Bolesław Kieniewicz (russian: Болеслав Альбинович Кеневич; 21 November 19073 May 1969) was a

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...

Lieutenant general who served in the

Polish People's Army The Polish People's Army ( pl, Ludowe Wojsko Polskie , LWP) constituted the second formation of the Polish Armed Forces in the East in 1943–1945, and in 1945–1989 the armed forces of the Polish communist state ( from 1952, the Polish Peo ...

during World War II and in post-war commanded the

Internal Security Corps The Internal Security Corps ( pl, Korpus Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego, KBW) was a special-purpose military formation in Poland under democratic government, established by the Council of Ministers on 24 May 1945. History The KBW consisted of 10 ...

in the

Polish People's Republic The Polish People's Republic ( pl, Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL) was a country in Central Europe that existed from 1947 to 1989 as the predecessor of the modern Republic of Poland. With a population of approximately 37.9 million nea ...

Early life

Kieniewicz was born on 1907 in the village of Dvorets in

Minsk Governorate The Minsk Governorate (russian: Минская губерния, Belarusian: ) or Government of Minsk was a governorate ('' guberniya'') of the Russian Empire. The seat was in Minsk. It was created in 1793 from the land acquired in the partition ...

, to a family of Polish nobility. During the

October Revolution The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key moment ...

of 1917, Kieniewicz's parents were murdered and the family property was devastated. In the aftermath of the revolution, Kieniewicz and his sisters found themselves in

Russian SFSR The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...

, where he went to an orphanage while his sisters moved to

Saratov Saratov (, ; rus, Сара́тов, a=Ru-Saratov.ogg, p=sɐˈratəf) is the largest city and administrative center of Saratov Oblast, Russia, and a major port on the Volga River upstream (north) of Volgograd. Saratov had a population of 901,36 ...

and

Solovetsky Islands The Solovetsky Islands (russian: Солове́цкие острова́), or Solovki (), are an archipelago located in the Onega Bay of the White Sea, Russia. As an administrative division, the islands are incorporated as Solovetsky District of ...

Military career

At the end of the seventh grade of school in 1921, he voluntarily entered into the

and worked as a courier for the supply department of the

North Caucasian Military District The North Caucasus Military District was a military district of the Russian Armed Forces, which became in 2010 the Southern Military District and lately also included the Black Sea Fleet and Caspian Flotilla. It comprised the Republic of Adygeya, ...

. In 1923, he left from the army and worked at a construction site in Saratov. In May 1926, Kieniewicz re-entered in the Red Army and was sent to study at the 12th Twice Red Banner Infantry School for Command Staff named after

V. I. Lenin Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. ( 1870 – 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin,. was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 19 ...

Ulyanovsk Ulyanovsk, known until 1924 as Simbirsk, is a city and the administrative center of Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Volga River east of Moscow. Population: The city, founded as Simbirsk (), was the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin (born ...

. After graduating in September 1929, he served in the 81st Infantry Division and later was appointed as platoon commander of the 241st Rifle Regiment in

Kozelsk Kozelsk (russian: Козе́льск) is a town and the administrative center of Kozelsky District in Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located on the Zhizdra River (Oka's tributary), southwest of Kaluga, the administrative center of the oblast. Populatio ...

in January 1931. From April 1932, he served as company commander of the 242nd Rifle Regiment in

Kaluga Kaluga ( rus, Калу́га, p=kɐˈɫuɡə), a city and the administrative center of Kaluga Oblast in Russia, stands on the Oka River southwest of Moscow. Population: Kaluga's most famous resident, the space travel pioneer Konstantin Tsiol ...

and head of the regimental school of 241st Rifle Regiment from April 1934 and commanded battalions in the rifle regiments of the division. During the

Great Purge The Great Purge or the Great Terror (russian: Большой террор), also known as the Year of '37 (russian: 37-й год, translit=Tridtsat sedmoi god, label=none) and the Yezhovshchina ('period of Nikolay Yezhov, Yezhov'), was General ...

