List of Poles

This is a partial list of famous Polish or Polish-speaking or -writing persons. In the interest of fairness and accuracy, a minority of persons of mixed heritage have their respective ancestries credited.

History

Mathematics

Bartel
* Stefan Banach
* Tadeusz Banachiewicz
* Kazimierz Bartel
* Andrzej Białynicki-Birula
* Karol Borsuk
* Jacob Bronowski
* Jan Brożek
* Samuel Eilenberg
* Witold Hurewicz
* Henryk Iwaniec
* Zygmunt Janiszewski
* Stanisław Jaśkowski
* Mark Kac
* Stefan Kaczmarz
* Marek Karpinski, computer scientist
* Krystyna Kuperberg
* Kazimierz Kuratowski
* Bronisław Knaster
* Zdzisław Krygowski
* Kazimierz Kordylewski
* Robert Kowalski
* Kazimierz Kuratowski
* Franciszek Leja
* Stanisław Leśniewski
* Adolf Lindenbaum
* Stanisław Łojasiewicz
* Antoni Łomnicki
* Jerzy Łoś
* Jan Łukasiewicz
* Benoît Mandelbrot (born in Poland of Lithuanian-Jewish descent)
* Edward Marczewski
* Józef Marcinkiewicz

Mazurkiewicz
* Stanisław Mazur
* Stefan Mazurkiewicz
* Jan Mikusinski
* Andrzej Mostowski
* Jerzy Spława-Neyman
* Otton M. Nikodym
* Andrew Odlyzko
* Władysław Orlicz
* Józef H. Przytycki
* Helena Rasiowa
* Marian Rejewski, who broke Germany's Enigma machine ciphers
* Jerzy Różycki
* Stanisław Ruziewicz
* Czesław Ryll-Nardzewski
* Stanisław Saks
* Juliusz Schauder
* Wacław Sierpiński
* Roman Sikorski
* Władysław Ślebodziński
* Jan Śniadecki
* Yulian Sokhotski
* Hugo Steinhaus
* Włodzimierz Stożek
* Alfred Tarski
* Stanisław Ulam, co-designer (with Edward Teller) of the hydrogen bomb
* Tadeusz Ważewski
* Józef Hoene-Wroński
* Kazimierz Zarankiewicz
* Stanisław Zaremba
* Kazimierz Żorawski
* Henryk Zygalski
* Antoni Zygmund

Physics

Music

"see also: List of Polish composers"
* Grażyna Bacewicz, composer
* Edyta Bartosiewicz, singer
* Rafał Blechacz, pianist
* Grzegorz Ciechowski, composer, singer
* Fryderyk Chopin, (French father of distant Polish heritage, Polish mother), composer
* Krzysztof Czerwinski, conductor and organist
* Adam Darski, singer-songwriter
* Krzesimir Dębski, composer
* Andrzej Dobrowolski, composer
* Ignacy Feliks Dobrzyński, composer
* Urszula Dudziak, singer
* Józef Elsner, composer, Chopin's teacher
* Mikołaj Gomołka, composer
* Konstanty Gorski, composer and violinist
* Henryk Górecki, composer
* Edyta Górniak, singer
* Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki, composer
* Mieczysław Horszowski, pianist
* Bronisław Huberman, violinist
* Zdzisław Jachimecki, musicologist, composer
* Alicja Janosz, singer
* Anna Jantar, singer
* Adam Jarzębski, composer
* Reni Jusis, singer
* Jan A. P. Kaczmarek, film composer (Oscar prize)
* Bronisław Kaper, film composer
* Mieczysław Karłowicz, composer
* Kayah, singer
* Stefan Kisielewski, composer, writer
* Wojciech Kilar, composer
* Krzysztof Komeda, jazz composer
* Zygmunt Konieczny, composer
* Kasia Kowalska, singer
* Gene Krupa, jazz drummer
* Theodor Kullak, composer
* Karol Kurpiński, composer
* Wanda Landowska, harpsichordist
* Teodor Leszetycki, pianist, pedagogue
* Franciszek Lilius, composer
* Karol Lipiński, composer
* Jan z Lublina, composer
* Witold Lutosławski, composer
* Krzysztof Meyer, composer
* Carl Mikuli, composer
* Maciek Miernik, producer
* Marcin Mielczewski, composer
* Emil Młynarski
* Moritz Moszkowski, composer
* Stanisław Moniuszko, composer
* Leszek Możdżer, pianist and composer
* Czesław Niemen, composer, singer-songwriter
* Katarzyna Nosowska, singer, composer
* Feliks Nowowiejski, composer
* Zygmunt Noskowski, composer
* Michał Kleofas Ogiński, composer
* Ignacy Jan Paderewski, pianist, composer
* Andrzej Panufnik, composer
* Krzysztof Penderecki, composer
* Jerzy Petersburski, pianist, composer
* Bartłomiej Pękiel, composer
* Piotr Półtorak, guitarist
* Wacław Kiełtyka, guitarist
* Zbigniew Preisner, composer
* Zbigniew Robert Promiński, drummer and percussionist
* Krzysztof Raczkowski, drummer and percussionist
* Mikołaj z Radomia, Middle Ages composer
* Ryszard Riedel, singer
* Maryla Rodowicz, singer
* Mstislav Rostropovich, Russian cellist and conductor of Polish father from szlachta
* Piotr Rubik, composer
* Arthur Rubinstein, pianist
* Bogusław Schaeffer, composer
* Xaver Scharwenka, composer
* Kazimierz Serocki, composer
* Tomasz Stańko, jazz trumpeter
* Kazik Staszewski, singer, songwriter
* Zygmunt Stojowski, composer
* Leopold Stokowski, Academy Award-winning conductor
* Wacław z Szamotuł, composer
* Władysław Szpilman, pianist
* Patryk Dominik Sztyber, guitarist and vocalist
* Maria Agata Szymanowska, composer, concert pianist
* Karol Szymanowski, composer (Polish father, Swedish mother)
* Paweł Szymański, composer
* Barbara Trzetrzelewska, singer
* Grzegorz Turnau, singer
* Andrzej Wasowski, pianist
* Henryk Wieniawski, composer
* Brad Wilk, American drummer of Rage Against The Machine/Audioslave of polish decent
* Wanda Wiłkomirska, violinist
* Piotr Wiwczarek, guitarist and vocalist
* D'arcy Wretzky, Polish-American former bassist of The Smashing Pumpkins
* Tomasz Wróblewski, bassist, guitarist, and vocalist
* Michael Zabrocki, Catholic recording artist, composer, and vocalist
* Mikołaj Zieleński, composer
* Krystian Zimerman, pianist
* Wojciech Żywny, composer, teacher of Chopin

Literature

"See also: List of Polish writers" and "List of Polish novelists"

