ŚWITALSKI KAZIMIERZ (1886 - 1962)


Marshal of the RP Sejm of III term (9 December 1930 - 28 June 1935)

Born on 4 March 1886 in Sanok, died 28 December 1962 in Warsaw. He came from a clerical family. Graduated from the Polish Philology Faculty at Lvov University, where he got a doctor's degree in philosophy in 1908 and worked as a secondary school teacher there 1904 - 1914. From school times, he belonged to youth organisations which represented the pro- independence stream in the socialist movement - 'Promień' (Beam), 'Życie' (Life), was a member of the Active Combat Union and then joined the Rifle Society (1912). During World War I, he served in the 1st infantry regiment of Polish Legions until the oath crisis in 1917. He came back to Lvov, carried on his teacher's job, joined the Polish Military Organisation (POW), on whose behalf he was nominated for the Polish National Committee, which had a decisive role in politics during the fights with Ukrainians in Lvov. He was an official for political affairs in the Adiutantura Generalna (aide-de-camp's office) of the Head of State, Józef Piłsudski, from December 1918, verified in 1919 in the rank of major, remained in active service till 1925. He was among creators and members of the Józef Piłsudski Institute devoted to research on the latest history of Poland (1923), kept close contact with marshal Piłsudski after his leaving for Sulejówek. Appointed deputy head of the Civil Chancellery of the RP President Ignacy Mościcki on 16 June 1926, subsequently director of the Political Department in the Ministry of Home Affairs on 25 October 1926. Minister of Religion and Education in Kazimierz Bartel's cabinet, after his dismissal he became prime minister - 14 April - 7 December 1929. Among the closest collaborators of Józef Piłsudski, who was constantly holding the post of minister of military affairs in successive cabinets. In 1930 he headed the election of the Non-party Bloc for Cooperation with the Government (BBWR), on whose behalf he was elected sejm deputy from the state list. Elected marshal on 9 December 1930, he held the office till the end of the term. A firm supporter of the April 1935 Constitution and a new electoral law limiting political parties' right to put up candidates for parliament. Senator on the RP President's nomination in October 1935 and the Senate deputy marshal on 5 October 1935. Appointed voivode (governor) of Cracow province, he resigned a senator's mandate in December 1935. He held the office for a few months only, between December 1935 and June 1936, recalled after street riots in Cracow. From that moment he loses influence on the state affairs, starts working for the Józef Piłsudski Institute in Warsaw, taking up vice-president's duties in December 1936. In September 1939, he volunteered for the army, was taken prisoner by the Germans and stayed in a POW camp at Dobiegniewo (Woldenberg) till January 1945. On coming back home, he did not lead any political activity, arrested in 1948, and was a political prisoner till 1956. Awarded the Virtuti Militari V Class, the Polonia Restituta Order IV and I Class, the Cross of Independence, the Commemorative Medal for the 1918 - 1921 War, the Medal for 10th Anniversary of Restitution of Independence

Photography of Kazimierz Świtalski

Mechanical Documentation Archives