Aleksander Sulkiewicz
Encyclopedia
Aleksander Sulkiewicz - actually Iskander Mirza Huzman Beg Sulkiewicz, (conspiratorial name Michał, sometimes Czarny Michał (Black Michael)) (born December 8, 1867 in Skirsobole Tatarskie, died September 18, 1916 near Sitowicze) - was a Polish politician of Tatar ethnicity, activist in socialist and independence movements and one of the co-founders of Polish Socialist Party
.
form of Kryczynski as in Prince Kryczynski; one of the few Tatar families officially acknowledge as princes by the Polish—Lithuanian Diet and the King—Grand Duke). He was related to Józef Bielak, a general in the Kościuszko Uprising
and one of the most cherished family possessions was a letter from Tadeusz Kościuszko
praising and thanking his grandfather for his service. As a child he attended a Turkish
school in Istanbul
, where he came into contact with the Polish emigre community. After the death of his father (around 1877) he came back with his family to Suwałki (in 1800) and later to Sejn, where he continued his studies.
. In November 1892 he took part in the "Paris Convention" and creation of Związek Zagraniczny Socjalistów Polskich (Organization of Polish Socialists Abroad). Subsequently he came back to Poland where he participated in the organization of Polish Socialist Party
groups in Vilna. Together with Józef Piłsudski, Stanisław Wojciechowski, Stefan Bielak and Ludwik Zajkowski he took part in the meeting in a forest near Vilna, which later was recognized as the First Congress of the Polish Socialist Party (PPS).
In 1890 he got a job in the treasury department in Suwałki, and later in the customs
office in Władysławowo
and Kiborty. Thanks to these positions he came to be in charge of smuggling operations of the underground socialist press (so called Bibuła) from Geneva
and London
into Congress Poland
. He also helped Lithuanian nationalists
smuggle in Lithuanian language publications from abroad which were banned by Russian authorities
. He was able to carry out clandestine conspiratorial activity for so long without being detected, partly because the Russian authorities did not suspect a follower of Islam of pro-Polish independence activities. From 1895 to 1897, and then from 1899 to 1902 he was in the Central Committee of the PPS.
He finished his job as a bureaucrat in customs in 1900, and, on party orders, moved to Łódź where he set up the printing shop for the Robotnik
newspaper. He composed and edited the first issue of the paper together with Piłsudski. The print shop was soon discovered by the Czarist police but Sulkiewicz managed to evade arrest. However, Józef Piłsudski was caught. Sulkiewicz with help from others (like Władysław Mazurkiewicz) began making plans for his escape. The escape occurred on on May 14, 1901, after Piłsudski feigned mental illness in order to get himself transferred from the Warsaw Citadel
to a lower security mental hospital in Saint Petersburg
. The escape might very well have saved Piłsudski's life as martial law
applied and hence any conspiratorial activity was harshly punished.
Starting in 1903 he rejoined the Central Committee of PPS, this time in Kiev
. He was caught by the police, but thanks to good recommendations from his previous places of work he was freed after a few months with a caution. Soon after there was a split in PPS, and Suwalkiewicz followed Piłsudski in joining the pro-independence (as opposed to the pro-internationalist) PPS-Revolutionary Faction, and in 1908 became a member of its Central Committee.
broke out, Sulkiewicz volunteered for the Polish Legions
. After the creation of Polish National Organization
(PON) he became its director in Wilno region. He traveled on diplomatic mission to Berlin
, Copenhagen
, Sweden
and Kiev. Later he came back to Galicia and from there he was sent by Piłsudski back to German controlled Warsaw. There he was active in the Polish Military Organisation
(POW, or Polska Organizacja Wojskowa) and PPS. He was arrested by Germans in November 1915 but eventually released. He moved to Austria-occupied Poland in order to take part in further fighting as part of the Polish Legions.
He was initially made an intendent (a manager) in May 1916 but, after being refused twice due to his age (he was 49 years old at the time) he was finally given a front line position as a sergeant
in the first Brigade of the Polish Legion. On September 18, 1916, during the Battle of Sitowicze, while running to help the wounded chorąży
, Adam Koc
, he was mortally wounded himself.
