The National Defence University of Warsaw ( – AON) was the civil-military highest
defence
Defense or defence may refer to:
Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups
* Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare
* Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks
* Defense industr ...
academic institution in Poland, located in
Warszawa–
Rembertów
Rembertów () is a district of the city of Warsaw, the capital of Poland. Between 1939 and 1957 Rembertów was a separate town, after which it was incorporated as part of the borough of Praga-Południe. Between 1994 and 2002 it formed a separate ...
. In 2016 it was succeeded by the
War Studies University
The War Studies University ( pl, Akademia Sztuki Wojennej; ''ASzWoj'') is the highest military academic institution in Poland. It was formed by Ministry of National Defence in 2016 in place of the former National Defence University Academy (Akademi ...
.
The National Defence University in Warsaw was established on 1 October 1990 after reform of the General Staff Academy
[ (est. 1947) and continued traditions of the ]Szkoła Rycerska
''Szkoła Rycerska'' ( en, School of Chivalry) or ''Akademia Szlachecka Korpusu Kadetów Jego Królewskiej Mości i Rzeczypospolitej'' (English: ''Nobles' Academy of the Corps of Cadets of His Royal Majesty and the Commonwealth'') was the first st ...
("The School of Knights") founded on 15 March 1765 and other subsequent military school
A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally provides education in a military environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned. ...
s. The National Defence University was subordinate directly to the Polish Ministry of National Education. AON was the alma mater of Polish commanding and staff officers and civilian experts in national and international security matters. It also conducted extensive scientific research on state defence issues, military doctrine
Military doctrine is the expression of how military forces contribute to campaigns, major operations, battles, and engagements.
It is a guide to action, rather than being hard and fast rules. Doctrine provides a common frame of reference across ...
, theory of warfare
A theory is a rational type of abstract thinking about a phenomenon, or the results of such thinking. The process of contemplative and rational thinking is often associated with such processes as observational study or research. Theories may be s ...
, military art
Military art is art with a military subject matter, regardless of its style or medium. The battle scene is one of the oldest types of art in developed civilizations, as rulers have always been keen to celebrate their victories and intimidate po ...
, including military strategy
Military strategy is a set of ideas implemented by military organizations to pursue desired strategic goals. Derived from the Greek word '' strategos'', the term strategy, when it appeared in use during the 18th century, was seen in its narrow s ...
, operational art
In the field of military theory, the operational level of war (also called operational art, as derived from russian: оперативное искусство, or operational warfare) represents the level of command that connects the details of ...
and tactics, also in the field of national
National may refer to:
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* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
and international security
International security, also called global security is a term which refers to the measures taken by states and international organizations, such as the United Nations, European Union, and others, to ensure mutual survival and safety. These meas ...
. The National Defence University in Warsaw cooperated with the Polish Ministry of National Defence
{{unsourced, date=February 2021
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
, General Staff
A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, enlisted and civilian staff who serve the commander of a division or other large military un ...
, North Atlantic Treaty Organization and other Polish and foreign military, scientific and academic institutions.
The school's master's program was a five-years study program, but also AON provided two-years under- and over graduate study programs and four-years PhD PHD or PhD may refer to:
* Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification
Entertainment
* '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series
* ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic
* Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group
** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...
(Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science ( la, links=no, Scientiae Doctor), usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D., or D.S., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries, "Doctor of Science" is the degree used f ...
) programs and higher doctorate (habilitation
Habilitation is the highest university degree, or the procedure by which it is achieved, in many European countries. The candidate fulfills a university's set criteria of excellence in research, teaching and further education, usually including a ...
) opportunity as well.
History
Corps of Cadets
The present National Defence University inherits the traditions of all previous Polish military academies. The first such school, the Szkoła Rycerska
''Szkoła Rycerska'' ( en, School of Chivalry) or ''Akademia Szlachecka Korpusu Kadetów Jego Królewskiej Mości i Rzeczypospolitej'' (English: ''Nobles' Academy of the Corps of Cadets of His Royal Majesty and the Commonwealth'') was the first st ...
