Gen.bryg. Edmund Stanisław Knoll-Kownacki (1891–1953) was a Polish military officer and a high-ranking commander of the

Polish Army The Land Forces () are the land forces of the Polish Armed Forces. They currently contain some 62,000 active personnel and form many components of the European Union and NATO deployments around the world. Poland's recorded military history stret ...

Youth

Son of Kazimierz and Maria von Eynatten. After his matura exam in 1908 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 ...

, he continued his education at the Department of Natural Sciences of the

Moscow State University M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU; russian: Московский государственный университет имени М. В. Ломоносова) is a public research university in Moscow, Russia and the most prestigious ...

. After five semesters he was transferred to the

Moscow Agricultural Institute Moscow ( , American English, US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia. The city stands on t ...

. In the course of his studies he was subjected to compulsory military service for 12 months. He entered the army in September 1912 at the 19th Battery of Horse Artillery in Dubno, after which he passed his officers exam, earning the rank of reserve warrant officer. In May 1913 he received his diploma in agricultural engineering. He worked for a year as a veterinary inspector in the Central Agriculture Association in Warsaw. Meanwhile, he entered the Rifleman Squads, with the nom de guerre ''Kownacki''. He graduated from the Rifleman Squad School in

Nowy Sącz Nowy Sącz (; hu, Újszandec; yi, Tzanz, צאַנז; sk, Nový Sonč; german: Neu-Sandez) is a city in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship of southern Poland. It is the district capital of Nowy Sącz County as a separate administrative unit. It has ...

in 1914.

World War I

On August 6, 1914, at the beginning of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, he became a commissioned troop commander in the 2nd Rifleman Battalion. From 13 September he was a member of 1st

Uhlan Uhlans (; ; ; ; ) were a type of light cavalry, primarily armed with a lance. While first appearing in the cavalry of Lithuania and then Poland, Uhlans were quickly adopted by the mounted forces of other countries, including France, Russia, Pr ...

Squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...

of Władysława Beliny-Prażmowskiego. From October 1914 he organised and commanded a battery of horse artillery (part of Legion 1st artillery regiment), later upgraded to a wing. After the Oath crisis of August 6, 1917 he was interned by Germans in a camp at

Beniaminów Beniaminów is a village in Poland. It has approximately 190 inhabitants (1998) and is located in the Masovian Voivodship, east of Warsaw, between Legionowo and Nieporęt. Within the village are remnants of a 19th-century fort. In 1917, afte ...

. Granted temporary leave in May 1918 to deal with family matters, he never returned to the camp. On October 25 he was appointed to

Polska Siła Zbrojna The Polish Armed Forces ( pl, Polska Siła Zbrojna, German: ''Polnische Wehrmacht)'' was a military formation created during World War I.David G. Williamson (2011), Poland Betrayed: The Nazi-Soviet Invasions of 1939' Stackpole Books, page 3. I ...

(Polish Military Force) and assigned to Headquarters of Artillery Inspector. In November he organized the 1st regiment of Legion's field artillery which he commanded on the eastern front.

Polish-Bolshevik War

In 1919 organized and commanded Junior Officers Artillery School in Poznan. At the sam time he concluded his studies in the General Staff Artillery Study Center in Warsaw. During the Polish-Soviet war he was commanding Legion’s First Field Artillery Brigade, assuming later command of Legion’s 1st Infantry Brigade. For his valour in the battlefield, he was awarded Virtuti Military Cross (number 176) in 1921.

Interbellum

Completed studies at Ecole Supérieure de Guerre in Pari, 1924. Received diploma of Polish General Staff Officer in 1925, the rank of brig. general in 1927 at the age of 36 and assumed command of the 13th Infantry Division and garrison in Rowne.

World War II

He led an ops group that belonged to the

Poznań Army Army Poznań ( pl, Armia Poznań) led by Major General Tadeusz Kutrzeba was one of the Polish Armies during the Invasion of Poland in 1939. Tasks Flanked by Armia Pomorze to the north and Łódź Army to the south, the Army was to provide f ...

. His ops group led the counterattack during the

Battle of Bzura The Battle of the Bzura (or the Battle of Kutno) was the largest Polish counter-attack of the German invasion of Poland and was fought from 9 to 19 September.''The Second World War: An Illustrated History '', Putnam, 1975, Google Print snippet ...

. After the defeat, he led elements of his ops group to Warsaw. After the capitulation of Warsaw, he became a prisoner of war and was in detention through 1945 (from 27 April 1942 in

Oflag VII-A Murnau Oflag VII-A Murnau was a German Army prisoner-of-war camp for Polish Army officers during World War II. It was located north of the Bavarian town of Murnau am Staffelsee. Camp history The camp was created in September 1939. It consisted of an e ...

After the war

Freed from imprisonment in 1945, lived in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. After arriving in Great Britain and demobilizing, he settled on a small farm in

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. He died on September 2, 1953 and was buried at the Beaumaris cemetery in

Llangefni Llangefni (meaning "church on the River Cefni", ) is the county town of Anglesey in Wales and contains the principal offices of the Isle of Anglesey County Council. United Kingdom Census 2011 recorded Llangefni's population as 5,116 people, maki ...

, Wales. He was married to Janina Chramiec, and had a daughter, Maria Barbara.

Promotions

* Warrant officer – September 15, 1913 * Lieutenant – May 15, 1915 * Captain – November 1, 1916 * Major – October 13, 1918 * Colonel – June 1, 1919 * Brigadier-general – January 15, 1927

Honours and awards

* Silver Cross of the

Order of 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 St ...

(1921) * Commander's Cross with Star 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 ...

, previously awarded the Commander's Cross and the Officer's Cross *

Cross of Independence Cross of Independence ( pl, Krzyż Niepodległości) was second highest Polish military decorations between World Wars I and II. It was awarded to individuals who had fought actively for the independence of Poland, and was released in three cl ...

* Cross of Valour (six times) *

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 ...

* Commemorative Medal for War 1918-1921 * 10 Years of Independence medal *

Military Merit Medal (Austria-Hungary) The Military Merit Medal (german: Militär-Verdienstmedaille, hu, Katonai Érdemérem, hr, Vojna medalja za zasluge) was a military decoration of the Empire of Austria-Hungary. It was founded by Emperor Franz Joseph I on March 12, 1890. The Mil ...

* Commander of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...

* Order of the Crown of Romania, 2nd class {{DEFAULTSORT:Knoll-Kownacki, Edmund 1891 births 1953 deaths People from Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki County Polish generals Polish Rifle Squads members Polish people of World War I Polish military personnel of World War II Polish people of the Polish–Soviet War World War II prisoners of war held by Germany Polish prisoners of war Moscow State University alumni Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur Recipients of the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari Recipients of the Cross of Independence Commanders with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the Cross of Valour (Poland) Recipients of the Gold Cross of Merit (Poland) Grand Officers of the Order of the Crown (Romania) Polish emigrants to the United Kingdom