Dołęga-Mostowicz
* Agnieszka Baranowska, author
* Karol Olgierd Borchardt, maritime author
* Joseph Conrad (Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski), English-language novelist.
* Lucyna Ćwierczakiewiczowa, the first Polish cook book author
* Maria Dąbrowska, novelist
* Johannes Dantiscus (Jan Dantyszek), Latin poet and Prince-Bishop of Warmia
* Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz, novelist
* Jacek Dukaj, science-fiction writer
* Adolf Dygasiński, novelist
* Aleksander Fredro, poet, comedy writer
* Janusz Głowacki, playwright, non-fiction author
* Witold Gombrowicz, novelist, drama writer
* Rene Goscinny, cartoonist
* Stefan Grabiński, horror writer
* Marek Hłasko, writer
* Paweł Huelle, essayist
* Wincenty Kadłubek political scientist, writer
* Ryszard Kapuściński, writer and journalist
* Tadeusz Konwicki
* Jerzy Kosiński
* Zofia Kossak-Szczucka, novelist and World War II resistance fighter
* Ignacy Krasicki, author of "Fables and Parables" and of the first Polish novel
* Józef Ignacy Kraszewski, writer
* Stanisław Lem, science-fiction writer, essayist, philosopher
* Stanisław Lubieniecki writer, astronomer
* Waldemar Łysiak, writer
* Józef Mackiewicz, writer, journalist
* Andrzej Majewski, aphorist, writer, poet
* Stanisław Michalkiewicz writer
* Eliza Orzeszkowa, Positivist writer
* Ferdynand Antoni Ossendowski, writer
* Jan Chryzostom Pasek (memoirist)
* Sergiusz Piasecki, writer
* Krzysztof Piesiewicz, screenwriter and politician
* Jan Potocki (author of "The Manuscript Found in Saragossa").
* Bolesław Prus, journalist, novelist, author of "The Doll" and "Pharaoh".
* Władysław Reymont, writer, Nobel Prize in Literature (1924)
* Maria Rodziewiczówna, novelist
* Andrzej Sapkowski, fantasy writer
* Bruno Schulz, novelist and painter
* Joanna Siedlecka, non-fiction writer
* Lucjan Siemieński
* Henryk Sienkiewicz, writer, Nobel Prize in Literature (1905)
* Isaac Bashevis Singer, writer, Nobel Prize in Literature (1966).
* Piotr Skarga, poet, writer, humanist
* Robert Stiller, polyglot, writer, poet, translator, editor
* Jędrzej Śniadecki, terminologist, writer
* Olga Tokarczuk, Polish-Ukrainian writer
* Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz ("Witkacy")
* Lucjan Wolanowski, writer, journalist, and traveller
* Stanisław Wyspiański, painter and writer
* Rafał A. Ziemkiewicz, writer
* Franciszek Zabłocki, comic dramatist and satirist
* Janusz A. Zajdel, science-fiction writer
* Gabriela Zapolska, novelist
* Roger Zelazny (Żelazny), American writer of fantasy and science fiction, son of a Pole
* Stefan Żeromski, novelist
* Eugeniusz Żytomirski, novelist

Poetry

"See also: List of Polish poets."

Krasiński
* Adam Asnyk, Positivism
* Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński
* Edward Balcerzan
* Miron Białoszewski
* Władysław Broniewski
* Jan Brzechwa
* Andrzej Bursa
* Piotr Czerniawski
* Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński
* Marian Hemar
* Zbigniew Herbert
* Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz
* Jan Kasprowicz, translation
* Jan Kochanowski
* Ignacy Krasicki, "Fables and Parables"
* Zygmunt Krasiński
* Paweł Kubisz
* Stanisław Jerzy Lec
* Jan Lechoń
* Bolesław Leśmian
* Ewa Lipska
* Adam Mickiewicz
* Grazyna Miller, translation
* Czesław Miłosz, Nobel Prize in Literature, 1980
* Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski, humanism
* Adam Naruszewicz, translation, history
* Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz, independence activist
* Cyprian Kamil Norwid
* Antoni Edward Odyniec
* Agnieszka Osiecka
* Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska
* Wincenty Pol
* Halina Poświatowska
* Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer
* Jeremi Przybora, songs
* Mikołaj Rej
* Tadeusz Różewicz
* Zygmunt Rumel
* Antoni Słonimski
* Juliusz Słowacki
* Edward Stachura
* Anatol Stern
* Leopold Staff
* Wisława Szymborska, Nobel Prize in Literature (1996)
* Julian Tuwim
* Jan Twardowski
* Richard (Ryszard) Tylman
* Kornel Ujejski
* Aleksander Wat
* Kazimierz Wierzyński
* Stefan Witwicki
* Rafał Wojaczek
* Józef Bohdan Zaleski
* Piotr Zbylitowski

Philosophy

* Kazimierz Ajdukiewicz
* Zygmunt Bauman
* Józef Maria Bocheński
* Stanisław Brzozowski
* Leon Chwistek
* August Cieszkowski
* Wawrzyniec Grzymała Goślicki
* Józef Maria Hoene-Wroński
* Roman Ingarden
* Stanisław Jaśkowski
* Leszek Kołakowski
* Hugo Kołłątaj
* Tadeusz Kotarbiński
* Casimir Lewy
* Karol Libelt
* Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski
* Adam Schaff
* Stanisław Staszic
* Maria Szyszkowska
* Alfred Tarski
* Władysław Tatarkiewicz
* Józef Tischner
* Andrzej Towiański
* Kazimierz Twardowski
* Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz ("Witkacy")
* Marian Zdziechowski

Fine arts

"see also: List of Polish artists and painters"

