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Revision as of 07:37, 25 April 2010
This is a partial list of famous Polish or Polish-speaking or -writing persons. In the interest of fairness and accuracy, a minority of persons of mixed heritage have their respective ancestries credited.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008) |
History
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Science
Astronomy
Biology, medicine
Chemistry
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Engineering
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Economics
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Invention
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Computer science
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Linguistics
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Mathematics
Physics
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Social sciences
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Other sciences
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Music
see also: List of Polish composers
Prose literature
See also: List of Polish writers and List of Polish novelists
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Poetry
Philosophy
Fine arts
See also: List of Polish artists and painters
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Entertainment
- Piotr Adamczyk, actor
- Piotr Andrejew, film director
- Michael Anthony (Sobolewski), Van Halen band
- Józef Arkusz, film director
- Tomasz Bagiński, BAFTA Award-winning short-animated-movie maker, nominated for an Academy Award
- Andrzej Bartkowiak, cinematographer, director, actor.
- Eugeniusz Bodo, singer and actor
- Wojciech Bogusławski, actor, theater director, playwright; Father of the Polish Theater.
- Walerian Borowczyk, film director
- Ewa Braun, Academy Award-winning set decorator, costume designer, production designer
- Zbigniew Cybulski, actor
- Elżbieta Czyżewska, actress
- Ewa Demarczyk, actress, poetry singer
- Dagmara Dominczyk, actress
- Paweł Edelman, cinematographer, European Film Award winner.
- Katarzyna Figura, actress
- Aleksander Ford, director
- Małgorzata Foremniak, actress, starred in Avalon
- Piotr Fronczewski, actor and singer
- Janusz Gajos, actor
- Sir John Gielgud, English theatre and film actor with Polish szlachcic father
- Samuel Goldwyn, legendary film producer
- Jerzy Grotowski, theatre reformer
- Adam Hanuszkiewicz, actor, theater director
- Wojciech Has, film director
- Jerzy Hoffman, film director
- Agnieszka Holland, film director, nominated to Academy Awards and BAFTA Award
- Gustaw Holoubek, actor
- Sławomir Idziak, cinematagrapher, nominated to Oscar
- Stefan Jaracz, actor
- Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, Academy Award winning composer, nominated to BAFTA Award
- Jacek Kaczmarski, protest songwriter, poetry singer, guitarist
- Janusz Kaminski, two Oscars and BAFTA Award winning cinematographer and film director
- Bronislau Kaper, Academy Award winning composer
- Krzysztof Kieślowski, film director, nominated to Academy Awards
- Klaus Kinski (Nikolaus Karl Günther Nakszyński), actor
- Nastassja Kinski (Nastassja Aglaia Nakszyński), actress
- Max Kolonko TV personality, producer, writer
- Joanna Krupa Actress and super-model
- Kazimierz Kutz, film director
- Martin Kunert (born Marcin Kunert-Dziewanowski) - writer/director
- Irena Kwiatkowska, actress
- Laryssa Lauret, actress
- Bogusław Linda, actor
- Tadeusz Łomnicki, actor
- Rudolph Maté, accomplished cinematographer and film director, nominated for 5 Oscars
- Helena Modjeska (Modrzejewska), actress
- Pola Negri, actress
- Wacław Niżyński (Vaslav Nijinsky), ballet dancer and choreographer
- Karen O (Orzołek), the lead vocalist for the New York art punk band Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- Daniel Olbrychski, actor
- Jerzy Owsiak, broadcaster
- Joanna Pacuła, actress
- Ludwika Paleta, Polish-Mexican actress
- Dominika Paleta, Polish-Mexican actress
- Cezary Pazura, actor
- Roman Polański, award winning film director educated in Poland
- Jeremi Przybora
- Anna Przybylska, actress
- Wojciech Pszoniak, actor of Comédie-Française
- Krzysztof Ptak, cinematographer
- Zbigniew Rybczyński, Oscar and Emmy Award winning filmmaker
- Lew Rywin, film producer
- Richie Sambora, Bon Jovi guitarist
- Leon Schiller, theatre director
- Izabella Scorupco, Polish-born Hollywood-actress and singer.
