Wladyslaw Grabski
Encyclopedia
Władysław Dominik Grabski (w; 7 July 1874 – 1 March 1938) was a Polish National Democratic politician, economist and historian. He was the main author of the currency reform in the Second Polish Republic
and served as Prime Minister of Poland in 1920 and from 1923–1925. He was the brother of Stanisław Grabski and Zofia Kirkor-Kiedroniowa
.
) near Łowicz, Congress Poland
, Russian Empire
. He was an educated man, who studied politics at the School of Political Science in Paris and history at the University of Sorbonne. While in Paris, Grabski’s political views changed. He abandoned the socialist ideas and turned more right-wing. He became an outward looking visionary, a man who would be responsible for creating the Bank of Poland
and implementing the Polish currency. Grabski’s cabinet became the longest standing cabinet in the interwar Poland, precisely because his contributions in the agricultural and financial sectors in inter-war Poland remain unmatched. At the same time, however, Grabski’s cabinet was severely criticized. Stanisław Głąbiński, for example, criticized Grabski’s inefficiencies in the sphere of international relations, and Wincenty Witos
disapproved of Grabski’s deficient agricultural reform, as well as his inability to inform the public of the state’s real financial situation.
The years Władyslaw Grabski had spent in Paris became an impetus behind Grabski’s desire for his involvement in the Polish government. Soon after Grabski’s return from Paris, in 1905, he founded the Agricultural Society in Łowicz, in central Poland. The founding of the Agricultural Society was quite significant. Grabski’s Agricultural Society quickly won the support of many peasants, which in turn led to the creation of the National Labour Union. Due to the growing autonomy and strength of Grabski’s Agricultural Society and the Labour Union, in 1905, Władyslaw Grabski was arrested by the Russian authorities and imprisoned in Warsaw. Grabski’s imprisonment, however, lasted less than a year. In 1905, Władysław Grabski was elected on behalf of National Democracy a member of three successive sessions of the Duma
, the legislative assembly of the Russian Empire. He was a deputy in Duma until 1912. It was at that time that he became involved in the work of the budgetary commission with the Russian Ministry of Agriculture. Grabski’s involvement in the budgetary Commission became an impetus for his later desire to become the finance minister in the Polish parliament. When World War I
broke out, he organized the Central Citizens' Committee, which was responsible for restoring order into the life of a society devastated by the partitions
, and to represent the interests of Polish people before the Russian authorities. He also became a member of the Polish National Committee
.
Certainly, Grabski’s influence in the Polish affairs increased when he became Minister of Treasury and Prime Minister in 1920. However his first cabinet lasted for only one month. In December 1923 he was again appointed Prime Minister and served as Treasury Minister in a specialist cabinet (appointed by but not necessarily composed of elected parliamentary representatives). Holding two positions of such importance meant that Grabski's responsibilities were great. Grabski managed to implement reforms which undoubtedly alleviated Poland’s economic situation and managed to preserve his cabinet for twenty three months, a relatively long period for a Polish cabinet in interwar Poland. Until the end of 1924, Grabski’s government enjoyed great popularity among the masses. Many considered Grabski a visionary, and remarks arose from those among the Jewish population that “Grabski was a God [because] he saved the currency".
Yet Grabski remained a controversial figure for the twenty three months he remained in office. Stanisław Głąbiński, for example, argued that in the sphere of foreign relations, Grabski did not show the desired assertiveness. At the League of Nations
conference, Grabski did not mention the League’s unresponsiveness to the Polish-Soviet War
of 1919–1921. According to the tenth article of the treaty of Versailles
, “The Members of the League undertake to respect and preserve as against external aggression the territorial integrity and existing political independence of all Members of the League.” Clearly, however, the League of Nations remained aloof and impassive in 1920. Grabski’s decision not to raise the issue of the League’s lack of action cost him severe criticism from the Polish parliament. Głąbiński was not the only critic of Grabski’s cabinet. Wincenty Witos criticized Grabski for his excessively optimistic attitude regarding the financial reforms. Grabski’s continual optimism became the sign of hope for stabilization of the Polish currency. During one of many parliamentary debates, Witos recalled minister Byrka’s speech, which virulently attacked Grabski’s “frivolous politics” and urged the Sejm
to give Grabski the “vote of non-confidence.” Even though Byrka’s appeal was denied, Grabski was forced to resign.
and the creation of the new Polish currency – the gold-based złoty which replaced the Polish mark. The Act of 11 January 1924 on the improvement of the state's treasury and currency reform introduced a new monetary system and established the issuing bank. “The Bank of Poland was founded as a joint stock company
, which guaranteed its independence from the government and the state treasury. The Act also abolished the Polish National Savings Union which had acted as an issuing bank. Its functions were taken over by the Bank of Poland.” Stanisław Karpiński became the first president of the Bank of Poland. On 14 January the organizing committee of the Bank of Poland was established, and on 26 January the sale of the bank's shares began. Payments could only be made in foreign currencies and in gold. On 15 April, during the first shareholders' meeting, the Bank of Poland Joint Stock Company was established.