* Magdalena Abakanowicz, sculptor
* Paweł Althamer
* Tomasz Bagiński, painter, animator, computer graphics
* Mirosław Bałka
* Krzysztof Bednarski, sculptor
* Zdzisław Beksiński, painter
* Christian Boltanski
* Olga Boznańska, painter
* Józef Brandt, painter
* Józef Marian Chełmoński, painter
* Tytus Czyżewski, painter, poet, art critic
* Jacenty Dędek, photographer
* Zbigniew Dłubak, painter
* Andrzej Dłużniewski
* Xawery Dunikowski, sculptor
* Maksymilian Fajans, Jewish–Polish artist, lithographer, photographer
* Julian Fałat, painter
* Wojciech Fangor, painter
* Wojciech Gerson, painter
* Stefan Gierowski, painter
* Aleksander Gierymski, painter, brother of Maksymilian Gierymski
* Maksymilian Gierymski, painter
* Zygmunt Gorgolewski, architect
* Vladislav Gorodetsky, architect
* Artur Grottger, painter, illustrator
* Władysław Hasior, sculptor, painter, stage designer
* Janosch, German illustrator and writer, born in what is now Zabrze
* Wladyslaw Kazmierczak, performance artist
* Tadeusz Kantor, (1915-1990) painter, theatre director
* Balthus, Polish-French painter
* Katarzyna Kobro, sculptor
* Jerzy Kossak, painter
* Juliusz Kossak, painter, illustrator
* Wojciech Kossak, painter
* Katarzyna Kozyra, video artist
* Nikifor Krynicki, painter
* Alexander Kucharsky, painter
* Zofia Kulik, performer
* Tamara de Lempicka, painter
* Zbigniew Lengren, cartoonist and illustrator.
* Jan Lenica, graphic designer and cartoonist
* Daniel Libeskind, architect
* Jacek Malczewski, painter
* Jan Matejko, painter
* Piotr Michałowski, painter
* Ambroży Mieroszewski, Chopin's first portraitist
* Igor Mitoraj, sculptor
* Teresa Murak, sculptor
* Jan Piotr Norblin
* Jerzy Nowosielski, painter
* Rafał Olbiński, illustrator, painter
* Roman Opałka, painter
* Aleksander Orłowski, painter
* Józef Pankiewicz, painter, graphic artist
* Władysław Podkowiński, painter and illustrator
* Joanna Rajkowska
* Ferdynand Ruszczyc, painter, graphic artist, cartoonist, stage designer
* Henryk Rodakowski, painter
* Wilhelm Sasnal, painter
* Jan Sawka, cartoonist
* Henryk Stażewski, painter
* Józef Stolorz, painter
* Władysław Strzemiński, painter
* January Suchodolski, painter
* Józef Szajna, sculptor, stage designer, theatre director
* Stanisław Szukalski, sculptor, painter
* Wacław Szymanowski, sculptor, designer of Chopin monument in Warsaw
* Roland Topor, illustrator, painter, writer and filmmaker
* Richard (Ryszard) Tylman, painter
* Max Weber, painter
* Wojciech Weiss, painter and draughtsman
* Jan de Weryha-Wysoczański, sculptor
* Stanisław Witkiewicz, painter, architect
* Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz ("Witkacy"), painter, photographer, playwright, novelist, philosopher
* Kazimierz Wojniakowski, painter
* Leon Wyczółkowski, painter
* Stanisław Wyspiański, painter
* Jan Zamoyski, painter
* Korczak Ziółkowski, designer and sculptor of Crazy Horse Memorial

Entertainment

* Piotr Adamczyk, actor
* Piotr Andrejew, film director
* Michael Anthony (Sobolewski), Van Halen band
* Józef Arkusz, film director
* Tomasz Bagiński, BAFTA Award winning short animated movies maker, nominated to Academy Award
* Andrzej Bartkowiak, cinematographer, director and actor.
* Eugeniusz Bodo, singer and actor
* Wojciech Bogusławski, actor, theater director, playwright.
* Walerian Borowczyk, film director
* Ewa Braun, Academy Award winning set decorator, costume designer, production designer
* Zbigniew Cybulski, actor
* Elżbieta Czyżewska, actress
* Ewa Demarczyk, actress, poetry singer
* Dagmara Dominczyk, actress
* Paweł Edelman, cinematographer, European Film Award winner.
* Katarzyna Figura, actress
* Aleksander Ford, director
* Małgorzata Foremniak, actress, starred in Avalon
* Piotr Fronczewski, actor and singer
* Janusz Gajos, actor
* Sir John Gielgud, English theatre and film actor with Polish "szlachcic" father
* Samuel Goldwyn, legendary film producer
* Jerzy Grotowski, theatre reformer
* Adam Hanuszkiewicz, actor
* Jerzy Hoffman, film director
* Agnieszka Holland, film director, nominated to Academy Awards and BAFTA Award
* Gustaw Holoubek, actor
* Sławomir Idziak, cinematagrapher, nominated to Oscar
* Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, Academy Award winning composer, nominated to BAFTA Award
* Jacek Kaczmarski, protest songwriter, poetry singer, guitarist
* Janusz Kaminski, two Oscars and BAFTA Award winning cinematographer and film director
* Bronislau Kaper, Academy Award winning composer
* Krzysztof Kieślowski, film director, nominated to Academy Awards
* Max Kolonko TV personality, producer, writer
* Kazimierz Kutz, film director
* Martin Kunert (born Marcin Kunert-Dziewanowski) - writer/director
* Irena Kwiatkowska, actress
* Bogusław Linda, actor
* Tadeusz Łomnicki, actor
* Rudolph Maté, accomplished cinematographer and film director, nominated for 5 Oscars
* Helena Modjeska/Modrzejewska, actress (born Helena Opid)
* Pola Negri, actress
* Wacław Niżyński (Vaslav Nijinsky), ballet dancer and choreographer
* Karen O (Orzołek), the lead vocalist for the New York art punk band Yeah Yeah Yeahs
* Daniel Olbrychski, actor
* Jerzy Owsiak, broadcaster
* Joanna Pacuła, actress
* Ludwika Paleta, Polish-Mexican actress
* Cezary Pazura, actor
* Roman Polański, award winning film director educated in Poland
* Jeremi Przybora
* Anna Przybylska, actress
* Wojciech Pszoniak, actor of Comedie Francaise
* Krzysztof Ptak, cinematographer
* Zbigniew Rybczynski, Oscar and Emmy Award winning filmmaker
* Lew Rywin, film producer and criminal
* Leon Schiller, theatre director
* Izabella Scorupco, Polish-born Hollywood-actress and singer.
* Andrzej Seweryn, actor of Comédie Française
* Casey Siemaszko, actor
* Nina Siemaszko, actor
* Jerzy Skolimowski, film director
* Przemysław Skwirczyński, cinematographer
* Adam Smoluk, director, screenwriter and actor
* Piotr Sobocinski, cinematographer
* Ladislas Starevich properly: Władysław Starewicz, film director, stop-motion animator
* Allan Starski, Oscar winning production designer, art director, set designer
* Jerzy Stuhr, actor, film director
* Loretta Swit,Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on M*A*S*H.
* Piotr Tokarski, actor
* Henryk Tomaszewski, mime
* Basia Trzetrzelewska, singer
* Andrzej Wajda, Academy Award, Golden Palm, BAFTA Award, Silver Berlin Bear, César Award and Golden Lion winning film director
* The Warner Brothers
* Jerzy Wasowski
* Lilliana Wilczkowsky, actress
* Samuel "Billy" Wilder, six Oscars winning film director, screenwriter and producer
* Roman Wilhelmi, actor
* Dariusz Wolski, cinematographer
* Zbigniew Zamachowski, actor
* Krzysztof Zanussi, film director
* Michał Żebrowski, actor
* Artur Żmijewski, actor
* Andrzej Żuławski, film director

