Chronology of Józef Pilsudski's life
5 XII 1867 - birth of Józef Piłsudski in Zułowo (święciański county, 60 km from Vilnius). Father Josef Wincenty had the estate "Tenenie" in Tosieński county. At the time of January Uprising he was a civil commissioner of the National Government in this county. Because of the post-uprising repressions, the Piłsudski family moved to Zułowo. Josef's mother Maria was dowered with the house. She came from an old family of Bilewiczowie on Żmudź, which was immortalized by Henryk Sienkiewicz in his Epic Novel "Potop" (The Deluge). Maria had an enormous influence on the character, attitudes and beliefs of the future First Marshal of Poland. "Ziuk" was raised in patriotic atmosphere, respect and worship for the heroes of the January Uprising. He had numerous siblings - 4 sisters and 5 brothers:
- Helena (1864 - 1917),
- Sophia (1865 - 1935),
- Bronisław (1866 - 1918), in 1887 sentenced for 15 years of penal servitude on Sakhalin, great ethnographer and traveller researching the culture of Ajnowie.
- Adam (1869 - 1935), senator, vice-president of Vilnius,
- Kazimierz (1871 - 1941), worker of bank and the Supreme Chamber of Control, prisoner of NKWD (Russian: People's Office for Interior; Soviet Secret Service),
- Maria (1873 - 1921),
- John (1876 - 1950), minister of the treasury and the president of the Polish Bank, also the prisoner of NKWD,
- Ludwika (1879 - 1924),
- Casper (1881 - 1915),
- the twins - Theodora and Peter who died as infants.
1875 - the fire of Zułow. The family moved to Vilnius. The estate in Zułów burnt down again during the military activities in 1915, burnt down by German soldiers.
1887 - Josef Piłsudski starts his education in Governmental Middle School in Vilnius. In 1888, Piłsudski published a magazine called "Gołąb Zułowski" (Pigeon of Zułow) in cooperation with his brother Bronisław. Since 1882, he conducted activities in self-education group called "Spójnia" (Link).
1 IX 1884 - death of Piłsudski's mother. At first, she was buried in the family estate - Suginty, since 1935 at the Rossa Cemetery in Vilnius.
1885 - Piłsudski passed his secondary school-leaving diploma and started studies at medical department of Charkow University. After he was arrested for participation in students' demonstrations for the second time he quit studies in 1886 with the intention of transferring to University in Dorpat. He was not admitted because of the negative opinion issued by the police in Charkow. He returned to Vilnius and started activities in an underground circle with socialist orientation.
1887 - Josef and Bronisław Piłsudscy were arrested and charged with complicity in the prepared attempt on the life of tsar Alexander III. They were involved in this event by pure coincidence. Kanczer, a member of a terrorist organization "Narodowa Wola" (Nation's Will) from Petersburg was to take chemical materials necessary to construct a bomb from a pharmacist in Vilnius called Titus Paszkowski. He did not know anybody in Vilnius he took the address of Pilsudscy in Vilnius from Bronisław who studied in Petersburg. After his brother asked him, Josef met with Kanczer and he helped him without asking for details. After random arrest of the plotters and testimonies of Kanczer, both brothers were arrested. Bronisław was sentenced for 15 years of exile on Sakhalin and Josef for 5 years of Siberia.
September 1887 - the beginning of Siberian exile. During the first days of October, 20-year-old Josef arrived to Irkuck along with thousands of Polish exiles. The target place of their exile was Kireńsk on the river Lena. While he was waiting in prison in Irkuck for the river to freeze, Piłsudski took part in the prisoners' mutiny, during which the military policemen beat him up pretty badly. He was sentenced to 6 months in prison for participation in the mutiny. He served the sentence in Kireńsk. He was sick very often so he spent most of the time in prison hospital. In Kireńsk, he met a socialist sentenced to penal servitude in exile - Stanislaw Lande and his family, including his sister-in-law, Leonarda Lewandowska who was the first woman in Pilsudski's life.
1890 - his deteriorating health condition caused that the authorities allowed Piłsudski to move to Tunka (200 km from Irkuck) due to the milder climate there. He met many political exiles here among others Bronisław Szwarca, a member of the Central National Committee from 1862.
