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Kazimierz Władysław Bartel (; en, Casimir Bartel; 3 March 1882 – 26 July 1941) was a
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change. History On ...
, freemason, scholar, diplomat and politician who served as 15th, 17th and 19th
Prime Minister of Poland The President of the Council of Ministers ( pl, Prezes Rady Ministrów, lit=Chairman of the Council of Ministers), colloquially referred to as the prime minister (), is the head of the cabinet and the head of government of Poland. The responsibi ...
three times between 1926 and 1930 and the Senator of Poland from 1937 until the outbreak of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. Bartel was appointed Minister of Railways between 1919 and 1920, in 1922–1930 he was a member of Poland's
Sejm The Sejm (English: , Polish: ), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland ( Polish: ''Sejm Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej''), is the lower house of the bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of ...
. After Józef Piłsudski's May Coup d'état in 1926, he became prime minister and held this post during three broken tenures: 1926, 1928–29, 1929–1930. Bartel was the Deputy Prime Minister between 1926–1928 and Minister of Religious Beliefs and Public Enlightenment, when Piłsudski himself assumed the premiership, however, Bartel was in fact "de facto" prime minister during this period as Piłsudski did not concern himself with the day-to-day functions of the cabinet and the government. In 1930 upon giving up politics, he returned to the university as professor of mathematics. In 1930 he became rector of the Lwów Polytechnic and was soon awarded an honorary doctorate and membership in the Polish Mathematical Association. In 1937 he was appointed a Senator of Poland and held this post until
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. After the Soviet
invasion An invasion is a Offensive (military), military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitics, geopolitical Legal entity, entity aggressively enter territory (country subdivision), territory owned by another such entity, gen ...
and occupation of eastern Poland, he was allowed to continue lecturing at the Technical Institute. In 1940 he was summoned to Moscow and offered a seat in the Soviet parliament. On 30 June 1941, in the course 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 ...
, the German
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
entered Lwów and began persecuting the local intelligentsia. Bartel was imprisoned two days later by the
Gestapo The (), abbreviated Gestapo (; ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one orga ...
and offered the top post in a Polish puppet government. His ultimate refusal of the German terms was taken as an act of treason by the Germans. By order of
Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was of the (Protection Squadron; SS), and a leading member of the Nazi Party of Germany. Himmler was one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany and a main architect of th ...
, Bartel was murdered on 26 July 1941, shortly after the
Massacre of Lwów professors In July 1941, 25 Polish academics from the city of Lwów (now Lviv, Ukraine) along with the 25 of their family members were killed by Nazi German occupation forces. By targeting prominent citizens and intellectuals for elimination, the Nazis hop ...
had ended.


Early life and studies

Kazimierz Władysław Bartel was born on 3 March 1882 in Lemberg,
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 ...
(later Lwów,
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
, now Lviv in
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
) as the son of Michał Bartel and Amalia Chadaczek. Growing up in a working-class family, he graduated from elementary school in Stryj. His railwayman father arranged Bartel to be an apprentice to fitter who taught in craft school. This allowed Bartel to continue his formal education while working as an apprentice.Kazimierz Bartel (1882–1941) by J. B. Deregowski
/ref> After completing secondary school in 1901, Bartel studied mechanics at the
Lwów Polytechnic Lviv Polytechnic National University ( ua, Націона́льний університе́т «Льві́вська політе́хніка») is the largest scientific university in Lviv, Ukraine. Since its foundation in 1816, it has bee ...
in the Mechanical Engineering Department. He graduated summa cum laude in 1907 and soon started working for his alma mater as an assistant in descriptive geometry to Placyd Zdzisław Dziwinski.MacTutor biography
/ref> From 1908 to 1909, he also studied mathematics and philosophy at the Franciscan University in Lviv and at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. The travel grant to Munich allowed him to attend the lectures on art history by Karl Dochlemann and mathematics by Aurel Voss and Alfred Pringsheim. He returned to the Polytechnic school and earned his doctor of technical sciences in 1909. His dissertation "O utworach szeregów i pęków inwolucyjnych" (Compositions series and involution pencils) allowed him to become one of the first title holders of such doctoral within Austria-Hungary. Bartel gave his habilitation thesis "O płaskich utworach inwolucji stopnia czwartego szeregu zerowego" (On planar products of involution of the fourth series of the zero degree) in 1912, then received the title of associate professor. Bartel became the chair of descriptive geometry after the retirement of Mieczysław Łazarski in 1911 due to blindness. Bartel attained the title of professor of mathematics at the Lwów Polytechnic in 1917. Conscripted into the Austro-Hungarian army during World War I, after the collapse of the empire in 1918 he returned to Lwów, which became part of the newly established Second Polish Republic. In 1919, as commander of
railway troops Railway troops are soldiers who are also railway engineers. They build, repair, operate or destroy militarily relevant railway lines and their associated infrastructure. History The establishment of railway troops by the great powers followed th ...
, he fought in the defence of the city against the Ukrainian
siege A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characteriz ...
. During this period, Bartel wrote his first textbook on descriptive geometry and befriended and later supported Poland's future leader, marshal and commander-in-chief,
Józef Piłsudski Józef Klemens Piłsudski (; 5 December 1867 – 12 May 1935) was a Polish statesman who served as the Naczelnik państwa, Chief of State (1918–1922) and Marshal of Poland, First Marshal of Second Polish Republic, Poland (from 1920). He was ...
. Since May 1919 he served as the manager of the Armoured Trains Construction Management and Association. His numerous successes in this field led to Prime Minister Leopold Skulski appointing him the Minister of the Railway system of the Republic of Poland. During this time Bartel met other significant and influential politicians and diplomats, most notably Prime Minister Wincenty Witos and Prime Minister
Władysław Grabski Władysław Dominik Grabski (; 7 July 1874 – 1 March 1938) was a Polish National Democratic politician, economist and historian. He was the main author of the currency reform in the Second Polish Republic and served as Prime Minister of Poland ...
. Following the
Polish–Soviet War The Polish–Soviet War (Polish–Bolshevik War, Polish–Soviet War, Polish–Russian War 1919–1921) * russian: Советско-польская война (''Sovetsko-polskaya voyna'', Soviet-Polish War), Польский фронт (' ...
of 1920, Bartel was nominated as a lieutenant colonel and was left in charge of the railway reserve officers and the Lwów
militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
. He was awarded a
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 ...
cross, a Polish distinction for valor, after the armed conflict. In 1921, Bartel spent six months travelling to museums and galleries in France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria to research on art. Most of his holidays were spent likewise due to his interest stemming from Dochlemann's lectures. He accumulated a good personal archive of notes and photographs for this interest of his.


