Zofia Kirkor-Kiedroniowa
Encyclopedia
Zofia Kirkor-Kiedroniowa, née Grabska (14 May 1872 – 15 June 1952) was a Polish
national activist.
Zofia Grabska was born to Feliks and Stanisława Grabski at the family possession in the village of Borów. Her brothers were Stanisław Grabski, politician and economist; and Władysław Grabski, Prime Minister of Poland. Until the age of ten she attended school in her village, later moving to Warsaw. She graduated from a university there, passed the state exam for the mathematics teacher.
Grabska was an activist of the Polish Socialist Party
, for that she was arrested by Russian authorities and in 1894 sent to Perm
and Yekaterinoslav. In 1896 she returned to Warsaw, and since 1900 cooperated with Liga Narodowa (National League), political organization of the right-wing National Democracy camp. From 1905 to 1920 she resided in Cieszyn Silesia
, where she was active together with husband Józef Kiedroń
in Polskie Zjednoczenie Narodowe (Polish National Unity) political organization of right-wing character. In 1918 she became a member of the Rada Narodowa Księstwa Cieszyńskego (National Council of the Duchy of Cieszyn), a Polish self-government council working to join Cieszyn Silesia
to Poland. Zofia Kirkor-Kiedroniowa also edited the Dziennik Cieszyński (Cieszyn Daily) newspaper.
In 1896 she married socialist activist Dymitr Kirkor. Her husband died in December 1900. Her son from the first marriage, Dr. Stanisław Kirkor, was a civil servant in the Ministry of Treasury. On 1 August 1905 she married Józef Kiedroń
, Polish engineer and politician from Cieszyn Silesia, and settled down with him in Dąbrowa
. In 1920, Cieszyn Silesia was divided between Poland
and Czechoslovakia by the decision of Spa Conference
, in which Kiedroń was present as a Polish delegate. Dąbrowa fell to Czechoslovakia and Zofia Kirkor-Kiedroniowa together with her husband left the Zaolzie
area, as they were active Polish activists; and stayed in Warsaw, Poland
. Since May 1925 she lived in Siemianowice Śląskie
. In 1932, after death of her second husband, Zofia Kirkor-Kiedroniowa retired from public life.
During the Warsaw Uprising
she stayed in Warsaw, in 1945 moved to her birthplace of Borów. Zofia Kirkor-Kiedroniowa died on 15 June 1952 in Warsaw and is buried in the Grabski family grave at the Powązki Cemetery
in Warsaw.
From 1986 to 1989 her memoirs and notes were published in three volumes as Memoirs. They serve as the important source of knowledge about the daily life and political life of Congress Poland, Cieszyn Silesia and the Second Polish Republic. They also offer an insight to the life of Grabski family and the highest-ranked politicians of interwar period.
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
national activist.
Zofia Grabska was born to Feliks and Stanisława Grabski at the family possession in the village of Borów. Her brothers were Stanisław Grabski, politician and economist; and Władysław Grabski, Prime Minister of Poland. Until the age of ten she attended school in her village, later moving to Warsaw. She graduated from a university there, passed the state exam for the mathematics teacher.
Grabska was an activist of the Polish Socialist Party
Polish Socialist Party
The Polish Socialist Party was one of the most important Polish left-wing political parties from its inception in 1892 until 1948...
, for that she was arrested by Russian authorities and in 1894 sent to Perm
Perm
Perm is a city and the administrative center of Perm Krai, Russia, located on the banks of the Kama River, in the European part of Russia near the Ural Mountains. From 1940 to 1957 it was named Molotov ....
and Yekaterinoslav. In 1896 she returned to Warsaw, and since 1900 cooperated with Liga Narodowa (National League), political organization of the right-wing National Democracy camp. From 1905 to 1920 she resided in Cieszyn Silesia
Cieszyn Silesia
Cieszyn Silesia or Těšín Silesia or Teschen Silesia is a historical region in south-eastern Silesia, centered around the towns of Cieszyn and Český Těšín and bisected by the Olza River. Since 1920 it has been divided between Poland and Czechoslovakia, and later the Czech Republic...