1 VII 1892 - return to Vilnius. The exile did not break Pilsudski, on the contrary, it hardened his character and established a conviction that it was necessary to fight for independent homeland.
1893 - after he was free from police supervision Piłsudski left for Warsaw and joined the Polish Socialist Party (PPS) (created in 1893 because of unification of the Polish Workers Union and II Proletariat). A year earlier a Paris convention of the Foreign Union of the Polish Socialists (ZZSP), on the motion of Boleslaw Limanowski included the slogan of struggle for independence in the party programme. During the I Convention of PPS in the woods near Vilnius Piłsudski represented the "Lithuanian section". In October this year, he joined the party's management as the comrade "Victor".
February 1894 - During the II Convention of PPS, he was elected for the Central Workers' Committee (he will be a member until 1914 with small breaks in between). Apart from that, he was appointed the editor of "Robotnik" (The Worker). He performed the function of publicist, editor and printer. He cooperated with Alexander Sułkiewicz and Stanislaw Wojciechowski. The underground publishing house of the magazine was situated in Lipniszki, 50 km from Vilnius. The first number of "Robotnik" was issued on 12 VII 1894.
1895 - the publishing house was moved to Vilnius. This year Piłsudski left for Geneva for the Convention of Polish Socialists (his first stay on the West). After the September arrests of the leading party activists Piłsudski became the main character in the Polish Socialists Party. He focused all forms of the party activity. His publications had a significant influence on social and political views of some Polish people. He rendered considerable services to pull the Polish socialism out of the communist influences and to orient it towards the notions of independence.
1896 - Piłsudski took part in the Second International Congress of London. He often left for Galicia and Western Europe at that time.
15 VII 1899 - wedding with Maria Juszkiewiczowa of the Koplewscy family in Paproć Duża (the province of Łomża). Earlier this year, on the 24th of May Piłsudski converted his religion to Evangelical-Lutheran because Maria was a divorcee.
22 X 1899 - Piłsudski moved the publishing house to Łódź, Wschodnia 19.
21/22 II 1900 - accidental police raid on Pilsudski's flat and the publishing house with 9 complete pages of the 36 issue of "Robotnik". Both Piłsudscy were arrested. Maria was released soon and Josef was sent to the famous X Pavilion of the Warsaw Citadel, cell no 39. In prison he simulated mental illness.
15 XII 1900 - Piłsudski was moved to St. Nicolas the Miracle Worker mental hospital in Petersburg. Friends from PPS - Alexander Sułkiewicz and Maria Pazkoska, in agreement with the hospital doctor Władysław Mazurkiewicz prepared the escape from the institution.
14/15 May 1901 - Piłsudski escaped from the hospital. He and dr Mazurkiewicz travelled through Tallinn, Riga, Poleis, Kijów and Zamość. On the 20th of June after he met with his wife, he crossed the border with Galicia in Rabizanty on Roztocze. Jan Miklaszewski, the controller of the forests on the territory of Zamość Province sneaked the fugitives through the forests. Piłsudski left for Lwów and then he stayed in Cracow and left for London. In London, he met Ignacy Mościcki for the first time and visited the publishing house of "Przedświt" located in the headquarters of the Foreign Committee of the Polish Socialist Party.
1902 - return to Cracow then Piłsudski leaver for Vilnius for his father's funeral. In Vilnius, he met Walery Sławek.
1903 -beginning of the internal conflict among the party in view of priorities: independence versus class struggle - division into the "old" with Pilsudski as their leader and the "young".
1904 - outbreak of Russian-Japanese war. The major authorities of the Polish Socialist Party established contacts with Japanese secret service. Piłsudski and Titus Filipowicz left for Tokyo and the invitation and expense of the Japanese government. Signing of a secret agreement on financial support from the Japanese and purchase of weapon in exchange for intelligence services on the part of the Polish Socialist Party. Roman Dmowski tried to torpedo the undertaking.
5 III 1905 - Piłsudski lead the Conspirational and Military Department of the Central Workers Committee appointed for supervising the Conspirational and Military Organisation of the Polish Socialist Party. It numbered around 6 thousand members and performed great combat actions of the Conspirational and Military Organisation at the time of revolutionary events in 1905 - 1907.