Political and diplomatic career

In 1922 Bartel was elected a member of Poland's ''
Sejm The Sejm (English: , Polish: ), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland ( Polish: ''Sejm Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej''), is the lower house of the bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of ...
'' (parliament) and held this position until 1929. Initially, he was a member of the party PSL "Liberation", but he was not satisfied with the radicalization of the group. In March 1925 at the Congress of the Polish People's Party he decided to adopt, among others, a reform without compensation. Bartel eventually left the party and the organisation in April 1925, along with Marian Zyndram-Kościałkowski and Bolesław Wysłouch and later founded the parliamentary "Labour Club". This organization quickly came under the direct influence of commander-in-chief
Józef Piłsudski Józef Klemens Piłsudski (; 5 December 1867 – 12 May 1935) was a Polish statesman who served as the Naczelnik państwa, Chief of State (1918–1922) and Marshal of Poland, First Marshal of Second Polish Republic, Poland (from 1920). He was ...
. Just before the May Coup of 1926 Kazimierz Bartel received an order from Marshal Piłsudski to prepare for a take over as prime minister after the expected collapse of President
Stanisław Wojciechowski Stanisław Wojciechowski (; 15 March 1869 – 9 April 1953) was a Polish politician and scholar who served as President of Poland between 1922 and 1926, during the Second Polish Republic. He was elected president in 1922, following the assassi ...
and his government.


First term in office, first government (1926)

