Stanisław Leon Kulczyński (9 May 1895 – 12 July 1975) was a Polish botanist and politician. Son of

Władysław Kulczyński Władysław Kulczyński (27 March 1854, Kraków – 9 December 1919, Kraków) was a Polish zoologist who specialised in arachnology Arachnology is the science, scientific study of arachnids, which comprise spiders and related invertebrates suc ...

the zoologist. Professor of Lwów University (in the

Second Polish Republic The Second Polish Republic, at the time officially known as the Republic of Poland, was a country in Central and Eastern Europe that existed between 7 October 1918 and 6 October 1939. The state was established in the final stage of World War I ...

, its rector from 1936). He resigned his position at the university in 1938 in protest of the institution of ghetto benches, writing to the Minister of Education that "if one destroys a power plant, it is dark at once, but if one destroys the Universities, it is dark fifty years hence." Member of the Polish Secret State, he took part in underground education in Poland during World War II. After the war, when

Lwów Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...

was annexed by the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

, he moved to " Regained Territories" (

Wrocław Wrocław is a city in southwestern Poland, and the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. It is the largest city and historical capital of the region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the Oder River in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Eu ...

), where he became active in the Wrocław University and Wrocław Politechnic. He joined the Stronnictwo Demokratyczne party, was elected to

Sejm The Sejm (), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (), is the lower house of the bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of the Third Polish Republic since the Polish People' ...

and was a member of several governmental commissions. Stanislaw Kulczynski was deputy chairman of the

Polish Council of State The Council of State of the Polish People's Republic, Republic of Poland () was introduced by the Small Constitution of 1947 as an organ of executive (government), executive power. The Council of State consisted of the President of Poland, Presid ...

1956–1969 and as such one of four acting chairmen of the Chairmen of the Council of State (

head of state A head of state is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...

) from 7 to 12 August 1964.

Honours and awards

Kulczyński was awarded the Order of the Builders of People's Poland (1964), the Order of the Banner of Labour 1st class, and the Grand Cross of the

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta (, ) 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 alien (law), foreigners for outstanding achievements in ...

. In 1963, the

University of Wroclaw A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Univ ...

, Wroclaw University of Technology awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1965.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kulczynski, Stanislaw 1895 births 1975 deaths Politicians from Kraków Politicians from the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria Alliance of Democrats (Poland) politicians Members of the State National Council Members of the Polish Sejm 1947–1952 Members of the Polish Sejm 1952–1956 Members of the Polish Sejm 1957–1961 Members of the Polish Sejm 1961–1965 Members of the Polish Sejm 1965–1969 Members of the Polish Sejm 1969–1972 20th-century Polish botanists University of Lviv rectors Academic staff of the University of Wrocław Grand Crosses of the Order of Polonia Restituta Commanders of the Order of Polonia Restituta Officers of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the Order of the Builders of People's Poland Recipients of the Order of the Banner of Work Recipients of the Medal of the 10th Anniversary of the People's Republic of Poland