From now, on our website, you can find the Polish Presidents series. We are pleased to introduce to you the second president of the Republic of Poland, Stanisław Wojciechowski.
Stanisław Wojciechowski (1869-1953) was a prominent Polish politician and statesman, who served as the second President of the Republic of Poland from 1922 to 1926. He was a key figure in the struggle for Polish independence and played an important role in the development of the country’s political and social institutions in the early years of the 20th century.
Wojciechowski was born on March 15, 1869, in Kalisz, Poland, which was then part of the Russian Empire. He received his education at the University of Warsaw, where he studied law and political science. After completing his studies, he became involved in political activism, working to promote Polish culture and independence from Russian domination.
In 1918, after Poland regained its independence following World War I, Wojciechowski was appointed Minister of the Interior in the new government. He was later elected to the Polish parliament and became a leading member of the Peasant Party, a major political force in Poland at the time.
In 1922, Wojciechowski was elected President of Poland, succeeding Gabriel Narutowicz, who had been assassinated by a right-wing extremist. During his presidency, Wojciechowski worked to strengthen Poland’s democracy and promote social justice. He supported policies to improve the living conditions of farmers and workers, and he advocated for the rights of ethnic minorities, including Jews and Ukrainians.
However, Wojciechowski’s presidency was marked by political instability and conflict with other factions within the government, particularly with the powerful nationalist and conservative forces led by Józef Piłsudski. In 1926, Piłsudski staged a coup and took control of the government, effectively ending Wojciechowski’s presidency.
After leaving office, Wojciechowski remained active in Polish politics, but he never again held a position of such prominence. He died on April 9, 1953, in Sopot, Poland.
Despite his relatively short presidency and his ultimate defeat by Piłsudski, Stanisław Wojciechowski remains an important figure in Polish history, remembered for his commitment to democratic values and social justice, and for his contributions to the early years of Poland’s independence.