Piotr Wilniewczyc
Encyclopedia
Piotr Wilniewczyc was a Polish
engineer and arms designer. Among his most successful designs were the Vis-35 pistol, commonly known as the Radom for the arsenal in which it was produced, and the Mors
submachine gun
.
in Siberia
. He grew up in Vilna (now Vilnius, Lithuania). In 1905 he moved to Saint Petersburg
, Russia
, and studied at the University of St. Petersburg institute of mathematics and physics. He continued his studies in the Lwów Polytechnic department of chemistry. In 1915 Wilniewczyc also graduated from artillery school in St. Petersburg.
In 1921 he accepted employment at the Boryszew Gunpowder Factory near Sochaczew
, Poland. From 1924 to 1928, Wilniewczyc also lectured at the Artillery Officers' School in Toruń
. In 1928 he began work as director of the ballistics department at the State Arms Factories (Państwowe Wytwórnie Uzbrojenia), holding this post until war broke out
in September 1939.
His most successful project was the Vis-35 pistol, a standard Polish prewar military pistol. He also designed the Mors
submachine gun
, which did not enter production due to the outbreak of war. After the war, he directed a team that designed the Rak wz. 63 submachine gun, completed after his death.
During the war, Wilniewczyc worked with the Home Army in Warsaw
, developing a silencer for the Sten
gun. After the Warsaw Uprising
he moved to Łódź and soon began lecturing at the Łódź Polytechnic. From 1948 he also worked at the reopened Warsaw Polytechnic
.
Wilniewczyc died on 23 December 1960 and was interred at Warsaw's Powązki Cemetery
.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
engineer and arms designer. Among his most successful designs were the Vis-35 pistol, commonly known as the Radom for the arsenal in which it was produced, and the Mors
Pistolet maszynowy Mors
Pistolet maszynowy wz.39 Mors was a Polish submachine gun designed by Piotr Wilniewczyc and Jan Skrzypiński between 1936 and 1938. It was to have become the standard submachine gun of the Polish Army some time in the 1940s...
submachine gun
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
.
Biography
Piotr Wilniewczyc was born 31 January 1887 near IrkutskIrkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
. He grew up in Vilna (now Vilnius, Lithuania). In 1905 he moved to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and studied at the University of St. Petersburg institute of mathematics and physics. He continued his studies in the Lwów Polytechnic department of chemistry. In 1915 Wilniewczyc also graduated from artillery school in St. Petersburg.
In 1921 he accepted employment at the Boryszew Gunpowder Factory near Sochaczew
Sochaczew
Sochaczew is a town in central Poland, with 38,300 inhabitants . Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship , previously in Skierniewice Voivodeship . It is the capital of Sochaczew County....
, Poland. From 1924 to 1928, Wilniewczyc also lectured at the Artillery Officers' School in Toruń
Torun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
. In 1928 he began work as director of the ballistics department at the State Arms Factories (Państwowe Wytwórnie Uzbrojenia), holding this post until war broke out
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
in September 1939.
His most successful project was the Vis-35 pistol, a standard Polish prewar military pistol. He also designed the Mors
Pistolet maszynowy Mors
Pistolet maszynowy wz.39 Mors was a Polish submachine gun designed by Piotr Wilniewczyc and Jan Skrzypiński between 1936 and 1938. It was to have become the standard submachine gun of the Polish Army some time in the 1940s...
submachine gun
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
, which did not enter production due to the outbreak of war. After the war, he directed a team that designed the Rak wz. 63 submachine gun, completed after his death.
During the war, Wilniewczyc worked with the Home Army in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, developing a silencer for the Sten
Sten
The STEN was a family of British 9 mm submachine guns used extensively by British and Commonwealth forces throughout World War II and the Korean War...
gun. After the Warsaw Uprising
Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance Home Army , to liberate Warsaw from Nazi Germany. The rebellion was timed to coincide with the Soviet Union's Red Army approaching the eastern suburbs of the city and the retreat of German forces...
he moved to Łódź and soon began lecturing at the Łódź Polytechnic. From 1948 he also worked at the reopened Warsaw Polytechnic
Warsaw University of Technology
The Warsaw University of Technology is one of the leading institutes of technology in Poland, and one of the largest in Central Europe. It employs 2,453 teaching faculty, with 357 professors . The student body numbers 36,156 , mostly full-time. There are 17 faculties covering almost all fields of...
.
Wilniewczyc died on 23 December 1960 and was interred at Warsaw's 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...
.