Józef Piłsudski

About

Polish politician who acted as the country's Chief of State and First Marshal. He was a major driving force in reestablishing Poland's independence after World War I came to an end. He led the country toward its victory in the Polish-Soviet War of 1919-21 and in 1926, he orchestrated a coup d'état which secured his position as the de facto leader of Poland until his passing in 1935. He has been widely regarded as a national hero and is often affectionately referred to as the father of modern Poland.

Before Fame

He first became involved with the revolutionary socialist political organization Narodnaya Volya while studying medicine at Kharkov University in 1885. His participation in student demonstrations led him to be suspended from the university and barred him from enrolling at the University of Dorpat. He was later falsely arrested by Tsarist law enforcement under accusation of plotting to assassinate Tsar Alexander III and subsequently sentenced to 5 years' exile in Siberia.

Trivia

He was a fluent speaker of Polish, Russian, French, and German, and he believed in Poland's future being based on a multi-ethnic society. He famously never slept without the presence of a loaded firearm at his side. After his 1935 passing, his final funeral procession drew a crowd of over 300,000, which also included official representatives of over 16 different countries.

Family Life

He was the 2nd son of Maria and Józef Piłsudski, and had brothers named Bronistaw, Adam, and Jan. He married Maria Koplewska in 1899. After her death in 1921, he remarried to Aleksandra Szczerbinska. He was the father of 2 daughters - psychiatrist Wanda and pilot Jadwiga.

Associated With

Pope Pius XI considered him a personal friend and held a special ceremony for him in the aftermath of his death in the Holy See. His passing in fact elicited messages of condolence and praise from countless world leaders, including Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini, Emperor Hirohito, and Britain's King George V.