Miroslaw Hermaszewski
Encyclopedia
Mirosław Hermaszewski is a retired Polish Air Force
officer. He became the first (and to this day remains the only) Pole
in space when he flew aboard the Soyuz 30
spacecraft in 1978.
during World War II
, during which Ukrainian nationalists murdered 19 members of his family, including his father.
. In 1978 he was chosen from almost 500 Polish pilots to take part in the Intercosmos
space program. Together with Pyotr Klimuk
he spent almost eight days onboard the Salyut 6
space station
(from 17:27, June 27, 1978 'til 16:31, July 5). During their time in orbit, they carried out geoscience experiments and photographed the Earth.
They landed 300 km west of Tselinograd. He was awarded with the Hero of the Soviet Union
title for that flight.
(Wojskowa Rada Ocalenia Narodowego, WRON), a military quasi-government. After that he was a commander of the Fighter Pilots School in Dęblin
. In 1988 he was promoted to general
.
Between 1991 and 1992, Hermaszewski served as a second-in-command of the Headquarters of the Airforce. He is currently retired.
Mirosław Hermaszewski enjoys science fiction
novels, hunting, sailing
and various other sports. He is married to Emilia Hermaszewska and has two children, Miroslaw (born 1966) and Emilia (born 1974).
Polish Air Force
The Polish Air Force is the military Air Force wing of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej...
officer. He became the first (and to this day remains the only) Pole
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
in space when he flew aboard the Soyuz 30
Soyuz 30
Soyuz 30 was a 1978 manned Soviet space flight to the Salyut 6 space station. It was the sixth mission to and fifth successful docking at the orbiting facility...
spacecraft in 1978.
Early life
Mirosław Hermaszewski was born in Lipniki, Wolynian Voivodship. He is a survivor of the Volhynian massacresMassacres of Poles in Volhynia
The Massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia were part of an ethnic cleansing operation carried out by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army West in the Nazi occupied regions of the Eastern Galicia , and UPA North in Volhynia , beginning in March 1943 and lasting until the end of...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, during which Ukrainian nationalists murdered 19 members of his family, including his father.
Intercosmos program
In 1965 he graduated from the military pilot school in DęblinDeblin
Dęblin is a town, population 19,500 , at the confluence of Vistula and Wieprz rivers, in Lublin Voivodeship, Poland. Dęblin is the part of the agglomeration with adjacent towns of Ryki and Puławy, which altogether has over 100 000 inhabitants....
. In 1978 he was chosen from almost 500 Polish pilots to take part in the Intercosmos
Intercosmos
Interkosmos was a space program of the Soviet Union designed to include members of military forces of allied Warsaw Pact countries in manned and unmanned missions...
space program. Together with Pyotr Klimuk
Pyotr Klimuk
Pyotr Ilyich Klimuk Klimuk attended the Leninski Komsomol Chernigov High Aviation School and entered the Soviet Air Force in 1964. The following year, he was selected to join the space programme.His first flight was a long test flight on Soyuz 13 in 1973...
he spent almost eight days onboard the Salyut 6
Salyut 6
Salyut 6 , DOS-5, was a Soviet orbital space station, the eighth flown as part of the Salyut programme. Launched on 29 September 1977 by a Proton rocket, the station was the first of the 'second-generation' type of space station. Salyut 6 possessed several revolutionary advances over the earlier...
space station
Space station
A space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a crew which is designed to remain in space for an extended period of time, and to which other spacecraft can dock. A space station is distinguished from other spacecraft used for human spaceflight by its lack of major propulsion or landing...
(from 17:27, June 27, 1978 'til 16:31, July 5). During their time in orbit, they carried out geoscience experiments and photographed the Earth.
They landed 300 km west of Tselinograd. He was awarded with the Hero of the Soviet Union
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
title for that flight.
Afterwards
During the period of martial law in Poland, Hermaszewski was a member of the Military Council of National SalvationMilitary Council of National Salvation
The Military Council of National Salvation was a military dictatorship administering the People's Republic of Poland during the period of the martial law in Poland ....
(Wojskowa Rada Ocalenia Narodowego, WRON), a military quasi-government. After that he was a commander of the Fighter Pilots School in Dęblin
Deblin
Dęblin is a town, population 19,500 , at the confluence of Vistula and Wieprz rivers, in Lublin Voivodeship, Poland. Dęblin is the part of the agglomeration with adjacent towns of Ryki and Puławy, which altogether has over 100 000 inhabitants....
. In 1988 he was promoted to general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
.
Between 1991 and 1992, Hermaszewski served as a second-in-command of the Headquarters of the Airforce. He is currently retired.
Mirosław Hermaszewski enjoys science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novels, hunting, sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
and various other sports. He is married to Emilia Hermaszewska and has two children, Miroslaw (born 1966) and Emilia (born 1974).