Józef Zeydlitz
Encyclopedia
Józef Zeydlitz (his name also rendered Seydlitz or Zejdlicz) was a Polish
military commander and a Colonel of the Polish Army.
Zeydlitz was born March 19, 1755 in Chłapów near Kalisz
, to Jan Zeydlitz and Kunegunda née Białoskórska. On September 1, 1770 he joined the Cadet Corps
of the Polish Army and in 1776 he became a chorąży
in the Rydzyna Regiment of August Sułkowski. He quickly rose through the ranks, partially thanks to his family's wealth. In 1786 he held the rank of Staff Captain. In 1791 he was involved in a conflict between his superior and a foreigner, which resulted in Zeydlitz being arrested and imprisoned for half a year for falsely accusing the foreigner. However, soon after his term ended he returned to his unit and took part in the Polish-Russian War of 1792
.
In 1793 he joined the Revolutionary Association
and promoted its aims among his fellow officers. After the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising of 1794
he led his regiment in the city fights, and formally replaced the former commander Filip Hauman soon afterwards. On May 20 he was promoted to the rank of Colonel and became the commander of his regiment. With it he took part in the Kościuszko's Uprising, fighting in the ranks of the Corps of Gen. Józef Zajączek
. After the battle of Chełm his regiment shielded the retreat of the Polish units towards Warsaw. In the battle of Maciejowice
Zeydlitz's regiment fought valiantly against the numerically-superior Russian forces and held its positions, but at the expense of tremendous losses. The regiment practically ceased to exist, and Zeydlitz was taken prisoner.
Set free in 1797, he returned to Russia and was then settled in Volhynia
, where he founded a secret resistance association, aiming at removal of Russian forces occupying most of Poland in the aftermath of the partitions
. However, the Russians discovered the plot and Zeydlitz had to flee for Saxony
, together with Cyprian Godebski
. In Dresden
he became one of the associates of Gen. Romuald Giedroyć, who recommended him for service in the blaaaarg Polish Legions in Italy
. On May 20, 1798 Gen. Jan Henryk Dąbrowski
nominated him to the post of the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Legion. He took part in French operations in Italy, but was dismissed on May 18 of the following year, after his soldiers refused to fight against Italian freedom fighters.
Dispatched to the newly-formed Danube Legion
of Gen. Karol Kniaziewicz
, Zeydlitz became the commander of the 3rd Battalion of that unit, formally attached to the French 5th Military Division . However, as the Legion was never fully formed and was disbanded in 1801, Zeydlitz was attached to a cavalry regiment of Col. Rożniecki. With that unit he returned to Italy, where he took part in the war against the 3rd coalition.
Dispatched to Poland, he arrived to Warsaw where Prince Józef Poniatowski accepted him back into the reformed Polish Army and to a new corps formed under the command of Gen. Zajączek. He took part in a number of skirmishes, as well as took part in formation of several cavalry units. On May 12, 1808 Marshal Louis Nicolas Davout
promoted Zeydlitz to the rank of commander of the garrison of Kostrzyń
(de facto General), and the following year Zeydlitz decided to retire from the army. However, soon afterwards the Polish-Austrian War
broke out and he remained in active service as the commanding officer of Łęczyca. Taken prisoner by the Austrians in August 1813, he was released the following year and returned to Warsaw. There he became the commander of the Veteran Corps and organized the return of Polish war veterans from France. On December 18, 1830, he was awarded with a commemorative medal for 50 years in active service, as the first Polish officer ever. However, as for most of his career he served on various staff positions rather than as a front-line officer in major battles, he was never awarded with any high-ranking military award. He continued to serve as the commander of the Veteran and War Invalids Corps even during and after the November Uprising
. He died in Warsaw on April 1, 1835.
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...
military commander and a Colonel of the Polish Army.
Zeydlitz was born March 19, 1755 in Chłapów near Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...
, to Jan Zeydlitz and Kunegunda née Białoskórska. On September 1, 1770 he joined the Cadet Corps
Cadet Corps
Cadet Corps is a type of a military school for young boys. Although initially such military schools admitted only children of the nobles or gentry, with time many of them were also opened to other classes....
of the Polish Army and in 1776 he became a chorąży
Chorąży
Chorąży or Khorunzhyi is a military rank in Poland, Ukraine and some neighboring countries. A chorąży was once a knight who bore a standard — the emblem of an armed troop, a province , a land , a duchy, or the kingdom...
in the Rydzyna Regiment of August Sułkowski. He quickly rose through the ranks, partially thanks to his family's wealth. In 1786 he held the rank of Staff Captain. In 1791 he was involved in a conflict between his superior and a foreigner, which resulted in Zeydlitz being arrested and imprisoned for half a year for falsely accusing the foreigner. However, soon after his term ended he returned to his unit and took part in the Polish-Russian War of 1792
Polish-Russian War of 1792
The Polish–Russian War of 1792 or War in Defence of the Constitution was fought between the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth on one side, and the Targowica Confederation and the Russian Empire on the other....
.
