Józef Klemens Piłsudski was a Polish statesman who served as the Chief of State and first Marshal of Poland. In the aftermath of World War I, he became an increasingly dominant figure in Polish politi
Piłsudski, c. 1920s
Piłsudski and his staff in Kielce, 12 August 1914
Portrait of Brigadier General Józef Piłsudski, by Jacek Malczewski, 1916
The Second Polish Republic, officially known at the time as the Republic of Poland, was the Polish state that existed between 7 October 1918 and 6 October 1939 after being established in the final sta
Józef Piłsudski
…dominant figure in Polish politics and exerted significant influence on shaping the country's foreign policy. Piłsudski is viewed as a father of the Second Polish Republic, which was re-established in 1918, 123 years after the final partition of Poland in 1795, and was considered de facto leader (1926–1935) of the Second…
Polish defences at Miłosna, during the decisive Battle of Warsaw, August 1920
The May Coup d'État (1926)
Ignacy Mościcki, President of Poland (left), Warsaw, 10 November 1936, awarding the Marshal's buława to Edward Rydz-Śmigły