Rudolf Prich
Encyclopedia
Rudolf Prich was a Polish
military officer and a generał dywizji of the Polish Army. He was among the Polish officers murdered by the Soviet Union
during the Katyń massacre
.
Born 1881, Prich in his youth joined the Austro-Hungarian Army
, where he served with distinction during the Great War
. In April 1919 he returned to Poland and joined the Polish Army. During the opening stages of the Polish-Bolshevik War between December 1919 and April 1920 he served as the head of the 1st Detachment of the General Staff, responsible for organization and mobilization of forces. Between April 1920 and 1922 in the Polish ministry of military affairs, after the Peace of Riga
he remained in the army.
In 1923, after a year of service at the post of commanding officer of the 26th Infantry Division
, he was promoted to the rank of generał brygady. After the May Coup d'Etat of 1926 he was sent to the Centre for Artillery Training in Toruń
, where he served as one of the professors and a specialist in anti-air artillery. Promoted to the rank of generał dywizji in 1928, he retired from active service in 1935.
After the outbreak of the Polish Defensive War
he returned to duty and on September 11 was made the commander of all the Polish forces defending the area of Lwów. He held that post until relieved on September 16, and then took part in the battle of Lwów
as a commander of one of the areas of defence of the besieged city. After the capitulation of the Polish forces had been negotiated on September 22, 1939, Prich was to be released home along with other reserve and retired officers. However, contrary to the terms of the capitulation he was arrested by the NKVD
and held in various prisons in the city. He was murdered in the spring of 1940, during the Katyń massacre
.
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...
military officer and a generał dywizji of the Polish Army. He was among the Polish officers murdered by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
during the Katyń massacre
Katyn massacre
The Katyn massacre, also known as the Katyn Forest massacre , was a mass execution of Polish nationals carried out by the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs , the Soviet secret police, in April and May 1940. The massacre was prompted by Lavrentiy Beria's proposal to execute all members of...
.
Born 1881, Prich in his youth joined the Austro-Hungarian Army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
, where he served with distinction during the Great War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In April 1919 he returned to Poland and joined the Polish Army. During the opening stages of the Polish-Bolshevik War between December 1919 and April 1920 he served as the head of the 1st Detachment of the General Staff, responsible for organization and mobilization of forces. Between April 1920 and 1922 in the Polish ministry of military affairs, after the Peace of Riga
Peace of Riga
The Peace of Riga, also known as the Treaty of Riga; was signed in Riga on 18 March 1921, between Poland, Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine. The treaty ended the Polish-Soviet War....
he remained in the army.
In 1923, after a year of service at the post of commanding officer of the 26th Infantry Division
Polish 26th Infantry Division
The Polish 26th Infantry Division was a unit of the Polish Army, which took part in the Polish September Campaign. It was formed as 4th Infantry Division in southern Poland in April 1919. Its regiments originally stationed in such towns as Cieszyn, Jarosław and Przemyśl.In 1921, the Division was...
, he was promoted to the rank of generał brygady. After the May Coup d'Etat of 1926 he was sent to the Centre for Artillery Training 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....
, where he served as one of the professors and a specialist in anti-air artillery. Promoted to the rank of generał dywizji in 1928, he retired from active service in 1935.
After the outbreak of the Polish Defensive War
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...
he returned to duty and on September 11 was made the commander of all the Polish forces defending the area of Lwów. He held that post until relieved on September 16, and then took part in the battle of Lwów
Battle of Lwów (1939)
The Battle of Lwów was a battle for the control over the Polish city of Lwów between the Polish Army and the invading Wehrmacht and the Red Army...
as a commander of one of the areas of defence of the besieged city. After the capitulation of the Polish forces had been negotiated on September 22, 1939, Prich was to be released home along with other reserve and retired officers. However, contrary to the terms of the capitulation he was arrested by the NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
and held in various prisons in the city. He was murdered in the spring of 1940, during the Katyń massacre
Katyn massacre
The Katyn massacre, also known as the Katyn Forest massacre , was a mass execution of Polish nationals carried out by the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs , the Soviet secret police, in April and May 1940. The massacre was prompted by Lavrentiy Beria's proposal to execute all members of...
.