Business

* Hipolit Cegielski
* André Citroën, founder of Citroën
* Franciszek Czapek, co-partner in Patek, Czapek & Co.
* Max Factor, Sr., cosmetics entrepreneur
* Andrew Filipowski, technology entrepreneur
* Henryk Grohman, textile manufacturer and patron of the arts
* Nathan Handwerker
* Barbara Piasecka Johnson, humanitarian, philanthropist, widow of J. Seward Johnson, Sr.
* Leopold Kronenberg, banker
* Jerzy Franciszek Kulczycki, legendary merchant, spy, diplomat; opened first café in Vienna (1683)
* Jan Kulczyk, one of the richest Poles
* Michael Marks, co-founder of Marks and Spencer retail chain
* Samuel Orgelbrand, editor
* Antoni Patek, co-founder of watchmakers Patek Philippe & Co.
* Izrael Poznański, textile magnate, philanthropist
* Helena Rubinstein, cosmetics entrepreneur
* Ziggy Switkowski, former chief executive officer of Telstra
* Hyppolite Wawelberg, Polish-Jewish banker and philanthropist
* Steve Woźniak, co-founder of Apple Inc.
* Andrzej Artur Zamoyski

Royalty

* Mieszko I, first Duke of Poland.
* Dubrawka, first Duchess of Poland.
* Świętosława (Gunhild), daughter of Mieszko I of Poland, mother of Canute the Great, King of England, Denmark and Norway.
* Bolesław I the Brave, first King of Poland.
* Mieszko II Lambert, second King of Poland.
* Richeza of Lotharingia, Queen of Poland.
* Casimir I the Restorer, Duke of Poland.
* Bolesław II the Bold, third King of Poland.
* Bolesław III Wrymouth, Duke of Poland.
* Mieszko III the Old, Duke of Greater Poland, Senior Duke of Poland.
* Casimir II the Just, Duke of Cracow, Senior Duke of Poland.
* Leszek I the White, Duke of Cracow, Senior Duke of Poland.
* Henry I the Bearded, Duke of Silesia, Senior Duke of Poland.
* Henryk II the Pious, Senior Duke of Poland, commander of Polish forces in the Battle of Legnica (1241).
* Premislas II, King of Poland.
* Władysław I the Elbow-high, King of Poland.
* Casimir III the Great, Piast Dynasty last King of Poland.
* Jadwiga Angevin, King and Queen of Poland.
* Władysław II Jagiełło, Lithuanian, King of Poland, victor at the Battle of Grunwald (1410).
* Władysław III of Varna (Ulászló I), King of Poland and Hungary, killed at the Battle of Varna (1444).
* Casimir IV Jagiellon, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, victor in the Thirteen Years' War (1454-1466).
* John I Albert, King of Poland.
* Alexander Jagiellon, Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland.
* Sigismund I the Old, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.
* Roxelana (Khourrem, wife of Suleiman the Magnificent).
* Barbara Radziwiłł, consort of Sigismund II August.
* Sigismund II Augustus, Jagiello Dynasty last King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
* Anna Jagiellon, reigned together with her husband Stephen Báthory
* Stephen Báthory, Hungarian-born King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
* Sigismund III Vasa, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and King of Sweden.
* Władysław IV Vasa, elected Tsar of Russia, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
* John II Casimir Vasa, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, victor at the Battle of Beresteczko (1651).
* John III Sobieski, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, victor at the Battle of Vienna (1683).
* Catherine I (Marta Skowrońska), second wife of Russian Tsar Peter the Great, and Empress of Russia (1725-27).
* Stanisław Leszczyński, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Duke of Lorraine.
* Catherine Opalińska, Queen of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Duchess of Lorraine.
* Maria Leszczyńska, consort of Louis XV, King of France.
* Stanisław August Poniatowski, last King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, co-author of the Constitution of May 3, 1791.

Nobility (szlachta)

"see: List of szlachta"

Military

* Władysław Anders, general, military commander during the Battle of Monte Cassino (1944)
* Krzysztof Arciszewski, general of artillery of Holland (1639), and Poland (1646).
* Józef Bem, military commander, commander-in-chief of Hungarian army (1849)
* Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, military commander, victor from Kircholm (1605)
* Michał Czajkowski (Sadyk Pasha), (1804-1886), Polish-Ukrainian commander-in-chief of an Ottoman Cossack Brigade during the Crimean War (1853-1856)
* Stefan Czarniecki, Field Crown Hetman of Poland (1665)
* Jan Henryk Dąbrowski, general, military commander during the Napoleonic Wars
* Jarosław Dąbrowski, military commander during the January Uprising (1863), and the Paris Commune (1871)
* Henryk Dembiński, military commander in the November Uprising and the Hungarian uprising of 1849
* Bolesław Wieniawa-Długoszowski, general, ambassador, nominated President of Poland (1939)
* Józef Dowbor-Muśnicki, general, military commander in the Greater Poland Uprising (1919)
* Jerzy Pajaczkowski-Dydynski (1894-2005), Polish soldier in World War I and in the 1920-21 Polish-Soviet War. At his death, he was the oldest man in the United Kingdom (111 years old). [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/4516532.stm]
* Józef Haller, politician, commander of the Polish Army in France during World War I
* Stanisław Jan Jabłonowski, Grand Crown Hetman (1682/3-1702)
* Jan Nowak-Jezioranski (1913-2005), Polish journalist and World War II hero.
* Mikołaj Kamieniecki, first Grand Crown Hetman of Poland (1503-1515)
* Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski, general, founder of the resistance movement "Polish Victory Service" (27 September 1939)
* Kazimierz J. Kasperek, Lt. Commander, veteran of WW II, the most decorated NCO in the Polish Navy
* Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski, general, commander of the Home Army during the Warsaw Uprising (1944)
* Stanisław Koniecpolski, Grand Crown Hetman (1632-1646)
* Tadeusz Kościuszko, Polish and American commander, general and revolutionist.
* Wladimir Krzyzanowski Polish general on the Union side during the American Civil War
* Marian Kukiel, general, military commander, historian
* Aleksander Lisowski, commander of 17th-century Lisowczycy.
* Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski, Prince, Field Crown Hetman (1657-1664), victor from the Battle of Chudniv (Cudnów) (1660)
* Stanisław Maczek, (1892-1994), commander of the Polish Armored Division, later commander-in-chief of Polish forces in exile after World War II
* Mieczyslaw Norwid-Neugebauer, general and minister
* Leopold Okulicki, general, last commander-in-chief of the Home Army
* Julian Konstanty Ordon, officer in the November Uprising (1830-31)
* Jadwiga Piłsudska
* Emilia Plater, Countess, hero of the November Uprising
* Józef Poniatowski, prince, Polish general and marshal of France
* Kazimierz Pułaski (Casimir Pulaski), Polish and American military commander
* Hyman G. Rickover, U.S. Navy Admiral, Father of the Nuclear Navy
* Konstantin Rokossovsky, (born Konstanty Rokossowski) Marshall of the Soviet Union and Polish defense minister, communist
* Stefan Rowecki, general, military commander, commander-in-chief of the Home Army
* John Shalikashvili, retired United States Army general
* Władysław Sikorski, general, commander-in-chief of the Polish Armed Forces and Prime Minister of Poland (1939-1943)
* Piotr Skuratowicz, general of the Polish Army
* Stanisław Sosabowski, commander of the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade, which saw action at Arnhem during Operation Market Garden (1944)
* Kazimierz Sosnkowski, general, Commander-in-Chief of Polish Armed Forces (1943-1944)
* Józef Sowiński, general, hero of the November Uprising (1830-31)
* Edward Rydz-Śmigły, marshal, military commander, successful in the Polish-Bolshevik war, C-i-C of the Polish Army in the September Campaign
* Jan Tarnowski, Grand Crown Hetman (1527-1561), victor of Obertyn (1531)
* Piotr Wysocki, led the November Uprising (1830)
* Kordian Józef Zamorski
* Jan Zamoyski, Great Chancellor of Poland (1578-1605) and Grand Crown Hetman (1581-1605)
* Stanisław Żółkiewski, chancellor of Poland, military commander, conqueror of Moscow (1610), Grand Crown Hetman (1613-1620)
* Janusz Żurakowski, World War II fighter pilot and Avro Arrow test pilot

