Tomasz Chołodecki

Tomasz Chołodecki (December 21, 1813 - July 17, 1880) was a political activist, Polish rebel and soldier, who took part in almost every manifestation that supported Poland's independence in the 19th century.

November Uprising

Tomasz Chołodecki was the son of Kajetan Dominik Chołodecki, the leaseholder of Bednarów in what is present day Ukraine. He attended gymanasium nearby in Brzezany and continued his education with jesuit monks in Tarnopol. In 1831 Chołodecki left to join General Józef Dwernicki's forces to fight in Poland's November Uprising. He fought in all of the 2nd corps battles, starting with the Battle of Stoczek and ending with the Battle of Boreml. In this last battle he was injured and was captured. After he returned to health he was released from prison and returned to Galicia.

Kraków Uprising

Upon returning to Galicia Chołodecki tried his hand at becoming a "mandatariusz" but he found working for the government unconscionable, so he began working in alcohol manufacturing. During this time he continued to conspire against the Austrian authorities, he was a member of the "Centralizacja Towarzyska Demokratyczna", which was run by Robert Chmielewski. His association to this organization was discovered and he was subsequently put under police surveillance. Still, this did not deter him from conspiring against the state, in 1845 he joined Teofil Wiśniowski and his Towarzystwo Demokratyczne Polskie. Chołodecki left from Zarudz, where the plans for a coming uprising were being laid, on November 21, 1846 towards Narajów to carry out Wiśniowski's plan. He led a platoon of Polish fighters against a group Austrian Hussar's near the Kragla Inn while battling for Narajów. When Chołodecki received word that the uprising was being called off in the west, he fled to his cousin who lived in Kudynowce. From Kudynowce he fled to Złoczów with the help of his cousin, in order to obtain a new passport from the "Starosta". He was found and arrested in Złoczów and transported to the criminal court in Lwów. In Lwów the prosecution began an investigation that began on March 23, 1846 and ended on July 12, 1846. After the investigation the court found 25 of the so-called Narajów expedition guilty in the first degree, and sentenced to death by hanging. On July 1, 1847 the high court tribunal in Vienna reduced Chołodecki's sentence to 15 years to be spent in Spielberg. Teofil Wiśniowski was not so lucky, he was hanged on July 31, 1837 along with Józef Kapuściński. On March 23, 1848 a general amnesty was given to those who took part in the events of 1846, and Chołodecki left for Lwów.

January Uprising

In Lwów Chołodecki was able to get a position as the administrator of the Potocki estate, he later became the administrator in Brzoza Stadnicka, and finally he became the director of a sugar plant in Rytwiana. In 1855 he married Anna Madeyska, three years later he had his only son, Tomasz Dominik Jozef Chołodecki. This is were the events leading up to the January Uprising of 1863 found him, he quickly joined a local insurgent group and fought in the Battle of Staszów under Marian Langiewicz in February of that year. He was later captured by the Russians, and while in their custody he managed a daring and miraculous escape.

Twilight Years

Chołodecki found his way back to Lwów after fleeing from Russian captivity, living on his retirement income. In 1878 while taking part in manifestations greeting Otto Hausner in Lwów, which were fought by the Austrian authorities, Chołodecki was wounded having his head cut by the saber of an Austrian soldier. He never fully recovered, and he died on July 17, 1880 leaving behind a wife and two children.

Other Notes

Tomasz Chołodecki was the great grandfather of Witold Franciszek Tomasz Chołodecki, who was murdered by Soviet forces in Kharkov in 1940, during what is broadly referred to as the Katyn massacre.

ources

*"Polski slownik biograficzny" (Polish Biographical Dictionary), Kraków, 2000
*Boniecki, Adam. "Herbarz Polski" (Polish Heraldry), Warsaw, 1899-1913
*Chołodecki, Białynia Józef. "Białynia-Chołodeccy : uczestnicy spisków, więźniowie stanu" (History of the Cholodecki family of the Bialynia Clan). 1911
*Limanowski, Bolesław. "Historja ruchu rewolucyjnego w Polsce w 1846 r." 1913
*Żychliński, Tadeusz. "Złota Księga Szlachty Polskiej" (Golden Tome of Polish Szlachta) Vol. 23, pp.13-19.