Leon Kozlowski
Encyclopedia
Leon Tadeusz Kozłowski (ˈlɛɔn kɔˈzwɔfskʲi; 6 June 1892 – 11 May 1944) was a Polish
archaeologist and politician who served as Prime Minister of Poland from 1934 to 1935.
near Małogoszcz. Prior to 1914 he moved with his family to Lwów in Galicia, where he joined the local university. He also joined the Riflemen Union and Association of Progressive Youth. After the outbreak of the Great War
he joined Józef Piłsudski's Polish Legions
, where he served in the 1st Uhlans Regiment. After the Oath Crisis
of 1917 he joined the Polish Military Organization and organized the cadres of the future Polish Army.
When Poland regained her independence in 1918, Kozłowski volunteered for the Polish Army and served with distinction during the Polish-Bolshevik War. Afterwards he was demobilized and returned to Lwów, where he completed his studies at the University of Jan Kazimierz. In 1921 he became a professor there and the head of the Faculty of Pre-history. He held that post between 1921 and 1931 and then again between 1935 and 1939. He was also active in various social and political organizations, including the Society for the Repair of the Republic
. As such, in 1928 he got involved in the BBWR
movement and the same year he was elected to the Sejm
. He held the post of a Member of Parliament until 1935, when he was chosen to the Senate of Poland
.
During his political career he held various posts in several governments led by the Sanacja
movement. Between 1930 and 1935 he was the minister of agrarian reforms. At the same time, between 1932 and 1933 he was a sub-secretary of state in the Ministry of Treasury. Finally, on 15 May 1934, Kozłowski became the Prime Minister of Poland. He held that post until 28 March 1935, when he was replaced by Walery Sławek. On the insistence of Piłsudski, all of the ministers of Kozłowski's government were included in the new government. After death of Marshal of Poland
Józef Piłsudski, Kozłowski remained an active politician for some time. He was seen as a representative of the leftist part of the Sanacja
movement and a supporter of Walery Sławek. However, the latter lost the race to Piłsudski's heritage and Kozłowski returned to Lwów, where he reassumed his posts at the university. In 1937 he also briefly got involved in the Obóz Zjednoczenia Narodowego
movement, but without much success.
After the Polish Defensive War of 1939 and the outbreak of the World War II, Leon Kozłowski remained in Lwów, where he was arrested by the NKVD
. He spent almost two years in various Soviet prisons, and finally was sentenced to death for anti-Soviet behaviour. However, after the Sikorski-Mayski Agreement
of 1941 he was released and travelled to Buzuluk
, where he joined up with the Polish Army formed there by general Władysław Anders. It is not certain whether he actually joined the army. Nevertheless, he left the military camp and started his 1000-mile long trip westwards. He crossed the Russo-German frontline, for which he was sentenced to death by the Polish court.
German authorities sent him to Berlin. Little is known of his activities there. Some historians assume that he took part in some talks with the Nazi authorities which saw him as a possible collaborationist and an ally in winning the Poles for the German case. However, there is little evidence to prove those assumptions. It is certain however, that in 1943 he was sent to the site of the Katyn Massacre
as one of the experts brought to the site by the German authorities. He also cooperated with German propaganda in ideological fight with the Soviets.
Interned in Berlin, Leon Kozłowski was wounded in one of Allied air raids on the German capital. He died of his wounds on 11 May 1944.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
archaeologist and politician who served as Prime Minister of Poland from 1934 to 1935.
Biography
Leon Kozłowski was born in 1892 in the village of RembieszyceRembieszyce
Rembieszyce is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Małogoszcz, within Jędrzejów County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It lies approximately south of Małogoszcz, north of Jędrzejów, and south-west of the regional capital Kielce.The village has a population of...
near Małogoszcz. Prior to 1914 he moved with his family to Lwów in Galicia, where he joined the local university. He also joined the Riflemen Union and Association of Progressive Youth. After the outbreak of the Great War
World 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...
he joined Józef Piłsudski's 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...
, where he served in the 1st Uhlans Regiment. 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...
of 1917 he joined the Polish Military Organization and organized the cadres of the future Polish Army.
When Poland regained her independence in 1918, Kozłowski volunteered for the Polish Army and served with distinction during the Polish-Bolshevik War. Afterwards he was demobilized and returned to Lwów, where he completed his studies at the University of Jan Kazimierz. In 1921 he became a professor there and the head of the Faculty of Pre-history. He held that post between 1921 and 1931 and then again between 1935 and 1939. He was also active in various social and political organizations, including the Society for the Repair of the Republic
Rzeczpospolita
Rzeczpospolita is a traditional name of the Polish State, usually referred to as Rzeczpospolita Polska . It comes from the words: "rzecz" and "pospolita" , literally, a "common thing". It comes from latin word "respublica", meaning simply "republic"...