Władysław Grabski went further than establishing the Bank of Poland and the currency. He built a network of state banks and founded the Bank for National Economy. He also initiated far-going changes in the structure of Polish exports and industrial output. He established the Border Defence Corps.
Nevertheless, criticism continued over aspects of Grabski’s reforms. In 1925, Grabski himself commented that he was too optimistic about his economic reforms and that he should have realized that given the circumstances of depression and the recuperation from World War I
), a complete recovery of Polish economy was virtually impossible. There were enormous price discrepancies between agricultural and manufactured goods. The Bank of Poland
was faced with both a commercial deficit and an increasing national debt. The government made numerous unfavorable investments and in 1925, the Sejm approved a proposal for an excessively high budget
, despite frequent warnings from Grabski’s cabinet. On 29 July 1925, the value of the Polish złoty declined significantly, foreshadowing the eventual “tariff war” with Germany. Grabski resigned his post and from active politics in November of that year. He subsequently devoted himself to pedagogic and academic work at the Warsaw Agricultural University
(SGGW). In 1926, he became its rector
. In 1936 on his motion the Rural Sociology Institute was established, of which he remained the head until his death in 1938.
Władysław Grabski died from cancer on 1 March 1938 in Warsaw. The Holy Mass was led by Cardinal Aleksander Kakowski in the Saint John's Cathedral
. His body was interred in the family grave at the Powązki Cemetery
.
labelled him as a "great Pole, great statesman, social activist and a man of great heart and mind, one of the brightest Poles of the interwar period". In July 2006 the newly opened Main Library of the Warsaw Agricultural University was named after Grabski, and in front of the library, the statue of Grabski was placed.
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
and served as Prime Minister of Poland in 1920 and from 1923–1925. He was the brother of Stanisław Grabski and Zofia Kirkor-Kiedroniowa
Zofia Kirkor-Kiedroniowa
Zofia Kirkor-Kiedroniowa, née Grabska was a Polish national activist.Zofia Grabska was born to Feliks and Stanisława Grabski at the family possession in the village of Borów. Her brothers were Stanisław Grabski, politician and economist; and Władysław Grabski, Prime Minister of Poland...
.
Life
Władysław Grabski was born in 1874, in a family manor in Borów (a part of Gmina BielawyGmina Bielawy
Gmina Bielawy is a rural gmina in Łowicz County, Łódź Voivodeship, in central Poland. Its seat is the village of Bielawy, which lies approximately west of Łowicz and north of the regional capital Łódź....
) near Łowicz, 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...
, Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. He was an educated man, who studied politics at the School of Political Science in Paris and history at the University of Sorbonne. While in Paris, Grabski’s political views changed. He abandoned the socialist ideas and turned more right-wing. He became an outward looking visionary, a man who would be responsible for creating the Bank of Poland
Bank of Poland
Bank Polski is the name of two former banks in Poland, each of which acted as a central bank. The first was founded by Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki in 1828 in Congress Poland and functioned until 1885, when it was absorbed by the State Bank of the Russian Empire.The second was founded in 1924...
and implementing the Polish currency. Grabski’s cabinet became the longest standing cabinet in the interwar Poland, precisely because his contributions in the agricultural and financial sectors in inter-war Poland remain unmatched. At the same time, however, Grabski’s cabinet was severely criticized. Stanisław Głąbiński, for example, criticized Grabski’s inefficiencies in the sphere of international relations, and Wincenty Witos
Wincenty Witos
Wincenty Witos was a prominent member of the Polish People's Party from 1895, and leader of its "Piast" faction from 1913. He was a member of parliament in the Galician Sejm from 1908–1914, and an envoy to Reichsrat in Vienna from 1911 to 1918...
disapproved of Grabski’s deficient agricultural reform, as well as his inability to inform the public of the state’s real financial situation.