May 1906 - Piłsudski met Aleksandra Szczerbińska, a member of the Conspirational and Military Organisation, a courier between Galicia and the Kingdom of Poland.
19 - 22 XI 1906 - IX Convention of the Polish Socialist Party in Vienna. The "Young" outvoted the resolution on dissolution of the Conspirational and Military Organisation; split in the party. The "Old" along with Piłsudski appointed a Revolutionary Fraction of the Polish Socialist Party and the "Young" - the Left, which soon drowned in communism.
June 1908 - formation of the Union of Active Struggle (ZWC) inspired by Piłsudski. It was a secret conspiratioonal and military organisation, which was to prepare the corps of the future Polish army.
26 IX - combat action under Piłsudski's command in Bezdany near Vilnius. Attack of 19 armed fighters on the train transporting money from Vilnius to Petersburg. Over 200 thousand rubbles were taken for the purpose of independence activities. 4 future prime ministers of the Republic of Poland took part in the attack among others Josef Piłsudski, Walery Sławek, Alexander Prystor and Tomasz Aciszewski. The money was transported and hidden by Aleksandra Szczerbińska.
1909 - Piłsudski changed the character of his activities. Under the influence if the international situation and his previous experiences Piłsudski departed from the party activity focusing on strictly military actions and training the cadres for the future fight for independence.
August 1909 - II Convention of the Polish Socialist Party Revolutionary Fraction (last convention before the outbreak of war) - Central Workers Committee was elected in the following composition: Witold Jodko-Narutowicz, Titus Filipowicz and Josef Piłsudski. Polish Socialist Part returned to its former name.
1910 - as result of cooperation between Piłsudski and Austrian-Hungarian intelligence services, the Austrian authorities agreed for the establishment of the so-called Riflemen's Associations based on Austrian-Hungarian act on riflemen's associations and organizations. "Związek Strzelecki" (Riflemen's Association) was created in Lwów and "Strzelec" (Shooter) in Cracow.
1911 - other paramilitary organizations are established: "Drużyny Strzeleckie" supporting the Polish National Democracy (also known from its abbreviation "ND" as "Endecja") as emanation of the secret Polish Army, "Drużyny Bartoszowe", and "Drużyny Podhalńskie". Gymnastic Society called "Sokół" (Falcon) develops. Many trainings, military exercises and lectures on military take place. Pilsudski himself started studies on the history of wars and military, he conducted classes among others on military history of the January Uprising. Alexandra Szczerbińska worked as an instructor of the Female Unit of Shooting Association.
1912 - Pilsudski became the Commanding Officer of the Union of Active Struggle; Kazimierz Sosnkowski became the chief of staff.
25 - 26 VIII - on the initiative of Pilsudski the Polish Military Staff was appointed during the convention of independence activists in Zakopane.
10 XI - Temporary Commissions of Confederated Independence Parties (TKSSN) was appointed on the convention of political activists with participation of Polish Socialist Party, Polish Progressive Party, National Peasants' Party, National Worker's Party, National Intelligence Association and "Zarzewie".
1 XII - Temporary Commissions of Confederated Independence Parties (TKSSN) appointed Pilsudski the Commander-in-Chief and Kazimierz Sosnkowski became the chief of staff.
1913 - great shooting manoeuvres near Lwów on the anniversary of January Uprising with participation of few thousand shooters under Pilsudski's command.
21 II 1914 - famous lecture conducted by Pilsudski in the hall of Geographical Society of Paris. The subject of the lecture was the forecast concerning the development of the political situation after the outbreak of the European war.
2 VIII - mobilization in Oleanders of Cracow i.e. joined units of Riflemen's Associations and Shooting Teams. A horse patrol under Władysław Belina-Prażmowski's command composed of seven people was sent to the Kingdom of Poland ("the Belina seven").
3 VIII - creation of the First Cadre Company - 144 shooters under Thaddeus Kasprzycki's command. Mystification with National Government allegedly formed in Warsaw that was to appoint Pilsudski the commanding officer of the Polish armed forces. The purpose of the operation was to give him more independence. He was to become independent from the influence of the politicians from Galicia.