On 15 May 1926, after the resignation of the government led by Wincenty Witos and president Wojciechowski following the May Coup, Bartel was appointed by
Marshal of the Sejm The Marshal of the Sejm , also known as Sejm Marshal, Chairman of the Sejm or Speaker of the Sejm ( pl, Marszałek Sejmu, ) is the speaker (chair) of the Sejm, the lower house of the Polish Parliament. The office traces its origins to the 15th ...
and the acting head of state Maciej Rataj as the prime minister of the Second Polish Republic, although, Bartel later stated in his inauguration speech that he would only be the head of government until the election of a new president. His decision was possibly influenced by the fact that he suffered from kidney and stomach problems and was constantly in pain. One member of the parliament stated that "He was a cheerful and ambitious man, but always in pain. Even his opponents in the Sejm admitted that in personal relationships, it is extremely hard not to be in favour of a man like Bartel. As prime minister, he tried to aid every man possible, even the men and women that opposed his policies and the government, but he was not able to help himself, which led to his early decline in politics and diplomacy of the Polish Republic. He was of weak stature and of weak health and would hardly make a good impression on the public, especially the socialists or communists in the east and therefore, this would not make him an influential Prime Minister nor a diplomat supporting democracy." Bartel's new government consisted mostly of people not connected with any political parties (four of those politicians already were occupied ministerial positions). Bartel was described as ideologically centrist – Prime Minister's newly established office was occupied by both the right-wing leaders and left. Bartel himself took over the Ministry in turn, and Piłsudski the Minister of War. Such a system churned mainly the
Polish Socialist Party The Polish Socialist Party ( pl, Polska Partia Socjalistyczna, PPS) is a socialist political party in Poland. It was one of the most important parties in Poland from its inception in 1892 until its merger with the communist Polish Workers' ...
, which supported the May Coup. On 16 May 1926, Prime Minister Bartel made a statement in which he highlighted the principles of his policies. Bartel stated that the cabinet took power in accordance with the law, without any
prejudice Prejudice can be an affective feeling towards a person based on their perceived group membership. The word is often used to refer to a preconceived (usually unfavourable) evaluation or classification of another person based on that person's per ...
to the constitutional order. He also called for peace, hard work and dedication to the Polish nation. At the same time, he promised the immediate removal of incompetent and corrupt politicians from any high posts that could negatively influence the future economic growth of the Second Polish Republic. Bartel's closest personal advisor in politics and diplomacy was Marshal Józef Piłsudski, who was in favour of the new minister. Bartel suggested that Ignacy Mościcki should become a candidate for the post of head of state (president), who was also a professor at the
Lwów Polytechnic Lviv Polytechnic National University ( ua, Націона́льний університе́т «Льві́вська політе́хніка») is the largest scientific university in Lviv, Ukraine. Since its foundation in 1816, it has bee ...
. Bartel's first government was one of the most active in the history of Poland; the politicians and members of parliament gathered every second day and on occasions everyday to discuss political matters. On 4 June 1926, Ignacy Mościcki was elected the president of the Second Polish Republic and subsequently Bartel resigned along with the entire cabinet, however, soon after being appointed President Mościcki designated him again to become Prime Minister.


Second and third government (1926)

