August Zaleski
Encyclopedia
August Zaleski was a Polish
economist, politician, and diplomat. Twice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, he served as the President of Poland within the Polish Government in Exile
.
on September 13, 1883. In 1901, he was graduated from a gymnasium
in Praga
and became a librarian for the Krasiński
family, but finally moved to London, where he received a master's degree from the London School of Economics
. He was unable to return to Poland during World War I and, in 1917, started lecturing in the Polish language
in London. About that time he also became interested in freemasonry
and became one of the collaborators of the Polish National Committee
, the institution that was to become the Polish representative to the Triple Entente
. As such, he was one of Roman Dmowski
's envoys to assure English politicians that Józef Piłsudski's Polish Legions
had sided with the Central Powers
in order to combat Russia, not the West.
In 1918, when Poland regained her independence, Zaleski proved to be a skilled diplomat and served at various posts in Polish embassies in Switzerland
, Greece, Italy
and was one of the Polish envoys to the League of Nations
. After the May Coup d'Etat of 1926 he sided with the camp of Marshal Józef Piłsudski and, until 1932, held the post of minister of foreign affairs in two subsequent governments. Between 1928 and 1935, Zaleski was also a member of the Senate of Poland
. At the end of his term, he retired from active politics and became chairman of Bank Handlowy (Commercial Bank), one of the best-known Polish banks of the time. He held that post until the invasion of Poland (1939)
, when he successfully evacuated his company's assets first to France and then the United Kingdom.
In exile, August Zaleski yet again became minister of foreign affairs, this time in the government of General Władysław Sikorski. In June of 1947, Zaleski was nominated president of Polish government in exile
. Initially supported by much of the Polish diaspora
(Polonia
), he nominated General Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski
to be prime minister. However, by the end of his seven-year term, Zaleski was facing opposition and was at odds with much of the political elite. His response was to extend his term and nominate Stanisław Cat-Mackiewicz to be prime minister. Many Poles in exile (Bór-Komorowski and Władysław Anders amongst them) considered this unlawful and therefore created the Council of the Three
, a collective head of state that was to take over the role of the president of Poland until Zaleski properly resigned his post. However, in fact for almost twenty years the Council and Zaleski claimed the position simultaneously.
August Zaleski died on April 7, 1972, in London. Among his papers, two conflicting nominations of his successor were found: one naming Stanisław Ostrowski and the other one, perhaps forged, naming Juliusz Nowina-Sokolnicki
. The Council of the Three accepted the former and disbanded.
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...
economist, politician, and diplomat. Twice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, he served as the President of Poland within the Polish Government in Exile
Polish government in Exile
The Polish government-in-exile, formally known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile , was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which...
.
Biography
August Zaleski was born in WarsawWarsaw
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...
on September 13, 1883. In 1901, he was graduated from a gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
in Praga
Praga
Praga is a historical borough of Warsaw, the capital of Poland. It is located on the east bank of the river Vistula. First mentioned in 1432, until 1791 it formed a separate town with its own city charter.- History :...
and became a librarian for the Krasiński
Krasinski
Krasiński is a surname of Polish, or generally Slavic, origin....
family, but finally moved to London, where he received a master's degree from the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
. He was unable to return to Poland during World War I and, in 1917, started lecturing in the Polish language
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
in London. About that time he also became interested in freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
and became one of the collaborators of the Polish National Committee
Polish National Committee (1917-1919)
Polish National Committee was formed in Lausanne on 15 August 1917 by Polish National Democracy politician Roman Dmowski. Its goal was to support Entente by creating the Polish Army fighting alongside of it in exchange of receiving support for independent Poland...
, the institution that was to become the Polish representative to the Triple Entente
Triple Entente
The Triple Entente was the name given to the alliance among Britain, France and Russia after the signing of the Anglo-Russian Entente in 1907....
. As such, he was one of Roman Dmowski
Roman Dmowski
Roman Stanisław Dmowski was a Polish politician, statesman, and chief ideologue and co-founder of the National Democracy political movement, which was one of the strongest political camps of interwar Poland.Though a controversial personality throughout his life, Dmowski was instrumental in...