The years Władyslaw Grabski had spent in Paris became an impetus behind Grabski’s desire for his involvement in the Polish government. Soon after Grabski’s return from Paris, in 1905, he founded the Agricultural Society in Łowicz, in central Poland. The founding of the Agricultural Society was quite significant. Grabski’s Agricultural Society quickly won the support of many peasants, which in turn led to the creation of the National Labour Union. Due to the growing autonomy and strength of Grabski’s Agricultural Society and the Labour Union, in 1905, Władyslaw Grabski was arrested by the Russian authorities and imprisoned in Warsaw. Grabski’s imprisonment, however, lasted less than a year. In 1905, Władysław Grabski was elected on behalf of National Democracy a member of three successive sessions of the Duma
Duma
A Duma is any of various representative assemblies in modern Russia and Russian history. The State Duma in the Russian Empire and Russian Federation corresponds to the lower house of the parliament. Simply it is a form of Russian governmental institution, that was formed during the reign of the...
, the legislative assembly of the Russian Empire. He was a deputy in Duma until 1912. It was at that time that he became involved in the work of the budgetary commission with the Russian Ministry of Agriculture. Grabski’s involvement in the budgetary Commission became an impetus for his later desire to become the finance minister in the Polish parliament. When World War I
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...
broke out, he organized the Central Citizens' Committee, which was responsible for restoring order into the life of a society devastated by the partitions
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
, and to represent the interests of Polish people before the Russian authorities. He also became a member of the Polish National Committee
Polish National Committee (1914–1917)
Polish National Committee was formed in Russian partition during World War I, and grouped Polish politicians who wanted to advance the Polish cause by supporting Russia in World War I...
.
Certainly, Grabski’s influence in the Polish affairs increased when he became Minister of Treasury and Prime Minister in 1920. However his first cabinet lasted for only one month. In December 1923 he was again appointed Prime Minister and served as Treasury Minister in a specialist cabinet (appointed by but not necessarily composed of elected parliamentary representatives). Holding two positions of such importance meant that Grabski's responsibilities were great. Grabski managed to implement reforms which undoubtedly alleviated Poland’s economic situation and managed to preserve his cabinet for twenty three months, a relatively long period for a Polish cabinet in interwar Poland. Until the end of 1924, Grabski’s government enjoyed great popularity among the masses. Many considered Grabski a visionary, and remarks arose from those among the Jewish population that “Grabski was a God [because] he saved the currency".
Yet Grabski remained a controversial figure for the twenty three months he remained in office. Stanisław Głąbiński, for example, argued that in the sphere of foreign relations, Grabski did not show the desired assertiveness. At the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
conference, Grabski did not mention the League’s unresponsiveness to the Polish-Soviet War
Polish-Soviet War
The Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...
of 1919–1921. According to the tenth article of the treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
, “The Members of the League undertake to respect and preserve as against external aggression the territorial integrity and existing political independence of all Members of the League.” Clearly, however, the League of Nations remained aloof and impassive in 1920. Grabski’s decision not to raise the issue of the League’s lack of action cost him severe criticism from the Polish parliament. Głąbiński was not the only critic of Grabski’s cabinet. Wincenty Witos criticized Grabski for his excessively optimistic attitude regarding the financial reforms. Grabski’s continual optimism became the sign of hope for stabilization of the Polish currency. During one of many parliamentary debates, Witos recalled minister Byrka’s speech, which virulently attacked Grabski’s “frivolous politics” and urged 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 ....
to give Grabski the “vote of non-confidence.” Even though Byrka’s appeal was denied, Grabski was forced to resign.
Currency reform
Grabski’s (and the ministerial cabinet’s) great achievement in those years was the foundation of the Bank of PolandBank of Poland
Bank Polski is the name of two former banks in Poland, each of which acted as a central bank. The first was founded by Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki in 1828 in Congress Poland and functioned until 1885, when it was absorbed by the State Bank of the Russian Empire.The second was founded in 1924...
and the creation of the new Polish currency – the gold-based złoty which replaced the Polish mark. The Act of 11 January 1924 on the improvement of the state's treasury and currency reform introduced a new monetary system and established the issuing bank. “The Bank of Poland was founded as a joint stock company
Joint stock company
A joint-stock company is a type of corporation or partnership involving two or more individuals that own shares of stock in the company...