Politics

Wałęsa
* Tomasz Arciszewski, first Prime Minister of Poland in exile (1944-1947)
* Kazimierz Feliks Badeni, count, Minister-President of Austria (1895-1897)
* Marek Belka, former director of economic policy in the interim coalition administration of Iraq, Prime Minister of Poland (2004-2005)
* Bolesław Bierut, leader of communist Poland (1948-1956)
* Michał Bobrzyński, Governor of Galicia (1908-1913)
* Zbigniew Brzeziński , political scientist, advisor to US President Jimmy Carter.
* Józef Cyrankiewicz, Prime Minister of communistic Poland (1947-1952 and 1954-1970)
* Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, prince, statesman, Prime Minister (1830-1831)
* Ignacy Daszyński, Prime Minister of the Temporary People’s Government of the Republic of Poland (1918)
* Roman Dmowski, nationalist politician, statesman
* Feliks Dzierżyński, the founder of the Bolshevik secret police, the Cheka
* Jaś Gawroński, Italian politician
* Edward Gierek, leader of communist Poland (1970-1980)
* Władysław Gomułka, leader of communist Poland (1956-1970)
* Piotr Jaroszewicz, Prime Minister of communistic Poland (1970-1980)
* Wojciech Jaruzelski, last leader of communist Poland (1981-1989), first President of III RP (1989-1990)
* Ryszard Kaczorowski, sixth and last President of Poland in exile (1989-1990)
* Jarosław Kaczyński, identical twin brother of Lech, leader of the Law and Justice party, Prime Minister of Poland (2006-2007)
* Lech Kaczyński, fourth President of III RP (since 2005)
* Hugo Kołłątaj, co-author of Constitution of May 3, 1791
* Wojciech Korfanty, leader of Silesians during the Third Silesian Uprising
* Janusz Korwin-Mikke, free-market activist
* Stanisław Kosior, Soviet politician
* Tadeusz Kościuszko
* Jan Kucharzewski first Prime Minister of Kingdom of Poland (1917-1918),
* Pedro Pablo Kuczynski - Prime Minister of Peru
* Aleksander Kwaśniewski, third President of III RP (1995-2005)
* Andrzej Lepper, leader of Samoobrona and former Vice-PM
* Herman Lieberman
* Julian Marchlewski, Soviet politician
* Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, Prime Minister of Poland (2005-2006)
* Tadeusz Mazowiecki, politician, first Prime Minister of III RP (Poland)
* Stanislaw Mikołajczyk, Prime Minister of Poland (1943-1944), politician of the agrarian party
* Jędrzej Moraczewski, first Prime Minister of II RP (1918-1919)
* Ignacy Mościcki, third President of II RP (1926-1939)
* Lewis Bernstein Namier, British politician and historian
* Gabriel Narutowicz, first President of the Second Polish Republic (1922)
* Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz
* Marian P. Opala, Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
* Stanisław Ostrowski, third President of Poland in exile (1972-1979)
* Ignacy Paderewski, second Prime Minister of II RP (1919)
* Waldemar Pawlak, Prime Minister of Poland (1992 and 1993-95)
* Józef Piłsudski, statesman, politician and Marshal of Poland
* Michel Poniatowski, prince, French politician
* Alfred Józef Potocki, count, Minister-President of Austria (1870-1871)
*Ignacy Potocki, co-author of Constitution of May 3, 1791
* Władysław Raczkiewicz, first President of Poland in exile (1939-1947)
* Edward Raczyński, fourth President of Poland in exile (1979-1986)
* Antoni Radziwiłł, prince, the Duke-Governor of Grand Duchy of Posen (Poznań) (1815-1831)
* Adam Ronikier, count, president of the Central Welfare Council (1916-1918) and (1940-1943)
* Dan Rostenkowski, American politician
* Kazimierz Sabbat, fifth President of Poland in exile (1986-1989)
* Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, vice-president of European Parliament (2004-2007)
* Władysław Sikorski, general, Prime Minister of Poland (1939-1943)
* Anatoly Sobczak, first post-Soviet mayor of St Petersburg
* Stefan Starzyński, President of Warsaw (1934-1939)
* Donald Tusk, chairman of the Civic Platform, Prime Minister of Poland (since 2007)
* Lech Wałęsa, trade unionist who started dismantling of the Soviet bloc, the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, second President of III RP (1990-1995)
* Ludwik Waryński, socialist activist in 19th c.
* Roy Welensky, Prime Minister of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
* Edward Werner, (born in Poland to parents of German origin) vice-Minister of Finance, and Polish diplomat during World War II
* Alexander Wielopolski, count, Marquis of Gonzaga, statesman
* Wincenty Witos, politician of the agrarian party
* Stanisław Wojciechowski, second President of II RP (1922-1926)
* Tadeusz Wróblewski
* August Zaleski, second President of Poland in exile (1947-1972)
* Andrzej Artur Zamoyski

