Tadeusz Klimecki (November 23, 1895July 4, 1943) – Brigadier General of the Polish Army, Chief of

Polish General Staff Polish General Staff, formally known as the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces (Polish: ''Sztab Generalny Wojska Polskiego'') is the highest professional body within the Polish Armed Forces. Organizationally, it is an integral part of the Min ...

Early life and service in the Imperial and Royal Army

Tadeusz Klimecki was born in

Tarnów Tarnów () is a city in southeastern Poland with 105,922 inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of 269,000 inhabitants. The city is situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999. From 1975 to 1998, it was the capital of the Tarnów ...

, Galicia,

Austro-Hungarian Empire 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 ...

. His father was a local lawyer, Joseph Klimecki, and his mother was Ludwika Regiec. In 1913 he graduated from the gymnasium in

Jasło Jasło is a county town in south-eastern Poland with 36,641 inhabitants, as of 31 December 2012. It is situated in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship (since 1999), and it was previously part of Krosno Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is located in Lesse ...

and enrolled at the Faculty of Law of the

Jagiellonian University The Jagiellonian University (Polish: ''Uniwersytet Jagielloński'', UJ) is a public research university in Kraków, Poland. Founded in 1364 by King Casimir III the Great, it is the oldest university in Poland and the 13th oldest university in ...

. In 1914 he joined the Eastern Legion, and at its dissolution he was drafted into the Austrian army. After graduating from the school of infantry officers he was sent to the Italian front as a platoon leader. In 1915 he was appointed a standard-bearer, in 1916 – a second lieutenant. By the end of World War I he had been wounded three times and served as a company commander.

Service in the Polish Army

From November 1918 served in the Polish Army. Between November 1918 and October 1925 he was a company and battalion commander in the 16th Infantry Regiment,

and during the war with the

Bolsheviks The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...

, he commanded the regiment (31.VII-4.VIII.1920). From October 1925 to October 1927 he was student of the Highest Military School in Warsaw, after which he was Chief of Staff of the 12th Infantry Division in

Tarnopol Ternópil ( uk, Тернопіль, Ternopil' ; pl, Tarnopol; yi, טאַרנאָפּל, Tarnopl, or ; he, טארנופול (טַרְנוֹפּוֹל), Tarnopol; german: Tarnopol) is a city in the west of Ukraine. Administratively, Ternopi ...

until 1930. During the years 1930–1934 he was professor of tactics at the Higher Military School 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 ...

. Between January 1934 – 1936 – Deputy Commander of the 18 Infantry Regiment in

Skierniewice Skierniewice is a city in central Poland with 47,031 inhabitants (2021), situated in the Łódź Voivodeship (since 1999), previously capital of Skierniewice Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is the capital of Skierniewice County. The town is situate ...

. 1936–1938 – Commander of the 5th

Podhale Rifles Podhale Rifles ( pl, Strzelcy podhalańscy, nicknamed "Podhalańczycy") is the traditional name of the mountain infantry units of the Polish Army. Formed in 1918 out of volunteers of the region of Podhale, in 1919 the smaller detachments of Podh ...

Regiment in

Przemyśl Przemyśl (; yi, פשעמישל, Pshemishl; uk, Перемишль, Peremyshl; german: Premissel) is a city in southeastern Poland with 58,721 inhabitants, as of December 2021. In 1999, it became part of the Subcarpathian Voivodeship; it was pr ...

. From 1938 to September 1939 he was Head of the course at the Higher Military School in Warsaw, after which he was appointed to the Division III of the General Staff as a Chief of the Department of Operations. After the

September campaign 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 after ...

he moved to France. December 1939 – June 1940 Head of Division III,

in France. July 1940 – July 1943 Chief of the General Staff of the Supreme Commander in London. Winston Churchill reviewing Polish troops in England

Winston Churchill reviewing Polish troops in England

He died in the plane crash on July 4, 1943, in

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = " Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gib ...

, together with the Polish Prime-Minister and Commander-in-Chief 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 ...

and his staff. Tadeusz Klimecki was buried in the cemetery of Polish airmen in

Newark-on-Trent Newark-on-Trent or Newark () is a market town and civil parish in the Newark and Sherwood district in Nottinghamshire, England. It is on the River Trent, and was historically a major inland port. The A1 road (Great Britain), A1 road bypasses th ...

, England. On December 3, 2010, bodies of Tadeusz Klimecki,

Andrzej Marecki Andrzej Marecki (2 September 1898 – 4 July 1943) was a Polish military officer. He was a colonel in the Polish Army, lecturer in tactics and member of the Polish General Staff during World War II. He died in the controversial 1943 Gibraltar ...

and were exhumed, flown to Warsaw and then taken to the Department of Forensic Medicine in Cracow for examination. On December 9, 2010, Tadeusz Klimecki and Andrzej Marecki were buried in 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. Sikorski in Gibraltar

Promotions

* Captain – since June 1, 1919 * Major – since July 1, 1925 * Lieutenant Colonel – since January 1, 1931 * Colonel – since March 19, 1938 * Brigadier – since February 6, 1941

Orders and decorations

* 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 ...

* 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 ...

* Cross of Valour * Grand Officer of the

Order of the White Lion The Order of the White Lion ( cs, Řád Bílého lva) is the highest order of the Czech Republic. It continues a Czechoslovak order of the same name created in 1922 as an award for foreigners (Czechoslovakia had no civilian decoration for its ...

, 1941

References

* T. Kryska Karski S. Żurakowski, ''Generałowie Polski Niepodległej'', Editions Spotkania, Warszawa 1991. * H. P Kosk, ''Generalicja polska'', t. 1, Oficyna Wydawnicza "Ajaks", Pruszków 1998.

External links

"Tadeusz Klimecki" by Przemysław Jaskółowski

Family photos of general Klimecki, by Przemysław Jaskółowski
* Tadeusz Klimecki (Polish Wikipedia)
General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces

Chiefs of Polish General Staff
* David Irving "Accident — The Death of General Sikorski"
Newark-on-Trent CemeteryGeneral Sikorski Mystery – Polish Officers to be Exhumed at NewarkPolish Radio: Funeral of two Sikorski's officers
{{DEFAULTSORT:Klimecki, Tadeusz 1895 births 1943 deaths People from Tarnów Polish Austro-Hungarians Polish generals Chiefs of staff Recipients of the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari Commanders with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the Cross of Valour (Poland) Austro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I Polish military personnel of World War II Burials at Powązki Military Cemetery Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Gibraltar Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1943