Władysław Wawrzyniak
Encyclopedia
Władysław Wawrzyniak was a Polish military commander, holding the rank of major.
Władysław Wawrzyniak was born in 1890 in the Polish village Antonin
in the German
Province of Posen
. He finished the Gymnasium in Ostrów (Ostrowo)
and studied law at the Universities of Munich and Breslau (Wrocław). He was an active participant in the events of the Republic of Ostrów
and was given command of the newly formed First Polish Infantry Regiment which was formally sworn in on 13 November 1918. A couple of weeks later the unit was disbanded under pressure from German authorities and those in Poznań
. The soldiers of the First Regiment made their way to the territory of Second Polish Republic. Some of the weapons and ammunition were evacuated from Ostrów to Kalisz too. A new unit called "Oddzial Poznanski" was formed and Wawrzyniak was given command. Many soldiers of the disbanded First Regiment joined the unit which was renamed to Border Battalion in December. A month later, in January 1919, Wawrzyniak took Ostrów again. During the Greater Poland Uprising
he was the commander of the 7th district controlled by the insurgents, which included Ostrów Wielkopolski
, Odolanów
, Ostrzeszów
, and Kępno
.
During the Second World War, he was imprisoned by the NKVD
, held at the Kozielsk
camp and then murdered in the Katyn massacre
.
Among other decorations he was also awarded with the Cross of Independence
and the Order of Virtuti Militari.
He wrote journal articles, among them "Zarys historii powstania w południowej części Księstwa Poznańskiego" (A sketch of the history of the insurrection in the southern part of the Duchy of Poznań), published in 1922 in the periodical Wolność (Freedom). A street in Ostrów Wielkopolski
is named after him.
Władysław Wawrzyniak was born in 1890 in the Polish village Antonin
Antonin, Ostrów Wielkopolski County
Antonin is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Przygodzice, within Ostrów Wielkopolski County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, in west-central Poland. It lies approximately south-east of Ostrów Wielkopolski and south-east of the regional capital Poznań.The village has an approximate...
in the German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
Province of Posen
Province of Posen
The Province of Posen was a province of Prussia from 1848–1918 and as such part of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918. The area was about 29,000 km2....
. He finished the Gymnasium in Ostrów (Ostrowo)
Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski is a town in central Poland with 72,360 inhabitants , situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship; the seat of Ostrów Wielkopolski County.-History:Recently, a small fortified dwelling dating from the 10th century was discovered on the north-east side of...
and studied law at the Universities of Munich and Breslau (Wrocław). He was an active participant in the events of the Republic of Ostrów
Republic of Ostrów
The Republic of Ostrów was a short-lived autonomous republic in the Ostrów Wielkopolski area. The republic, declared on 10 November 1918, had the goal of liberating Poles from the German Empire and specifically Prussia...
and was given command of the newly formed First Polish Infantry Regiment which was formally sworn in on 13 November 1918. A couple of weeks later the unit was disbanded under pressure from German authorities and those in Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
. The soldiers of the First Regiment made their way to the territory of Second Polish Republic. Some of the weapons and ammunition were evacuated from Ostrów to Kalisz too. A new unit called "Oddzial Poznanski" was formed and Wawrzyniak was given command. Many soldiers of the disbanded First Regiment joined the unit which was renamed to Border Battalion in December. A month later, in January 1919, Wawrzyniak took Ostrów again. During the Greater Poland Uprising
Greater Poland Uprising (1918–1919)
The Greater Poland Uprising of 1918–1919, or Wielkopolska Uprising of 1918–1919 or Posnanian War was a military insurrection of Poles in the Greater Poland region against Germany...
he was the commander of the 7th district controlled by the insurgents, which included Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski is a town in central Poland with 72,360 inhabitants , situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship; the seat of Ostrów Wielkopolski County.-History:Recently, a small fortified dwelling dating from the 10th century was discovered on the north-east side of...
, Odolanów
Odolanów
Odolanów is a town in the Greater Poland Voivodeship of Poland, about 10 km south-west from Ostrów Wielkopolski, with over 5000 inhabitants.-History:...
, Ostrzeszów
Ostrzeszów
Ostrzeszów is a town in Poland, in Greater Poland Voivodeship. It is the capital of Ostrzeszów County . The population is 14,490 ....
, and Kępno
Kepno
Kępno is a town in Poland. It lies on the outskirts of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, as it borders on Silesia and the Łódz Land, at the crossing point of two transport routes: north to south and east to west . As of December 31, 2009 Kępno had a population of 14,760...
.
During the Second World War, he was imprisoned 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....
, held at the Kozielsk
Kozelsk
Kozelsk is a town in Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located on the Zhizdra River , southwest of Kaluga. Population: -History:The town of Kozelsk was first mentioned in a chronicle under the year of 1146 as a part of Principality of Chernigov...
camp and then murdered in the Katyn 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...
.
Among other decorations he was also awarded with the Cross of Independence
Cross of Independence
Cross of Independence was one of the highest Polish military decorations between World Wars I and II. It was awarded to individuals who had "fought heroically for the independence of Poland," and was released in three versions.- History :...
and the Order of Virtuti Militari.
He wrote journal articles, among them "Zarys historii powstania w południowej części Księstwa Poznańskiego" (A sketch of the history of the insurrection in the southern part of the Duchy of Poznań), published in 1922 in the periodical Wolność (Freedom). A street in Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski is a town in central Poland with 72,360 inhabitants , situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship; the seat of Ostrów Wielkopolski County.-History:Recently, a small fortified dwelling dating from the 10th century was discovered on the north-east side of...
is named after him.