On 8 June 1926 – three days after the Mościcki's designation – Bartel formed his second cabinet. On the same day, Józef Piłsudski sent a letter to the head office, in which he outlined the conditions of re-entry to the parliament. Following his second election, Kazimierz Bartel primarily focused on the restoration of the decree based on the organization of the highest military authorities from 7 January 1921, which enables the free management of the
Ministry of War Ministry of War may refer to: * Ministry of War (imperial China) (c.600–1912) * Chinese Republic Ministry of War (1912–1946) * Ministry of War (Kingdom of Bavaria) (1808–1919) * Ministry of War (Brazil) (1815–1999) * Ministry of War (Estoni ...
without the vote of the government and the parliament. On 9 June 1926, the decree was officially restored, however, another decree was adopted, which increased the power of the president or head of state over the ministry. Bartel met with representatives of the parliamentary clubs, highlighting, in a conversation with them, his commitment towards the parliamentary system, but also pointed out a more concerning issue – the economic development of the country. At a private meeting with senators he highlighted his determination and involvement in fighting against bureaucracy, the introduction of apolitical army and the elimination of the Ministry of Public Works. He vividly stated that before the May Coup there was no democracy and Poland was ruled by
oligarchy Oligarchy (; ) is a conceptual form of power structure in which power rests with a small number of people. These people may or may not be distinguished by one or several characteristics, such as nobility, fame, wealth, education, or corporate, r ...
,
nobles Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteri ...
and influential leaders of wealthy, privately owned clubs and parties. The supporters of Kazimierz Bartel and his government emphasized his efficiency when managing the state. His opponents, however, saw it as a tool to limit the role of the Polish Parliament and accused him of deliberate dictatorship and control over the ministers in his "private parliament sittings" - the so-called ''Sejm Bartlowy'' (Bartel's Parliament). Bartel was appointed prime minister when Marshal Piłsudski undertook an attempt to communicate with the rebellious senators and members of the Sejm. Bartel himself was considered to be representative of the liberal tendencies in the party and a spokesman of the
Sanacja Sanation ( pl, Sanacja, ) was a Polish political movement that was created in the interwar period, prior to Józef Piłsudski's May 1926 ''Coup d'État'', and came to power in the wake of that coup. In 1928 its political activists would go on ...
movement. Otherwise the post of the head of government (Prime Minister) was either taken by
Kazimierz Świtalski Kazimierz Stanisław Świtalski (; 4 March 1886, Sanok – 28 December 1962, Warsaw, Poland) was a Polish politician, diplomat, soldier, military officer in the Polish Legions and 18th Prime Minister of Poland between April and December 1929. Ea ...
or Walery Sławek, both considered to be uncompromising supporters of the conflict with the parliament. Bartel's government contributed to a marked improvement in administration. This was primarily caused by the Prime Minister's organizational skills and knowledge. He was able to create an efficient system of government action in connection with the Sejm and officials of lower rank: "The ministers of the previous governments generally considered themselves as autonomous rulers, which influenced the private interests of the members of different parties in charge. The government of Kazimierz Bartel was never focused or concentrated on any political ties and friendships. The officials of the Prime Minister were to validate the efficiency of each ministry. Each minister was responsible for the operation of his office and ministers could not engage in any political activities. Before his speech in the parliament on any topic, he had to submit the text to the Prime Minister himself for approval. Bartel demanded such procedures from every minister and senator of his cabinet and personally prepared the agenda for each meeting of the government and disallowed to discuss any topic without his permission or consent." Bartel also tried to improve the situation of the
Polish Jews The history of the Jews in Poland dates back at least 1,000 years. For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant Ashkenazi Jewish community in the world. Poland was a principal center of Jewish culture, because of the l ...
and the Jewish minority around the country. He was determined to eliminate the remnants of regulations dating back to the times of
Tsar Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East and South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" in the European medieval sense of the ter ...
Nicholas II of Russia Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov; spelled in pre-revolutionary script. ( 186817 July 1918), known in the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer,. was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Polan ...
and Congress Poland, focused on the persecution of religious minorities, especially the Jews and the
Gypsies The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...
. Bartel's cabinet announced that it is against such inhumane procedures and actions, and in 1927 the Prime Minister gave permission to adopt a law officially recognizing and granting rights to the Jewish communities. Bartel was also against enforcing certain laws to the nature of the economic sanctions imposed on the Jews. On 2 August 1926, the Parliament adopted an amendment to the Constitution (the so-called "August Novella"), significantly strengthening the role of the president. On 20 September 1926 the Christian Democratic Party raised a vote against two ministers in the government of Kazimierz Bartel – Antoni Sujkowski and Kazimierz Młodzianowski. The party accused them of carrying out political purges in the state administration. Eventually, the vote was passed by the government; this forced Bartel and his cabinet to resign, however, Marshal Piłsudski ordered President Mościcki to appoint Bartel as Prime Minister once more as this was not in violation of the Constitution, but the anti-parliamentarian speakers and the socialist politicians, confused with the often changes in the administration and within the government, threatened the Sejm and even suggested a rebellion or another coup. Due to this conflict Bartel's third new cabinet only lasted four days. On 30 September at the
Belvedere palace The Belvedere is a historic building complex in Vienna, Austria, consisting of two Baroque palaces (the Upper and Lower Belvedere), the Orangery, and the Palace Stables. The buildings are set in a Baroque park landscape in the third district o ...
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 ...
, the council was holding a meeting in the study room, during which it was decided to dissolve the third government. Therefore, Bartel received the document on this subject, which for its validity required President Mościcki's signature. Meanwhile, the Senate immediately demanded that the parliament passes the budget cut policy proposed by the Upper House. Bartel told the Speaker of the Sejm Maciej Rataj, that in such a situation he will personally take the decree to Mościcki and ask for his signature. After the Sejm passed the budget cut policy, Bartel arrived at Mościcki's
private residence A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. H ...
, but to his surprise, Mościcki refused to sign the document allowing the dissolution. Instead, he ordered Bartel to terminate his employment. Bartel was once again forced to resign, but this time his cabinet would stay intact and his place would be taken by the marshal himself. The former prime minister was very bitter about this turn of events, despite the fact he went along with Piłsudski's and Rataj's plans. In its course, the Marshal warned that, in contrast to the previous government, he will not be "competing" with the ministers and if necessary he will use force if the members would not agree to his radical policies.