, was founded in 1765 by King Stanisław August Poniatowski
Stanisław II August (born Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski; 17 January 1732 – 12 February 1798), known also by his regnal Latin name Stanislaus II Augustus, was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1764 to 1795, and the last monarch ...
. Its graduates included some of the most notable military men of the 18th and 19th centuries, including Tadeusz Kościuszko
Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko ( be, Andréj Tadévuš Banavientúra Kasciúška, en, Andrew Thaddeus Bonaventure Kosciuszko; 4 or 12 February 174615 October 1817) was a Polish Military engineering, military engineer, statesman, an ...
, Jakub Jasiński, Maurycy Hauke
Count Hans Johann Moritz von Hauke (John Maurice Hauke, pl, Jan Maurycy Hauke; 26 October 1775 – 29 November 1830) was a Polish general and professional soldier of German extraction. He was a member of the Hauke-Bosak family.
Life
Hans Morit ...
, Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz, Karol Kniaziewicz, Józef Sowiński
Józef Sowiński (1777–1831) was a Polish artillery general and one of the heroes of Poland's November 1830 Uprising.
Biography
Józef Longin Sowiński was born on 15 March 1777 in Warsaw. After graduating from the famous Corps of Cadets ...
, Kazimierz Nestor Sapieha
Prince Kazimierz Nestor Sapieha (1757–1798) was a Polish- Lithuanian noble ( szlachcic) and one the creators of the 3 May Constitution.
Biography
Early life and career
Kazimierz Sapieha was educated at the Knight School in Warsaw from 1767 ...
and Rajmund Rembieliński
Rajmund Rembieliński (1774–1841) was a Polish nobleman ( szlachcic), political activist, and landowner.
Rembieliński owned estates in Jedwabne, Krośniewice and Giełczyn. He was a graduate of the Knight School in Warsaw (1788–1 ...
.
Artillery and Engineers School
In 1794, after the Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland were three partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place toward the end of the 18th century and ended the existence of the state, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland and Lithuania for 12 ...
, the school was closed. However, after 1815 the recreation of the Kingdom of Poland allowed for opening several military colleges in Poland. The most notable, '' Szkoła Aplikacyjna Artylerii i Inżynierii'' (Artillery and Engineers School), was located in Warsaw and trained cadres of the Polish Army that fought in the November 1830 Uprising against Russia. Only some 24 officers were admitted each year, making its graduates an elite of the Polish armed forces. The instructor in French language
French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Nor ...
was Mikołaj Chopin
Nicolas Chopin (in pl, Mikołaj Chopin; 15 April 17713 May 1844) was a teacher of the French language in Partitioned Poland, and father of Polish composer Frédéric Chopin.Łopaciński, "Chopin, Mikołaj," p. 426.
Life
Nicolas Chopin was ...
, father of renowned composer Fryderyk Chopin
The Fryderyk is the annual award in Polish music. Its name refers to the original Polish spelling variant of Polish composer Frédéric Chopin's first name. Its status in the Polish public can be compared to the American Grammy and the UK's BRI ...
. After the November Uprising, the school was closed by Russian authorities. However, military training of Polish officers continued in foreign schools, most notably in France and Italy.
The War College
''Wyższa Szkoła Wojenna'' (English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
: War College—literally, "Higher War School") was the most important Polish military academy
A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally provides education in a military environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned. ...
in the period between the World Wars. Located at 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 ...
, it was established to train high-ranking officers of the Polish Army and of the armed forces of several allied states. It was a predecessor of Poland's present National Defense Academy (Polish: ''Akademia Obrony Narodowej'').
After the rebirth of Poland in 1918, there was already a well-trained and experienced cadre of Polish field officers trained in the armies of the partitioners (Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
) as well as in France. However, the occupants of Poland rarely promoted the Poles to higher ranks and the reborn Polish Army was seriously lacking officers trained in general staff duties and in command of entire armies. To eliminate the problem, in cooperation with the French Military Mission to Poland
The French Military Mission to Poland was an effort by France to aid the nascent Second Polish Republic after it achieved its independence in November 1918, at the end of the First World War. The aim was to provide aid during the Polish-Soviet War ...
and the Paris-based École supérieure de guerre, a Szkoła Wojenna Sztabu Generalnego (''War School of the General Staff'') was formed in mid-1919.