, Kieniewicz did not hide his Polish origins and also to a certain extent emphasized his origin. In this regard, he was subjected to repression in 1937 and was eventually released in 1939.

World War II

During the

Soviet invasion of Poland The Soviet invasion of Poland was a military operation by the Soviet Union without a formal declaration of war. On 17 September 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Poland from the east, 16 days after Nazi Germany invaded Poland from the west. Subse ...

in September 1939, which was followed in the aftermath of the

German invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union which marked the beginning of World War II. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week afte ...

, Kieniewicz served as battalion commander of the 49th Infantry Regiment of 50th Infantry Division. In 1940, he took part in the

Winter War The Winter War,, sv, Vinterkriget, rus, Зи́мняя война́, r=Zimnyaya voyna. The names Soviet–Finnish War 1939–1940 (russian: link=no, Сове́тско-финская война́ 1939–1940) and Soviet–Finland War 1 ...

. For military distinctions shown in these campaigns, he was awarded the

Order of the Red Banner The Order of the Red Banner (russian: Орден Красного Знамени, Orden Krasnogo Znameni) was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of th ...

. In September 1940, he was appointed chief of staff of the 57th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 57th Tank Division, which was stationed in the

Mongolian People's Republic The Mongolian People's Republic ( mn, Бүгд Найрамдах Монгол Ард Улс, БНМАУ; , ''BNMAU''; ) was a socialist state which existed from 1924 to 1992, located in the historical region of Outer Mongolia in East Asia. It w ...

. In May 1941, the division was assigned within the 5th Mechanized Corps of the 16th Army, where it was stationed at the

Kiev Special Military District Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Kyi ...

. Following the outbreak of

Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named after ...

in June 1941, Kieniewicz's regiment took part in the battles near

Shepetivka Shepetivka ( uk, Шепеті́вка; pl, Szepetówka) is a city located on the Huska River in Khmelnytskyi Oblast (province) in western Ukraine. Shepetivka is the administrative center of Shepetivka Raion (district). It hosts the administrati ...

and later was transferred to the Western Front in the 19th Army. He was transferred to the 20th Army and participated in the Battle of Smolensk. From 9 July 1941, he fought near Krasny with the 29th Rifle Regiment and on July 20, the regiment retreated beyond the

Dnieper } The Dnieper () or Dnipro (); , ; . is one of the major transboundary rivers of Europe, rising in the Valdai Hills near Smolensk, Russia, before flowing through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. It is the longest river of Ukraine and B ...

, and on 1 September 1941, it was disbanded. From September 1941, he served as deputy commander of the 30th Guards Rifle Regiment of the

7th Guards Rifle Division The 7th Guards Rifle Division was reformed as an elite infantry division of the Red Army in September 1941, based on the 1st formation of the 64th Rifle Division and served in that role until after the end of the Great Patriotic War. It was first a ...

, and from November, he was appointed commander of the 14th Guards Rifle Regiment of the same division. Kieniewicz was appointed commander of the 397th Infantry Division. In January 1943, he was wounded and sent to the hospital for treatment. After his recovery in May 1943, he was transferred to the

Ludowe Wojsko Polskie The Polish People's Army ( pl, Ludowe Wojsko Polskie , LWP) constituted the second formation of the Polish Armed Forces in the East in 1943–1945, and in 1945–1989 the armed forces of the Polish communist state ( from 1952, the Polish Peo ...

(Polish People's Army) as one of the many Soviet officers who were to ensure that this allied formation remained loyal to communist ideals. Within this military formation, he was appointed as deputy commander of the

1st Tadeusz Kościuszko Infantry Division The Polish 1st Tadeusz Kościuszko Infantry Division ( pl, 1 Polska Dywizja Piechoty im. Tadeusza Kościuszki) was an infantry division in the Poland, Polish armed forces formed in 1943 and named for the Polish and American revolutionary Tadeus ...

and took part in the

Battle of Lenino The Battle of Lenino was a tactical World War II engagement that took place on 12 and 13 October 1943, north of the village of Lenino, Mahilyow Voblast, Lenino in the Mogilev region of Byelorussian SSR, Byelorussia. The battle itself was a part ...