Collaboration with Piłsudski's Council

Following his resignation, Bartel was to become the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Religious Denominations and Public Enlightenment in Piłsudski's own, private council that operated in case of any unexpected conflict with the current operating government. The Marshal did not devote much attention towards his cabinet, focusing primarily on military and foreign policies. It was Kazimierz Bartel that was to replace the Marshal and take over his duties if absent and become the Speaker of the Sejm. He often spoke, as a representative of the government, on matters related to the budget and finances. These topics were possibly the main subject of a dispute between the "Piłsudskites" and the parliamentary opposition. After the elections in March 1928, Piłsudski decided that Kazimierz Bartel should be appointed to the position of Speaker of the Sejm. On 27 March the "
Nonpartisan Bloc for Cooperation with the Government The Nonpartisan Bloc for Cooperation with the Government ( pl, Bezpartyjny Blok Współpracy z Rządem, ; abbreviated ''BBWR'') was a "non-political" organization in the interwar Second Polish Republic, in 1928–35. It was closely affiliated wit ...
" (BBWR), an ostensibly non-political organization that existed from 1928 to 1935, closely affiliated with Józef Piłsudski and his
Sanacja Sanation ( pl, Sanacja, ) was a Polish political movement that was created in the interwar period, prior to Józef Piłsudski's May 1926 ''Coup d'État'', and came to power in the wake of that coup. In 1928 its political activists would go on ...
movement, declared Bartel's candidacy. However Piłsudski's plan to place Bartel in charge of the Sejm and nominate him as Marshal Speaker failed, because the senators and members of parliament decided to choose
Ignacy Daszyński Ignacy Ewaryst Daszyński (; 26 October 1866 – 31 October 1936) was a Polish socialist politician, journalist, and very briefly Prime Minister of the Second Polish Republic's first government, formed in Lublin in 1918. In October 1892 he co ...
of the
Polish Socialist Party The Polish Socialist Party ( pl, Polska Partia Socjalistyczna, PPS) is a socialist political party in Poland. It was one of the most important parties in Poland from its inception in 1892 until its merger with the communist Polish Workers' ...
as the Marshal of the Sejm instead. In protest, following the results of the vote, the members and supporters of the parliamentary BBWR party left the room. The year 1928 also marked the release of his first book "Perspektywa Malarska". It dealt with the basic theory of perspective and its extension to architecture and art. It was published by Ksiaznica-Atlas, a publisher in Lwów who provided the negatives for the German translation published by B.G. Teubner in 1934.


Second term in office (1928–1929)

As soon as the new government was formed without Kazimierz Bartel as its head, Józef Piłsudski, temporarily serving as Prime Minister of the country, resigned. He decided, however, that his position will be taken over by Kazimierz Bartel, considered his most trusted and most loyal friend and supporter among the members of the party, although this change was only formal – Bartel was already responsible for leading the ongoing work of the Council of Ministers, even if he was not the Head of Cabinet. Piłsudski's decision greatly dissatisfied the senators of parliament, who would simply demonstrate their anger by not participating in the sessions and sittings of the Sejm. Some politicians dared to even throw rotten food at the ministers that were leaving the voting chamber. The situation worsened in the upcoming months and some ministers raised concerns about their safety, as some demonstrators, often made up of ordinary citizens working on the behalf of the party, tended to physically abuse officials travelling from their homes to the newly constructed government building located on Wiejska Street 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 ...
. Similar events occurred during the inauguration of the first President of the Second Polish Republic,
Gabriel Narutowicz Gabriel Józef Narutowicz (; 29 March 1865 – 16 December 1922) was a Polish professor of hydroelectric engineering and politician who served as the first President of Poland from 11 December 1922 until his assassination on 16 December, five d ...
, in December 1922. The politicians and ministers were advised to travel with guards,
police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and th ...
or at least a weapon that they could defend themselves with, however, the use of weapons may have strengthened the unity of the opposition and of the demonstrators that could use this as an act of
violence Violence is the use of physical force so as to injure, abuse, damage, or destroy. Other definitions are also used, such as the World Health Organization's definition of violence as "the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened ...
against the common people and a violation of social
democracy Democracy (From grc, δημοκρατία, dēmokratía, ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which people, the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation ("direct democracy"), or to choo ...
. After the beginning of the so-called "Czechowicz affair", where the opposition discovered that the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gabriel Czechowicz, a strong admirer of Piłsudski, passed 8 million
Polish złoty The złoty (; abbreviation: zł; ISO 4217, code: PLN) is the official currency and legal tender of Poland. It is subdivided into 100 Groschen, grosz (''gr'').Singular: ''grosz'', alternative plural forms: ''groszy'', ''grosze''. The widely recog ...
from the state budget for the BBWR campaign between 1927 and 1928, on 12 February 1929 the members of an anti-Sanacja movement have requested to place both Czechowicz and Bartel before the State Tribunal (Court). In protest against this decision, Kazimierz Bartel informed the press of his intention to resign. He also stated that in his opinion the Czechowicz affair was caused by the Parliament and its senators rather than by the doings of one politician. On 13 April 1929 Bartel ordered his government to resign. He was replaced by
Kazimierz Świtalski Kazimierz Stanisław Świtalski (; 4 March 1886, Sanok – 28 December 1962, Warsaw, Poland) was a Polish politician, diplomat, soldier, military officer in the Polish Legions and 18th Prime Minister of Poland between April and December 1929. Ea ...
, a stubborn and self-centred man considered to be the cause of relentless struggle with the parliamentary opposition. The following months were marked by disputes between the newly formed government and the Sejm. Bartel's new cabinet began operating on 5 November 1929, however, its first sitting occurred in December on the orders of President Mościcki. After this, the Parliament adopted a
motion of no confidence A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or m ...
against Świtalski's Cabinet. Kazimierz Bartel became the Prime Minister once again.


