Walery Sławek

Walery Sławek (2 November 1879 – 3 April 1939) was a Polish politician who in the early 1930s served three times as Prime Minister of Poland. He was one of the closest aides of Józef Piłsudski.

In 1908 he had taken part in the Bezdany raid organized and led by Józef Piłsudski — a "train robbery" that had financed Piłsudski's organization.

Activist in the Komisja Tymczasowa Skonfederowanych Stronnictw Niepodległościowych (1912-1914).

After the oath crisis in 1917 he was detained by the Germans. In 1918, he was released on 12 November 1918. During the Polish-Soviet War he was the chief of the Military intelligence.

In 1928 he created the Non-partisan Bloc for Cooperation with the Government. On 30 March 1930 he became the Prime Minister of Poland. He resigned on 23 August the same year, but he returned to office on 4 December. He resigned on 26 May 1931. For the third time he was prime minister between 28 March and 12 October 1935.

Józef Piłsudski selected Sławek as his choice for President of Poland, but after his death, Sławek lost all his influence in politics. He was Marshal of the Sejm from 22 June to 27 November 1938. Slawek didn't even win a seat in general election of 1938.

On 2 April 1939 at 8:45 pm (the exact hour of Pilsudski's death), Sławek shot himself. He died next day in hospital.