Stanisław Komorowski
Encyclopedia
Stanisław Jerzy Komorowski (18 December 1953 – 10 April 2010) was a Polish
diplomat and physicist. Komorowski was long-term Polish Ambassador to Great Britain and Holland, the Deputy Minister of National Defence and Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister. He was one of the new wave of Polish diplomats who reestablished Polish diplomatic services after the Polish Round Table Agreement
.
, Poland. His parents were Henryk and Violetta Komorowski. He went to Limanowski High School in the Żoliborz
quarter of Warsaw. He studied physics at the Physics Department at the University of Warsaw
between 1972/73 - 1977/78 and graduated March 11th, 1978 with a degree in biophysics. His M.Sc. was written under professor David Shugar and dealt with magnetic resonance.
In 1985, he was awarded a Ph.D. in physical chemistry for his work on photoacustics. Between 1978-1990, he worked at the Institute of Physical Chemistry at the Polish Academy of Sciences, mostly collaborating with the Photochemistry and Spectroscopy group. In 1986 and for a half year between 1989-1990, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the Chemistry Department at the University of Utah
in professor Edward Eyring's lab.
, who was seeking to renew diplomatic services in Poland after the regime change in 1989. In 1991, he was appointed as Skubiszewski’s chief of staff. Between 1994–1998, he was the Polish ambassador to Holland and, between 1999–2004, he was the Polish ambassador to Great Britain. He played a role behind the curtains in the diplomatic events leading to Poland's acceptance to NATO as well as the European Union. He was a part of a new wave of Polish diplomats that emerged along with Poland's new democratic government following the Polish Round Table Agreement
.
He was Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister and between 2007-2010 Deputy Minister of the National Defense. In the Department of Defense he was responsible for foreign affairs and, among other tasks, he negotiated the US missile defense system to be deployed in Poland.
The US Ambassador Feinstein said "Minister Komorowski was our invaluable partner on bilateral defense issues of vital importance to both countries, including Missile Defense and the upcoming rotation of Patriot Missiles in Poland. With Minister Komorowski seated across the table from our negotiators during U.S.-Polish talks on a Status of Forces Agreement, we knew we would come up with an agreement that met both sides’ needs, and we did. His energy, his leadership and his mastery of security issues will be sorely missed by his American colleagues at the United States Departments of State and Defense. America mourns a true friend."
His third wife was Ewa Komorowska.
of the Tupolev Tu-154
of the 36th Special Aviation Regiment
carrying the President of Poland Lech Kaczyński
which crashed near Smolensk-North airport near Pechersk near Smolensk
, Russia
, on 10 April 2010, killing all aboard .
At the last moment he replaced Polish defense minister Bogdan Klich
and traveled to Smolensk.
He was buried on April 16, 2010 at Powązki Cemetery
in Komorowski's family grave (#116/VI). During the church ceremony a tennis racket was placed on his coffin. Members of the government including prime minister and president of Poland were in attendance. He was decorated, posthumously, with the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.
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...
diplomat and physicist. Komorowski was long-term Polish Ambassador to Great Britain and Holland, the Deputy Minister of National Defence and Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister. He was one of the new wave of Polish diplomats who reestablished Polish diplomatic services after the Polish Round Table Agreement
Polish Round Table Agreement
The Polish Round Table Talks took place in Warsaw, Poland from February 6 to April 4, 1989. The government initiated the discussion with the banned trade union Solidarność and other opposition groups in an attempt to defuse growing social unrest.-History:...
.
Education and Physics
Komorowski was born in WarsawWarsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland. His parents were Henryk and Violetta Komorowski. He went to Limanowski High School in the Żoliborz
Zoliborz
Żoliborz is one of the northern districts of the city of Warsaw. It is located directly to the north of the City Centre, on the left bank of the Vistula river. It has approximately 50,000 inhabitants and is one of the smallest boroughs of Warsaw....
quarter of Warsaw. He studied physics at the Physics Department at the University of Warsaw
University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw is the largest university in Poland and one of the most prestigious, ranked as best Polish university in 2010 and 2011...
between 1972/73 - 1977/78 and graduated March 11th, 1978 with a degree in biophysics. His M.Sc. was written under professor David Shugar and dealt with magnetic resonance.