Third term in office (1929–1930)

On 29 December 1929, Kazimierz Bartel was chosen for the third time to be Prime Minister and formed his fifth government and cabinet, however, he performed his duties with large uncertainties, mainly due to poor health. He had kidney illness and had a ureterolithotomy with help from Tadeusz Pisarski, a urologist he befriended during their conscription in the army. He also suffered from depression and anxiety probably due to the constant disputes with the
Sejm The Sejm (English: , Polish: ), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland ( Polish: ''Sejm Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej''), is the lower house of the bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of ...
and its senators. On 10 January he appeared at a meeting with members of parliament, declaring his willingness to cooperate with the senators and the Sejm, saying "I come with good will and determination gentlemen!" Bartel initially managed to establish cooperation with the Sejm, which resulted in the stabilization of the entire situation and conflict. Later, however, the relations between the cabinet and the parliament deteriorated again. The apogee of another dispute was a request for the adoption of no-confidence motion against the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Aleksander Prystor. This was done primarily through the initiative of the
Polish Socialist Party The Polish Socialist Party ( pl, Polska Partia Socjalistyczna, PPS) is a socialist political party in Poland. It was one of the most important parties in Poland from its inception in 1892 until its merger with the communist Polish Workers' ...
headed by Ignacy Daszyński and his supporters like Bolesław Limanowski, a Polish socialist politician, as well as historian and journalist and advocate of Agrarianism, who was the oldest member of the
Polish Senate The Senate ( pl, Senat) is the upper house of the Polish parliament, the lower house being the Sejm. The history of the Polish Senate stretches back over 500 years; it was one of the first constituent bodies of a bicameral parliament in Europe ...
until his death in 1935 at the age of 99. On 12 March Bartel gave a speech in the Senate sharply attacking the senators, which, in his opinion were "not able to fulfill the tasks set in order to control the state and the country and that their stubbornness and pride in themselves was an astonishing blow to both the economy and the policies of Poland." He also stated that "being a member of parliament is a profession. It does not require the members to acquire any skills and create new damaging campaigns, only to obey the ruling party. A man focused only on work and career often becomes a man in conflict with others, which entails long political consequences." Bartel believed that the
motion of no confidence A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or m ...
towards one member of the Senate is the lack of support of the entire government. On 15 March 1930, he decided to leave the office and his resignation was accepted by the president the next day. Soon after he also resigned from his parliamentary seat and left politics. Walery Sławek was appointed the new Prime Minister of Poland.


Post-candidacy and return to the university

After retiring from political life, he returned to the Technical University of Lwów (Polytechnic). In the same year he was elected rector of the university and held that office in the academic year of 1930/1931. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate and membership of the
Polish Academy of Sciences The Polish Academy of Sciences ( pl, Polska Akademia Nauk, PAN) is a Polish state-sponsored institution of higher learning. Headquartered in Warsaw, it is responsible for spearheading the development of science across the country by a society o ...
: in the years 1930-1932 he was president of the Polish Mathematical Society. During this time he published his most important works, including a series of lectures on the perspective of European painting. It was the first such publication in the world. During his work at the Technical University of Lwów, he expressed strong opposition to plans focused on introducing the so-called "ghetto benches" for students of Jewish origin and ethnicity to separate them from Polish and Christian peers. His opinions, as well as other actions against anti-Semitic students made Kazimierz Bartel the subject of numerous attacks including throwing eggs and rotten food at the professor or bringing a pig with the sign "Bartel" by Polish nationalists to the university grounds. In 1932, he testified as a witness in the
Brest trials The Brest trials ( pl, Proces brzeski) were among the most famous trials conducted under the Second Polish Republic. Lasting from 26 October 1931 to 13 January 1932, they were held at the Warsaw Regional Court where leaders of the ''Centrolew'', ...
, lasting from 26 October 1931 to 13 January 1932, held at the Warsaw Regional Court where leaders of the
Centrolew The ''Centrolew'' (, ''Center-Left'') was a coalition of several Polish political parties ( Polish People's Party "Wyzwolenie", German Socialist Labour Party of Poland, Polish People's Party "Piast", National Workers' Party, Polish Socialist Part ...
, a "Centre-Left" anti-Sanacja-government political-opposition movement, were tried. In 1937 Bartel was appointed Senator of Poland by the President (replacing the deceased Emil Bobrowski) and served until the outbreak of World War II. In the autumn of 1938, he was one of the signatories of a document addressed to the President Mościcki, which called for the inclusion of representatives of the opposition to the government in connection with the threat of the country's independence. This document also postulated amnesty for politicians of the opposition, who were forced into exile or were imprisoned after the Brest trials. Bartel handed over a memorandum to Mościcki, however, Mościcki did not respond to the proposals contained therein. In February 1939 Bartel delivered a speech in the Senate, which has gained wide publicity in the country. In it he sharply criticized the situation in universities and colleges around Poland, mentioning the widespread
anti-Semitism Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...
there, and also the failed organization of studies, subjects and courses.


