she was no stranger to resistance activity. As a member of the Gray Ranks, the name given to Poland's underground wartime scouting movement, she had already taken part in several sabotage operations, while also helping gather intelligence and distribute food to Warsaw's beleaguered civilian population. When the Uprising broke out on August 1, 1944, she first found herself tasked with handing out leaflets. In those euphoric early days, many Varsovians believed liberation was within reach.