After the Polish–Bolshevik War, on August 16, 1922, the school was renamed to Wyższa Szkoła Wojenna (WSW, ''Higher War School''). Until 1928, most professors were French, with Polish officers serving mostly as their assistants. Among them was Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...
, the future president of France, who was a professor of tactics. The training was not limited to military affairs and among the civilians working there were some of the most notable scientists of the era, including Tadeusz Kotarbiński, Edward Lipiński and Marian Kukiel
Marian Włodzimierz Kukiel (pseudonyms: ''Marek Kąkol'', ''Stach Zawierucha''; 15 May 1885 in Dąbrowa Tarnowska – 15 August 1973 in London) was a Polish major general, historian, social and political activist.
One of the founders of Zwi ...
. Apart from the theoreticians, the professors included a large number of officers who gained combat experience in World War I, Polish–Bolshevik War, Polish–Ukrainian War and Polish–Lithuanian War
The Polish–Lithuanian War (in Polish historiography, Polish–Lithuanian Conflict) was an undeclared war between newly-independent Lithuania and Poland following World War I, which happened mainly, but not only, in the Vilnius and Suwałki regi ...
, as well as the Greater Poland Uprising and Silesian Uprisings
The Silesian Uprisings (german: Aufstände in Oberschlesien, Polenaufstände, links=no; pl, Powstania śląskie, links=no) were a series of three uprisings from August 1919 to July 1921 in Upper Silesia, which was part of the Weimar Republic ...
. Because of their experience, the school became prestigious and attracted many students from abroad, most notably from France, Georgia, Estonia
Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...
, Latvia
Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...
and even Japan. Among them were also the officers of the former Ukrainian
Ukrainian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Ukraine
* Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe
* Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine
* So ...
army of Semen Petlura
Symon Vasylyovych Petliura ( uk, Си́мон Васи́льович Петлю́ра; – May 25, 1926) was a Ukrainian politician and journalist. He became the Supreme Commander of the Ukrainian Army and the President of the Ukrainian People' ...
and White Russian emigrees.
During the 20 years of its existence, the Wyższa Szkoła Wojenna trained more than 1300 officers of the Polish Army. Most of them repaid the debt for Poland during the Polish Defensive War of 1939, while the majority of professors formed the staff of 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 fla ...
, the most successful of Polish Armies
The following is a list of Polish Armies during World War II, together with their commanders and brigade and division-sized units. For a more detailed list see: Polish army order of battle in 1939.
{, border=0 cellpadding=2
, -
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in the 1939 campaign.
After Poland was overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union, the school was closed. However, on November 11, 1940, it was recreated in London. It trained the officers of the Polish Army in Exile, fighting alongside the Allies on all fronts of World War II. The professors were recruited from among the active officers of the Polish HQ and the students included many of the notable generals of the Polish forces in Exile. In addition, the school was the alma mater of all highest-ranking Czechoslovak officers of the exiled army. It was closed in 1946, after the Allies withdrew their support for the Polish government
The Government of Poland takes the form of a Unitary state, unitary Parliamentary republic, parliamentary Representative democracy, representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Poland, President is the head of state and the Prime ...
.
The War College in Exile
The outbreak of World War II interrupted the activities of War College only for several months. Order of the Supreme Commander of 11 November 1940, resumed its activities initially in London (United Kingdom) and later in Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
. To the War College in Exile were appointed officers – in ranks of lieutenants and captains. Students were also the Czechoslovak army officers. The purpose of education was to prepare personnel to serve in the brigade and division staffs of the Polish Armed Forces in the West
The Polish Armed Forces in the West () refers to the Polish military formations formed to fight alongside the Western Allies against Nazi Germany and its allies during World War II. Polish forces were also raised within Soviet territories; thes ...
. The program and methods of education were similar to those from the period War College in Warsaw. School received establishment to the exercises, instructions and other normative documents from the British armed forces, allowing joint operations. School staff were officers of the Polish Commander of Staff. The activities of the War College in Exile was halted in July 1946. After the World War II, traditions of higher military education were continued in the Poland.