6 VIII - the Cadre Company marches out from Cracowian Oleanders, knocking down of landmarks in Michałowice (Memorial obelisk with shooting eagle was built there on 11 XI 1936).
12 VIII - Pilsudski led the parade of 400 shooters and marched towards Kielce. The passivity of the society, reluctance towards the military action against Russia caused that the insurrectionary plans ended in fiasco.
16 VIII - on the initiative of politics from Galicia the Supreme National Committee (NKN) was founded in Cracow. The Committee appointed the Military Department led by general Władysław Sikorski. It was decided to form the Polish Legions under the command of the Austro-Hungarian army. Josef Pilsudski became the commanding officer of the first infantry regiment of the Polish Legions.
22 X - on Pilsudski's order, the Polish Military Organization (POW) was established for the organisation of partisan warfare and subversive activity on the territory of the Kingdom of Poland.
11 X - on the orders of the Commander-in-Chef archduke Ferdinand, Pilsudski was appointed a brigadier general (equivalent of colonel). This rank was created by the Austrian government specifically for him.
19 XII - 1st Brigade of Polish Legions was formed from the first infantry regiment with Pilsudski as the commanding officer and Kazimierz Sosnkowski as the chief of staff. In 1914 the troops under Pilsudski participated in numerous battles: battle of Czarkowy, Chęciny, Brzegi, Ruszcza, Koprzywnica, Gniewoszowice, Siewce, Sambor, Anielin, Laski, Nowy Korczyn, Opatowiec, Krzywopłoty, Dobr, Limanowa, Marcinkowice and Łowczówek.
1915 - 1st Brigade fought battles on the river Nida, near Konary, Ożrów, Tarłowo, in the Lubelszczyzna region: near Jastkowo, Józefowo, Wola Krsienińska, and Mamionka; in the Wołyń province: near Kukły, Kamieniucha, and Kostiuchnówka. Pilsudski came into conflict with pro-Austrian Supreme National Committee and the Command of the Legions in view of the dependency of formations on the Austrian-Hungarian army.
November - Alexandra Szczerbińska arrested by Germans for her activity in the Pomeranian Military District (POW). She agitated according to Pilsudski's orders who wanted to suspend the recruitment for Legions in order to develop the Pomeranian Military District. She was kept prisoner in Szczypiorno and Lubań on the territory of Silesia, released on 3 XI 1916.
28 II 1916 - Pilsudski returns to the Catholic Church.
4 - 7 VII - the battle of Kostiuchnówka - the biggest battle fought by the Polish Legions.
29 VII - because of the total lack of progress in the case of Poland and no reaction on the part of the central states, Pilsudski submitted his resignation from the function of the commanding officer of the First Brigade. It resignation was accepted on 26 IX 1916.
11 I 1917 - Pilsudski took charge of the Military Committee of the Provisional Council of State of the Kingdom of Poland established on 6 XII 1916 under the decree of 5 November signed by the emperor of Germany and Austria-Hungary. In relation to formation on the Polish armed forces under the command of the central state Pilsudski demanded far-reaching concessions on the part of occupiers among others formation of the Polish government and handing over the power.
2 VII - Pilsudski steps down from the Provisional Council of State.
9 VII - crisis of allegiance - following Pilsudski's orders, Legionnaires from I and III Brigade declined taking an oath of allegiance towards the emperors of Austria and Germany. 3300 legionnaires from the Kingdom of Poland were interned in Benjaminowo, Łomża and Szczypiorno, 3500 from Galicia were enlisted for the Austrian army and sent to Italian war front. Legionnaires from II Brigade took the oath of allegiance (7,5 thousand) and were put at the disposal of Austria and sent on Bukovina as the Polish Auxiliary Corpus. The sworn inhabitants of Cracow formed the "Polnische Wermacht" (Polish armed forces).
13/14 VII - the leaders of the Pomeranian Military District arrested among others: Walery Sławek, Wacław Jędrzejewicz and Stefan Pomarański.
21/22 VII - Joseph Pilsudski and Kazimierz Sosnkowski arrested by Germans. Pilsudski was kept prisoner in Gdansk, Spandau near Berlin, Wesel on Rheine and in Magdeburg fortress.