- Andrzej Seweryn, actor of Comédie Française
- Casey Siemaszko, actor
- Nina Siemaszko, actor
- Jerzy Skolimowski, film director
- Przemysław Skwirczyński, cinematographer
- Adam Smoluk, director, screenwriter and actor
- Piotr Sobocinski, cinematographer
- Ladislas Starevich properly: Władysław Starewicz, film director, stop-motion animator
- Allan Starski, Oscar winning production designer, art director, set designer
- Jerzy Stuhr, actor, film director
- Loretta Swit, Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on M*A*S*H.
- Piotr Tokarski, actor
- Henryk Tomaszewski, mime
- Basia Trzetrzelewska, singer
- Andrzej Wajda, Academy Award, Golden Palm, BAFTA Award, Silver Berlin Bear, César Award and Golden Lion winning film director
- The Warner Brothers
- Jerzy Wasowski
- Michał Waszyński, film director
- Lilliana Wilczkowsky, actress
- Samuel "Billy" Wilder, six Oscars winning film director, screenwriter and producer
- Roman Wilhelmi, actor
- Dariusz Wolski, cinematographer
- Zbigniew Zamachowski, actor
- Krzysztof Zanussi, film director
- Michał Żebrowski, actor
- Artur Żmijewski, actor
- Andrzej Żuławski, film director
Business
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Royalty
- Mieszko I, first Duke of Poland.
- Dubrawka, first Duchess of Poland.
- Świętosława (Gunhild), daughter of Mieszko I of Poland, mother of Canute the Great, King of England, Denmark and Norway.
- Bolesław I the Brave, first King of Poland.
- Mieszko II Lambert, second King of Poland.
- Richeza of Lotharingia, Queen of Poland.
- Casimir I the Restorer, Duke of Poland.
- Bolesław II the Bold, third King of Poland.
- Bolesław III Wrymouth, Duke of Poland.
- Mieszko III the Old, Duke of Greater Poland, Senior Duke of Poland.
- Casimir II the Just, Duke of Cracow, Senior Duke of Poland.
- Leszek I the White, Duke of Cracow, Senior Duke of Poland.
- Henry I the Bearded, Duke of Silesia, Senior Duke of Poland.
- Henry II the Pious, Senior Duke of Poland, commander of Polish forces in the Battle of Legnica (1241).
- Premislas II, King of Poland.
- Władysław I the Elbow-high, King of Poland.
- Casimir III the Great, Piast Dynasty last King of Poland.
- Jadwiga Angevin, King and Queen of Poland.
- Władysław II Jagiełło, Lithuanian, King of Poland, victor at the Battle of Grunwald (1410).
- Władysław III of Varna (Ulászló I), King of Poland and Hungary, killed at the Battle of Varna (1444).
- Casimir IV Jagiellon, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, victor in the Thirteen Years' War (1454–1466).
- John I Albert, King of Poland.
- Alexander Jagiellon, Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland.
- Sigismund I the Old, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.
- Roxelana (Khourrem, wife of Suleiman the Magnificent).
- Barbara Radziwiłł, consort of Sigismund II August.
- Sigismund II Augustus, last Jagiellon king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
- Anna Jagiellon, reigned together with her husband Stephen Báthory
- Stephen Báthory, Hungarian-born King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
- Sigismund III Vasa, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and King of Sweden.
- Władysław IV Vasa, elected Tsar of Russia, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
- John II Casimir Vasa, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, victor at the Battle of Beresteczko (1651).
- John III Sobieski, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, victor at the Battle of Vienna (1683).
- Maria Clementina Sobieski, Queen of France, England, Scotland and Ireland.
- Catherine I (Marta Skowrońska), second wife of Russian Tsar Peter the Great, and Empress of Russia (1725–27).
- Stanisław Leszczyński, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Duke of Lorraine.
- Catherine Opalińska, Queen of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Duchess of Lorraine.
- Maria Leszczyńska, consort of Louis XV, King of France.
- Stanisław August Poniatowski, last King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, co-author of the [[Constitution of May 3, 1791.
- Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz, is the wife of HRH Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant.
Nobility (szlachta)
see: List of szlachta
Military
- Władysław Anders, general, military commander during the Battle of Monte Cassino (1944)
- Dawid Apfelbaum, Polish Army lieutenant; commander of the Jewish Military Union (backed by Home Army) in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (1943)
- Krzysztof Arciszewski, general of artillery of Holland (1639), and Poland (1646).
