Włodzimierz Zagórski (general)

Włodzimierz Zagórski of Ostoja coat of arms (January 21, 1882 in Saint-Martin-Lantosque, France – fate unknown, missing since August 7, 1927) was a Polish general, staff officer, aviator.

He was born in France and was educated there. He spoke fluently several languages and was trained as a pilot at the very beginnings of the aviation. Served as a military intelligence officer in the Austro-Hungarian army as an officer responsible for the activities against Russia. During the years of 1914–1916 he was a chief of staff of Polish Legions. Since November 1918 in Polish Armed Forces. He took part in the Battle of Warsaw against the Soviet invader in 1920 under the command of general Rozwadowski.

In 1921-1923 he was in reserve, then from March 1923 he was a chief of Military Industry Department. From 17 August 1924 until 18 March 1926 he was a chief of Air Force Department in War Ministry [Jerzy B. Cynk: "Polskie lotnictwo wosjkowe na rozdrożu" in "Skrzydlata Polska" 9/2006, pp. 51–52] . An important figure in the development of Polish airforce, he was accused of mismanagement and corruption centered around the "Francopol" company. As a result of press campaign. During the May 1926 "coup d'état", on the orders of general Rozwadowski, Zagórski took the command of Warsaw Air Group from Ludomił Rayski on May 12 and decided to use the airplanes against the forces of Józef Piłsudski. Arrested on May 15 1926 in Warsaw and with other four generals who during the Piłsudski armed coup took the side of the legal government and imprisoned in Wilno. As he was a skilled pilot himself, he was also falsely accused of personally flying on missions to bomb the Piłsudski soldiers.

General Włodzimierz Zagórski has been finally released from prison in Wilno on August 6, 1927. Escorted by younger officers, he traveled by train to Warsaw, but disappeared soon after arrival. Press speculation abounded, but in the end he has never been seen again nor his body has been found. Some argued that the former intelligence officer was able to disappear fearing the trial in the "Francopol" affair; others alleged that Zagórski was murdered on the orders of Józef Piłsudski, but none of this has ever been proved. The fact remains that before nor after his death, no charges have been presented to general Zagórski. After the general's disappearance the only charge which has been braught up against him, was his desertion from the Polish Army.

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References

*Cite encyclopedia
title=Zagórski Włodzimierz
encyclopedia=Internetowa encyklopedia PWN
url=http://encyklopedia.pwn.pl/haslo.php?id=3999856
accessdate=2007-06-19 pl icon
*Cite encyclopedia
title=Zagórski Włodzimierz
encyclopedia=WIEM Encyclopedia
url=http://portalwiedzy.onet.pl/7340,,,,zagorski_wlodzimierz,haslo.html
accessdate=2007-06-19 pl icon

Persondata
NAME=Zagórski, Włodzimierz
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Zagórski-Ostoja
SHORT DESCRIPTION=general
DATE OF BIRTH=January 21 1882
PLACE OF BIRTH=Saint-Martin-Lantosque, France
DATE OF DEATH=unknown, missing since August 7 1927
PLACE OF DEATH=unknown