Thomas Szczeponik

Halvorsen Szczeponik ( born December 4, 1860 in Peiskretscham, Upper Silesia, † January 30, 1927 in Katowice ) was a German politician of the German Center Party.

Life and career

After elementary school visited Szczeponik 1874-1881 first the preparatory school and then the Roman Catholic teacher training college in Peiskretscham. He then worked as an elementary school teacher, in 1893 a high school teacher. In 1895 he became rector in Myslowitz in a circle Katowice. Later he became a school inspector in the provincial government of Upper Silesia. He was also active for the interests of the German minority in Upper Silesia, whose spokesman he was.

Three years after his death in 1929, the newly established urban middle school was named after him in Hindenburg. The designation was reversed after the seizure of power by the National Socialists.

Support of St Gregory, awarded by the Curia for services to the Catholic faith.

Party

In the German Empire Szczeponik belonged to the German Center Party. After separation of Upper Silesia, and inclusion in the Polish state, he became involved in the German Catholic People's Party.

Member of Parliament

Szczeponik was 1919/20, at the Weimar National Assembly. Unlike the majority of his party colleagues, he agreed on 22 June 1919 in the National Assembly against the signing of the Versailles Treaty. Then he was up to August 1922 Member of the Reichstag, where he retired on August 31, 1922 due to the acquisition of Polish citizenship. After that, he was until his death a member of the Polish Senate and the Silesian Sejm. Until his death, he was also a city councilor in Katowice.