- Józef Bem, military commander, commander-in-chief of Hungarian army (1849)
- Janusz Bokszczanin, colonel, last chief of staff of the Home Army (1944–1945)
- Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, military commander, victor from Kircholm (1605)
- Michał Czajkowski (Sadyk Pasha), (1804–86), Polish-Ukrainian commander-in-chief of an Ottoman Cossack brigade during the Crimean War (1853–56)
- Stefan Czarniecki, Field Crown Hetman of Poland (1665)
- Jan Henryk Dąbrowski, general, military commander during the Napoleonic Wars
- Jarosław Dąbrowski, military commander during the January Uprising (1863), and the Paris Commune (1871)
- Henryk Dembiński, military commander in the November Uprising and the Hungarian uprising of 1849
- Bolesław Wieniawa-Długoszowski, general, ambassador, nominated President of Poland (1939)
- Józef Dowbor-Muśnicki, general, military commander in the Greater Poland Uprising (1919)
- Jerzy Pajaczkowski-Dydynski (1894–2005), Polish soldier in World War I and in the 1920-21 Polish-Soviet War. At his death, he was the oldest man in the United Kingdom (111 years old).
- Emil August Fieldorf, general, last deputy commander-in-chief of the Home Army (1944–1945)
- Józef Haller, politician, commander of the Polish Army in France during World War I
- Stanisław Haller, general, was murdered by the NKVD in the Katyn massacre in 1940.
- Stanisław Jan Jabłonowski, Grand Crown Hetman (1682/3-1702)
- Jan Nowak-Jezioranski (1913–2005), Polish journalist and World War II hero.
- Berek Joselewicz, Polish-Jewish colonel in the Kościuszko Uprising and in Napoleon's Polish Legions; commanded the first Jewish military formation in modern history
- Mikołaj Kamieniecki, first Grand Crown Hetman of Poland (1503–1515)
- Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski, general, founder of the resistance movement "Polish Victory Service" (27 September 1939)
- Kazimierz J. Kasperek, most decorated Polish Navy officer of World War II
- Tadeusz Klimecki, general, the Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Army (1941–1943)
- Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski, general, commander-in-chief of the Home Army (1943–1944), during Warsaw Uprising (1944)
- Stanisław Koniecpolski, Grand Crown Hetman (1632–1646)
- Stanisław Kopański, general, the Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Army (1943–1946).
- Tadeusz Kościuszko, Polish and American commander, general and revolutionist.
- Jan Kozietulski, colonel, commander during the Napoleonic Wars
- Wincenty Krasiński
- Włodzimierz Krzyżanowski, Polish Union general in the American Civil War
- Marian Kukiel, World War II general, historian
- Aleksander Lisowski, commander of 17th-century Lisowczycy.
- Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski, Prince, Field Crown Hetman (1657–1664), victor from the Battle of Chudniv (Cudnów) (1660)
- Stanisław Maczek, (1892–1994), commander of the Polish Armored Division, later commander-in-chief of Polish forces in exile after World War II
- Bernard Mond, Polish—Jewish general
- Mieczyslaw Norwid-Neugebauer, general and minister from Polish—Jewish family
- Leopold Okulicki, general, last commander-in-chief of the Home Army (1944–1945)
- Julian Konstanty Ordon, officer in the November Uprising (1830–31)
- Tadeusz Pełczyński, chief of staff of the Home Army (ZWZ/AK) (1941–1944)
- Jadwiga Piłsudska
- Emilia Plater, Countess, heroine of the November 1830 Uprising
- Józef Poniatowski, prince, Polish general and marshal of France
- Kazimierz Pułaski (Casimir Pulaski), Polish and American military commander
- Hyman G. Rickover, U.S. Navy Admiral, Father of the Nuclear Navy
- Konstantin Rokossovsky, (born Konstanty Rokossowski) Marshall of the Soviet Union and Polish defense minister, communist
- Stefan Rowecki, general, military commander, commander-in-chief of the Union of Armed Struggle (ZWZ) (1940–1942) and Home Army (AK) (1942–1943)
- Edward Rydz-Śmigły, marshal, military commander, successful in the Polish-Soviet War, C-i-C of the Polish Army in the Invasion of Poland (1939)
- John Shalikashvili, retired United States Army general
- Danuta Siedzikówna, (1928–1946), medical orderly in Polish Army