Diplomats

* Władysław Bartoszewski, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1995 and 2000-2001)
* Józef Beck, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1932-1939)
* Alois Friedrich von Brühl, Polish-Saxon diplomat, starost of Warsaw
* Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2001-2005)
* Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, prince, foreign affairs minister of the Russian Empire (1804-1806)
* Władysław Czartoryski, prince, the main diplomatic agent of the National Government (1863-1864)
* Roman Dmowski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1923)
* Bronisław Geremek, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1997-2000)
* Agenor Count Gołuchowski, foreign affairs minister of Austria-Hungary (1895-1906)
* Stanisław Janikowski, diplomat in Rome, to Holy See (1927-1954)
* Krzysztof Grzymułtowski, diplomat and voivod of Poznań, author of the Eternal Peace Treaty with Russia (1686)
* Julian Klaczko, Polish-Austrian diplomat
* Stanisław Kot, Polish ambassador to the Soviet Union (1941-1942) and to Italy (1945-1947)
* Józef Lipski, Polish ambassador to Germany (1933-1939)
* Ivan Maysky, Soviet diplomat
* Stefan Meller, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2005-2006)
* Lewis Bernstein Namier, British diplomat and historian
* Andrzej Olechowski, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1993-1995)
* Ignacy Paderewski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1919) and third prime minister of Poland
* Stanisław Patek, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1919-1920)
* Edward Bernard Raczyński, count, Polish ambassador to the United Kingdom (1934-1945) and foreign affairs minister (1941-1943)
* Adam Rapacki, foreign affairs minister of communist Poland (1956-1968)
* Joseph Retinger, precursor of the European Union
* Dariusz Rosati, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1995-1997)
* Adam Daniel Rotfeld, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2005)
* Radosław Sikorski, foreign affairs minister of III RP (since 2007)
* Konstanty Skirmunt, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1921-1922)
* Aleksander Skrzyński, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1922-1923 and 1924-1926)
* Krzysztof Skubiszewski, first foreign affairs minister of III RP (1989-1993)
* Romuald Spasowski, Polish ambassador to the United States (1955-1961 and 1978-1981)
* Andrey Vyshinsky, Soviet jurist and diplomat
* Alexandre Joseph Count Colonna-Walewski, French foreign affairs minister
* Leon Wasilewski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1918-1919)
* August Zaleski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1926-1932)
* Maurycy Klemens Zamoyski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1924)
* Josef Zieleniec, Czech foreign affairs minister
* Sergey Yastrzhembsky, Russian diplomat

Intelligence

* Roman Czerniawski, Polish Air Force captain and British Double Cross System agent.
* Michael Goleniewski, Cold War Polish, Soviet and American CIA agent.
* Jan Kowalewski, engineer, intelligence officer and cryptologist, one of many who broke Soviet ciphers during the Polish-Soviet War of 1919–21.
* Andrzej Kowerski, Polish Army officer and World War II British SOE agent; colleague of Krystyna Skarbek.
* Ryszard Kukliński, Polish Army colonel, Cold War CIA master spy.
* Jerzy Franciszek Kulczycki, Polish spy at the Battle of Vienna (1683); founder of Vienna's first coffee house, which offered coffee produced from coffee beans captured from the Turks.
* Gwido Langer, head of Poland's interbellum Cipher Bureau, which in 1932 first broke the German Enigma ciphers.
* Kazimierz Leski, engineer, fighter pilot, World War II "Musketeers" and Home Army intelligence officer.
* Jerzy Pawłowski, Olympic gold-medalist fencer and Cold-War double agent.
* Tadeusz Pełczyński, general, head of Polish military intelligence (1922-1932 and 1935-1938).
* Marcel Reich-Ranicki, Polish consul-general and intelligence agent in London,1948–49; the most influential contemporary critic of German literature.
* Krystyna Skarbek, World War II British SOE agent.
* Mieczysław Zygfryd Słowikowski ("Rygor-Słowikowski"), Polish Army intelligence officer whose work in North Africa facilitated Allied preparations for the 1942 Operation Torch landings.
* Jerzy Sosnowski, major, a Polish spy in Germany (1926-1934) as Georg von Sosnowski, Ritter von Nalecz.
* Antoni Szymański, Polish military attaché in Berlin (1932–39).
* Halina Szymańska, World War II British intelligence agent; wife of Antoni Szymański.
* Jan Włodarkiewicz, lieutenant colonel, the first commander of Wachlarz.
* Marian Zacharski, Cold-War Polish intelligence agent convicted of espionage against the United States.

Holocaust resisters

* Mordechaj Anielewicz, Military Leader of Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (1943)
* Władysław Bartoszewski
* Adolf Berman
* Anna Borkowska (Sister Bertranda)
* Icchak Cukierman
* Marek Edelman
* Yitzhak Gitterman
* Haika Grossman
* Irena Gut
* Jan Karski
* Zofia Kossak-Szczucka, co-founder of Żegota
* Wanda Krahelska-Filipowicz, Provisional Committee for Aid to Jews
* Zivia Lubetkin
* Witold Pilecki
* Irena Sendler
* Henryk Sławik, Polish politician and diplomat in Hungary
* Henryk Woliński
* Lidia Zamenhof
* Szmul Zygielbojm

Religion

* Andrzej Alojzy Ankwicz (Roman-Catholic Archbishop of Lwow, 1815-33, and Archbishop of Prague 1833-38).
* Baal Shem Tov (Yisroel ben Eliezer (1698-1760), rabbi, the founder of Hasidic Judaism).
* St. Józef Bilczewski (Roman-Catholic Archbishop of Lvov, 1900-23).
* Szymon Budny (Polish-Belarusian humanist and Arian priest).
* St. Casimir Jagiellon (grandson of King Władysław II Jagiełło).
* St. Adam (Albert) Chmielowski (Albertine).
* August Czartoryski (beatified Prince).
* Edmund Dalbor (Primate of Poland, Cardinal, 1915-26).
* Albin Dunajewski (Bishop of Kraków, Cardinal, 1879-94).
* Stanisław Dziwisz (Archbishop of Kraków since 2005, Cardinal).
* Antoni Melchior Fijałkowski
* Jacob Frank (Jewish messianic leader who merged Judaism and Christianity).
* Piotr z Goniądza (religious writer).
* Piotr Gamrat (Primate of Poland, 1541-45).
* Józef Glemp (Primate of Poland since 1981, Cardinal).
* St. Hedwig (Queen of Poland, 1384-99).
* August Hlond (Primate of Poland, 1926-48, Cardinal).
* Stanislaus Hosius (legate to Poland, Cardinal and Prince-Bishop of Warmia).
* St. Hyacinth (Dominican).
* Henryk Jankowski (Prelate, Chaplain of "Solidarność")
* Marian Jaworski (Polish Roman-Catholic Archbishop of Lvov, since 1991, Cardinal).
* Aleksander Kakowski (Archbishop of Warsaw, Cardinal).
* St. Raphael Kalinowski (Carmelite).
* St. Jan Kanty (professor at Kraków University).
* Stanisław Karnkowski (Primate of Poland, 1581-1603; Interrex, 1586-87).
* St. Maksymilian Maria Kolbe (Franciscan martyr, Auschwitz 1941).
* Hugo Kołłątaj (priest, statesman).
* St. Stanisław Kostka (Jesuit).
* St. Faustina Kowalska (Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy).
* Ignacy Krasicki (Primate of Poland).
* Adam Stanisław Krasiński (Bishop of Kamieniec Podolski, 1757-98).
* John Krol (Archbishop of Philadelphia, Cardinal, 1961-88).
* Mieczysław Halka Ledóchowski (Primate of Poland, 1866-86, Cardinal).
* Jan Łaski (Primate of Poland, 1510-31).
* Władysław Aleksander Łubieński (Archbishop of Lwów, 1758-59; and Primate of Poland, 1759-67; Interrex, 1763-64).
* Franciszek Macharski (Archbishop of Kraków, 1978-2005, Cardinal).
* Zbigniew Cardinal Oleśnicki (Bishop of Kraków, 1423-55, first Cardinal of Polish origin, since 1449, statesman).
* Zbigniew Oleśnicki (nephew of Zbigniew Cardinal Oleśnicki; Primate of Poland, 1481-93).
* Walenty Potocki (Count; converted to Judaism as Avrohom ben Avrohom, the Ger Tzedek of Vilna; died 1749).
* Jan Puzyna (Bishop of Kraków, 1895-1911, Cardinal).
* Jerzy Cardinal Radziwiłł (Bishop of Kraków, Cardinal, 1591-1600).
* Tadeusz Rydzyk (Redemptorist).
* St. Stanislaus of Szczepanów (Bishop of Kraków, martyr 1079).
* Adam Stefan Sapieha (Bishop/Archbishop of Kraków, Cardinal, 1911-51).
* Piotr Skarga (Jesuit).
* Kajetan Sołtyk (Bishop of Kiev, 1756-59; Bishop of Kraków, 1759-88).
* Edmund Szoka (Archbishop of Detroit, Cardinal 1981-90).
* Józef Tischner (priest, philosopher and first chaplain of the trade union "Solidarity").
* Mikołaj Trąba (Archbishop of Gniezno, first Primate of Poland, 1418-22).
* Jakub Uchański (Primate of Poland, 1562-81; Interrex, 1572-73 and 1574-75).
* Piotr Wawrzyniak (priest and economist).
* Karol Józef Wojtyla (Archbishop of Krakow, 1963-1978, Pope John Paul II, 1978-2005).
* Stefan Wyszyński (Primate of Poland, Cardinal, 1948-81).
* Reverend Monsignor (Wawrzyniec) Lawrence Wnuk (Protonotary Apostolic).