On November 8, 1925 his body was moved to Warsaw and buried in the Powązki Military Cemetery
. Sulkiewicz was awarded the Order of Virtuti Militari
. He was also posthumously awarded the Cross of Independence
with Swords.
Polish Socialist Party
The Polish Socialist Party was one of the most important Polish left-wing political parties from its inception in 1892 until 1948...
.
Early life
Sulkiewicz was born to a Tatar family with a tradition of support for the cause of Polish independence. He was the son of a rotmistrz (rotamaster) in the Czarist army, Aleksander and Rozalia née Kryczyńska (feminineFeminine
Feminine, or femininity, normally refers to qualities positively associated with women.Feminine may also refer to:*Feminine , a grammatical gender*Feminine cadence, a final chord falling in a metrically weak position...
form of Kryczynski as in Prince Kryczynski; one of the few Tatar families officially acknowledge as princes by the Polish—Lithuanian Diet and the King—Grand Duke). He was related to Józef Bielak, a general in the Kościuszko Uprising
Kosciuszko Uprising
The Kościuszko Uprising was an uprising against Imperial Russia and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Tadeusz Kościuszko in Poland, Belarus and Lithuania in 1794...
and one of the most cherished family possessions was a letter from Tadeusz Kościuszko
Tadeusz Kosciuszko
Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko was a Polish–Lithuanian and American general and military leader during the Kościuszko Uprising. He is a national hero of Poland, Lithuania, the United States and Belarus...
praising and thanking his grandfather for his service. As a child he attended a Turkish
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
school in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, where he came into contact with the Polish emigre community. After the death of his father (around 1877) he came back with his family to Suwałki (in 1800) and later to Sejn, where he continued his studies.
Underground political activity
In Vilna he was introduced into circles of socialist activists. He became an active member of the Social-Revolutionary Party ProletariatProletariat (party)
Proletariat is the name used to refer to three Polish political parties:*The First Proletariat , also called the Great Proletariat....
. In November 1892 he took part in the "Paris Convention" and creation of Związek Zagraniczny Socjalistów Polskich (Organization of Polish Socialists Abroad). Subsequently he came back to Poland where he participated in the organization of Polish Socialist Party
Polish Socialist Party
The Polish Socialist Party was one of the most important Polish left-wing political parties from its inception in 1892 until 1948...
groups in Vilna. Together with Józef Piłsudski, Stanisław Wojciechowski, Stefan Bielak and Ludwik Zajkowski he took part in the meeting in a forest near Vilna, which later was recognized as the First Congress of the Polish Socialist Party (PPS).
In 1890 he got a job in the treasury department in Suwałki, and later in the customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
office in Władysławowo
Władysławowo
Władysławowo is a town on the south coast of the Baltic Sea in the Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania region, northern Poland, with 15,015 inhabitants.-Overview:...
and Kiborty. Thanks to these positions he came to be in charge of smuggling operations of the underground socialist press (so called Bibuła) from Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
into Congress Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
. He also helped Lithuanian nationalists
Knygnešiai
Book smugglers were people who transported Lithuanian language books printed in the Latin alphabet into Lithuanian-speaking areas of the Russian Empire, defying a ban on such materials in force from 1866 to 1904...
smuggle in Lithuanian language publications from abroad which were banned by Russian authorities
Lithuanian press ban
The Lithuanian press ban was a ban on all Lithuanian language publications printed in the Latin alphabet within the Russian Empire, which controlled Lithuania at the time. Lithuanian-language publications that used the Cyrillic alphabet were allowed and even encouraged...
. He was able to carry out clandestine conspiratorial activity for so long without being detected, partly because the Russian authorities did not suspect a follower of Islam of pro-Polish independence activities. From 1895 to 1897, and then from 1899 to 1902 he was in the Central Committee of the PPS.