- Władysław Sikorski, general, commander-in-chief of the Polish Armed Forces and Prime Minister of Poland (1939–1943)
- Piotr Skuratowicz, general of the Polish Army, was murdered by the NKVD in the Katyn massacre
- Stanisław Sosabowski, commander of the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade, which saw action at the Battle of Arnhem during Operation Market Garden (1944)
- Kazimierz Sosnkowski, general, Commander-in-Chief of Polish Armed Forces (1943–1944)
- Józef Sowiński, general, hero of the November Uprising (1830–31)
- Zygmunt Szendzielarz ("Łupaszko")
- Stanisław Szeptycki, general
- Jan Tarnowski, Grand Crown Hetman (1527–1561), victor of Obertyn (1531)
- Stanisław Tatar, general
- Józef Wybicki
- Piotr Wysocki, led the November Uprising (1830)
- Kordian Józef Zamorski, general; chief of the Polish state police (1935–39)
- Jan Zamoyski, Great Chancellor of Poland (1578–1605) and Grand Crown Hetman (1581–1605)
- Elżbieta Zawacka, general, the only woman among the Cichociemni (Silent dark ones of Polish Army)
- Stanisław Żółkiewski, chancellor of Poland, military commander, conqueror of Moscow (1610), Grand Crown Hetman (1613–1620)
- Janusz Żurakowski, World War II fighter pilot and Avro Arrow test pilot
Politics
- Wiktor Alter
- Tomasz Arciszewski, first Prime Minister of Poland in exile (1944–1947)
- Kazimierz Feliks Badeni, count, Minister-President of Austria (1895–1897)
- Marek Belka, former director of economic policy in the interim coalition administration of Iraq, Prime Minister of Poland (2004–2005)
- Bolesław Bierut, leader of communist Poland (1948–1956)
- Michał Bobrzyński, Governor of Galicia (1908–1913)
- Zbigniew Brzeziński, political scientist, advisor to US President Jimmy Carter.
- Józef Cyrankiewicz, Prime Minister of communistic Poland (1947–1952 and 1954–1970)
- Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, prince, statesman, Prime Minister (1830–1831)
- Ignacy Daszyński, Prime Minister of the Temporary People's Government of the Republic of Poland (1918)
- Roman Dmowski, nationalist politician, statesman
- Feliks Dzierżyński, the founder of the Bolshevik secret police, the Cheka
- Marek Edelman
- Henryk Ehrlich
- Tytus Filipowicz
- Jaś Gawroński, Italian politician
- Edward Gierek, leader of communist Poland (1970–1980)
- Agaton Giller
- Władysław Gomułka, leader of communist Poland (1956–1970)
- Piotr Jaroszewicz, Prime Minister of communistic Poland (1970–1980)
- Wojciech Jaruzelski, last leader of communist Poland (1981–1989), first President of the Third Polish Republic (1989–1990)
- Janusz Jędrzejewicz
- Henryk Józewski
- Ryszard Kaczorowski, sixth and last President of Poland in exile (1989–1990)
- Jarosław Kaczyński, identical twin brother of Lech, leader of the Law and Justice party, Prime Minister of Poland (2006–2007)
- Lech Kaczyński, first President of the Fourth Polish Republic (2005-2010), died in Smolensk Crash of Airplane.
- Hugo Kołłątaj, co-author of [[Constitution of May 3, 1791
- Wojciech Korfanty, leader of Silesians during the Third Silesian Uprising
- Janusz Korwin-Mikke, free-market activist
- Stanisław Kosior, Soviet politician
- Tadeusz Kościuszko
- Jan Kucharzewski first Prime Minister of Kingdom of Poland (1917–1918),
- Pedro Pablo Kuczynski - Prime Minister of Peru
- Jacek Kuroń, politician, social activist
- Aleksander Kwaśniewski, third President of the Third Polish Republic (1995–2005)
- Andrzej Lepper, leader of Samoobrona and former Vice-PM
- Herman Lieberman
- Julian Marchlewski, Soviet politician
- Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, Prime Minister of Poland (2005–2006)
- Tadeusz Mazowiecki, politician, first Prime Minister of the Third Polish Republic (Poland)
- Vyacheslav Menzhinsky, the second chairman of the OGPU (1926–34)
- Stanisław Mikołajczyk, Prime Minister of Poland (1943–1944), politician of the agrarian party
- Jędrzej Moraczewski, first Prime Minister of II RP (1918–1919)
- Ignacy Mościcki, third President of II RP (1926–1939)
- Lewis Bernstein Namier, British politician and historian
- Gabriel Narutowicz, first President of the Second Polish Republic (1922)
- Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz
- Josef Olechowski, Polish senator, lawyer and counter-espionage role in pre World War II.
