Jerzy Niezbrzycki
Encyclopedia
Jerzy Niezbrzycki was a captain of the Polish Army, officer of the Polish intelligence service, whose main field of interest was the Soviet Union
. He also was the director of the Department "East" of the Second Bureau of the Headquarters of the Polish Army
, helping with construction of several factories. His mother died when Jerzy was only two, so he was brought up mostly by older sister Emilia and by uncle, who raised the boy in Catholic and patriotic way. Young Niezbrzycki loved books of Henryk Sienkiewicz
, and at the age of 15, he joined the paramilitary organization Polska Organizacja Wojskowa (POW).
. During one of raids, at Koziatyn
rail station, he was arrested, but managed to escape from jail. Later, during the Polish-Soviet War
, he carried out several missions behind Soviet front line. As the 18-year old boy, he was twice sentenced to death by the Soviets, but always escaped. In September 1920 he joined the Ukrainian Army of Simon Petlura, serving there until 1922.
After the war Niezbrzycki, who took education both in Polish and Russian, was introduced to Józef Piłsudski, who offered him a job in the Headquarters of the Polish Army. His task was to work in Polish-Soviet border districts, simultaneously, he studied law and politics at the Warsaw University, his main interest was Soviet Union and its politics. Also, he promoted the Polish-Ukrainian union, seen by him as a counterbalance to Russia and its might.
. Officially, he was a diplomat, but unofficially, he was the intelligence agent. Regarded as one of the best agents, he was a top expert on Soviet Union and his task was to gather information about the Red Army
. In mid-1930s he witnessed the Ukrainian Famine, about which he wrote shocking articles, published in Polish magazines.
, where he continued his intelligence activities. From the beginning he predicted defeat of Nazi Germany
and victory of the Soviets, and Communism still was his main interest. Later, he moved to the West, but regarded as a pro-Piłsudski activist, he was not favored by the government of General Władysław Sikorski. For a while, Niezbrzycki taught at a school of Polish intelligence officers, but was sidelined and temporarily interned at a camp in Rothesay
.
. In 1949 he moved to Paris
, then to the USA, where took up a job at the Library of Congress
, then at the Hoover Institute, where taught Soviet affairs. He always argued that Soviet Union was the biggest threat to the West, and wrote that "East knows West too well, but West knows nothing about the East".
.
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....
. He also was the director of the Department "East" of the Second Bureau of the Headquarters of the Polish Army
Early life
Niezbrzycki was born on July 27, 1902 in Vinnitsa, in a well-educated family. His father traveled across the imperial RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, helping with construction of several factories. His mother died when Jerzy was only two, so he was brought up mostly by older sister Emilia and by uncle, who raised the boy in Catholic and patriotic way. Young Niezbrzycki loved books of Henryk Sienkiewicz
Henryk Sienkiewicz
Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz was a Polish journalist and Nobel Prize-winning novelist. A Polish szlachcic of the Oszyk coat of arms, he was one of the most popular Polish writers at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905 for his...
, and at the age of 15, he joined the paramilitary organization Polska Organizacja Wojskowa (POW).
Military service
In December 1918 he became leader of a scouts sabotage unit, which attacked the Soviets stationed in UkraineUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. During one of raids, at Koziatyn
Koziatyn
Koziatyn is a city in the Vinnytsia Oblast of western Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Koziatynsky Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast, and is located from oblast capital, Vinnytsia, at around...
rail station, he was arrested, but managed to escape from jail. Later, during the Polish-Soviet War
Polish-Soviet War
The Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...
, he carried out several missions behind Soviet front line. As the 18-year old boy, he was twice sentenced to death by the Soviets, but always escaped. In September 1920 he joined the Ukrainian Army of Simon Petlura, serving there until 1922.
After the war Niezbrzycki, who took education both in Polish and Russian, was introduced to Józef Piłsudski, who offered him a job in the Headquarters of the Polish Army. His task was to work in Polish-Soviet border districts, simultaneously, he studied law and politics at the Warsaw University, his main interest was Soviet Union and its politics. Also, he promoted the Polish-Ukrainian union, seen by him as a counterbalance to Russia and its might.
Government agent
In 1928, Niezbrzycki was sent to the Polish consulate in KharkivKharkiv
Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...
. Officially, he was a diplomat, but unofficially, he was the intelligence agent. Regarded as one of the best agents, he was a top expert on Soviet Union and his task was to gather information about the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
. In mid-1930s he witnessed the Ukrainian Famine, about which he wrote shocking articles, published in Polish magazines.
Political writings
Also, using the pseudonym Ryszard Wraga, Niezbrzycki wrote several articles about Soviet Union. He predicted that the Soviets would attack Poland, in 1935 he wrote: "We are located between two strongest imperialist powers in the world. There is no doubt that sooner or later these powers will shake their hands over our heads. The only thing we have to know is when it will happen". In 1938 he was a candidate for the post of director of the Polish Radio, his radio programs about Soviet Union, in which he described grim reality of everyday life in that country, were very popular. However, he became editor in chief of the army's Polska Zbrojna magazine.Escape to Romania
After September 17, 1939 (see: Polish September Campaign), Niezbrzycki escaped to RomaniaRomania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, where he continued his intelligence activities. From the beginning he predicted defeat of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and victory of the Soviets, and Communism still was his main interest. Later, he moved to the West, but regarded as a pro-Piłsudski activist, he was not favored by the government of General Władysław Sikorski. For a while, Niezbrzycki taught at a school of Polish intelligence officers, but was sidelined and temporarily interned at a camp in Rothesay
Rothesay
Rothesay or Rothsay may refer to:Places*Rothesay, Argyll and Bute, on the Isle of Bute, Scotland*Rothesay, New Brunswick, Canada*Rothesay , Canada*Rothsay, Minnesota, USA*Rothsay, Western AustraliaPeople*Duke of Rothesay...
.
Later life
After the war, Niezbrzycki found job in the Information Department of Polish Government in Exile in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 1949 he moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, then to the USA, where took up a job at the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
, then at the Hoover Institute, where taught Soviet affairs. He always argued that Soviet Union was the biggest threat to the West, and wrote that "East knows West too well, but West knows nothing about the East".
Death
In the 1960s he got cancer and died on January 30, 1968. He was buried in Leesburg, VirginiaLeesburg, Virginia
Leesburg is a historic town in, and county seat of, Loudoun County, Virginia, United States of America. Leesburg is located west-northwest of Washington, D.C. along the base of the Catoctin Mountain and adjacent to the Potomac River. Its population according the 2010 Census is 42,616...
.