's envoys to assure English politicians that Józef Piłsudski's Polish Legions
Polish Legions in World War I
Polish Legions was the name of Polish armed forces created in August 1914 in Galicia. Thanks to the efforts of KSSN and the Polish members of the Austrian parliament, the unit became an independent formation of the Austro-Hungarian Army...
had sided with the Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
in order to combat Russia, not the West.
In 1918, when Poland regained her independence, Zaleski proved to be a skilled diplomat and served at various posts in Polish embassies in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Greece, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and was one of the Polish envoys to the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
. After the May Coup d'Etat of 1926 he sided with the camp of Marshal Józef Piłsudski and, until 1932, held the post of minister of foreign affairs in two subsequent governments. Between 1928 and 1935, Zaleski was also a member of the Senate of Poland
Senate of Poland
The Senate is the upper house of the Polish parliament, the lower house being the 'Sejm'. The history of the Polish Senate is rich in tradition and stretches back over 500 years, it was one of the first constituent bodies of a bicameral parliament in Europe and existed without hiatus until the...
. At the end of his term, he retired from active politics and became chairman of Bank Handlowy (Commercial Bank), one of the best-known Polish banks of the time. He held that post until the invasion of Poland (1939)
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...
, when he successfully evacuated his company's assets first to France and then the United Kingdom.
In exile, August Zaleski yet again became minister of foreign affairs, this time in the government of General Władysław Sikorski. In June of 1947, Zaleski was nominated president of Polish government in exile
Polish government in Exile
The Polish government-in-exile, formally known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile , was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which...
. Initially supported by much of the Polish diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
(Polonia
Polonia
The Polish diaspora refers to people of Polish origin who live outside Poland. The Polish diaspora is also known in modern Polish language as Polonia, which is the name for Poland in Latin and in many other Romance languages....
), he nominated General Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski
Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski
General Count Tadeusz Komorowski , better known by the name Bór-Komorowski was a Polish military leader....
to be prime minister. However, by the end of his seven-year term, Zaleski was facing opposition and was at odds with much of the political elite. His response was to extend his term and nominate Stanisław Cat-Mackiewicz to be prime minister. Many Poles in exile (Bór-Komorowski and Władysław Anders amongst them) considered this unlawful and therefore created the Council of the Three
Rada Trzech
The Council of Three was a collegial body created by the Polish Government in Exile in 1954 with prerogatives of the President of Poland. It consisted of three members of the government chosen by the Rada Jedności Narodowej , a rump parliament in exile.It was created in 1954, after president...
, a collective head of state that was to take over the role of the president of Poland until Zaleski properly resigned his post. However, in fact for almost twenty years the Council and Zaleski claimed the position simultaneously.
August Zaleski died on April 7, 1972, in London. Among his papers, two conflicting nominations of his successor were found: one naming Stanisław Ostrowski and the other one, perhaps forged, naming Juliusz Nowina-Sokolnicki
Juliusz Nowina-Sokolnicki
Juliusz Nowina-Sokolnicki Polish politician, head of one of the two governments which claimed in 1972 to be the successor to the exiled Polish government that was created to replace original Polish government, which fled to Romania in September 1939 at the start of World War II...
. The Council of the Three accepted the former and disbanded.
External links
- August Zaleski at California Digital LibraryCalifornia Digital LibraryThe California Digital Library is the University of California's 11th University Library. The CDL was founded to assist the ten University of California libraries in sharing their resources and holdings more effectively, in part through negotiating and acquiring consortial licenses on behalf of...
Further reading
- August Zaleski: Minister Spraw Zagranicznych RP 1926–1932 w Swietle Wspomnien i Dokumentow by Piotr Wandycz, reviewed by Anna M. CiencialaAnna M. CiencialaAnna M. Cienciala is a Polish-American historian and author. She specializes in modern Polish and Russian history. Graduating with a history doctorate in 1962, she taught at two Canadian universities for a few years before joining the history faculty at the University of Kansas in 1965. She...
in Slavic ReviewSlavic ReviewSlavic Review is a leading international peer-reviewed academic journal publishing scholarly studies and book reviews in all disciplines concerned with Russia, Central Eurasia, and Eastern and Central Europe...
, Vol. 40, No. 3 (Autumn, 1981), pp. 492–493