- Marian P. Opala, Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
- Stanisław Ostrowski, third President of Poland in exile (1972–1979)
- Ignacy Paderewski, second Prime Minister of the Second Polish Republic (1919)
- Longin Pastusiak, Marshal of the Senat 2001-2005
- Waldemar Pawlak, Prime Minister of Poland (1992 and 1993–95)
- Józef Piłsudski, statesman, politician and Marshal of Poland
- Władysław Broel-Plater, independence activist, founder of Polish Museum, Rapperswil
- Michel Poniatowski, prince, French politician
- Alfred Józef Potocki, count, Minister-President of Austria (1870–1871)
- Ignacy Potocki, co-author of [[Constitution of May 3, 1791
- Adam Próchnik
- Władysław Raczkiewicz, first President of Poland in exile (1939–1947)
- Edward Raczyński, fourth President of Poland in exile (1979–1986)
- Antoni Radziwiłł, prince, the Duke-Governor of Grand Duchy of Posen (Poznań) (1815–1831)
- Adam Ronikier, count, president of the Central Welfare Council (1916–1918) and (1940–1943)
- Dan Rostenkowski, American politician
- Kazimierz Sabbat, fifth President of Poland in exile (1986–1989)
- Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, vice-president of European Parliament (2004–2007)
- Władysław Sikorski, general, Prime Minister of Poland (1939–1943)
- Walery Sławek
- Anatoly Sobczak, first post-Soviet mayor of St Petersburg
- Stefan Starzyński, President of Warsaw (1934–1939)
- Andrzej Stelmachowski
- Donald Tusk, chairman of the Civic Platform, Prime Minister of Poland (since 2007)
- Lech Wałęsa, trade unionist who started dismantling of the Soviet bloc, the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, second President of the Third Polish Republic (1990–1995)
- Ludwik Waryński, socialist activist in 19th c.
- Roy Welensky, Prime Minister of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
- Edward Werner, (born in Poland to parents of German origin) vice-Minister of Finance, and Polish diplomat during World War II
- Alexander Wielopolski, count, Marquis of Gonzaga, statesman
- Wincenty Witos, politician of the agrarian party
- Stanisław Wojciechowski, second President of the Second Polish Republic (1922–1926)
- Tadeusz Wróblewski
- August Zaleski, second President of Poland in exile (1947–1972)
- Andrzej Artur Zamoyski
- Jan Zamoyski, chancellor and grand hetman of the crown (1542–1605)
Diplomats
- Władysław Bartoszewski, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1995 and 2000–2001)
- Józef Beck, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1932–1939)
- Alois Friedrich von Brühl, Polish-Saxon diplomat, starost of Warsaw
- Matthew Bryza, American diplomat
- Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2001–2005)
- Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, Polish and Russian diplomat; Russian Imperial foreign minister (1804-6)
- Władysław Czartoryski, prince, the main diplomatic agent of the National Government (1863–1864)
- Roman Dmowski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1923)
- Bronisław Geremek, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1997–2000)
- Agenor Count Gołuchowski, foreign affairs minister of Austria-Hungary (1895–1906)
- Krzysztof Grzymułtowski, diplomat and voivod of Poznań, author of the Eternal Peace Treaty with Russia (1686)
- Stanisław Janikowski, diplomat in Rome, to Holy See (1927–1954)
- Wacław Jędrzejewicz
- Julian Klaczko, Polish-Austrian diplomat
- Stanisław Kot, Polish ambassador to the Soviet Union (1941–1942) and to Italy (1945–1947)
- Józef Lipski, Polish ambassador to Germany (1933–1939)
- Juliusz Łukasiewicz, Polish ambassador to the Soviet Union (1934–1936) and France (1936–1939)
- Ivan Maysky, Soviet diplomat
- Stefan Meller, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2005–2006)
- Lewis Bernstein Namier, British diplomat and historian
- Andrzej Olechowski, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1993–1995)