Assassins

* Leon Czolgosz, Anarchist assassin of U.S. President William McKinley
* Ignacy Hryniewiecki, assassin of Tsar Alexander II of Russia
* Eligiusz Niewiadomski, modernist painter, art critic, assassin of Polish President Gabriel Narutowicz

Miscellaneous

* George Adamski, controversial ufologist
* Florian Ceynowa, Kashubian activist
* Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz, the first woman to sail single-handed (i.e. solo) around the world
* Franciszek Czapek, watchmaker
* Michał Drzymała
* Piotr Gawryś, contract bridge champion
* Wincenty Gostkowski, watchmaker
* Piotr Iwanicki, wheelchair dancing world champion
* Marek Kamiński, adventure traveller
* Adam Michnik, journalist
* Piotr Naszarkowski, engraver
* Stefan Ossowiecki, psychic
* Anthony Radziwill, U.S. news journalist/producer (nephew of John F. Kennedy)
* Włodzimierz Waloc Trubecki, prince
* Wilfrid Michael Voynich, bibliophile
* Arkadiusz Weremczuk a.k.a. Arkadius (Ukrainian-Polish) fashion designer
* Warren Winiarski, California winemaker
* Magdalena Wróbel, model

Legendary persons

* John of Kolno ("Jan z Kolna", "Johannes Scolnus" or "Scolvus"), semi-legendary explorer and discoverer of America before Columbus (1476).
* Pan Twardowski, semi-legendary Faust-like sorcerer; in Polish legend, the first man on the Moon.
* Janek Wiśniewski, freedom fighter, hero of 1970 Gdynia riots.

Fiction characters

* Captain William Joseph "B.J." Blazkowicz from Wolfenstein 3D
* Waldemar Daninsky, wolfman from La Marca del Hombre Lobo
* Nicodemus Dyzma (in Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz's novel, "The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma").
* Dr Judym (in Stefan Żeromski's novel, "Homeless People").
* Florentyna Kane from "The Prodigal Daughter" and "Shall We Tell the President?"
* Commander Keen, grandson of B.J. Blazkowicz
* Hans Kloss (Captain Kloss), WW II secret agent from Polish TV serial "More Than Life at Stake"
* Funky Koval, space detective
* Stanley Kowalski of the play "A Streetcar Named Desire"
* Koziołek Matołek (Matołek the Billy-Goat) is a fictional character created by Kornel Makuszyński (story) and Marian Walentynowicz (art) in one of the first and most famous Polish comics back in 1933
* Magneto, mutant (Marvel Comics)
* Mike Nomad (with Steve Roper), an American adventure comic strip (1936 - 2004)
* from
* Abel Rosnovski from "Kane and Abel"
* Pan Samochodzik, a fictional adventurer by Zbigniew Nienacki
* Sasquatch (Dr. Walter Langkowski), Marvel superhero
* Walter Sobchak, the "Polish Catholic" from the film "The Big Lebowski"
* Silk Spectre I & II, superheroines from Watchmen
* Stanislau from Blackhawk (comics), ace pilot
* Tytus, Romek i A'Tomek, Polish comic book heroes
* Walter Koskiusko Waldowski, the "Painless Pole" in MASH (film)
* Miś Uszatek, cartoon character
* Konrad Wallenrod (poem) by Adam Mickiewicz
* John Paul Wiggin (Jan Paweł Wieczorek) from Ender's Game series
* Stanisław Wokulski (in Bolesław Prus' novel, "The Doll").
* Piotr Zak, fictional composer from a spoof BBC documentary
* Sophie Zawistowski from "Sophie's Choice", a novel by William Styron and a film by Alan J. Pakula.
* The Witcher, fantasy hero by Sapkowski

ports

"see also: list of Polish sports players"

Track and field

* Andrzej Badeński, sprinter
* Jerzy Chromik, athlete
* Teresa Ciepły, sprinter
* Marian Foik, sprinter
* Halina Górecka, sprinter
* Piotr Haczek, track athlete
* Barbara Janiszewska, sprinter
* Ewa Kłobukowska, sprinter
* Władysław Komar, shot putter
* Halina Konopacka, discus thrower
* Robert Korzeniowski, racewalker
* Władysław Kozakiewicz, pole vaulter
* Elżbieta Krzesińska, long jumper
* Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak, athlete
* Wacław Kuchar, athlete
* Janusz Kusociński, athlete
* Maria Kwaśniewska, javelin thrower
* Tomasz Majewski, shot putter
* Piotr Małachowski, discus thrower
* Wiesław Maniak, sprinter
* Bronisław Malinowski, athlete
* Józef Noji, athlete
* Wanda Panfil, athlete
* Artur Partyka, high jumper
* Edmund Piątkowski, discus thrower
* Marek Plawgo, athlete
* Monika Pyrek, pole vaulter
* Anna Rogowska, pole vaulter
* Tadeusz Rut, hammer thrower
* Piotr Rysiukiewicz, sprinter
* Janusz Sidło, javelin thrower
* Kamila Skolimowska, hammer thrower
* Irena Szewińska, sprinter
* Józef Szmidt, triple jumper
* Tadeusz Ślusarski, pole vaulter
* Jadwiga Wajs, discus thrower
* Stanisława Walasiewicz, sprinter
* Jan Werner, sprinter
* Jacek Wszoła, high jumper
* Kazimierz Zimny, athlete
* Szymon Ziółkowski, hammer thrower

