Modern/Post-War Photos

Marshall Józef Piłsudski

Evillittlekenny

Józef Klemens Piłsudski was born 5th December 1867 in Zułów (in Lithuanian Zalavas). He was one of the most influental Polish statesmen in the Interwar period and is often credited to creating the Polish state 123 years after the partition of Poland. From his youth he was a proponent of a free Polish state and became soon an influental member (and later also leader) of the Polish Socialist Party. He saw the main threat in the Russian Tsardom, so that in the beginning he worked together with Austro-Hungary and Germany to bring defeat to the Russians. After Russia's withdrawal from war 1917, he dissociated from the Central Powers and worked together with the Entente. As a marshal, he brought the Polish victory in the Polish-Soviet War 1918-1921 which caused further territorial gains. From 1918 to 1922 he was the head of the state. After that he retreated from politics for a short time, leaving the political rule to his political opponents. 1926 he returned to politics with the May Coup. He became the de-facto dictator of Poland, even though he was only 1926-1928 and from 1930 the head of the government. From 1930 to his death in 1935 he dealt with questions regarding the Army and foreign-policy in the way to keep Poland's sovereignty intact, especially against possible expansionistic moves of Germany or the Soviet Union. He died on 12th May 1935. Józef Piłsudski is a national hero for many Poles and abroad he is noted as a very capable military commander. -------------------- I made this picture during my visit in Gdańsk this August. Evillittlekenny