Polish General Staff

Chief of the General Staff
Szef Sztabu Generalnego Wojska Polskiego
Emblem of the PGS
Flag of the PGS Chief
Incumbent
General Wiesław Kukuła
since 10 October 2023
Polish Armed Forces
Member ofGeneral Staff of the Polish Armed Forces
Reports toMinister of National Defence
AppointerPresident of Poland
Formation28 October 1918
First holderTadeusz Jordan-Rozwadowski
Websitewww.wojsko-polskie.pl/sgwp

Polish General Staff, formally known as the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces (Polish: Sztab Generalny Wojska Polskiego) is the highest professional body within the Polish Armed Forces. Organizationally, it is an integral part of the Ministry of National Defence and the Chief of the General Staff is the highest ranking military officer at the Ministry. It was created in 1918, and was renamed the Main Staff (Sztab Główny) in 1928 before being reverted back to General Staff (Sztab Generalny) in 1945 by the Soviet backed Communist Government. Currently General Wiesław Kukuła holds the position of Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces (Szef Sztabu Generalnego Wojska Polskiego).[1]

History and structure

On 25 October 1918, a decision was made to establish the directorate of the chief of staff of the Polish Army. On 22 December 1928 the General Staff was renamed to the Main Staff (Sztab Główny). In September 1939, during the Invasion of Poland by the Wehrmacht and the Red Army, all the institutions of the Main Staff ceased to function and were transferred to joint German and Soviet control. On 8 August 1944, the Main Staff of the Polish Army was created by the Polish Committee of National Liberation and on 10 July 1945, the Provisional Government of National Unity reverted its name back to the General Staff of the Polish Army, the head of which was appointed Soviet-Polish General Vladislav Korchits. The Polish government-in-exile kept the previous name until the positions dissolution.

The General Staff consists of the following command personnel and organizational units at the Ministry of National Defence (MON):

Command personnel (Kadra kierownicza):[2]

  • Chief of the General Staff (Szef Sztabu Generalnego WP) - Generał Wiesław Kukuła
  • First Deputy Chief of the General Staff (I Zastępca szefa Sztabu Generalnego WP) - Generał dywizji Karol Dymanowski
  • Deputy Chief of Staff (Zastępca szefa Sztabu Generalnego WP) - Generał broni Stanisław Czosnek
  • Director of the Chief of the GS's Secretariat (Szef Sekretariatu Szefa SG WP) - Col. Arkadiusz Rubajczyk
  • Director of the Legal Department (Szef Zespołu Prasowego - rzecznik prasowy SG WP) - Col. Joanna Klejszmit
  • Director of the Coordination Center (Szef Centrum Koordynacyjnego) - Col. Adam Górecki
  • Chief NCO (Starszy podoficer SG WP) - Starszy chorąży sztabowy Piotr Smuga

General Staff Directorates (Zarządy Sztabu Generalnego WP):[3]

  • Organization and Manpower Complement Directorate (Zarząd Organizacji i Zasobów Osobowych - P1) - Colonel Bogdan Sowa
  • Intelligence and Reconnaissance Analysis Directorate (Zarząd Analiz Wywiadowczych i Rozpoznawczych - P2) - Generał brygady Mieczysław Bieniek
  • Armed Forces Application Planning and Training Directorate (Zarząd Planowania Operacyjnego - P3) - Generał brygady Mirosław Polakow
  • Logistics Directorate (Zarząd Logistyki - P4) - Generał brygady Mariusz Skulimowski
  • Armed Forces Development Planning and Programming Directorate (Zarząd Planowania i Programowania Rozwoju Sił Zbrojnych - P5) - Generał brygady Rafał Ostrowski
  • Management and Command Directorate (Zarząd Kierowania i Dowodzenia - P6) - Colonel Piotr Chodowiec
  • Training Directorate (Zarząd Szkolenia - P7) - Generał brygady Rafał Miernik
  • Material Planning Directorate (Zarząd Planowania Rzeczowego - P8) - Generał brygady Krzysztof Zielski

List of Chiefs

Kingdom of Poland (1917–1918)

Head of the Inspectorate
No. Portrait Head of the Inspectorate Took office Left office Time in office
1
von Barth, Felixgen. piech.
Felix von Barth
(1851–1931)		23 April 191719 October 191818 days
2
Minkiewicz, Henrykpłk
Henryk Minkiewicz
(1880–1940)		19 October 191828 October 19189 days
Chief of Staff
No. Portrait Chief of Staff Took office Left office Time in office
1
Rozwadowski, Tadeuszgen. dyw.
Tadeusz Rozwadowski
(1866–1928)		28 October 191814 November 191817 days

Second Polish Republic (1918−1939)