Boxing

* Tomasz Adamek
* Aleksy Antkiewicz
* Zygmunt Chychła
* Leszek Drogosz
* Charley Goldman (International Boxing Hall of fame)
* Andrzej Gołota
* Janusz Gortat
* Józef Grudzień
* Marian Kasprzyk
* Jerzy Kulej
* Dariusz Michalczewski
* Zbigniew Pietrzykowski
* Jerzy Rybicki
* Feliks Stamm, coach
* Jan Szczepański
* Janusz Zarenkiewicz

Chess

* Arnold Aurbach
* Zdzisław Belsitzmann
* Agnieszka Brustman
* Oscar Chajes
* Josef Cukierman
* Hieronim Czarnowski
* Moshe Czerniak
* Arthur Dake
* Dawid Daniuszewski
* Arthur Dunkelblum
* Hanna Ereńska
* Samuel Factor
* Alexander Flamberg
* Henryk Friedman
* Paulino Frydman
* Regina Gerlecka
* Róża Herman
* Krystyna Hołuj-Radzikowska
* Dawid Janowski
* Max Judd
* Henrijeta Konarkowska-Sokolov
* Michał Krasenkow
* Adam Kuligowski
* Salo Landau
* Edward Lasker
* Paul Saladin Leonhardt
* Grigory Levenfish
* Moishe Lowtzky
* Bartłomiej Macieja
* Kazimierz Makarczyk
* Stasch Mlotkowski
* Piotr Murdzia
* Miguel Najdorf
* Edmund Nash
* Menachem Oren
* Julius Perlis
* Jusefs Petkevich
* Kazimierz Plater
* Ignatz von Popiel
* Artur Popławski
* Dawid Przepiórka
* Teodor Regedziński
* Samuel Reshevsky
* Samuel Rosenthal
* Gersz Rotlewi
* Akiba Rubinstein
* Gersz Salwe
* Włodzimierz Schmidt
* Stanislaus Sittenfeld
* Franciszek Sulik
* Bogdan Śliwa
* Savielly Tartakower
* Jean Taubenhaus
* Vitaly Tseshkovsky
* Szymon Winawer
* Aleksander Wojtkiewicz
* Daniel Yanofsky
* Johannes Zukertort
* Adolf Zytogorski

Fencing

* Zbigniew Czajkowski
* Danuta Dmowska
* Egon Franke
* Sylwia Gruchała
* Roman Kantor
* Edward Korfanty
* Ryszard Parulski
* Jerzy Pawłowski
* Witold Woyda
* Wojciech Zabłocki

Ice hockey

* Wayne Gretzky Canadian ice hockey player of polish decent
* Mariusz Czerkawski
* Mike Komisarek
* Ed Olczyk
* Krzysztof Oliwa
* Peter Sidorkiewicz
* Pete Stemkowski
* Wojtek Wolski

kiing

* Bronisław Czech
* Wojciech Fortuna, ski jumper
* Adam Małysz, ski jumper
* Jan Marusarz, brother of Stanisław Marusarz and fellow Olympian; Krystyna Skarbek's World War II escort on skis across the Tatra Mountains from Hungary to Poland
* Stanisław Marusarz, ski jumper

Football (Soccer)

* Zygmunt Anczok, defender
* Zbigniew Boniek, midfielder
* Artur Boruc, goalkeeper
* Gerard Cieślik, midfielder
* Lesław Ćmikiewicz, midfielder
* Kazimierz Deyna, midfielder
* Jerzy Dudek, goalkeeper
* Robert Gadocha, attacker
* Jerzy Gorgoń, defender
* Kazimierz Górski, coach
* Paweł Janas, defender, coach
* Józef Kałuża, attacker, coach
* Henryk Kasperczak, midfielder, coach
* Miroslav Klose, (Polish-German) attacker
* Józef Klotz, defender
* Tomasz Kuszczak, goalkeeper
* Grzegorz Lato, attacker
* Włodzimierz Lubański, attacker
* Stefan Majewski, defender, coach
* Józef Młynarczyk, goalkeeper
* Erwin Nyc, midfielder
* Ryszard Piec, midfielder
* Antoni Piechniczek, coach
* Lukas Podolski, (Polish-German) attacker
* Ernest Pohl, attacker
* Fryderyk Scherfke, midfielder
* Euzebiusz Smolarek, attacker
* Włodzimierz Smolarek, midfielder
* Grzegorz Szamotulski, goalkeeper
* Andrzej Szarmach, attacker
* Władysław Szczepaniak, defender
* Piotr Świerczewski, midfielder
* Jan Tomaszewski, goalkeeper
* Krzysztof Warzycha, attacker
* Gerard Wodarz, attacker
* Ernest Wilimowski, attacker
* Łukasz Załuska, goalkeeper
* Władysław Żmuda, defender

wimming

* Katarzyna Baranowska
* Otylia Jędrzejczak
* Bartosz Kizierowski
* Michael Klim
* Paweł Korzeniowski
* Sławomir Kuczko
* Mariusz Podkościelny
* Mateusz Sawrymowicz
* Rafał Szukała
* Artur Wojdat

Weightlifting

* Waldemar Baszanowski
* Marcin Dołęga
* Szymon Kołecki
* Mieczysław Nowak
* Ireneusz Paliński
* Agata Wróbel
* Marian Zieliński

Others

* Leszek Blanik, gymnastics
* Janusz Centka, soaring
* Wojciech Fibak, tennis
* Anni Friesinger, speed skater
* Tomasz Gollob, motorcycle speedway
* Andrzej Grubba, table tennis
* Sebastian Janikowski, American football
* Jadwiga Jędrzejowska, tennis
* Sebastian Kawa, soaring
* Rafał Kubacki, judo
* Robert Kubica, auto racing
* Mateusz Kusznierewicz, sailing
* Waldemar Legień, judo
* Jerzy Makula, glider aerobatics
* Dan Marino, American football
* Piotr Markiewicz, canoeing
* Bill Mazeroski, baseball
* Paweł Nastula, judo
* Aneta Pastuszka, canoeing
* Mariusz Pudzianowski, strongman
* Ivan Putski, professional wrestler
* Agnieszka Radwanska, tennis
* Urszula Radwanska, tennis
* Elwira Seroczyńska, speed skater
* Tomasz Sikora, biathlete
* Paul Slowinski, Muay Thai
* Roger Verey, rowing
* Piotr Wadecki, cycling
* Bogdan Wenta, handball
* Jerzy Wojnar, luge
* Sobiesław Zasada, auto racing