Ignacy Mościcki

Ignacy Moscicki ( [ iɡnat͡sɨ mɔɕt͡ɕit͡sk ʲ i], born December 1, 1867 in Mierzanów at Ciechanów; † October 2, 1946 in Versoix near Geneva, Switzerland ) was a Polish scientist and politician.

Life

He came from a wealthy family of the middle nobility and studied chemistry at the Technical University of Vienna and the Technical University of Riga, where he was also a member of the fraternity Welecja. In 1912 he was appointed to the chair of chemistry at the University of Lviv, where he worked until 1922. Until 1926, he wrote more than 60 scientific papers in the field of chemistry, which gained him international recognition.

After Maiputsch of Józef Piłsudski in May 1926, which caused the departure of former President Stanisław Wojciechowski, Moscicki was of Piłsudski ( the acceptance of the President item rejected ) is proposed as a presidential candidate and elected by the National Assembly on June 1, 1926 President. After the expiration of the term of office on May 8, 1933 on request Piłsudski's re-elected, but he remained until 1935 in its shadow, without obtaining political significance.

On April 23, 1935 (19 days before the death of Pilsudski ) the new Polish constitution came into force, which gave broad powers to the president, including the right, during a war or state of emergency to nominate his successor. Although everyone expected that the President zurückträte after the entry into force of the new constitution and that elections would be held, Mościcki did not want to relinquish ( his term would be until 1940 expired).

After Piłsudski's death two centers of power emerged in Poland: the group " Castle " (Polish: Zamek ) by Moscicki (named after the residence of the President, the Warsaw Royal Castle ) and the group of " colonels " (Polish Pułkownicy ) to the new Marshal of Poland Edward Rydz - Śmigły. Prime Minister was Felicjan Sławoj Skladkowski.

The Polish defeat after the German and Soviet invasion in September 1939 forced Mościcki to flee in order to avoid surrender. He fled first to Romania and traveled from there in December 1939 in Switzerland, where he died on 2 October 1946. The urn containing his ashes was transferred to Warsaw in 1993 and buried in the crypt of the Cathedral of St. John. His wife was buried in the Worth Avenue of the traditional Warsaw Powązki cemetery. Royal Castle in Warsaw, the furniture was set up from his study again a few years ago.