World War II

In September 1939, during the defense of Lwów just before the attack of the German troops, Kazimierz Bartel served as the head of the Civic Committee. When Lwów became occupied by the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
he was allowed to continue his lectures at the Technical University. In July 1940 he was, along with several other politicians and professors, summoned to
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 millio ...
, where he took part in an All-Committee meeting of Universities of the USSR. Conversations and topics mentioned mostly related scientific issues – Bartel signed a contract with a publishing house to write a textbook of Science and Geometry for the schools of the Soviet Union. He also visited the scientific and cultural institutions like the
Tretyakov Gallery The State Tretyakov Gallery (russian: Государственная Третьяковская Галерея, ''Gosudarstvennaya Tretyâkovskaya Galereya''; abbreviated ГТГ, ''GTG'') is an art gallery in Moscow, Russia, which is considered th ...
and the Institute of Architecture in Moscow. There are some conflicting reports about whether during his stay in Moscow, the Soviets offered him political cooperation. According to some of his closest friends, Stalin issued a proposal for the creation of a new Polish government, but Bartel rejected it. As he wrote to his wife on 16 July 1941: "By listening to private conversations of the officers, I conclude that my position as Prime Minister may be resurrected, but what great duty this will be to control a split, communist country. In Moscow with
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 Secretar ...
, I had the pleasure of finding out new information from the West -
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from ...
's speech addressed to
Władysław Sikorski Władysław Eugeniusz Sikorski (; 20 May 18814 July 1943) was a Polish military and political leader. Prior to the First World War, Sikorski established and participated in several underground organizations that promoted the cause for Polish i ...
about Poland's supposed future." One of the editions of "Paris' Historical Notebooks" described the content of the letter sent to the
German Ministry of Foreign Affairs , logo = DEgov-AA-Logo en.svg , logo_width = 260 px , image = Auswaertiges Amt Berlin Eingang.jpg , picture_width = 300px , image_caption = Entrance to the Foreign Office building , headquarters = Werderscher Mark ...
. It stated that Müller, the Deputy Head of the Security Police and Security Service (
Reinhard Heydrich Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich ( ; ; 7 March 1904 – 4 June 1942) was a high-ranking German SS and police official during the Nazi era and a principal architect of the Holocaust. He was chief of the Reich Security Main Office (inclu ...
) believed that Bartel negotiated at the beginning of 1941 with the Soviet authorities about the establishment of a new nation that together with the Soviet Union was to declare war on
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
. Similar information can be found, among others, in a telegram sent by the Polish Chargé d'Affaires in Switzerland to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in London dating from 26 September 1940: "It's believed that Moscow professor Bartel has intention to create the Red Government of Poland." This information, however, was never proved to be true. Meanwhile, Maria Bartlowa, the wife of former Prime Minister, stated that her husband was talking only with the Soviets on the release of his new lecture book. It is also widely believed that Kazimierz Bartel never met Stalin in person. The Prime Minister-in-exile stationing in London, General
Władysław Sikorski Władysław Eugeniusz Sikorski (; 20 May 18814 July 1943) was a Polish military and political leader. Prior to the First World War, Sikorski established and participated in several underground organizations that promoted the cause for Polish i ...
, had plans to cooperate with Kazimierz Bartel and appoint him an ambassador. Sikorski recognized him as one of the few people from the former political circles, that would agree to cooperate on the terms and conditions of the British government. On 19 June 1941 Bartel's candidacy was officially reported by Sikorski during a meeting of the Council of Ministers. The decision was motivated by the political loyalty of the former Prime Minister, as well as his successful efforts to preserve the Polish character of the Lwów Polytechnic under Soviet occupation. Sikorski, however, failed to find Bartel in the USSR and
Stanisław Kot Stanisław Kot (22 October 188526 December 1975) was a Polish historian and politician. A native of the Austrian partition of Poland, he was attracted to the cause of Polish independence early in life. As a professor of the Jagiellonian Univer ...
was appointed ambassador instead.