- Ignacy Paderewski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1919) and third prime minister of Poland
- Stanisław Patek, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1919–1920)
- Edward Bernard Raczyński, count, Polish ambassador to the United Kingdom (1934–1945) and foreign affairs minister (1941–1943)
- Adam Rapacki, foreign affairs minister of communist Poland (1956–1968)
- Józef Retinger, advocate for a European Union
- Tadeusz Romer, foreign affairs minister of the Polish Government in Exile (1943–1944)
- Dariusz Rosati, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1995–1997)
- Adam Daniel Rotfeld, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2005)
- Radosław Sikorski, foreign affairs minister of III RP (since 2007)
- Konstanty Skirmunt, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1921–1922)
- Aleksander Skrzyński, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1922–1923 and 1924–1926)
- Krzysztof Skubiszewski, first foreign affairs minister of III RP (1989–1993)
- Romuald Spasowski, Polish ambassador to the United States (1955–1961 and 1978–1981)
- Andrey Vyshinsky, Soviet jurist and diplomat
- Alexandre Joseph Count Colonna-Walewski, French foreign affairs minister
- Leon Wasilewski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1918–1919)
- August Zaleski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1926–1932)
- Maurycy Klemens Zamoyski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1924)
- Josef Zieleniec, Czech foreign affairs minister
- Sergey Yastrzhembsky, Russian diplomat
Intelligence
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Holocaust resisters
- Irena Adamowicz
- Mordechaj Anielewicz, military leader of the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
- Dawid Apfelbaum, Polish Army lieutenant, commander of the Jewish Military Union (backed by the Home Army) in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
- Władysław Bartoszewski
- Adolf Berman
- Anna Borkowska (Sister Bertranda)
- Icchak Cukierman
- Marek Edelman
- Yitzhak Gitterman
- Bernard Goldstein
- Haika Grossman
- Irena Gut
- Henryk Iwański
- Jan Karski
- Michał Klepfisz
- Zofia Kossak-Szczucka, co-founder of Żegota
- Wanda Krahelska-Filipowicz, Provisional Committee for Aid to Jews
- Countess Karolina Lanckorońska
- Zivia Lubetkin
- Maurycy Orzech
- Witold Pilecki
- Tadeusz Romer, Polish ambassador to Japan and in Shanghai Ghetto
- Irena Sendler saved nearly 2,500 Jewish children in World War II
- Henryk Sławik, Polish politician and diplomat in Hungary
- Henryk Woliński
- Lidia Zamenhof
- Szmul Zygielbojm
Religion
- Andrzej Alojzy Ankwicz (Roman Catholic Archbishop of Lwów, 1815–33, and Archbishop of Prague 1833-38).
- Baal Shem Tov (Yisroel ben Eliezer (1698–1760), rabbi, the founder of Hasidic Judaism).
- St. Józef Bilczewski (Roman Catholic Archbishop of Lvov, 1900–23).
- Szymon Budny (Polish-Belarusian humanist and Arian priest).
- St. Casimir Jagiellon (grandson of King Władysław II Jagiełło).
- St. Adam (Albert) Chmielowski (Albertine).
- August Czartoryski (beatified Prince).
- Edmund Dalbor (Primate of Poland, Cardinal, 1915–26).
- Albin Dunajewski (Bishop of Kraków, Cardinal, 1879–94).
- Stanisław Dziwisz (Archbishop of Kraków since 2005, Cardinal).
- Antoni Melchior Fijałkowski
- Jacob Frank (Jewish messianic leader who merged Judaism and Christianity).
- Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski
- Piotr z Goniądza (religious writer).
- Piotr Gamrat (Primate of Poland, 1541–45).
- Józef Glemp (Primate of Poland since 1981, Cardinal).
- Adam Stanisław Grabowski, Prince-Bishop of Warmia
- August Hlond (Primate of Poland, 1926–48, Cardinal).
- Stanislaus Hosius (legate to Poland, Cardinal and Prince-Bishop of Warmia).
- St. Hyacinth (Dominican).
- St. Jadwiga (Queen of Poland, 1384–99).
- Henryk Jankowski (Prelate, Chaplain of "Solidarność")
- Marian Jaworski (Polish Roman Catholic Archbishop of Lvov, since 1991, Cardinal).
- Aleksander Kakowski (Archbishop of Warsaw, Cardinal).