. From December 1943 to 1 April 1944, he served as chief of staff of the 1st Polish Corps. After the transformation of the corps into the

First Polish Army First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

, he was assigned as the chief of staff of the unit. On March 13, 1944, Kieniewicz was awarded the military rank of

Major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

. On May 27, 1944, Kieniewicz was appointed commander of the 4th Pomeranian Infantry Division and commanded it until the end of World War II. On 12 November 1944, he was awarded the military rank of

Brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in the Polish People's Army. On September 14, 1944, he was appointed commander of the Warsaw-Praga garrison. In this position, he issued strict orders to disarm the

Polish Home Army The Home Army ( pl, Armia Krajowa, abbreviated AK; ) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) esta ...

and other anti-communist underground organizations. He fought in the First Polish Army in the breakthrough of the Pommernstellung (Pomerania Wall) fortification line. For his successful operations, he was noted five times in the orders of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief

Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secreta ...

Post war

After the end of the war in May 1945, he became the commander of the

of the Ministry of Public Security, where he took part in implementing the communist regime in Poland by suppressing the anti-communist resistance. He held this position until 30 November 1946. On 25 May 1945, he was promoted to

. From March 1946, he was a member of the Polish State Security Committee. On 30 November 1946, Kieniewicz was dismissed from the Polish People's Army by

Marshal of the Soviet Union Marshal of the Soviet Union (russian: Маршал Советского Союза, Marshal sovetskogo soyuza, ) was the highest military rank of the Soviet Union. The rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union was created in 1935 and abolished in 19 ...

(later

Marshal of Poland Marshal of Poland ( pl, Marszałek Polski) is the highest rank in the Polish Army. It has been granted to only six officers. At present, Marshal is equivalent to a Field Marshal or General of the Army (OF-10) in other NATO armies. History To ...

)

Konstantin Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich (Xaverevich) Rokossovsky (Russian: Константин Константинович Рокоссовский; pl, Konstanty Rokossowski; 21 December 1896 – 3 August 1968) was a Soviet and Polish officer who becam ...

for corruption, after it was discovered that Kieniewicz owned a private villa in

Mokotów Mokotów , is a ''dzielnica'' (borough, district) of Warsaw, the capital of Poland. Mokotów is densely populated, and is a seat to many foreign embassies and companies. Only a small part of the district is lightly industrialised (''Służewiec ...

. In early 1947, he returned to

USSR The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...

, where he was a student at the K. Е. Voroshilov Higher Military Academy in

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

. After graduating in March 1948, he was reassigned to the

Soviet Army uk, Радянська армія , image = File:Communist star with golden border and red rims.svg , alt = , caption = Emblem of the Soviet Army , start_date ...

, where he served as deputy commander of an infantry corps from March 1948 to September 1949 and deputy commander of a

mechanized infantry Mechanized infantry are infantry units equipped with armored personnel carriers (APCs) or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also mechanized force). As defined by the United States Army, mechanized infantry is di ...

from September 1949 to February 1950. In February 1950, at the request of Marshal Rokossovsky, Kieniewicz was reassigned to the Polish People's Army, where he was appointed as commander of the

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...

Military District on 7 May 1950. He held this position till 8 January 1954. In February 1954, he returned to USSR and reassigned to the ranks of the Soviet Army. He left from military service in 1956. Officially it was claimed that he returned to USSR due to poor health. In fact, he was reprimanded by Marshal Rokossovsky allegedly after Kieniewicz neglected in improving the living residences of soldiers and the military economy.