. As such, in 1928 he got involved in the BBWR
BBWR
The initials BBWR relate to two distinct Polish political organizations:* Bezpartyjny Blok Współpracy z Rządem was an ostensibly non-political organization that existed from 1928 to 1935, closely affiliated with Józef Piłsudski and his Sanation movement.* Bezpartyjny Blok Wspierania Reform...
movement and the same year he was elected to the Sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
. He held the post of a Member of Parliament until 1935, when he was chosen to the Senate of Poland
Senate of Poland
The Senate is the upper house of the Polish parliament, the lower house being the 'Sejm'. The history of the Polish Senate is rich in tradition and stretches back over 500 years, it was one of the first constituent bodies of a bicameral parliament in Europe and existed without hiatus until the...
.
During his political career he held various posts in several governments led by the Sanacja
Sanacja
Sanation was a Polish political movement that came to power after Józef Piłsudski's May 1926 Coup d'État. Sanation took its name from his watchword—the moral "sanation" of the Polish body politic...
movement. Between 1930 and 1935 he was the minister of agrarian reforms. At the same time, between 1932 and 1933 he was a sub-secretary of state in the Ministry of Treasury. Finally, on 15 May 1934, Kozłowski became the Prime Minister of Poland. He held that post until 28 March 1935, when he was replaced by Walery Sławek. On the insistence of Piłsudski, all of the ministers of Kozłowski's government were included in the new government. After death of Marshal of Poland
Marshal of Poland
Marshal of Poland is the highest rank in the Polish Army. It has been granted to only six officers. At present, this rank is equivalent to a Field Marshal or General of the Army in other NATO armies.-History:...
Józef Piłsudski, Kozłowski remained an active politician for some time. He was seen as a representative of the leftist part of the Sanacja
Sanacja
Sanation was a Polish political movement that came to power after Józef Piłsudski's May 1926 Coup d'État. Sanation took its name from his watchword—the moral "sanation" of the Polish body politic...
movement and a supporter of Walery Sławek. However, the latter lost the race to Piłsudski's heritage and Kozłowski returned to Lwów, where he reassumed his posts at the university. In 1937 he also briefly got involved in the Obóz Zjednoczenia Narodowego
Obóz Zjednoczenia Narodowego
Obóz Zjednoczenia Narodowego was a Polish political party founded in 1937 by leaders in the Sanation movement.A year after the 1935 death of Poland's Chief of State Marshal Józef Piłsudski, in mid-1936, one of his followers, Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły, attempted to unite the various Sanation...
movement, but without much success.
After the Polish Defensive War of 1939 and the outbreak of the World War II, Leon Kozłowski remained in Lwów, where he was arrested by the NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
. He spent almost two years in various Soviet prisons, and finally was sentenced to death for anti-Soviet behaviour. However, after the Sikorski-Mayski Agreement
Sikorski-Mayski Agreement
The Sikorski–Mayski Agreement was a treaty between the Soviet Union and Poland signed in London on 30 July 1941. Its name was coined after the two most notable signatories: Polish Prime Minister Władysław Sikorski and Soviet Ambassador to the United Kingdom Ivan Mayski.- Details :After signing...
of 1941 he was released and travelled to Buzuluk
Buzuluk
Buzuluk is a town in Orenburg Oblast, Russia, located on the Samara, Buzuluk, and Domashka Rivers northwest of Orenburg. Population: It was founded in 1736 as the fortress of Buzulukskaya on the Samara River near the mouth of the Buzuluk River along Russia's southern frontier. It was later moved...
, where he joined up with the Polish Army formed there by general Władysław Anders. It is not certain whether he actually joined the army. Nevertheless, he left the military camp and started his 1000-mile long trip westwards. He crossed the Russo-German frontline, for which he was sentenced to death by the Polish court.
German authorities sent him to Berlin. Little is known of his activities there. Some historians assume that he took part in some talks with the Nazi authorities which saw him as a possible collaborationist and an ally in winning the Poles for the German case. However, there is little evidence to prove those assumptions. It is certain however, that in 1943 he was sent to the site of the Katyn Massacre
Katyn massacre
The Katyn massacre, also known as the Katyn Forest massacre , was a mass execution of Polish nationals carried out by the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs , the Soviet secret police, in April and May 1940. The massacre was prompted by Lavrentiy Beria's proposal to execute all members of...
as one of the experts brought to the site by the German authorities. He also cooperated with German propaganda in ideological fight with the Soviets.
Interned in Berlin, Leon Kozłowski was wounded in one of Allied air raids on the German capital. He died of his wounds on 11 May 1944.