- St. Raphael Kalinowski (Carmelite).
- St. Jan Kanty (professor at Kraków University).
- Stanisław Karnkowski (Primate of Poland, 1581–1603; Interrex, 1586–87).
- St. Maksymilian Maria Kolbe (Franciscan martyr, Auschwitz 1941).
- Hugo Kołłątaj (priest, statesman).
- St. Stanisław Kostka (Jesuit).
- St. Faustina Kowalska (Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy).
- Ignacy Krasicki (Primate of Poland).
- Adam Stanisław Krasiński (Bishop of Kamieniec Podolski, 1757–98).
- John Krol (Archbishop of Philadelphia, Cardinal, 1961–88).
- Mieczysław Halka Ledóchowski (Primate of Poland, 1866–86, Cardinal).
- Jan Łaski (1456-1531), Primate of Poland, 1510-31.
- Jan Łaski (1499–1560), Protestant reformer; nephew of the Primate.
- Władysław Aleksander Łubieński (Archbishop of Lwów, 1758–59; and Primate of Poland, 1759–67; Interrex, 1763–64).
- Franciszek Macharski (Archbishop of Kraków, 1978–2005, Cardinal).
- Tomasz Miśkiewicz mufti of the Polish Mulims' Organization ( Muzułmański Związek Religijny ) and imam of Białystok(Islam)
- Zbigniew Cardinal Oleśnicki (Bishop of Kraków, 1423–55; first Cardinal of Polish origin, from 1449; statesman).
- Zbigniew Oleśnicki (nephew of Zbigniew Cardinal Oleśnicki; Primate of Poland, 1481–93).
- Piotr of Goniądz, a spiritual leader of the Polish Brethren
- Walenty Potocki (Count; converted to Judaism as Avrohom ben Avrohom, the Ger Tzedek of Vilna; died 1749).
- Jan Puzyna (Bishop of Kraków, 1895–1911, Cardinal).
- Jerzy Cardinal Radziwiłł (Bishop of Kraków, Cardinal, 1591–1600).
- Tadeusz Rydzyk (Redemptorist).
- St. Stanisław of Szczepanów (Bishop of Kraków, martyr 1079).
- Adam Stefan Sapieha (Bishop/Archbishop of Kraków, Cardinal, 1911–51).
- Piotr Skarga (Jesuit).
- Kajetan Sołtyk (Bishop of Kiev, 1756–59; Bishop of Kraków, 1759–88).
- Boruch Steinberg the 1st Rabbi of the Polish Army before and during World War II, an officer
- Edmund Szoka (Archbishop of Detroit, Cardinal 1981-90).
- Jakub Szynkiewicz (1884–1966), Ph.D. in Philosophy, Imam of Poland as of 1925, translated portions of Qur'an into Polish
- Józef Tischner (priest, philosopher and first chaplain of the trade union "Solidarity").
- Mikołaj Trąba (Archbishop of Gniezno, first Primate of Poland, 1418–22).
- Jakub Uchański (Primate of Poland, 1562–81; Interrex, 1572–73 and 1574–75).
- Piotr Wawrzyniak (priest and economist).
- Karol Józef Wojtyla (Archbishop of Kraków, 1963–1978, Pope John Paul II, 1978–2005).
- Ali Ismail Woronowicz the Chief Imam of the Polish Army before World War II
- Stefan Wyszyński (Primate of Poland, Cardinal, 1948–81).
- Reverend Monsignor (Wawrzyniec) Lawrence Wnuk (Protonotary Apostolic).
Assassins and terrorists
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Miscellaneous
- George Adamski, controversial ufologist
- Florian Ceynowa, Kashubian activist
- Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz, first woman to sail solo around the world
- Franciszek Czapek, watchmaker
- Michał Drzymała, resistance hero
- Piotr Gawryś, contract bridge champion
- Wincenty Gostkowski, watchmaker
- Johann Haller, 16th-century printer
- Piotr Iwanicki, wheelchair dancing world champion
- Marek Kamiński, adventure traveller
- Adam Michnik, journalist
- Piotr Naszarkowski, engraver
- Stefan Ossowiecki, psychic
- Józef Piotrowski
- Anthony Radziwill, U.S. news journalist/producer (nephew of John F. Kennedy)
- Wilfrid Michael Voynich, bibliophile
- Arkadiusz Weremczuk a.k.a. Arkadius (Ukrainian-Polish) fashion designer
- Warren Winiarski, California winemaker
Models
- Małgosia Bela, Polish model born in Kraków.
