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Jozef Pilsudski

Józef Piłsudski
Jozef Pilsudski1.jpg
Chief of State
Chief of State of the Second Republic of Poland
In office
14 November 1918 – 11 December 1922
Prime Minister Ignacy Daszyński, Jędrzej Moraczewski, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Leopold Skulski, Władysław Grabski, Wincenty Witos, Antoni Ponikowski, Artur Śliwiński, Julian Nowak
Preceded by Independence
(eventually Regency Council)
Succeeded by Gabriel Narutowicz
(President)
21st Prime Minister of Poland
20th Prime Minister of the Second Republic of Poland
In office
15 August 1930 – 4 December 1930
President Ignacy Mościcki
Preceded by Walery Sławek
Succeeded by Walery Sławek
16th Prime Minister of Poland
15th Prime Minister of the Second Republic of Poland
In office
2 October 1926 – 27 June 1928
President Ignacy Mościcki
Preceded by Kazimierz Bartel
Succeeded by Kazimierz Bartel
General Inspector of the Armed Forces
1st General Inspector of the Armed Forces
In office
27 August 1926 – 12 May 1935
President Ignacy Mościcki
Preceded by (post created)
Succeeded by Edward Śmigły-Rydz
7th Minister of Military Affairs
In office
16 May 1926 – 12 May 1935
President Maciej Rataj (acting)
Ignacy Mościcki
Prime Minister Kazimierz Bartel, Himself, Kazimierz Świtalski, Walery Sławek, Aleksander Prystor, Janusz Jędrzejewicz, Leon Kozłowski, Marian Zyndram-Kościałkowski
Preceded by Juliusz Tarnawa-Malczewski
Succeeded by Tadeusz Kasprzycki
Personal details
Born Józef Klemens Piłsudski
(1867-12-05)5 December 1867
Zułów (Lithuanian: Zalavas), Vilna Governorate, Russian Empire
Died 12 May 1935(1935-05-12) (aged 67)
Warsaw, Poland
Political party None (formerly PPS)
Spouse(s) Maria Koplewska (m.1899-d.1921)
Aleksandra Szczerbinska (m.1921–1935)
Children Wanda
Jadwiga
Signature
Military service
Allegiance Second Polish Republic
Service/branch Polish Legions
Polish Army
Years of service 1914–1923
1926–1935
Rank Marshal of Poland
Battles/wars World War I
Polish–Ukrainian War
Polish–Lithuanian War
Polish–Soviet War

Józef Klemens Piłsudski (Polish: [ˈjuzɛf ˈklɛmɛns pʲiwˈsutskʲi]; 5 December 1867 – 12 May 1935) was a Polish statesman; he was Chief of State (1918–22), "First Marshal of Poland" (from 1920), and de facto leader (1926–35) of the Second Polish Republic, Minister of Military Affairs. From mid-World War I he had a major influence in Poland's politics, and was an important figure on the European political scene. He was the person most responsible for the creation of the Second Polish Republic in 1918, 123 years after it had been taken over by Russia, Austria and Prussia.

Describing himself as a descendant of the culture and traditions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Piłsudski believed in a multicultural Poland - a home of nations, recognizing numerous ethnic and religious nationalities and finally existing in strong historical alliance with independent states of Lithuania and Ukraine. His main opponent Roman Dmowski by contrast called for an independent state of Poland narrowed to the lands of historical Crown and founded mainly on an ethnically Polish demos and Roman Catholic identity.

Early in his political career, Piłsudski became a leader of the Polish Socialist Party. Concluding that Poland's independence would have to be won by force of arms, he created the Polish Legions. In 1914 he anticipated the outbreak of a European war, the Russian Empire's defeat by the Central Powers, and the Central Powers' defeat by the western powers. When World War I broke out, he and his Legions fought under Austrian army control against Russia. In 1917, with Russia faring badly in the war, he withdrew his support from the Central Powers and was arrested by the Germans.


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