In 1985, he was awarded a Ph.D. in physical chemistry for his work on photoacustics. Between 1978-1990, he worked at the Institute of Physical Chemistry at the Polish Academy of Sciences, mostly collaborating with the Photochemistry and Spectroscopy group. In 1986 and for a half year between 1989-1990, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the Chemistry Department at the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
in professor Edward Eyring's lab.
Diplomacy
He started his diplomatic career almost by chance, without any prior diplomatic experience, by applying for a position in the Foreign Ministry opened at the time by Minister Krzysztof SkubiszewskiKrzysztof Skubiszewski
Krzysztof Skubiszewski was a Polish politician, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and an established scholar in the field of international law.Skubiszewski was born in Poznań...
, who was seeking to renew diplomatic services in Poland after the regime change in 1989. In 1991, he was appointed as Skubiszewski’s chief of staff. Between 1994–1998, he was the Polish ambassador to Holland and, between 1999–2004, he was the Polish ambassador to Great Britain. He played a role behind the curtains in the diplomatic events leading to Poland's acceptance to NATO as well as the European Union. He was a part of a new wave of Polish diplomats that emerged along with Poland's new democratic government following the Polish Round Table Agreement
Polish Round Table Agreement
The Polish Round Table Talks took place in Warsaw, Poland from February 6 to April 4, 1989. The government initiated the discussion with the banned trade union Solidarność and other opposition groups in an attempt to defuse growing social unrest.-History:...
.
He was Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister and between 2007-2010 Deputy Minister of the National Defense. In the Department of Defense he was responsible for foreign affairs and, among other tasks, he negotiated the US missile defense system to be deployed in Poland.
The US Ambassador Feinstein said "Minister Komorowski was our invaluable partner on bilateral defense issues of vital importance to both countries, including Missile Defense and the upcoming rotation of Patriot Missiles in Poland. With Minister Komorowski seated across the table from our negotiators during U.S.-Polish talks on a Status of Forces Agreement, we knew we would come up with an agreement that met both sides’ needs, and we did. His energy, his leadership and his mastery of security issues will be sorely missed by his American colleagues at the United States Departments of State and Defense. America mourns a true friend."
Interests
He was an avid skier and ski instructor as well as tennis player. During his university years, he was an active member of the Academic Ski Association (his father was a member of the International Ski Federation) and during his high school years he skied with members of the Catholic Intelligentsia Club (pol. Klub Inteligencji Katolickiej). One of his passions was parks and gardens and, for a short time in 1990, he had a small gardening company; with his wife Maria Komorowska they created three gardens before they closed the company. His other passion was French culture; as a student he spent his vacations in France with Dziadulski family. Later, at the end of his life, he rebuilt the garden at the Komorowski’s Dziewanna villa on the outskirts of Warsaw. He was married three times and had three sons – Karol and Maciej with Irena Komorowska and Jerzy with Maria Komorowska.His third wife was Ewa Komorowska.
Death
He was listed on the flight manifestof the Tupolev Tu-154
2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash
The 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash occurred on 10 April 2010, when a Tupolev Tu-154M aircraft of the Polish Air Force crashed near the city of Smolensk, Russia, killing all 96 people on board...
of the 36th Special Aviation Regiment
36th Special Aviation Regiment
The 36 Specjalny Pułk Lotnictwa Transportowego 36 SPLT is a special aviation regiment of the Siły Powietrzne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, established in 1945. All of its aircraft are for national public use, the most important being transport of Polish politicians and MON highest officials &...
carrying the President of Poland Lech Kaczyński
Lech Kaczynski
Lech Aleksander Kaczyński was Polish lawyer and politician who served as the President of Poland from 2005 until 2010 and as Mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 22 December 2005. Before he became a president, he was also a member of the party Prawo i Sprawiedliwość...
which crashed near Smolensk-North airport near Pechersk near Smolensk
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, on 10 April 2010, killing all aboard .