General Staff Academy
In 1947 a General Staff Academy was created. Its graduates have included Zygmunt Zieliński, Bolesław Chocha, Antoni Jasiński and Wojciech Jaruzelski.
Organizational units
* National Security Faculty
* Management and Command Faculty
* War Games and Simulation Center
* CBRN Defence Training Centre
* Officers Training Centre
* Foreign Languages Teaching Centre
* Physical Education and Shooting Training Branch
* Centre of International Cooperation
* Library
* Studies Organization Department
* Financial Office
* Human Resources Department
* Logistic Department
* Science and Research Branch
* Promotion of Education and Culture Branch
* Protection of Classified Information Branch
* Work Safety Section
* National Defence University Publishing House
Studies
Studies for officers:
Second degree studies (leading to a master's degree) in the following areas:
* National Security
* Economics
* Logistics
* Management with two specialisations: command and command of aviation National Security
Postgraduate studies and advanced courses:
* Post-graduate Defence Policy Studies
* Advanced Operational-Strategic Course
* Post-graduate Operational-Tactical Studies
* Post-graduate Air Force Command Studies
Studies for civilians:
Full-time and part-time first degree studies (leading to a bachelor's degree) and second degree studies (leading to a master's degree) in the following areas:
* National Security
* European Studies
* Logistics
* Management with two specialisations: Management and Command or Aviation Management
* History
Postgraduate studies in the field of:
* National Security
* Aviation Management
* Information Security Management
* Economic Systems Logistics
* Crisis Management
* International Military Relations
* Management in Military Staffs
* State's Economic Security
* Public Organizations Management
* Civil-Military Cooperation
* Management and Command in Multinational Organizations
* Education for Security
* Polemology – study of war and peace
* The Use of Force in Armed Conflicts
* Counter-Terrorism
Alumni
* Tadeusz Sapierzyński
Colonel Tadeusz Sapierzyński (born 1 April 1958 in Miastko, Poland) is a Polish Army officer, former commander of the special forces unit "GROM", from 2004 until 2006.Pawel Wronski, Gazeta Wyborcza, "Zmiana dowódcy GROM-u", 2004-01-2/ref>Gazeta W ...
* Roman Polko
Roman Polko (born November 8, 1962, in Tychy, Poland) is a retired Polish army special forces officer, acting chief of Biuro Bezpieczeństwa Narodowego (Bureau of National Security), former commander of "JW GROM", doctor of military science studies ...
* Andrzej Błasik
* Stanisław Targosz
* Zdzisław Żurawski
* Tadeusz Buk
Tadeusz Buk (15 December 1960 – 10 April 2010) was a Polish military figure. He received numerous military and civil awards, including the Order of Polonia Restituta.
Buk was born at Mójcza. He served as commander of the Polish Land Forces ...
* Kazimierz Gilarski
Brigadier General Kazimierz Gilarski (7 May 1955 in Rudołowice – 10 April 2010 in Smolensk) was a Polish military figure and Commander of the Warsaw Garrison. He was among the passengers killed in the 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash.
Hono ...
* Andrzej Karweta
* Włodzimierz Potasiński
Włodzimierz Potasiński (31 July 1956 – 10 April 2010) was a Polish military figure, commander-in-chief of the Polish Special Forces.
Potasiński was born at Czeladź. He was killed in the 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash at Smolensk.
...
* Jarosław Mika
Jarosław Mika (born 31 October 1962) is a Polish Land Forces officer who has served as the general commander of Branches of the Armed Forces since 2017. Biography
Mika was born on 31 October 1962, and he joined the Polish military in 1981 when h ...
See also
* List of Polish universities
* Indonesian Army Command and General Staff College
The Indonesian Army Command and General Staff College ( id, Sekolah Staf dan Komando Angkatan Darat, ) in Bandung, West Java, is a prominent graduate school for Indonesian Army and sister-service Officer (military), officers, inter-agency represe ...
* National Defense Academy (Poland)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Defence University In Warsaw
1765 establishments in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Military academies of Poland
Staff colleges
Educational institutions established in 1947
Educational institutions established in 1990
Universities and colleges in Warsaw
1947 establishments in Poland
1990 establishments in Poland
Defunct military academies
Military education and training in Poland