Florian Siwicki (Polish pronunciation: [ˈflɔrjan ɕiˈvit͡skʲi]; 10 January 1925 – 11 March 2013) was a Polish military officer, diplomat and communist politician. He was a general in the Polish Army and Minister of Defense of Poland from 1983 to 1990.
Son of Elżbieta and Eugeniusz. His father was a non-commissioned officer. In 1930, Eugeniusz Siwicki was transferred to the reserve and moved with his family to village near Rivne. At first, he was the owner of a small, three-hectare farm, and later he was employed as a bookkeeper in the commune office.[1]
In April 1940, his father was arrested by NKVD officers. A month later, Florian and his mother were deported deep into the Soviet Union to the Arkhangelsk region. At the age of 17 he was forced to join the Red Army. From December 1942, he served in the 105 Independent Sapper Battalion, where he became the deputy commander of the platoon. In May 1943 he was in the ranks of the Polish Armed Forces in the USSR. He served in the 1st Tadeusz Kościuszko Infantry Division.[1]
In early 1945, after 5 months of officer training in the Soviet Union, he was commissioned a lieutenant in the Soviet-allied Polish People's Army. He commanded infantry platoons and companies in the East Pomeranian Offensive and the Prague Offensive.
After the war, he continued his military career as an infantry officer and political career as a member and official of the Polish Workers' Party (PPR). In the army he became a "political officer"; he advanced also in the PPR and then the Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR). He was not very close to the Stalinist wing of the party, although dutifully carried out their orders. From 1951 to 1953 he underwent a Command-and-Staff course for Brigade and Division Command at the M. V. Frunze Military Academy in the Soviet Union. Siwicki was later promoted to lieutenant-colonel and commanded an infantry battalion in the Warsaw Military District until 1957. He was promoted to colonel in 1957 and brigadier in 1960. From 1956 to 1959 he was in charge of the Military Intelligence and Police division in the Warsaw Military District. In the course of his career he held a number of senior posts, including military attaché in China from 1959 to 1961, commander of an independent mechanized brigade in the Silesian Military District from 1961 to 1963, commanding officer of the 8th Motorised/Mechanized Infantry Division from 1963 to 1967, commander of the 2nd Polish Army from 1967 to 1972 (including during the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968),[2] commander of the Silesian Military District from 1972 to 1973 and Chief of General Staff of the Polish Army from 1973 to 1983.[3] Siwicki was a long-serving Minister of National Defense in the governments of Wojciech Jaruzelski, Zbigniew Messner, Mieczysław Rakowski and Tadeusz Mazowiecki (from 1983 to 1990 total).[4] In 1972 he became a candidate member of the Politburo of the PZPR, and in 1980 a full member.[5] Siwicki was appointed to the position of Minister of Defense after Jaruzelski stepped down from that post; he also functioned as Jaruzelski's "top deputy on the defense council". In October 1983, Siwicki was awarded with the Order of the Cross of Grunwald, first class, one of his many decorations.[6]
As agreed in the Round Table talks and during subsequent political developments, Siwicki remained the Minister of Defense in Solidarity-led government of Mazowiecki until July 1990.[5]
References
^ ab"Generał Florian Siwicki: Portret okupanta". www.rp.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2020-01-07.
^Paczkowski, Andrzej; Malcolm Byrne; Gregory F. Domber (2008). From Solidarity to Martial Law: The Polish Crisis of 1980-1981: A Documentary History. Central European University Press. p. xxviii. ISBN9789637326967. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
^Jan Chodakiewicz, Marek; John Radzilowski; Dariusz Tolczyk (2003). Poland's transformation: a work in progress : studies in honor of Kenneth W. Thompson. Transaction Publishers. p. 27. ISBN9780967996028. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
^O. Pragnell, Mervyn; Ann Patrick Rogers (1985). The International year book and statesmen's who's who. Burke's Peerage Ltd. p. 392. ISBN9780611006806. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
^ abPanos Danopoulos, Constantine; Cynthia Ann Watson (1996). The political role of the military: an international handbook. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 367. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
^"Polish army chief honored". Ottawa Citizen. October 11, 1983. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
February 07, 2023
