Mieczyslaw Norwid-Neugebauer
Encyclopedia
Mieczyslaw Norwid-Neugebauer (Rzejowice
, near Radomsko
, February 15, 1884 – October 18, 1954, Toronto
) was a minister in the interwar Polish government, and a major general
in the Polish Army.
. He commanded the 6th Infantry Regiment, and even temporarily the 3rd Brigade.
After Poland regained independence in November 1918, he occupied various command positions within the Polish military: General: Head of Logistics, later on he was at the same time an Exo
of the Polish Head of all the Armed Forces, and later, he was the Commanding Officer of the 4th General Command (the last two during the Polish-Soviet War
).
In 1919, he was promoted to a Brigade General
, and in 1924, he was promoted to a Major General
. Between 1921 and 1924, he was a commanding officer of the 28th Division of Infantry. Between 1924 and 1925, he become a commanding officer of the reserves in charge of conscription. In October, 1925, he was transferred to become a Minister of Defense as well as officially sent for the 3rd Level Course at Center of Higher Military Education (University). In December of the same year, he was nominated to be the 1st Officer of the Commander of the Administration of the Army.
He was the Commander of the Inspector General
of the Polish Army in between 1926 and 1930 and stationed in Lviv
, 1932-1935 stationed in Toruń
, and in 1935-1939 stationed in Warsaw
. During 1930 to 1932, he was a Minister of Public Works in the cabinets of Walery Sławek and Aleksander Prystor
. On 3 September 1939, he was nominated as the head of the Polish Military Mission to London—in London, put in charge of pleading with the Great Britain to fulfill her obligation as an ally of Poland. Norwid—Neugebauer's pleas, addressed to the British Government to start an air offensive as promised in May 1939, were unsuccessful; the British Government and RAF did not fulfill their promise in spite of his pleas (possibly because of the French government's fear of retaliatory nazi German bombing).
He resigned as head of the Polish Military Mission in January 1940. From November 1942 to 1947 he headed the Administration
of the Polish Armed Forces
.
He published a book, Kampania Wrzesniowa (The September Campaign), in London in 1941. An English translation came out in 1942.
Rzejowice
Rzejowice is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Kodrąb, within Radomsko County, Łódź Voivodeship, in central Poland. It lies approximately east of Radomsko and south of the regional capital Łódź.-References:...
, near Radomsko
Radomsko
Radomsko is a town in central Poland with 50,618 inhabitants . It is situated on the Radomka river in the Łódź Voivodeship , having previously been in Piotrków Trybunalski Voivodeship . It is the capital of Radomsko County....
, February 15, 1884 – October 18, 1954, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
) was a minister in the interwar Polish government, and a major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in the Polish Army.
Life
Before World War I Norwid-Neugebauer was a member of Polish patriotic organizations. In 1914-1917 he was an officer in the Polish LegionsPolish 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...
. He commanded the 6th Infantry Regiment, and even temporarily the 3rd Brigade.
After Poland regained independence in November 1918, he occupied various command positions within the Polish military: General: Head of Logistics, later on he was at the same time an Exo
Exo
Exo may refer to:*Endo-exo isomerism*The Enriched Xenon Observatory neutrinoless double beta decay experiment*eXo Platform the open source software...
of the Polish Head of all the Armed Forces, and later, he was the Commanding Officer of the 4th General Command (the last two 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...
).
In 1919, he was promoted to a Brigade General
Brigade General
Brigade General is a rank used in many armies to denote the lowest rank of general, corresponding to command of a brigade. The rank is mostly used in countries where it is used as a modern alternative to a previous older rank of Brigadier or Brigadier General...
, and in 1924, he was promoted to a Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
. Between 1921 and 1924, he was a commanding officer of the 28th Division of Infantry. Between 1924 and 1925, he become a commanding officer of the reserves in charge of conscription. In October, 1925, he was transferred to become a Minister of Defense as well as officially sent for the 3rd Level Course at Center of Higher Military Education (University). In December of the same year, he was nominated to be the 1st Officer of the Commander of the Administration of the Army.
He was the Commander of the Inspector General
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
of the Polish Army in between 1926 and 1930 and stationed in Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
, 1932-1935 stationed in Toruń
Torun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
, and in 1935-1939 stationed in Warsaw
Warsaw
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...
. During 1930 to 1932, he was a Minister of Public Works in the cabinets of Walery Sławek and Aleksander Prystor
Aleksander Prystor
Aleksander Błażej Prystor was a Polish politician, soldier and activist who served as Prime Minister of Poland from 1931 to 1933.He was a member of the Combat Organization of the Polish Socialist Party and in 1908 took part in the Bezdany raid....
. On 3 September 1939, he was nominated as the head of the Polish Military Mission to London—in London, put in charge of pleading with the Great Britain to fulfill her obligation as an ally of Poland. Norwid—Neugebauer's pleas, addressed to the British Government to start an air offensive as promised in May 1939, were unsuccessful; the British Government and RAF did not fulfill their promise in spite of his pleas (possibly because of the French government's fear of retaliatory nazi German bombing).
He resigned as head of the Polish Military Mission in January 1940. From November 1942 to 1947 he headed the Administration
Military administration
Military administration identifies both the techniques and systems used by military departments, agencies, and Armed Services involved in the management of the armed forces...
of the Polish Armed Forces
Polish Armed Forces
Siły Zbrojne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej are the national defense forces of Poland...
.
He published a book, Kampania Wrzesniowa (The September Campaign), in London in 1941. An English translation came out in 1942.
Honours and awards
- Silver Cross of the Virtuti MilitariVirtuti MilitariThe Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war...
- Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta, previously awarded Commander's Cross
- Cross of IndependenceCross of IndependenceCross of Independence was one of the highest Polish military decorations between World Wars I and II. It was awarded to individuals who had "fought heroically for the independence of Poland," and was released in three versions.- History :...
- Cross of Valour - four times
- Officer's "Parasol" badge
- Officer's Cross of the Legion of Honour (France)
Sources
- Translation of a Polish article by Robert Kolakowski
- article in Polish
Related links
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in English, under construction