Later life

While recovering from his injuries in 1943, Kieniewicz met captain of the medical service Lidia Alexandrovna Golubeva (1903-1990), with whom he later married. They had three children: a son and two daughters. After his demobilisation from the Soviet Army, Kieniewicz settled in

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...

, at his request. He died on 3 May 1969, at the age of 61, and was buried at the

Powązki Military Cemetery Powązki Military Cemetery (; pl, Cmentarz Wojskowy na Powązkach) is an old military cemetery located in the Żoliborz district, western part of Warsaw, Poland. The cemetery is often confused with the older Powązki Cemetery, known colloquiall ...

in Warsaw. His funeral was attended by a delegation of the

Polish Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland ( pl, Siły Zbrojne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, abbreviated ''SZ RP''; popularly called ''Wojsko Polskie'' in Poland, abbreviated ''WP''—roughly, the "Polish Military") are the national armed forces of ...

led by Deputy Minister of National Defense, Major Gen. Józef Urbanowicz.

Awards and decorations

*: **

Knight's Cross of the

Virtuti Militari The War Order of Virtuti Militari (Latin: ''"For Military Virtue"'', pl, Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari) is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was created in 1792 by Polish King Stan ...

(1945) **

Commander's Cross of the

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta ( pl, Order Odrodzenia Polski, en, Order of Restored Poland) is a Polish state decoration, state Order (decoration), order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on al ...

(1945) **

Order of the Cross of Grunwald The Order of the Cross of Grunwald (') was a military decoration created in Poland in November 1943 by the High Command of Gwardia Ludowa, a Polish resistance movement in World War II, World War II Polish resistance movement organised by the Polis ...

(2nd class) (1946) ** POL_Order_Krzyża_Grunwaldu_3_Klasy_BAR

Order of the Cross of Grunwald (3rd class) (1945) ** POL_Krzyż_Walecznych_BAR

Cross of Valour (11 May 1945) ** POL_Złoty_Krzyż_Zasługi_BAR

Gold Cross of Merit The Cross of Merit () is a Polish civil state decoration established on 23 June 1923, to recognize services to the state. History At the time of its establishment in 1923, the Cross of Merit was the highest civilian award in Poland. It was awa ...

, thrice (16 July 1946, 11 September 1946, 1948) ** Medal for Merit in the Field of Glory (1st class), twice ** POL_Srebrny_Medal_Zasłużonym_na_Polu_Chwały_BAR

Medal for Merit in the Field of Glory (2nd class) **

Medal of the Armed Forces in the Service of the Fatherland The Medal of the Armed Forces in the Service of the Fatherland ( pl, Medal Siły Zbrojne w Służbie Ojczyzny) is a Polish military decoration, awarded for long service and excellent work in the army. The medal was first established on 26 May 195 ...

(bronze medal) ** POL_Srebrny_Medal_za_Zasługi_dla_Obronności_Kraju_BAR

Medal of Merit for National Defence The Medal of Merit for National Defence ( pl, Medal Za Zasługi dla Obronności Kraju) is a decoration of the Ministry of National Defence of Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divi ...

(silver medal) ** POL_Medal_10-lecia_Polski_Ludowej_BAR

Medal of the 10th Anniversary of People's Poland The Medal of the 10th Anniversary of People's Poland (Polish: ''Medal 10-lecia Polski Ludowej'') is a former Polish civil state award established by the Council of State on 23 May 1954 to recognize services to the state. It was created to mark ...

Medal "For Oder, Neisse and the Baltic" ** POL_Za_Warszawę_1939-1945_BAR

Medal "For Warsaw 1939-1945" ** POL_Za_udział_w_walkach_o_Berlin_BAR

Medal "For Participation in the Battles for Berlin" ** POL_Medal_Zwycięstwa_i_Wolności_BAR

Medal of Victory and Freedom 1945 Medal of Victory and Freedom 1945 (Polish language, Polish: ''Medal Zwycięstwa i Wolności 1945'') was a Polish military decoration awarded to persons who fought during World War II against Nazi Germany. Overview The medal was introduced by a dec ...

