Preceded by Ignacy Moscicki Role Polish Politician Children Zuzanna Vernon | Nationality Polish Succeeded by Wladyslaw Raczkiewicz | |
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Born 22 July 1881
Maksymowka ( 1881-07-22 ) Name Boleslaw Wieniawa-Dlugoszowski Died July 1, 1942, New York City, New York, United States Spouse Bronislawa Wieniawa-Dlugoszowska (m. ?–1942) Similar People Boguslaw Linda, Mikhail Tukhachevsky, Joseph Stalin | ||
Generał Bolesław Wieniawa Długoszowski
Boleslaw Ignacy Florian Wieniawa-Dlugoszowski (22 July 1881 – 1 July 1942) was a Polish general, military adjutant of Chief of State Jozef Pilsudski, politician, diplomat, poet and an artist, as well as formally President of the Republic of Poland for one day.
Contents
- Genera Bolesaw Wieniawa Dugoszowski
- Before World War I
- 19141942
- One day Presidency
- Death
- Polish
- Foreign
- References
Before World War I
Boleslaw Wieniawa-Dlugoszowski was born on 22 July 1881, in his family's estates in Maksymowka (near Stanislawow – now Ivano-Frankivsk). He was a son of a Polish Nobleman Boleslaw Dlugoszowski and Josephine Struszkiewicz.
In 1877 his family had moved to palace in another family's estates in Bobowa. There Boleslaw had spent his early life. He was learning in gymnasium in Lwow, where he was one of the best students. After several years he moved to school in Nowy Sacz. There, in 1900, he passed his graduation exams. After school he studied medicine at Jan Kazimierz University in Lwow, gaining a special diploma with high distinction.
After studies he moved to Berlin where he spent a year studying in the very prestigious Berlin Academy of Arts. After school he moved to Paris, where he worked as a private doctor. In 1911 he was one of the founders of The Union of Polish Artists (Towarzystwo Artystow Polskich). He also joined Riflemen's Association (Zwiazek Strzelecki "Strzelec"). There he met Jozef Pilsudski.
1914–1942
In 1914 he moved to Krakow and joined the First Cadre Company which fought on the Austro-Hungarian side against Russia. In October 1914 he became a commander of a platoon of a squadron in 1 Pulk Ulanow Legionow Polskich. During the fighting in 1914–1915 he was promoted to lieutenant, and after the war he was awarded the V-Class Virtuti Militari. In August 1915 he moved to the special group in Warsaw. Soon he became an aide-de-camp of Jozef Pilsudski. In 1918, while on a mission to Russia, he was arrested by the Soviet Cheka as a member of the Polish Military Organisation. He was freed after several months.
As aide-de-camp of Jozef Pilsudski during the Polish-Soviet War he helped Marshall with organising the Vilna Operation and Battle of Warsaw. He was also a commander of 1st Cavalry Division. After the war Wieniawa was awarded many medals (such as Legion d'honneur, Cross of Valor and Cross of Independence).
In November 1921 he became Polish Military attache in Bucharest, Romania. He was associated with making the Polish-Romanian convention which was signed in 1922.
In 1926 he passed his exams in High War School, and soon he became a commander of 1 Pulk Szwolezerow Jozefa Pilsudskiego – the most prestigious and representative Polish cavalry division. He commanded it until 1930.
During the May Coup he was one of Pilsudski's officers. He gave him much help with organising the coup.
From 1930–1932 he was commander of I Cavalry division and for some time II Cavalry Division. In 1931 he was promoted by the President Ignacy Moscicki to the rank of Brigadier General. In 1932 he became a commander of II Cavalry Division and performed his duties until 14 May 1938. In 1938 he was promoted to the General-major. From 1938 to 13 June 1940, he was Polish Ambassador in Rome.
One-day Presidency
On 17 September 1939, he was nominated president of Poland by retiring President Ignacy Moscicki. On the same day, Poland was invaded by the Soviet Union and he emigrated to Paris to perform his new role but was blackballed by Wladyslaw Sikorski, the French Third Republic and the United Kingdom. After the capitulation of France he emigrated to Lisbon but soon he moved to New York.
Many sources do not list Wieniawa as President, merely "designated successor". However, according to the then constitution, when the President can not execute his powers (as when Moscicki was interned in Romania and it was clear that he would not be released unless he resigned), the designated successor automatically became President.
After receiving appointment or becoming President, Wieniawa asked Cardinal August Hlond to become Prime Minister. Hlond refused, referring, noteworthy fact, to Wieniawa as, "Mr. President".
Also in a press statement from President Lech Walesa's press secretary on 21 September 1994, to Dziennik Polski Wieniawa-Dlogoszowski was referred to as one of the legitimate Presidents in Exile.
According to some opinions Moscicki intended to pass his office to Wieniawa-Dlogoszowski as a caretaker, until a candidate accepted by both Sanacja and opposition circles, General Kazimierz Sosnkowski, whose whereabout was unknown in September 1939. Finally compromise candidate Wladyslaw Raczkiewicz was chosen after Wieniawa resignation.
Death
Wieniawa became Polish Ambassador in Havana, but after moving to Washington he died by his own hand. Some sources state that he committed suicide by leaping from an upper story of a New York city residence, but the exact details of his death are debated among historians.
Polish
In 1936, he was awarded the Golden Laurel of the Polish Academy of Literature Academic merit for literature.