At the last moment he replaced Polish defense minister Bogdan Klich
Bogdan Klich
Bogdan Adam Klich was a Polish politician and Minister of National Defence of Poland. Bogdan Klich was interned in 1981 during the martial law set by the communist regime...
and traveled to Smolensk.
He was buried on April 16, 2010 at Powązki Cemetery
Powazki Cemetery
Powązki Cemetery , also known as the Stare Powązki is a historic cemetery located in the Wola district, western part of Warsaw, Poland. It is the most famous cemetery in the city, and one of the oldest...
in Komorowski's family grave (#116/VI). During the church ceremony a tennis racket was placed on his coffin. Members of the government including prime minister and president of Poland were in attendance. He was decorated, posthumously, with the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.
Selected scientific publications
- E.M. Eyring, N.F. Leite, S.J. Komorowski, and T. Masujima, “Photoacoustic Instrumentation,” in Analytical Instrumentation Handbook, G.W. Ewing, Ed., Marcel Dekker, Inc.: New York, 1990, Chapter 10, pp. 337-360.
- D.P. Cobranchi, N.F. Leite, J. Isak, S.J. Komorowski, A. Gerhard, and E. M. Eyring, “Pulsed Laser Photothermal Radiometry and Photothermal Beam Deflection Spectroscopy: Determination of Thermal Diffusivities of Liquids,” in Photoacoustic and Photothermal Phenomena II (Springer Series in Optical Sciences, Vol. 62), J.C. Murphy, J.W. Maclachlan-Spicer, L. Aamodt, and B.S.H. Royce, Eds., Springer-Verlag: Berlin, Germany, 1990, pp. 328-330.
- Isak S.J., S.J. Komorowski, C.N. Merrow, P.E. Poston, E.M. Eyring, 1989, Thermal lens measurements in liquids on a submicronsecond time scale, Applied Spectroscopy, 43, 419–422.
- Komorowski S.J., I. Ekiel, E. Darzynkiewicz, D. Shugar, 1981, C-13-NMR analysis of the effects of dissociation of the hydroxyl groups of 1-beta-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine and its O'-methyl derivatives on conformation, Carbohydrate Research, 89, 21–32.
- Komorowski S.J., Z. R. Grabowski, and W. Zielenkiewicz, 1985, Pulsed photoacoustic determination of the quantum yield of triplet-state formation, Journal of Photochemistry, 30, 141-151.
- Komorowski S.J., E.M. Eyring, 1987, Pulse shapes of nanosecond photoacoustic signals in liquids detected by piezoelectric foil, Journal of Applied Physics, 62, 3066–3069.
- Mordzinski A., S.J. Komorowski, 1985, Electronic relaxation on aza derivatives of 1,2 benzanthracene and their protonated forms – a comparative study of the quantum yield of triplet state formation, Chemical Physics Letters, 114, 172–177.
- Sabbah R., S.J. Komorowski, 1980, Enthalpie de sublimation de la diéthyl-1,3 thymine, Thermochimica Acta, 41, 379–381.
- Waluk J., S.J. Komorowski, 1986, Solvent-dependent photophysics of indoloquinoxaline, Journal of Molecular Structure, 142, 159–162.
- Waluk J., S.J. Komorowski, J. Herbich, 1986, Excited state double proton treatment in 1-azacarbazole alcohol complexes, Journal of Physical Chemistry, 90, 3868–3871.
- Waluk J., S.J. Komorowski, 1987, Modification of photophysical behavior by hydrogen bonding indoloquinoxaline and its methylated derivatives, Chemical Physics Letters, 133, 368–372.
- Waluk J., B. Pakula, S.J. Komorowski, 1987, Photophysics of pseudoazulenes 7-azaindole derivatives, Journal of Photochemistry, 39, 49–58.