florian, siwicki, polish, pronunciation, ˈflɔrjan, ɕiˈvit, skʲi, january, 1925, march, 2013, polish, military, officer, diplomat, communist, politician, general, polish, army, minister, defense, poland, from, 1983, 1990, birth, nameborn, 1925, january, 1925Łuc. Florian Siwicki Polish pronunciation ˈflɔrjan ɕiˈvit skʲi 10 January 1925 11 March 2013 was a Polish military officer diplomat and communist politician He was a general in the Polish Army and Minister of Defense of Poland from 1983 to 1990 Florian SiwickiBirth nameFlorian SiwickiBorn 1925 01 10 10 January 1925Luck Poland today Ukraine Died11 March 2013 2013 03 11 aged 88 Warsaw PolandAllegiance PolandPolish People s RepublicService wbr branchRed Army Polish People s ArmyYears of service1942 1990RankGeneral of the armyUnitMotorized infantry mortar and recoilless rifle Commands held8th Infantry Division2nd ArmySilesian Military DistrictChief of General Staff of the Polish ArmyMinister of National DefenseBattles warsWorld War II Battle of Smolensk East Pomeranian Offensive Vistula Oder Offensive Prague OffensiveWarsaw Pact invasion of CzechoslovakiaMartial law in PolandAwardsCross of Valour 1944Partisan Cross 1945Medal of Victory and Freedom 1945 1946Medal for the Oder Neisse and Baltics 1945Order of the Cross of Grunwald 1983Medal of the Armed Forces in the Service of the Fatherland 1956Medal of Merit for National Defence 1968Order of the Red Banner 1945Order of the October Revolution 1969Medal For the Liberation of Prague 1946Medal For the Liberation of Warsaw 1946Medal For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941 1945 1946Medal of the 10th Anniversary of People s Poland 1954Medal of the 30th Anniversary of People s PolandMedal of the 40th Anniversary of People s PolandOther workPoliticianMilitary and political career EditSon of Elzbieta and Eugeniusz His father was a non commissioned officer In 1930 Eugeniusz Siwicki was transferred to the reserve and moved with his family to village near Rivne At first he was the owner of a small three hectare farm and later he was employed as a bookkeeper in the commune office 1 In April 1940 his father was arrested by NKVD officers A month later Florian and his mother were deported deep into the Soviet Union to the Arkhangelsk region At the age of 17 he was forced to join the Red Army From December 1942 he served in the 105 Independent Sapper Battalion where he became the deputy commander of the platoon In May 1943 he was in the ranks of the Polish Armed Forces in the USSR He served in the 1st Tadeusz Kosciuszko Infantry Division 1 In early 1945 after 5 months of officer training in the Soviet Union he was commissioned a lieutenant in the Soviet allied Polish People s Army He commanded infantry platoons and companies in the East Pomeranian Offensive and the Prague Offensive After the war he continued his military career as an infantry officer and political career as a member and official of the Polish Workers Party PPR In the army he became a political officer he advanced also in the PPR and then the Polish United Workers Party PZPR He was not very close to the Stalinist wing of the party although dutifully carried out their orders From 1951 to 1953 he underwent a Command and Staff course for Brigade and Division Command at the M V Frunze Military Academy in the Soviet Union Siwicki was later promoted to lieutenant colonel and commanded an infantry battalion in the Warsaw Military District until 1957 He was promoted to colonel in 1957 and brigadier in 1960 From 1956 to 1959 he was in charge of the Military Intelligence and Police division in the Warsaw Military District In the course of his career he held a number of senior posts including military attache in China from 1959 to 1961 commander of an independent mechanized brigade in the Silesian Military District from 1961 to 1963 commanding officer of the 8th Motorised Mechanized Infantry Division from 1963 to 1967 commander of the 2nd Polish Army from 1967 to 1972 including during the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 2 commander of the Silesian Military District from 1972 to 1973 and Chief of General Staff of the Polish Army from 1973 to 1983 3 Siwicki was a long serving Minister of National Defense in the governments of Wojciech Jaruzelski Zbigniew Messner Mieczyslaw Rakowski and Tadeusz Mazowiecki from 1983 to 1990 total 4 In 1972 he became a candidate member of the Politburo of the PZPR and in 1980 a full member 5 Siwicki was appointed to the position of Minister of Defense after Jaruzelski stepped down from that post he also functioned as Jaruzelski s top deputy on the defense council In October 1983 Siwicki was awarded with the Order of the Cross of Grunwald first class one of his many decorations 6 As agreed in the Round Table talks and during subsequent political developments Siwicki remained the Minister of Defense in Solidarity led government of Mazowiecki until July 1990 5 References Edit a b General Florian Siwicki Portret okupanta www rp pl in Polish Retrieved 2020 01 07 Paczkowski Andrzej Malcolm Byrne Gregory F Domber 2008 From Solidarity to Martial Law The Polish Crisis of 1980 1981 A Documentary History Central European University Press p xxviii ISBN 9789637326967 Retrieved December 22 2010 Jan Chodakiewicz Marek John Radzilowski Dariusz Tolczyk 2003 Poland s transformation a work in progress studies in honor of Kenneth W Thompson Transaction Publishers p 27 ISBN 9780967996028 Retrieved December 22 2010 O Pragnell Mervyn Ann Patrick Rogers 1985 The International year book and statesmen s who s who Burke s Peerage Ltd p 392 ISBN 9780611006806 Retrieved December 22 2010 a b Panos Danopoulos Constantine Cynthia Ann Watson 1996 The political role of the military an international handbook Greenwood Publishing Group p 367 Retrieved December 22 2010 Polish army chief honored Ottawa Citizen October 11 1983 Retrieved December 22 2010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Florian Siwicki amp oldid 1109938464, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