Chief of the General Staff
No. Portrait Chief of the General Staff Took office Left office Time in office
1
Rozwadowski, Tadeuszgen. dyw.
Tadeusz Rozwadowski
(1866–1928)		14 November 191815 November 19181 day
2
Szeptycki, Stanisławgen. broni
Stanisław Szeptycki
(1867–1950)		16 November 19187 February 191984 days
3
Haller, Stanisławgen. dyw.
Stanisław Haller
(1872–1940)		8 February 191922 July 19201 year, 165 days
(1)
Rozwadowski, Tadeuszgen. dyw.
Tadeusz Rozwadowski
(1866–1928)		22 July 19201 April 1921253 days
4
Sikorski, Władysławgen. dyw.
Władysław Sikorski
(1881–1943)		1 April 19216 December 19221 year, 249 days
5
Piłsudski, JózefMarszałek Polski
Józef Piłsudski
(1867–1935)		17 December 19229 June 1923174 days
(3)
Haller, Stanisławgen. dyw.
Stanisław Haller
(1872–1940)		9 June 192316 December 19252 years, 190 days
6
Kessler, Edmundgen. bryg.
Edmund Kessler
(1880–1930)		16 December 192512 May 1926147 days
(3)
Haller, Stanisławgen. dyw.
Stanisław Haller
(1872–1940)		12 May 192615 May 19263 days
7
Burhardt-Bukacki, Stanisławgen. bryg.
Stanisław Burhardt-Bukacki
(1890–1942)		17 May 192628 June 192642 days
8
Piskor, Tadeuszgen. bryg.
Tadeusz Piskor [a]
(1889–1951)		28 June 192622 December 19282 years, 177 days
Chief of the Main Staff
No. Portrait Chief of the Main Staff Took office Left office Time in office
1
Piskor, Tadeuszgen. dyw.
Tadeusz Piskor
(1889–1951)		22 December 19285 December 19312 years, 348 days
2
Gąsiorowski, Januszgen. bryg.
Janusz Gąsiorowski
(1889–1949)		3 December 19317 June 19353 years, 186 days
3
Stachiewicz, Wacławgen. bryg.
Wacław Stachiewicz
(1894–1973)		7 June 193518 September 19394 years, 103 days

Polish government-in-exile (1939−1946)

No. Portrait Chief of the Main Staff Took office Left office Time in office
1
Kędzior, Aleksanderpłk
Aleksander Kędzior
(1897–1986)		7 November 19395 June 1940211 days
2
Klimecki, Tadeuszgen. bryg.
Tadeusz Klimecki
(1895–1943)		5 June 19404 July 1943 †3 years, 29 days
3
Kopański, Stanisławgen. dyw.
Stanisław Kopański
(1895–1976)		21 July 19433 September 19463 years, 44 days

Republic of Poland / People's Republic of Poland (1945−1989)

No. Portrait Chief of the General Staff Took office Left office Time in office
1
Korczyc, Władysławgen. broni
Władysław Korczyc
(1893–1966)		9 May 194518 January 19548 years, 254 days
–
Pigarewicz, Borysgen. broni
Borys Pigarewicz
(1898–1961)
Acting		18 January 195423 March 195464 days
2
Bordziłowski, Jerzygen. broni
Jerzy Bordziłowski
(1900–1983)		23 March 19546 February 196510 years, 320 days
3
Jaruzelski, Wojciechgen. dyw.
Wojciech Jaruzelski
(1923–2014)		6 February 196510 April 19683 years, 64 days
4
Chocha, Bolesławgen. dyw.
Bolesław Chocha
(1923–1987)		10 April 196811 January 19734 years, 276 days
5
Siwicki, Floriangen. broni
Florian Siwicki
(1925–2013)		12 January 197321 November 198310 years, 313 days
6
Użycki, Józefgen. broni
Józef Użycki
(born 1932)		22 November 19831 January 19906 years, 40 days

Third Polish Republic (1990−present)

No. Portrait Chief of the General Staff Took office Left office Time in office
1
Użycki, Józefgen. broni
Józef Użycki
(born 1932)		1 January 199024 September 1990266 days
2
Stelmaszuk, Zdzisławgen. broni
Zdzisław Stelmaszuk
(born 1936)		25 September 19904 August 19921 year, 314 days
3
Wilecki, Tadeuszgen. broni
Tadeusz Wilecki
(born 1945)		4 August 19929 March 19974 years, 216 days
4
Szumski, Henrykgen. broni
Henryk Szumski
(1941–2012)		10 March 199729 September 20003 years, 203 days
5
Piątas, Czesławgen.
Czesław Piątas
(born 1946)		30 September 200031 January 20065 years, 123 days
–
Cieniuch, Mieczysławgen. broni
Mieczysław Cieniuch
(born 1951)
Acting		31 January 200627 February 200627 days
6
Gągor, Franciszekgen.
Franciszek Gągor
(1951–2010)		27 February 200610 April 2010 †4 years, 42 days
–
Stachowiak, Mieczysławgen. broni
Mieczysław Stachowiak
(born 1952)
Acting		10 April 20107 May 201027 days
7
Cieniuch, Mieczysławgen.
Mieczysław Cieniuch
(born 1951)		7 May 20106 May 20132 years, 364 days
8
Gocuł, Mieczysławgen.
Mieczysław Gocuł
(born 1963)		7 May 201331 January 20173 years, 269 days
9
Surawski, Leszekgen.
Leszek Surawski
(born 1960)		31 January 20172 July 20181 year, 152 days
10
Andrzejczak, Rajmundgen.
Rajmund Andrzejczak
(born 1967)		2 July 201810 October 20235 years, 100 days
11
Kukuła, Wiesławgen.
Wiesław Kukuła
(born 1972)		10 October 2023Incumbent1 year, 272 days

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Promoted to generał dywizji on 1 January 1928

References

  1. ^ "Polish president appoints new army chiefs". Polskie Radio. 2023-10-10. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  2. ^ "Kadra Kierownicza". Wojsko-Polskie.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  3. ^ "Zarządy SGWP". Wojsko-Polskie.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-02-25.
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