- Magdalena Frackowiak, Polish model born in Gdańsk.
- Anna Jagodzinska, Polish model born in Sierpc.
- Joanna Krupa, Polish super-model born in Warsaw.
- Anja Rubik, Polish model born in Częstochowa.
- Kasia Struss, Polish model born in Ciechanów.
- Magdalena Wróbel, model
Legendary persons
- John Scolvus (Jan z Kolna), semi-legendary explorer and discoverer of America before Columbus (1476).
- Pan Twardowski, semi-legendary Faust-like sorcerer; in Polish legend, the first man on the Moon.
- Janek Wiśniewski, freedom fighter, hero of 1970 Gdynia riots.
Fictional characters
- Captain William Joseph "B.J." Blazkowicz in Wolfenstein 3D
- Bolek i Lolek
- Waldemar Daninsky, wolfman in La Marca del Hombre Lobo
- Nicodemus Dyzma (in Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz's novel, The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma).
- Dr Judym (in Stefan Żeromski's novel, Homeless People).
- Kajko i Kokosz
- Florentyna Kane in The Prodigal Daughter and Shall We Tell the President?
- Commander Keen, grandson of B.J. Blazkowicz
- Hans Kloss (Captain Kloss), WW II secret agent in the Polish TV serial More Than Life at Stake
- Kordian
- Funky Koval, space detective
- Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams' play, A Streetcar Named Desire
- Stanley Kowalski, a Polish-American detective in the 1990s Canadian television series Due South
- Walt Kowalski—a Polish-American Korean War veteran and retired Ford worker, in Clint Eastwood's 2008 film Gran Torino
- Koziołek Matołek
- Magneto, mutant (Marvel Comics)
- Mike Nomad (with Steve Roper), an American adventure comic strip (1936–2004)
- Count Olenski, estranged husband of Ellen Olenska in Edith Wharton's novel, The Age of Innocence (1920)
- Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski, in HBO's The Wire, from police officer to school teacher
- Officer Eddie Pulaski in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Abel Rosnovski in Kane and Abel
- Pan Samochodzik, an adventurer created by Zbigniew Nienacki
- Sasquatch (Dr. Walter Langkowski), Marvel superhero
- Walter Sobchak, the "Polish Catholic" in the film, The Big Lebowski
- Silk Spectre I & II, superheroines in Watchmen
- Stanislau, ace pilot in Blackhawk (comics)
- Michael Stivic in All in the Family
- Maciej Tomczyk ala Lech Wałęsa in the 1981 film, Man of Iron, directed by Andrzej Wajda
- Tytus, Romek i A'Tomek, Polish comic book heroes
- Miś Uszatek, cartoon character
- Walter Koskiusko Waldowski, the "Painless Pole" in the film, MASH
- Konrad Wallenrod, in the narrative poem by Adam Mickiewicz
- John Paul Wiggin (Jan Paweł Wieczorek) in the Ender's Game series
- The Witcher, fantasy hero created by Sapkowski
- Stanisław Wokulski (in Bolesław Prus' novel, The Doll).
- Piotr Zak, composer in a spoof BBC documentary
- Sophie Zawistowski in Sophie's Choice, a novel by William Styron and film by Alan J. Pakula.
Sports
see also: list of Polish sports players
Climbing
Wanda Rutkiewicz himalaist
Track and field
Boxing
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Chess
Fencing
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Ice hockey
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Skiing
- Bronisław Czech
- Wojciech Fortuna, ski jumper
- Justyna Kowalczyk, cross country skier
- Józef Łuszczek, cross country skier
- Adam Małysz, ski jumper
- Jan Marusarz, brother of Stanisław Marusarz and fellow Olympian; Krystyna Skarbek's World War II escort on skis across the Tatra Mountains from Hungary to Poland
- Stanisław Marusarz, ski jumper
Football (Soccer)
Swimming
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Tennis
Weightlifting
- Waldemar Baszanowski
- Marcin Dołęga
- Szymon Kołecki
- Mieczysław Nowak
- Ireneusz Paliński
- Agata Wróbel
- Marian Zieliński