Stanisław Maria Jan Teofil Szeptycki (3 November 1867 – 9 October 1950) was a Polish count,

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

and military commander.

Biography

Born in 1867 in Galicia,

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

to the aristocratic Szeptycki family, he was the grandson of Polish playwright

Aleksander Fredro Aleksander Fredro (20 June 1793 – 15 July 1876) was a Polish poet, playwright and Polish authors, author active during Romanticism in Poland, Polish Romanticism in the Partitions of Poland, period of partitions by neighboring empires. His works ...

, son of the count Jan Kanty Szeptycki and brother of Andrey Sheptytsky,

Metropolitan Archbishop Metropolitan may refer to: Areas and governance (secular and ecclesiastical) * Metropolitan archdiocese, the jurisdiction of a metropolitan archbishop ** Metropolitan bishop or archbishop, leader of an ecclesiastical "mother see" * Metropolitan ar ...

of the

Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) is a Major archiepiscopal church, major archiepiscopal ''sui iuris'' ("autonomous") Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Catholic church that is based in Ukraine. As a particular church of the Cathol ...

(Stanisław was a Catholic of the Latin rite, his brother Andrey/Andrzej was also initially of the Latin Rite, but instead followed Greek Catholicism). Szeptycki joined the

Austro-Hungarian Army The Austro-Hungarian Army, also known as the Imperial and Royal Army,; was the principal ground force of Austria-Hungary from 1867 to 1918. It consisted of three organisations: the Common Army (, recruited from all parts of Austria-Hungary), ...

, where he attained the rank of colonel. In 1914 he joined the Polish Legions, where he became commander of the Third Brigade, and from November 1916 to April 1917 commander of the entire Polish Legions formation. Following the Oath Crisis he commanded the German-aligned '' Polnische Wehrmacht''. Until February 1918 he was Austro-Hungarian governor general of Lublin, but resigned in protest when Germany turned

Chełm Chełm (; ; ) is a city in eastern Poland in the Lublin Voivodeship with 60,231 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is located to the south-east of Lublin, north of Zamość and south of Biała Podlaska, some from the border with Ukraine. The ...

and the surrounding area over to the

Ukrainians Ukrainians (, ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. Their native tongue is Ukrainian language, Ukrainian, and the majority adhere to Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, forming the List of contemporary eth ...

. He joined the newly recreated

Polish Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland (, ; abbreviated SZ RP), also called the Polish Armed Forces and popularly called in Poland (, roughly "the Polish Military"—abbreviated ''WP''), are the national Military, armed forces of the Poland, ...

in November 1918 following the country's independence and replaced General Tadeusz Rozwadowski as Chief of the General Staff, a post that he held until March 1919. During the Polish-Soviet War of 1919–1921, Szeptycki commanded the Polish Northeast Front and the 4th Army. In 1919 he commanded Operation Minsk. He disagreed with the Polish Commander-in-Chief,

Józef Piłsudski Józef Klemens Piłsudski (; 5 December 1867 – 12 May 1935) was a Polish statesman who served as the Chief of State (Poland), Chief of State (1918–1922) and first Marshal of Poland (from 1920). In the aftermath of World War I, he beca ...

, which cost him his post, and joined the National Democratic opposition to Piłsudski. From June to December 1923 he was Minister of Military Affairs; during that time he challenged Piłsudski to a

duel A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people with matched weapons. During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the rapier and later the small sword), but beginning in ...

for a perceived slight (Piłsudski refused the challenge). After Piłsudski's May 1926 ''Coup d'État'', Szeptycki was dismissed from active service. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, from 1945 to 1950, he headed the Polish Red Cross (''Polski Czerwony Krzyż''). He died in Korczyna in 1950.

Promotions

Leutnant ( Second lieutenant) - 1888 *

Oberleutnant (

First lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...

) - 1892 *

Hauptmann (

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

) - 1900 *

Major (

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

) - 1 November 1907 *

Oberstleutnant ( Lieutenant colonel) - 1 May 1911 *

Oberts (

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

) - 1 May 1914 *

Generalmajor ( Brigadier general) - 28 April 1917 * PL Epolet gen dyw

Generał dywizji ( Major general) - 4 November 1918 * PL Epolet gen broni

Generał broni (

Lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

) - 21 April 1920

Honours and awards

*Polish: ** POL Virtuti Militari Kawalerski BAR

Commander's Cross of the

Virtuti Militari The War Order of Virtuti Militari (Latin: ''"For Military Virtue"'', ) is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was established in 1792 by the last King of Poland Stanislaus II of Poland, ...

