Stanislaw Grzmot-Skotnicki
Encyclopedia
Stanisław Grzmot-Skotnicki (staˈniswaf ˈɡʐmɔt skɔtˈnit͡ski; 1894–1939) was a Polish
military commander and a general
of the Polish Army. During the Invasion of Poland
of 1939 he commanded the Czersk Operational Group
and was among the highest ranking Polish officers to be killed in action
in that war.
Stanisław Skotnicki was born January 13, 1894 in the village of Skotniki (being the root of his surname
which literally means lord of Skotniki), to a family of Polish nobility
(bearing the coat-of-arms of Clan Bogoria of which the lords of Skotniki are among the most ancient and prominent branches). After graduating from a gymnasium in Radom
, he was sent to a Trade Academy in Sankt Gallen
in Switzerland
. There he formed a unit of the Związek Strzelecki
and started organizing military training for the Polish emigrees and students. It was then he adopted his nom de guerre of Grzmot (Polish language
for thunder
), which later formed a part of his surname. Upon the outbreak of the Great War
he returned to Poland, to Austro-Hungarian
Galicia, where he volunteered for the service in the Polish Legions
. In August 1914 he became the member of the famous Belina's Patrol under Władysław Belina-Prażmowski, the first detachment of the Polish Cavalry
to cross the border with Privislinsky Krai. Later in the war he served in the cavalry regiment of the Legions, in which he commanded a platoon and then a squadron. After the Oath Crisis
of 1917 he was interned in a camp in Beniaminów
.
After Poland
regained her independence in November 1918 Stanisław Grzmot-Skotnicki took part in re-creation of his cavalry regiment, which later adopted the name of 1st Regiment of Light Cavalry of Józef Piłsudski (1. pułk szwoleżerów im. marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego). As one of its commanders he took part in the Polish-Ukrainian War
, after which he was sent to the newly-created School of Cavalry Officers in Warsaw
, and then to the Application School of Cavalry in Saumur
in France.
Upon his return, in August 1920 he became the commanding officer of the 8th Cavalry Brigade and then the entire 2nd Cavalry Division on the fronts of the Polish-Bolshevik War. After the war he became the head instructor at the Centre for Cavalry Training in Grudziądz
. Between 1924 and 1927 he was the commander of the prestigious Poznań
-based 15th Uhlan Regiment
. Since 1927 he commanded the 9th Independent Cavalry Brigade. After the reorganization of Polish Cavalry
in 1932 he commanded the Baranowicze cavalry brigade of the Border Defence Corps and then the Nowogródek Cavalry Brigade. Since 1937 he served as the commander of the Pomeranian Cavalry Brigade
.
At the start of the Invasion of Poland
in 1939, he commanded his unit as the core of the Czersk
Operational Group
which was to shield the Vistula
river crossings against the German offensive and to protect the flanks of the Pomorze Army
. After that unit's defeat in the battle of Tuchola Forest, he withdrew with the remnants of his unit to the south. During the Battle of the Bzura River he commanded a small improvised infantry unit, with which he headed for Warsaw
after the Polish defeat in the battle. On September 18, 1939, he was heavily wounded in the village of Tułowice and died of wounds the following day. Initially buried on the spot, in 1952 his body was exhumated and moved to Warsaw
's Powązki Military Cemetery
.
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 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....
of the Polish Army. During the Invasion of Poland
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...
of 1939 he commanded the Czersk Operational Group
Czersk Operational Group
Czersk Operational Group was an Operational Group of the Polish Army. Formed in 1939 under the name of Tuchola Detachment as part of the Intervention Corps created in order to counter a possible German action in the Free City of Danzig, it was not disbanded after the end of the Danzig Crisis...
and was among the highest ranking Polish officers to be killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
in that war.
Stanisław Skotnicki was born January 13, 1894 in the village of Skotniki (being the root of his surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
which literally means lord of Skotniki), to a family of Polish nobility
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
(bearing the coat-of-arms of Clan Bogoria of which the lords of Skotniki are among the most ancient and prominent branches). After graduating from a gymnasium in Radom
Radom
Radom is a city in central Poland with 223,397 inhabitants . It is located on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Voivodeship , having previously been the capital of Radom Voivodeship ; 100 km south of Poland's capital, Warsaw.It is home to the biennial Radom Air Show, the largest and...
, he was sent to a Trade Academy in Sankt Gallen
Sankt Gallen
Sankt Gallen may refer to:* St. Gallen, town in Switzerland* Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland* Sankt Gallen, Austria, town* St. Gall...
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....
. There he formed a unit of the Związek Strzelecki
Zwiazek Strzelecki
Związek Strzelecki "Strzelec" was a Polish paramilitary cultural and educational organization created in 1910 in Lwów as a legal front of Związek Walki Czynnej, and revived in Poland in 1991....
and started organizing military training for the Polish emigrees and students. It was then he adopted his nom de guerre of Grzmot (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...
for thunder
Thunder
Thunder is the sound made by lightning. Depending on the nature of the lightning and distance of the listener, thunder can range from a sharp, loud crack to a long, low rumble . The sudden increase in pressure and temperature from lightning produces rapid expansion of the air surrounding and within...
), which later formed a part of his surname. Upon the outbreak of the Great War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he returned to Poland, to Austro-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
Galicia, where he volunteered for the service in the 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...
