Edward Rydz-Śmigły
Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły [ˈɛdvard ˈrɨdz ˈɕmiɡwɨ] ⓘ (11 March 1886 – 2 December 1941; nom de guerre Śmigły, Tarłowski, Adam Zawisza), also called Edward Śmigły-Rydz, was a Polish politician, statesman, Marshal of Poland and Commander-in-Chief of Poland's armed forces, as well as a painter and poet.
Marshal of Poland Edward Rydz-Śmigły | |
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Rydz-Śmigły in 1937 | |
| General Inspector of the Armed Forces | |
| In office 12 May 1935 – 7 November 1939 | |
| President | Ignacy Mościcki |
| Preceded by | Józef Piłsudski |
| Succeeded by | Władysław Sikorski |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 March 1886 Brzeżany, Austria-Hungary (now Berezhany, Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine) |
| Died | 2 December 1941 (aged 55) Warsaw, occupied Poland |
| Awards | |
| Signature | |
| Nickname(s) | Adam Zawisza, Tarłowski |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Austria-Hungary (1914–1917) Second Polish Republic (1918–1939) |
| Branch/service |
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| Years of service | 1914–1939 |
| Rank | Marshal of Poland |
| Commands | C-i-C of the Polish Armed Forces |
| Battles/wars | First World War Polish-Ukrainian War Polish-Soviet War Second World War |
During the interwar period, he was an exceptionally admired public figure in Poland and was regarded as a hero for his exemplary record as an army commander in the Polish Legions of World War I and the ensuing Polish–Soviet War in 1920. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief and Inspector General of the Polish Armed Forces following Marshal Józef Piłsudski's death in 1935. Rydz served in this capacity at the start of World War II during the invasion of Poland.
When war loomed, political differences fell away and defense became the national priority. Consequently, Rydz's stature eclipsed even that of the president. The shock of the Polish defeat made objective evaluations of his legacy during and after the war difficult; his reputation, very much tied to the critical early months of World War II, remains tendentious and controversial.