吉鴻昌 (1895～1934),字世五，生于河南省扶溝縣呂潭鎮(zhèn)，家境貧寒。1913年，馮玉祥在河南招兵，18歲的吉鴻昌應募入伍。他身材魁梧，性格豪爽，作戰(zhàn)勇敢，號稱 “吉大膽” ;屢立戰(zhàn)功，提升很快，1927年升為師長；在北伐戰(zhàn)場上，是西北軍的一員猛將。
1929年，吉鴻昌擔任寧夏省主席后，開始學習馬列著作，并愛不釋手。1930年，馮 (玉祥) 、閻 (錫山)合作與蔣介石中原大戰(zhàn)失敗后，吉鴻昌部被蔣介石改編為第二十二路軍，并調二十二路軍去圍攻大別山蘇區(qū)。吉鴻昌大為不滿，拒絕執(zhí)行。蔣介石于1931年春天，撤銷了吉鴻昌的軍職，讓他去國外考察。
1932年2月，吉鴻昌從歐美回國，由滬抵津，居住在原法租界霞飛路40號(今和平區(qū)花園路5號),與共產黨的地下組織發(fā)生聯(lián)系，并加入了中國共產黨。其住所成了共產黨在津活動的秘密據點。
1933年5月，在華北危亡的形勢下，吉鴻昌在家中會見馮玉祥將軍的代表后，成立 “察哈爾民眾抗日同盟軍” ,任北路前敵總指揮，率軍開赴前線收復了淪陷70多天的多倫城，并乘勝將日偽軍完全逐出了察哈爾省境。成為“九一八”事變以來，中國軍隊首次從日偽軍手中收復失地之舉，給日軍以沉重打擊，給全國抗日力量以極大鼓舞。在共產黨的發(fā)動下，天津各界人民捐款支援前線，許多工人、學生前往參加抗日隊伍。但是在日本侵略軍和中央軍的夾擊下，抗日同盟軍遂遭瓦解。
1934年6月，吉鴻昌將軍在天津組織成立“中國人民反法西斯大同盟” ,他任主任委員，將花園路5號的住宅，作為中共地下聯(lián)絡站，被稱為“紅樓” ; 并設立秘密印刷所，出版了《民族戰(zhàn)旗》等刊物?；顒颖话l(fā)現(xiàn)后，轉移到法租界國民飯店。吉鴻昌將軍夫人胡洪霞變賣家里的財產、衣物，為抗日前線籌集軍火。

同年11月9日晚，在同廣西李宗仁的代表秘密會談時，吉鴻昌將軍于天津法租界國民飯店38號房間，被國民黨特務用手槍擊傷臂部，為法租界工部局逮捕。在北平炮局子陸軍監(jiān)獄，吉鴻昌將軍大義凜然，威武不屈。
是年11月24日，吉鴻昌將軍就義前，用樹枝在地上寫了氣壯山河的詩句： 恨不抗日死，留作今日羞； 國破尚如此，我何惜此頭。并慷慨陳辭： “我為抗日而死，不能跪下挨槍。我死了也不能倒下！ 給我拿個椅子來，我得坐著死。”吉鴻昌坐在椅子上沖著劊子手大義凜然地說：“我為抗日而死，死得光明正大！ 不能在背后挨搶，我要親眼看著你們怎樣打死我！ ”并高呼： “抗日萬歲！ ” “中國共產黨萬歲！ ”犧牲時才39歲。1984年，在紀念吉鴻昌犧牲50周年前夕，聶榮臻題詞： “民族英雄吉鴻昌烈士永垂不朽！ ”河南省扶溝縣人民在烈士陵園為吉鴻昌烈士塑了銅像。

·察哈爾民眾抗日同盟軍開赴抗日前線

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.

·吉鴻昌將軍就義前寫給妻子胡紅霞的遺書