Józef Mączka
Encyclopedia
Józef Mieczysław Mączka was a Polish
soldier, poet of the Polish Legions
.
He was born in the village of Zaleszany
to Franciszek Mączka, who as a teenager fought in the January Uprising
in 1863.
Józef Mączka attended primary school in Oleszyce
, later grammar schools (gymnasiums
) in Lwów, Sanok
, and since 1905 in Rzeszów
, where he graduated in 1907. He later started engineering studies at the Lwów Polytechnic.
In 1913 he became a member of Riflemen's Association, and in August 1914 has been already a soldier of the Polish Legions
in the 2nd Squadron of Uhlan
s, led by Zbigniew Dunin-Wąsowicz. Mączka served there until September 1914. He took part in Carpathian and Bukovinian campaigns. On 1 November 1916 has been promoted to the rank of second lieutenant
. After the Oath crisis
served in the Polish Auxiliary Corps
. In 1917 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant
.
In February 1918 Mączka was captured and interned by Austrians. On 28 February disguised as a railway worker he escaped from the camp and on 20 March became a soldier of Polish II Corps in Russia
of General Józef Haller. In the battle of Kaniów
he was captured by Germans. Mączka however escaped and started to work in the Polish Military Organization, in the section active in Ukraine
. He helped to transfer soldiers of the Polish Legions to Kuban
to the division of General Lucjan Żeligowski
, eventually becoming soldier of this division himself in the group of Col. Zieliński.
On 9 September 1918, Lt. Józef Mączka died of cholera
in Pashkovska Stanitsa
near Yekaterinodar. For his participation in the battles of the Legions and his work in Polish Military Organization, Lt. Mączka has been awarded Virtuti Militari
, Cross of Valour, Cross of Independence
and Cross of Merit with Swords. In 1933 his corpse was brought to Warsaw and ceremonially buried at Powązki Military Cemetery
.
Józef Mączka was also a known poet, the most important poet of Polish Legions. On the Christmas Eve
of 1914 he wrote a Christmas carol for the Legions. In 1917 he published poetry collection Starym szlakiem (On the Old Path), which was republished thrice during the interwar period.
In November 1998 memorial obelisk to Mączka was unveiled in his birthplace Zaleszany.
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
soldier, poet of 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...
.
He was born in the village of Zaleszany
Zaleszany, Subcarpathian Voivodeship
Zaleszany is a village in Stalowa Wola County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in south-eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Zaleszany. It lies approximately north-west of Stalowa Wola and north of the regional capital Rzeszów.The village has a population of 1,000.Poet and...
to Franciszek Mączka, who as a teenager fought in the January Uprising
January Uprising
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the Russian Empire...
in 1863.
Józef Mączka attended primary school in Oleszyce
Oleszyce
Oleszyce is a small town in Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Poland, with 3,089 inhabitants .During World War II, on 16 September 1939 there was a battle near Oleszyce, in which General Józef Kustroń fell, the commander of the Polish 21st Mountain Infantry Division.-References:Notes...
, later grammar schools (gymnasiums
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
) in Lwów, Sanok
Sanok
Sanok is a town in south-eastern Poland with 39,110 inhabitants, as of 2 June 2009. It's the capital of Sanok County in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship. Previously, it was in the Krosno Voivodeship and in the Ruthenian Voivodeship , which was part of the Lesser Poland province...
, and since 1905 in Rzeszów
Rzeszów
Rzeszów is a city in southeastern Poland with a population of 179,455 in 2010. It is located on both sides of the Wisłok River, in the heartland of the Sandomierska Valley...
, where he graduated in 1907. He later started engineering studies at the Lwów Polytechnic.
In 1913 he became a member of Riflemen's Association, and in August 1914 has been already a soldier of 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...
in the 2nd Squadron of Uhlan
Uhlan
Uhlans were Polish light cavalry armed with lances, sabres and pistols. The title was later used by lancer regiments in the Russian, Prussian, and Austrian armies....
s, led by Zbigniew Dunin-Wąsowicz. Mączka served there until September 1914. He took part in Carpathian and Bukovinian campaigns. On 1 November 1916 has been promoted to the rank of second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
. After the Oath crisis
Oath crisis
The Oath crisis was a World War I political conflict between the Imperial German Army command and the Józef Piłsudski-led Polish Legions.Initially supporting the Central Powers against Imperial Russia, Piłsudski wanted to defeat one of the partitioning powers with the hands of the two remaining...
served in the Polish Auxiliary Corps
Polish Auxiliary Corps
Polish Auxiliary Corps was the name of the Polish military formation in the Austro-Hungarian Army, based on the Polish Legions. It was created in the aftermath of the Oath crisis from the Legions on 20 September 1916 and existed until 19 February 1918...
. In 1917 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
.
In February 1918 Mączka was captured and interned by Austrians. On 28 February disguised as a railway worker he escaped from the camp and on 20 March became a soldier of Polish II Corps in Russia
Polish II Corps in Russia
The Polish II Corps in Russia was a Polish military formation formed in revolutionary Russia in 1917.-History:The Corps was formed at the initiative of the Chief Polish Military Committee , a Polish faction in the revolutionary and split Russian Empire military...
of General Józef Haller. In the battle of Kaniów
Battle of Kaniów
Battle of Kaniów took place during World War I on the night of 10–11 May 1918 near Kaniv between the Polish II Corps in Russia under general Józef Haller de Hallenburg and the German Imperial Army under general Zierhold...
he was captured by Germans. Mączka however escaped and started to work in the Polish Military Organization, in the section active in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. He helped to transfer soldiers of the Polish Legions to Kuban
Kuban
Kuban is a geographic region of Southern Russia surrounding the Kuban River, on the Black Sea between the Don Steppe, Volga Delta and the Caucasus...
to the division of General Lucjan Żeligowski
Lucjan Zeligowski
Lucjan Żeligowski , was a Polish general, and veteran of World War I, the Polish-Soviet War and World War II. He is mostly remembered for his role in Żeligowski's Mutiny and as head of a short-lived Republic of Central Lithuania.-Biography:...
, eventually becoming soldier of this division himself in the group of Col. Zieliński.
On 9 September 1918, Lt. Józef Mączka died of cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
in Pashkovska Stanitsa
Stanitsa
Stanitsa is a village inside a Cossack host . Stanitsas were the primary unit of Cossack hosts.Historically, the stanitsa was a unit of economic and political organisation of the Cossack peoples primarily in the southern regions of the Russian Empire.Much of the land was held in common by the...
near Yekaterinodar. For his participation in the battles of the Legions and his work in Polish Military Organization, Lt. Mączka has been awarded 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...
, Cross of Valour, 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 :...
and Cross of Merit with Swords. In 1933 his corpse was brought to Warsaw and ceremonially buried at 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"...
.
Józef Mączka was also a known poet, the most important poet of Polish Legions. On the Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
of 1914 he wrote a Christmas carol for the Legions. In 1917 he published poetry collection Starym szlakiem (On the Old Path), which was republished thrice during the interwar period.
In November 1998 memorial obelisk to Mączka was unveiled in his birthplace Zaleszany.
Works
- Starym szlakiem (1917)
- Wstań Polsko moja (1997)
- Starym szlakiem i inne wiersze (2009)