Arrest and death

On 30 June 1941, soon after the
German invasion of the Soviet Union 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 afte ...
, the
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
entered Lwów. Bartel was arrested on 2 July while being in a meeting with co-workers at the University. Thirty-six other colleagues in the faculty were arrested the next night. Bartel was taken initially to a Gestapo prison on Pelczyńska street. There, as mentioned by inmate Antoni Stefanowicz, he was treated properly. The former Prime Minister was allowed to receive and send letters and mathematical books and papers to his wife and to bring food from home. At that time, Bartel was not questioned, because there were some issues regarding the accusations made by the
Gestapo The (), abbreviated Gestapo (; ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one orga ...
. On 21 July, however, he was transferred to a prison at Łąckiego Street, where he was treated poorly; the guards called him a Commie-Jew, as reported by Stefanowicz, and the Nazi officials ordered Bartel to clean the boots of a Ukrainian Hilfsgestapo soldier. Stefanowicz reported that Bartel was mentally devastated and could not understand the essence of this tragedy. According to some sources, the Nazi officials proposed the establishment of a Polish puppet government dependent on the Reich. Such information was given by General Sikorski during a press conference in
Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, List of ...
in November 1941 (on the way to Moscow). According to his version, Bartel refused, and on the orders of
Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was of the (Protection Squadron; SS), and a leading member of the Nazi Party of Germany. Himmler was one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany and a main architect of th ...
was executed on the 26th of July, 1941 at dawn. He was shot probably near ''Piaski Janowskie'' in the context of the
Massacre of Lwów professors In July 1941, 25 Polish academics from the city of Lwów (now Lviv, Ukraine) along with the 25 of their family members were killed by Nazi German occupation forces. By targeting prominent citizens and intellectuals for elimination, the Nazis hop ...
. Being barred from her daily delivery of food to her husband on Saturday, June 26, Bartel's wife learned of his death the following Monday. According to one account, during the night of October 1943 the Sonderkommando composed of Jewish prisoners unearthed the bodies of the murdered Polish professors that were filed in a mass grave. This was carried out in order to remove the traces of the murder, in connection with the approaching Soviet troops. On 9 October 1943, the corpses were piled. The prisoners were forced to take any personal belongings and clothes, including documents of Kazimierz Bartel and Professor Tadeusz Ostrowski. Later the pile of corpses was set on fire and in the following days the Sonderkommando scattered the ashes on the surrounding fields. In 1966, on the 25th anniversary of the execution of Lwów professors, a plaque with the names of the victims of Nazism was placed on the church of St. Francis of Assisi in
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 ...
. Next to memorial there is also a separate epitaph in honor of Kazimierz Bartel.


After death

Knowing the importance Bartel gave to his work on perspective, his wife was able to save his manuscript after his death by begging from the Nazi officials. Bartel's library of books were either shipped with some pieces of furniture to Germany or burned with his personal papers. His second book was supposed to be published first in German by B. G. Teubner, who would provide Ksiaznica-Atlas the negatives for the Polish edition. However, war delayed the printing and ultimately caused the destruction of all materials. In the 1950s, The second book was reconstructed in the 1950s by Professor F. Otto of the University of Gdansk using the surviving manuscript and the printer's proofs which Teubner had sent for Bartel's approval. The second book dealt with analyzing pictures geometrically, artistic reconstruction of geometry exhibited in pictures, and tracing art history using tenets of his theory of perspective. A uniform series was released by Polskie Wydawnictwo Naukowe, the second book in 1958 and the first volume in 1960.


Honours and awards

He was decorated with, among others, the Order of the White Eagle (1932) for outstanding achievements, the French
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 ...
(class I), the Cross of Valour, the Cross of Independence and the Silver 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 St ...
(1922).


References


External links


Rzuty cechowane

Nürnberg. Crimes against humanity (Volume 5)
(Russian) Нюрнбергский процесс. Преступления против человечности (том 5) Москва "Юридическая литература" 1991 (part related to murder of Kazimierz Bartel and his colleagues)
Author profile
in the database
zbMATH zbMATH Open, formerly Zentralblatt MATH, is a major reviewing service providing reviews and abstracts for articles in pure and applied mathematics, produced by the Berlin office of FIZ Karlsruhe – Leibniz Institute for Information Infrastruct ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bartel, Kazimierz 1882 births 1941 deaths Politicians from Lviv People from the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria Polish Austro-Hungarians Polish People's Party "Wyzwolenie" politicians Nonpartisan Bloc for Cooperation with the Government politicians Prime Ministers of Poland Government ministers of Poland Members of the Sejm of the Second Polish Republic (1922–1927) Members of the Sejm of the Second Polish Republic (1928–1930) Senators of the Second Polish Republic (1935–1938) Senators of the Second Polish Republic (1938–1939) People of the Polish May Coup (pro-Piłsudski side) Polish Freemasons Polish mathematicians Members of the Lwów Scientific Society Members of the Polish Academy of Learning Lviv Polytechnic alumni Lviv Polytechnic rectors Recipients of the Legion of Honour Recipients of the Cross of Valour (Poland) Recipients of the Cross of Independence Recipients of the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari Polish civilians killed in World War II Scientists from Lviv Deaths by firearm in Ukraine Recipients of the Order of the White Eagle (Poland)