(1922) **

Silver Cross of the

(1921) **

POL Polonia Restituta Komandorski ZG BAR

Commander's Cross with Star 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 ...

(7 November 1925) ** POL Polonia Restituta Komandorski BAR

Commander's Cross of the

(1921) ** Cross of Valour, four times ** Golden Cross of Merit ** Commemorative Medal for the War of 1918–1921 ** Medal of the Tenth Anniversary of Regained Independence *Austro-Hungarian: ** AUT KuK Order of the Iron Crown 2nd Class BAR

AUT KuK Order of the Iron Crown 2nd Class BAR

Order of the Iron Crown, 2nd Class (1916) ** AUT KuK Order of the Iron Crown 3rd Class BAR

Order of the Iron Crown, 3rd Class (1905) ** AUT Imperial Order of Leopold ribbon Commander

Order of Leopold, 2nd Class (1914) ** AUT KuK Order FJ military GCross BAR

Order of Franz Joseph, 1st Class (1918) ** AUT KuK Kriegsbande BAR

Military Merit Cross, 2nd and 3rd Class (1916, 1915) ** AUT KuK Decoration for Services to the Red Cross BAR

Decoration for Services to the Red Cross ** AUT Karl-Truppenkreuz BAR

Karl Troop Cross The Karl Troop Cross () was instituted on 13 December 1916 by Emperor Karl I of Austria-Hungary. The cross was awarded for service up to the end of the First World War to soldiers and sailors of all arms of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces, regar ...

1898 Jubilee Medal ** 1908 Jubilee Cross *Other: ** Order of the Crown, 2nd Class (1909, Prussia) ** D-PRU EK 1914 2 Klasse BAR

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...

, 2nd Class (Prussia) ** Military Merit Order, 2nd Class (Württemberg) ** D-BAV Order Saint George BAR

Order of Saint George The Order of Saint George () is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. It was originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian (7 December 1769 Gregorian) as the highest military decoration of the Russian Empire for commiss ...

, 2nd Class (1900, Bavaria) ** Military Merit Order, 2nd Class (Bavaria) ** Legion Honneur Commandeur ribbon

Commander of

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

(1922, France) ** Legion Honneur Chevalier ribbon

Chevalier of

(1906, France) ** Order of the Bath UK ribbon

Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...

, CB (1921, United Kingdom) ** ROM Order of the Star of Romania 1877 GCross BAR

Grand Cross of

Order of the Star of Romania The Order of the Star of Romania (Romanian: ''Ordinul Steaua României'') is Romania's highest civil Order and second highest State decoration after the Order of Michael the Brave. It is the oldest Order of Romania. It is awarded by the Preside ...

(1923, Romania) ** SRB-SHS-YUG Orden Svetog Save VKrst BAR

Grand Cross of Order of St. Sava (1923, Yugoslavia) ** Cavaliere di Gran Croce OCI Kingdom BAR

Knight Grand Cross of

Order of the Crown of Italy The Order of the Crown of Italy ( or OCI) was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate Italian unification, the unification of Italy in 1861. It was awarded in five degrees for ...

(1923, Kingdom of Italy) ** EST Cross of Liberty Military Leadership

Cross of Liberty, 2nd Class (1922, Estonia) ** Lacplesis Military Order Ribbon

Order of Lāčplēsis, 2nd class (1921, Latvia) **

Order of Saint Stanislaus The Order of Saint Stanislaus (, ), also spelled Stanislas, was a Polish order of knighthood founded in 1765 by King Stanisław August Poniatowski of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It remained under the Congress Poland, Kingdom of Pola ...

, 2nd Class (1905, Russian Empire) ** Order of Glory Ribbon Bar

Golden Weapon for Bravery (1908, Russian Empire)

References

1867 births 1950 deaths Military personnel from Lviv Oblast People from the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria Stanisław Polish Austro-Hungarians Counts of Poland Austro-Hungarian generals Polish generals Polish People's Army generals Polish legionnaires (World War I) Polnische Wehrmacht personnel Polish people of the Polish–Soviet War People of the Polish May Coup (pro-government side) Commanders of the Virtuti Militari Commanders with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the Cross of Valour (Poland) Recipients of the Order of Lāčplēsis, 2nd class {{Poland-mil-bio-stub

Biography

Promotions

Honours and awards

Further reading

References