. In August 1914 he became the member of the famous Belina's Patrol under Władysław Belina-Prażmowski, the first detachment of the Polish Cavalry
Polish cavalry
The Polish cavalry can trace its origins back to the days of Medieval mounted knights. Poland had always been a country of flatlands and fields and mounted forces operate well in this environment...
to cross the border with Privislinsky Krai. Later in the war he served in the cavalry regiment of the Legions, in which he commanded a platoon and then a squadron. After the Oath Crisis
Oath crisis
The Oath crisis was a World War I political conflict between the Imperial German Army command and the Józef Piłsudski-led Polish Legions.Initially supporting the Central Powers against Imperial Russia, Piłsudski wanted to defeat one of the partitioning powers with the hands of the two remaining...
of 1917 he was interned in a camp in Beniaminów
Beniaminów
Beniaminów is a village in Poland. It has approximately 190 inhabitants and is located in the Masovian Voivodship, east of Warsaw, between Legionowo and Nieporęt.Within the village are remnants of a 19th-century fort....
.
After Poland
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...
regained her independence in November 1918 Stanisław Grzmot-Skotnicki took part in re-creation of his cavalry regiment, which later adopted the name of 1st Regiment of Light Cavalry of Józef Piłsudski (1. pułk szwoleżerów im. marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego). As one of its commanders he took part in the Polish-Ukrainian War
Polish-Ukrainian War
The Polish–Ukrainian War of 1918 and 1919 was a conflict between the forces of the Second Polish Republic and West Ukrainian People's Republic for the control over Eastern Galicia after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary.-Background:...
, after which he was sent to the newly-created School of Cavalry Officers 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...
, and then to the Application School of Cavalry in Saumur
Saumur
Saumur is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.The historic town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc...
in France.
Upon his return, in August 1920 he became the commanding officer of the 8th Cavalry Brigade and then the entire 2nd Cavalry Division on the fronts of the Polish-Bolshevik War. After the war he became the head instructor at the Centre for Cavalry Training in Grudziądz
Grudziadz
Grudziądz is a city in northern Poland on the Vistula River, with 96 042 inhabitants . Situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship , the city was previously in the Toruń Voivodeship .- History :-Early history:...
. Between 1924 and 1927 he was the commander of the prestigious Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
-based 15th Uhlan Regiment
15th Poznań Uhlans Regiment
15th Poznań Uhlans Regiment – unit of Polish cavalry, part of Greater Polands Army, Polish Army of Second Republic and Polish Armed Forces in the West during World War II.-Regimental colours:...
. Since 1927 he commanded the 9th Independent Cavalry Brigade. After the reorganization of Polish Cavalry
Polish cavalry
The Polish cavalry can trace its origins back to the days of Medieval mounted knights. Poland had always been a country of flatlands and fields and mounted forces operate well in this environment...
in 1932 he commanded the Baranowicze cavalry brigade of the Border Defence Corps and then the Nowogródek Cavalry Brigade. Since 1937 he served as the commander of the Pomeranian Cavalry Brigade
Pomeranian Cavalry Brigade
Pomeranian Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry unit of the Polish Army in the interbellum period. It was created on April 1, 1937 out of the Cavalry Brigade "Bydgoszcz"...
.
At the start of the Invasion of Poland
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...
in 1939, he commanded his unit as the core of the Czersk
Czersk
Czersk is a town in northern Poland in Chojnice County, Pomeranian Voivodeship.On July 1, 2006 this municipality celebrated 80 years of granting this community the status of city....
Operational Group
Operational Group
Operational Group was the highest level of tactical division of the Polish Army before and during World War II and the Invasion of Poland. It was corps-sized, although various Operational Groups varied in size....
which was to shield the Vistula
Vistula
The Vistula is the longest and the most important river in Poland, at 1,047 km in length. The watershed area of the Vistula is , of which lies within Poland ....
river crossings against the German offensive and to protect the flanks of the Pomorze Army
Pomorze Army
The Pomeranian Army was one of the Polish armies to take part in the Polish Defensive War of 1939. It was officially created on March 23, 1939. Led by Gen.dyw...
. After that unit's defeat in the battle of Tuchola Forest, he withdrew with the remnants of his unit to the south. During the Battle of the Bzura River he commanded a small improvised infantry unit, with which he headed for 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...
after the Polish defeat in the battle. On September 18, 1939, he was heavily wounded in the village of Tułowice and died of wounds the following day. Initially buried on the spot, in 1952 his body was exhumated and moved to 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...
's Powązki Military Cemetery
Powązki Military Cemetery
Powązki Military Cemetery is an old military cemetery located in the Wola district, western part of Warsaw, Poland. The cemetery is often confused with the older Powązki Cemetery, known colloquially as "Old Powązki"...
.
Awards
- 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...
, Golden Cross; previously awarded the Silver Cross - Polonia RestitutaPolonia RestitutaThe Order of Polonia Restituta is one of Poland's highest Orders. The Order can be conferred for outstanding achievements in the fields of education, science, sport, culture, art, economics, defense of the country, social work, civil service, or for furthering good relations between countries...
, Commander's Cross; previously awarded the Officer'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 Merit, Golden
- Cross of Valour 4x times
- Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
, Commander's Cross (France); previously awarded the Knight's Cross - Order of the Cross of the EagleOrder of the Cross of the EagleThe Order of the Cross of the Eagle was instituted in 1928 by the Estonian Defence League to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Estonian independence. It was adopted as a state order in 1936.The Order of the Cross of the Eagle is bestowed to give recognition for military services and services...
, Class II (Estonia, 1936)