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| ==Biography== | ==Biography== | ||
| Antoni Szyling was born on 31 August 1884 in ] near ] |
Antoni Szyling was born on 31 August 1884 in ] near ]. He finished a 7-year trade school in 1904 and from an early age was an active member of Polish patriotic and revolutionary organiations, such as ]. He had several ]s, in which he stored ] and arms, as well as hid wanted PPS members and other organizations. Arrested by the ] regime, he spent several one and a half months sentences in ] and Daniłłiczowski Prison. He was also denied the right to study at a university and was was forcibly enlisted in the ] for two years (1905-1907). In 1910, he married Zofia Bajkowski (1887-1944). In the years 1909-1912 he was able to finish 'industrial-agricultural courses' in Higher Agricultural School in Warsaw and from 1912 to 1913 he worked on an experimental ] in ]. In 1914 he was mobilized to Russian Army again and fought in the ]. | ||
| In 1917 in rank of ] he joined the the ]. In 1918 he was promoted to ], and soon afterwards taken prisoner by the Germans. In January 1919 he joined the ]. During the ] he commanded the 44 Infantry Regiment. In 1922 he was promoted to ] and retired on his own request. In 1925 he was enlisted again and became the commander of ] in Warsaw. Later he commanded the ] in ] and ] in ]. In 1929 he was promoted to the rank of ]. In May 1937 he took the worked at General Inspectorate of Armed Forces in ]. | In 1917 in rank of ] he joined the the ]. In 1918 he was promoted to ], and soon afterwards taken prisoner by the Germans. In January 1919 he joined the ]. During the ] he commanded the 44 Infantry Regiment. In 1922 he was promoted to ] and retired on his own request. In 1925 he was enlisted again and became the commander of ] in Warsaw. Later he commanded the ] in ] and ] in ]. In 1929 he was promoted to the rank of ]. In May 1937 he took the worked at General Inspectorate of Armed Forces in ]. | ||
Revision as of 04:41, 8 April 2007
Template:Infobox Polish soldier Antoni Szylling (1884-1971) was a Polish general, considered along Generals Wiktor Thommée and Stanisław Maczek to be one of the most succesfull Polish Army commanders during the Polish Defensive War of 1939.
Biography
Antoni Szyling was born on 31 August 1884 in Płoniawy-Bramura near Kraków. He finished a 7-year trade school in 1904 and from an early age was an active member of Polish patriotic and revolutionary organiations, such as Combat Organization of the Polish Socialist Party. He had several safehouses, in which he stored bibuła and arms, as well as hid wanted PPS members and other organizations. Arrested by the Russian Empire regime, he spent several one and a half months sentences in Warsaw Citadel and Daniłłiczowski Prison. He was also denied the right to study at a university and was was forcibly enlisted in the Russian Army for two years (1905-1907). In 1910, he married Zofia Bajkowski (1887-1944). In the years 1909-1912 he was able to finish 'industrial-agricultural courses' in Higher Agricultural School in Warsaw and from 1912 to 1913 he worked on an experimental folwark in Szamocin. In 1914 he was mobilized to Russian Army again and fought in the First World War.
In 1917 in rank of captain he joined the the Polish 2nd Corps in the East. In 1918 he was promoted to major, and soon afterwards taken prisoner by the Germans. In January 1919 he joined the Polish Army. During the Polish-Soviet War he commanded the 44 Infantry Regiment. In 1922 he was promoted to colonel and retired on his own request. In 1925 he was enlisted again and became the commander of 28th Infantry Division in Warsaw. Later he commanded the 23rd Infantry Division in Katowice and 8th Infantry Division in Modlin. In 1929 he was promoted to the rank of generał brygady. In May 1937 he took the worked at General Inspectorate of Armed Forces in Silesia.
During the German attack on Poland (1939) that started the World War II he commanded Army Kraków. This army was the main pivot of Polish defence. Its main task was to delay advancing German troops and withdraw eastwards along the northern line of the Carpathians and defend the heavily industrialized Upper Silesia region. It consisted of five infantry divisions, one mountain brigade, one motorized cavalry brigade, one mountain brigade and one cavalry brigade. It was the most south-western of Polish Armies; on the north it was touching Army Łódź, on the south-east, Army Karpaty.
During the early stages of the Battle of the Border the northern Army Łódź was partially surrounded by quickly advancing German forces. Army Kraków attacked by German 14th Army was forced to retreat to protect its flanks from 2 September onwards. A careful tactician, General Szylling followed the strategy 'retreat to fight another day' instead of engaging superior enemy. General Szylling despite increasingly difficult situation for the Polish forces was able to retreat succesfully towards the city of Lublin, following his orders and avoiding several German attempts to surround him. On 19 September Szyling's forces joined Army Lublin of General Tadeusz Piskor in the Battle of Tomaszów Lubelski, the second largest battle of the campaign. Polish forces followed the plan of General Piskor; the German defences proved to strong and majority of Polish forces including headquarters of both generals were encircled and surrendered on 20 September.
Hence General Szylling became a German prisoner for the second time. He spent most of the war in the Oflag VII-A Murnau POW camp. On 30 April 1945 he was freed by advancing American forces; he decided not to return to Polish Communists controlled Poland, but emigratee to France, later to United Kingdom and Canada (in 1947). In 1949 he married Maria Róża Dobrowolska (1896-1986). He lived on a farm at Abercorn, near Montreal, where he died on 17 June 1971. He is buried on Satveur des-Mont cemetery.
On emigration he wrote a monograph, Moje dowodzenie we wrześniu 1939 (My command in September 1939).
In 1946 Polish government promoted him to generał dywizji in recognition of his valor. He is also the recipent of Virtuti Militari, Polonia Restituta, Krzyż Walecznych and Krzyż Zasługi.
References
- Template:Pl icon Paweł Wieczorkiewicz, Wrzesień 1939, Mówią Wieki , t. 9 (2002) , s. 24-30 . 471 online
- The Vickers Mk. E light tank in the Polish service. Private Land Army Research Institute. Last accessed on 11 March 2007