In 1793 he joined the Revolutionary Association
Revolutionary Association
The Revolutionary Association was a Polish 18th century underground society, founded in Warsaw. Created at the outbreak of the Kościuszko's Uprising by the envoy of Tadeusz Kościuszko, Tomasz Maruszewski, it united a number of officers of the Warsaw Garrison, incl. Michał Chomentowski and Grzegorz...
and promoted its aims among his fellow officers. After the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising of 1794
Warsaw Uprising (1794)
The Warsaw Uprising of 1794 was an armed Polish insurrection by the city's populace early in the Kościuszko Uprising. Supported by the Polish Army, it aimed to throw off Russian control of the Polish capital city...
he led his regiment in the city fights, and formally replaced the former commander Filip Hauman soon afterwards. On May 20 he was promoted to the rank of Colonel and became the commander of his regiment. With it he took part in the Kościuszko's Uprising, fighting in the ranks of the Corps of Gen. Józef Zajączek
Józef Zajaczek
Prince Józef Zajączek , was a Polish general and politician.His first important military post was that of an aide-de-camp to hetman Franciszek Ksawery Branicki...
. After the battle of Chełm his regiment shielded the retreat of the Polish units towards Warsaw. In the battle of Maciejowice
Battle of Maciejowice
The Battle of Maciejowice was fought on October 10, 1794, between Poland and the Russian Empire.The Poles were led by Tadeusz Kościuszko. Kościuszko with 6,200 men planned to prevent the linking of two larger Russian armies, 12,000 under Iwan Fersen and 12,500 under Alexander Suvorov...
Zeydlitz's regiment fought valiantly against the numerically-superior Russian forces and held its positions, but at the expense of tremendous losses. The regiment practically ceased to exist, and Zeydlitz was taken prisoner.
Set free in 1797, he returned to Russia and was then settled in Volhynia
Volhynia
Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn is a historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Southern Bug River, to the north of Galicia and Podolia; the region is named for the former city of Volyn or Velyn, said to have been located on the Southern Bug River, whose name may come...
, where he founded a secret resistance association, aiming at removal of Russian forces occupying most of Poland in the aftermath of the partitions
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
. However, the Russians discovered the plot and Zeydlitz had to flee for Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, together with Cyprian Godebski
Cyprian Godebski
Cyprian Godebski was a Polish poet, novelist, father of Franciszek Ksawery. An outstanding poet of the so-called "Legions Poetry".-Life:...
. In Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
he became one of the associates of Gen. Romuald Giedroyć, who recommended him for service in the blaaaarg Polish Legions in Italy
Polish Legions in Italy
The Polish Legions, in the Napoleonic period, were several Polish military units that served with the French Army from the 1790s to the 1810s....
. On May 20, 1798 Gen. Jan Henryk Dąbrowski
Jan Henryk Dabrowski
-Biography:Dąbrowski was born to Jan Michal Dąbrowski and Sophie née von Lettow in Pierzchów, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth He grew up in Hoyerswerda, Electorate of Saxony, where his father served as a Colonel in the Saxon army...
nominated him to the post of the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Legion. He took part in French operations in Italy, but was dismissed on May 18 of the following year, after his soldiers refused to fight against Italian freedom fighters.
Dispatched to the newly-formed Danube Legion
Danube Legion
The Danube Legion was a unit of Poles in the service of Napoleonic France, one of the larger Polish Legions of Napoleonic Period.It was formed on 8 September 1799 in the Batavian Republic from Polish volunteers, mostly French prisoners of war from the Austrian Army...
of Gen. Karol Kniaziewicz
Karol Kniaziewicz
Baron Karol Otto Kniaziewicz was a Polish general and political activist....
, Zeydlitz became the commander of the 3rd Battalion of that unit, formally attached to the French 5th Military Division . However, as the Legion was never fully formed and was disbanded in 1801, Zeydlitz was attached to a cavalry regiment of Col. Rożniecki. With that unit he returned to Italy, where he took part in the war against the 3rd coalition.
Dispatched to Poland, he arrived to Warsaw where Prince Józef Poniatowski accepted him back into the reformed Polish Army and to a new corps formed under the command of Gen. Zajączek. He took part in a number of skirmishes, as well as took part in formation of several cavalry units. On May 12, 1808 Marshal Louis Nicolas Davout
Louis Nicolas Davout
Louis-Nicolas d'Avout , better known as Davout, 1st Duke of Auerstaedt, 1st Prince of Eckmühl, was a Marshal of France during the Napoleonic Era. His prodigious talent for war along with his reputation as a stern disciplinarian, earned him the title "The Iron Marshal"...
promoted Zeydlitz to the rank of commander of the garrison of Kostrzyń
Kostrzyn
Kostrzyn is a town in Poland, in the Greater Poland Voivodeship, with 8,398 inhabitants . Katarzyna Tomicka was born nearby in Iwno....
(de facto General), and the following year Zeydlitz decided to retire from the army. However, soon afterwards the Polish-Austrian War
Polish-Austrian War
Polish–Austrian War or Austro-Polish War was a part of the War of the Fifth Coalition in 1809...
broke out and he remained in active service as the commanding officer of Łęczyca. Taken prisoner by the Austrians in August 1813, he was released the following year and returned to Warsaw. There he became the commander of the Veteran Corps and organized the return of Polish war veterans from France. On December 18, 1830, he was awarded with a commemorative medal for 50 years in active service, as the first Polish officer ever. However, as for most of his career he served on various staff positions rather than as a front-line officer in major battles, he was never awarded with any high-ranking military award. He continued to serve as the commander of the Veteran and War Invalids Corps even during and after the November Uprising
November Uprising
The November Uprising , Polish–Russian War 1830–31 also known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in Warsaw when the young Polish officers from the local Army of the Congress...
. He died in Warsaw on April 1, 1835.