- Adam Ciołkosz
Adam Ciołkosz (
January 5 ,1902 -October 1 ,1978 ) was a Polishscout , soldier, publicist andpolitician , who was one of the most important leaders of thePolish Socialist Party , both in country and in exile during and afterWorld War II .Early life and education
Ciołkosz was born in
Kraków , but a year later in 1902, he and his family moved toTarnów . His father, Kasper, was an active progressive and independence agitator. His mother, Maria Idzikowska, was the daughter of a veteran of theJanuary Uprising .Ciołkosz graduated from a Gymnasium in Tarnów and later studied
law at theJagiellonian University . While a student, Ciołkosz became a member of the socialists movement.couting and fighting for independence
In Gynasium, Ciołkosz joined 1st Scouts Squad, "
Zawisza Czarny ". Later, he was a founder and organizer of scouting inZakopane . DuringWorld War I , he lived inVienna and still was active.In October 1918, he and National Emergency Squads of the Polish Scouts, which he had formed and led with
POW s, forcedAustria n forces to surrender in Tarnów. In November, he was one of the young scouts who participated in battle forLwów .In 1919, Ciołkosz was promoted to a junior lieutenant. He was also an organizer of Polish scouting movement in
Warmia andMazury and fought duringSilesian Uprising .Political career
At age of 27 (1928), he was elected a
Sejm Member from the Polish Socialist Party. He was re-elected in 1930, but this timeSanacja authorities didn't allowed him to take office as with many others of the opposition.He was one of the most outspoken critics of the Sanacja regime and was tried and sentenced to three years in prison.
After the German invasion into Poland in 1939, Ciołkosz, his wife Lidia (also a prominent socialist), and son fled first to
Romania , and laterFrance andEngland .Ciołkosz was an active politician in exile and soon was elected party leader. He led PPS in exile until his death in
London .A strong anti-communist, he opposed Soviet domination in the
Eastern Europe after 1945.His wife died in 2002 at age of 99.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