*: **

Order of Lenin The Order of Lenin (russian: Орден Ленина, Orden Lenina, ), named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was established by the Central Executive Committee on April 6, 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration b ...

(1951) **

, five times (1940, 5 March 1945, 29 June 1945, 1946, 1956) ** SU_Order_of_Suvorov_2nd_class_ribbon

Order of Suvorov The Order of Suvorov () is a military decoration of the Russian Federation named in honor of Russian Generalissimo Prince Alexander Suvorov (1729–1800). History The Order of Suvorov was originally a Soviet award established on July 29, 1942 ...

, 2nd class (29 May 1945) ** POL Order Wojny Ojczyźnianej 1kl BAR

Order of the Patriotic War The Order of the Patriotic War (russian: Орден Отечественной войны, Orden Otechestvennoy voiny) is a Soviet military decoration that was awarded to all soldiers in the Soviet armed forces, security troops, and to partisan ...

, 1st class (1943) ** SU Order of the Red Star ribbon

Order of the Red Star The Order of the Red Star (russian: Орден Красной Звезды, Orden Krasnoy Zvezdy) was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6 April 193 ...

(3 November 1944) ** Ribbon bar for the medal for the Defense of Moscow

Medal "For the Defence of Moscow" The Medal "For the Defence of Moscow" (russian: Медаль «За оборону Москвы») was a World War II campaign medal of the Soviet Union awarded to military and civilians who had participated in the Battle of Moscow. History T ...

(1944) **

Ribbon_Medal_For_The_Liberation_Of_Warsaw

Medal "For the Liberation of Warsaw" (1945) ** Caputureberlin_rib

Medal "For the Capture of Berlin" The Medal "For the Capture of Berlin" (russian: Медаль «За взятие Берлина») was a World War II campaign medal of the Soviet Union established on June 9, 1945 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to s ...

(1945) **

Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" The Medal "For the Victory Over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (russian: Медаль «За победу над Германией в Великой Отечественной войне 1941—1945 гг.») was a military de ...

(1945) **

Jubilee Medal "Twenty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945" A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of ...

(1965) **

Jubilee Medal "30 Years of the Soviet Army and Navy" The Jubilee Medal "30 Years of the Soviet Army and Navy" (russian: Юбилейная медаль «30 лет Советской Армии и Флота») was a state military commemorative medal of the Soviet Union established on February 22 ...

(1948) **

Jubilee Medal "50 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" The Jubilee Medal "50 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" (russian: Юбилейная медаль «50 лет Вооружённых Сил СССР») was a state military commemorative medal of the Soviet Union established on December 26, 1 ...

(1968) **

Medal "In Commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of Moscow" The Medal "In Commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of Moscow" (russian: Медаль «В память 800-летия Москвы») was a state commemorative medal of the Soviet Union established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Sov ...

(1947) Sources:

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kieniewicz, Bolesław Polish People's Army generals 1907 births 1969 deaths People from Pinsky Uyezd People from the Russian Empire of Polish descent Soviet people of Polish descent Polish United Workers' Party members Soviet lieutenant generals Soviet officers in Polish Army 1943-1968 Polish military personnel of World War II Soviet military personnel of World War II Knights of the Virtuti Militari Commanders of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Grunwald, 3rd class Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Grunwald, 2nd class Recipients of the Gold Cross of Merit (Poland) Recipients of the Cross of Valour (Poland) Recipients of the Order of Lenin Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner Recipients of the Order of Suvorov, 2nd class Recipients of the Order of the Red Star Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union alumni Politicide perpetrators Collaborators with the Soviet Union Burials at Powązki Military Cemetery Soviet military personnel of the Russian Civil War Polish people detained by the NKVD Soviet emigrants to Poland Soviet military personnel of the Winter War People of the Soviet invasion of Poland