, where she was active together with husband Józef Kiedroń
Józef Kiedron
Józef Kiedroń was a Polish mining engineer and politician from Cieszyn Silesia.He was born to a peasant's family. Kiedroń graduated from a school in Cieszyn and then studied at the Lwów Polytechnic. In 1902 he graduated from a Coal Mining Academy in Leoben...
in Polskie Zjednoczenie Narodowe (Polish National Unity) political organization of right-wing character. In 1918 she became a member of the Rada Narodowa Księstwa Cieszyńskego (National Council of the Duchy of Cieszyn), a Polish self-government council working to join Cieszyn Silesia
Cieszyn Silesia
Cieszyn Silesia or Těšín Silesia or Teschen Silesia is a historical region in south-eastern Silesia, centered around the towns of Cieszyn and Český Těšín and bisected by the Olza River. Since 1920 it has been divided between Poland and Czechoslovakia, and later the Czech Republic...
to Poland. Zofia Kirkor-Kiedroniowa also edited the Dziennik Cieszyński (Cieszyn Daily) newspaper.
In 1896 she married socialist activist Dymitr Kirkor. Her husband died in December 1900. Her son from the first marriage, Dr. Stanisław Kirkor, was a civil servant in the Ministry of Treasury. On 1 August 1905 she married Józef Kiedroń
Józef Kiedron
Józef Kiedroń was a Polish mining engineer and politician from Cieszyn Silesia.He was born to a peasant's family. Kiedroń graduated from a school in Cieszyn and then studied at the Lwów Polytechnic. In 1902 he graduated from a Coal Mining Academy in Leoben...
, Polish engineer and politician from Cieszyn Silesia, and settled down with him in Dąbrowa
Doubrava
is a village in Karviná District, Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 1,507 and lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia....
. In 1920, Cieszyn Silesia was divided between Poland
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
and Czechoslovakia by the decision of Spa Conference
Spa Conference
The Spa Conference was a meeting between the Supreme War Council and Weimar Republic in Spa, Belgium on 5–16 July 1920. It was the first post-war conference to include German representatives. The attendees included British and French Prime Ministers Lloyd George and Alexandre Millerand, German...
, in which Kiedroń was present as a Polish delegate. Dąbrowa fell to Czechoslovakia and Zofia Kirkor-Kiedroniowa together with her husband left the Zaolzie
Zaolzie
Zaolzie is the Polish name for an area now in the Czech Republic which was disputed between interwar Poland and Czechoslovakia. The name means "lands beyond the Olza River"; it is also called Śląsk zaolziański, meaning "trans-Olza Silesia". Equivalent terms in other languages include Zaolší in...
area, as they were active Polish activists; and stayed in Warsaw, Poland
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...
. Since May 1925 she lived in Siemianowice Śląskie
Siemianowice Slaskie
Siemianowice Śląskie aka Siemianowice ; is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions...
. In 1932, after death of her second husband, Zofia Kirkor-Kiedroniowa retired from public life.
During 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...
she stayed in Warsaw, in 1945 moved to her birthplace of Borów. Zofia Kirkor-Kiedroniowa died on 15 June 1952 in Warsaw and is buried in the Grabski family grave at the 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...
in Warsaw.
From 1986 to 1989 her memoirs and notes were published in three volumes as Memoirs. They serve as the important source of knowledge about the daily life and political life of Congress Poland, Cieszyn Silesia and the Second Polish Republic. They also offer an insight to the life of Grabski family and the highest-ranked politicians of interwar period.
Works
- Włościanie i ich sprawa w dobie organizacyjnej i konstytucyjnej Królestwa Polskiego (Peasants and Peasant Question during the Organizational and Constitutional Period of the Kingdom of Poland) (1912)
- Wspomnienia (Memoirs)
- Wspomnienia (vol. I, 1986)
- Wspomnienia. Ziemia mojego męża (The Land of My Husband) (vol. II, 1988)
- Wspomnienia. Lata 1920-1932 oraz wspomnienia i notatki pisane w czasie Powstania Warszawskiego (Years 1920-1932 and Memoirs and Notes Written during the Warsaw Uprising) (vol. III, 1989)