He finished his job as a bureaucrat in customs in 1900, and, on party orders, moved to Łódź where he set up the printing shop for the Robotnik
Robotnik (1894–1939)
Robotnik was the bibuła newspaper published by the Polish Socialist Party , and distributed in most major cities and towns in Poland under Partitions.....
newspaper. He composed and edited the first issue of the paper together with Piłsudski. The print shop was soon discovered by the Czarist police but Sulkiewicz managed to evade arrest. However, Józef Piłsudski was caught. Sulkiewicz with help from others (like Władysław Mazurkiewicz) began making plans for his escape. The escape occurred on on May 14, 1901, after Piłsudski feigned mental illness in order to get himself transferred from the Warsaw Citadel
Warsaw Citadel
Cytadela is a 19th-century fortress in Warsaw, Poland. It was built by order of Tsar Nicholas I after the suppression of the 1830 November Uprising in order to bolster imperial Russian control of the city. It served as a prison into the late 1930s.- History :The Citadel was built by personal...
to a lower security mental hospital in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. The escape might very well have saved Piłsudski's life as martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
applied and hence any conspiratorial activity was harshly punished.
Starting in 1903 he rejoined the Central Committee of PPS, this time in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. He was caught by the police, but thanks to good recommendations from his previous places of work he was freed after a few months with a caution. Soon after there was a split in PPS, and Suwalkiewicz followed Piłsudski in joining the pro-independence (as opposed to the pro-internationalist) PPS-Revolutionary Faction, and in 1908 became a member of its Central Committee.
World War I and the Polish Legions
When World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke out, Sulkiewicz volunteered for the Polish Legions
Polish Legions in World War I
Polish Legions was the name of Polish armed forces created in August 1914 in Galicia. Thanks to the efforts of KSSN and the Polish members of the Austrian parliament, the unit became an independent formation of the Austro-Hungarian Army...
. After the creation of Polish National Organization
Polish National Organization
Polish National Organization was a Polish political organisation formed by Józef Piłsudski after the split of Supreme National Committee on 5 September 1914. NKN, heavily influenced by the Austrian government, vied with more independent Piłsudski over the control of Polish armed forces...
(PON) he became its director in Wilno region. He traveled on diplomatic mission to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Kiev. Later he came back to Galicia and from there he was sent by Piłsudski back to German controlled Warsaw. There he was active in the Polish Military Organisation
Polish Military Organisation
Polish Military Organisation, PMO was a secret military organization created by Józef Piłsudski in August 1914, and officially named in November 1914, during World War I. Its tasks were to gather intelligence and sabotage the enemies of the Polish people...
(POW, or Polska Organizacja Wojskowa) and PPS. He was arrested by Germans in November 1915 but eventually released. He moved to Austria-occupied Poland in order to take part in further fighting as part of the Polish Legions.
He was initially made an intendent (a manager) in May 1916 but, after being refused twice due to his age (he was 49 years old at the time) he was finally given a front line position as a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in the first Brigade of the Polish Legion. On September 18, 1916, during the Battle of Sitowicze, while running to help the wounded chorąży
Chorąży
Chorąży or Khorunzhyi is a military rank in Poland, Ukraine and some neighboring countries. A chorąży was once a knight who bore a standard — the emblem of an armed troop, a province , a land , a duchy, or the kingdom...
, Adam Koc
Adam Koc
Adam Ignacy Koc was a Polish politician, soldier and journalist.-Honours and awards:...
, he was mortally wounded himself.
On November 8, 1925 his body was moved to Warsaw and buried in the Powązki Military Cemetery
Powązki Military Cemetery
Powązki Military Cemetery is an old military cemetery located in the Wola district, western part of Warsaw, Poland. The cemetery is often confused with the older Powązki Cemetery, known colloquially as "Old Powązki"...
. Sulkiewicz was awarded the Order of Virtuti Militari
Virtuti Militari
The Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war...
. He was also posthumously awarded the Cross of Independence
Cross of Independence
Cross of Independence was one of the highest Polish military decorations between World Wars I and II. It was awarded to individuals who had "fought heroically for the independence of Poland," and was released in three versions.- History :...
with Swords.