, which guaranteed its independence from the government and the state treasury. The Act also abolished the Polish National Savings Union which had acted as an issuing bank. Its functions were taken over by the Bank of Poland.” Stanisław Karpiński became the first president of the Bank of Poland. On 14 January the organizing committee of the Bank of Poland was established, and on 26 January the sale of the bank's shares began. Payments could only be made in foreign currencies and in gold. On 15 April, during the first shareholders' meeting, the Bank of Poland Joint Stock Company was established.
Władysław Grabski went further than establishing the Bank of Poland and the currency. He built a network of state banks and founded the Bank for National Economy. He also initiated far-going changes in the structure of Polish exports and industrial output. He established the Border Defence Corps.
Nevertheless, criticism continued over aspects of Grabski’s reforms. In 1925, Grabski himself commented that he was too optimistic about his economic reforms and that he should have realized that given the circumstances of depression and the recuperation from World War I
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...
), a complete recovery of Polish economy was virtually impossible. There were enormous price discrepancies between agricultural and manufactured goods. The Bank of Poland
Bank of Poland
Bank Polski is the name of two former banks in Poland, each of which acted as a central bank. The first was founded by Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki in 1828 in Congress Poland and functioned until 1885, when it was absorbed by the State Bank of the Russian Empire.The second was founded in 1924...
was faced with both a commercial deficit and an increasing national debt. The government made numerous unfavorable investments and in 1925, the Sejm approved a proposal for an excessively high budget
Budget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
, despite frequent warnings from Grabski’s cabinet. On 29 July 1925, the value of the Polish złoty declined significantly, foreshadowing the eventual “tariff war” with Germany. Grabski resigned his post and from active politics in November of that year. He subsequently devoted himself to pedagogic and academic work at the Warsaw Agricultural University
Warsaw Agricultural University
The Warsaw University of Life Sciences is the largest agricultural university in Poland. It was founded in 1816.-History:On 23 September 1816 the School of Agronomy was founded at Marymont and was accommodated in the palace of Marysa Sobieski. Branches were established at Bielany, Ruda, Wawrzyszew...
(SGGW). In 1926, he became its rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
. In 1936 on his motion the Rural Sociology Institute was established, of which he remained the head until his death in 1938.
Władysław Grabski died from cancer on 1 March 1938 in Warsaw. The Holy Mass was led by Cardinal Aleksander Kakowski in the Saint John's Cathedral
St. John's Cathedral, Warsaw
St. John's Archcathedral in Warsaw is a Catholic church in Warsaw's Old Town, is the only one archcathedral in Warszawa, the other 3 are cathedrals in the Polish capital. St. John's stands immediately adjacent to Warsaw's Jesuit church, and is one of the oldest churches in the city and the main...
. His body was interred in the family grave at the 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...
.
Legacy
The significance of Grabski's accomplishments remain. In 2004, Poland celebrated the 130th anniversary of Władyslaw Grabski's birthday and the 80th anniversary of the public finance reforms he introduced. In September 2003, the Sejm of the Republic of Poland passed a resolution proclaiming 2004 as Władyslaw Grabski's Year. In 2004 a statue was unveiled in his birthplace village of Borów. The Warsaw Agricultural UniversityWarsaw Agricultural University
The Warsaw University of Life Sciences is the largest agricultural university in Poland. It was founded in 1816.-History:On 23 September 1816 the School of Agronomy was founded at Marymont and was accommodated in the palace of Marysa Sobieski. Branches were established at Bielany, Ruda, Wawrzyszew...
labelled him as a "great Pole, great statesman, social activist and a man of great heart and mind, one of the brightest Poles of the interwar period". In July 2006 the newly opened Main Library of the Warsaw Agricultural University was named after Grabski, and in front of the library, the statue of Grabski was placed.
Works
- Historia Towarzystwa Rolniczego 1858–1861 (1904)
- Bilans Królestwa Polskiego w finansach Rosji (1909)
- Rocznik Statystyczny Królestwa Polskiego 1914 (ed.) (1915)
- Cel i zadania polityki agrarnej w Polsce (1918)
- O własnych siłach (1926)
- Dwa lata pracy u podstaw państwowości naszej (1927)
- Historia wsi w Polsce (1929)
- Kryzys rolniczy (1929)
External links
- Grabski's bio at the webpage of the National Bank of PolandNational Bank of PolandNarodowy Bank Polski is the central bank of Poland. It controls the issuing of Poland's currency, the złoty. The Bank is headquartered in Warsaw, and has branches in every major Polish town...