7 II 1918 - in Warsaw Alexandra Szczerbińska gave birth to Pilsudski's daughter - Wanda.
8 XI - after the outbreak of the revolution in Berlin, German government released Pilsudski and Sosnkowski from prison in Magdeburg. They were transported to Berlin and subsequently sent to Poland on a special train.
10 XI 1918 (Sunday) 19:00 - Pilsudski arrived at Vienna Station in Warsaw.
11 XI - the Regency Council of the Kingdom of Poland gave Pilsudski the supreme authority over the armed forces. "Ignacy Daszyński's" government set up in Lublin and other centres of Polish statehood surrendered to his authority.
14 XI - before it dissolved, the Regency Council handed over the full power to Pilsudski. Pilsudski conducted negotiations with the Soldiers' Council in German and reached an agreement on evacuation of German troops from the territory of the Kingdom of Poland.
16 XI - Joseph Pilsudski issued the manifesto to the government of the allied superpowers informing about the establishment of an independent state of Poland.
18 XI - Pilsudski appoints the government of Jędrzej Moraczewski - the first central government of the independent state of Poland.
22 XI - by virtue of the government decree Pilsudski assumed the highest power in the country as the Provisional Head of State until the summoning of Legislative Sejm. Implementation of the most important tasks within the scope of establishing national structures, formation of Polish army, sending troops of the threaten parts of struggles for borders (Lwow and Eastern Galicia), agreement with Roman Dmowski and his Polish National Committee (KNP) in Paris in order to ensure that Poland has one representation in front of the allied superpowers.
5 I 1919 - failed coup d'état and attempt to take over the power on the part of National Democracy (ND) organized by Marian Januszajtis and priest Eustachy Sapiecha.
20 II - under the provisions of "the small constitution" the Legislative Sejm during the sitting on February 10 appointed Joseph Pilsudski as the Head of State until the enactment of constitution.
19 IV - Vilnius expedition of the Polish army under Pilsudski. Pilsudski arrives to Vilnius liberated from Bolsheviks' grip (21 IV).
14 V - 17 VII - Pilsudski leads the operation aimed at liberation of the Eastern part of Małopolska ("the Lesser Poland") from the Ukrainian rule. On 17 VII, the Polish army reached Zbrucz ending the war with Ukraine in triumph.
28 II 1920 - birth of Pilsudski's second daughter - Jadwiga.
19 III - the highest military rank conferred on Pilsudski - from then on, he held the office of the First Marshal of Poland. He received a marshal's baton on 14 XI 1920.
21 IV - Pilsudski signed the political agreement and military convention (24 IV) with Semen Petlura, the Ukrainian ataman.
25 IV - the beginning of the Kiev operation of the Polish armed forces. Kiev was taken on 7 May.
5 VI - the First Cavalry Army under Siemion Budionny broke through the Polish front line on the South.
4 VII - great offensive of Michal Tuchaczewski in the North. Retreat of the Polish troops on the entire front line.
1 VII - Sejm appointed the State Defence Council headed by Joseph Pilsudski as the Head of State replacing Sejm in the event of national threat.
5 - 6 VIII - Pilsudski developed the conception of the Warsaw Battle and the attack on the Bolsheviks' army from behind.
13 - 16 VII - battle on the outskirts of Warsaw fought by the front under general Joseph Haller and the fifth army under general Wladyslaw Sikorski on the river Wkra.
16 VIII - beginning of the counter attack from the river Wieprz. Pilsudski's troops used Napoleonian tactics and defeated the Soviet army. The operation went down in history as the "Miracle at the Vistula" - one of the biggest triumphs in the history of the Polish armed forced and the 18th deciding battle in the history of the world.
20 - 26 IX - victory of the Polish troops under Pilsudski in the battle of Niemen - defeat of the Soviet armies, the Bolshevik Russia forced to negotiate peace.
8 X - general Lucian Żeligowski takes Vilnius on Pilsudski's initiative; a new state is formed i.e. so-called "middle Lithuania".
1 - 6 II 1921 - Pilsudski visits France in order to prepare the political and military agreement.
3 III - at Pilsudski's suggestion Poland and Romania signed the Convention on Defensive Alliance.
17 III - enactment of the so-called "March Constitution" limiting the competences of the future President of the Republic of Poland (the opposition was afraid that it might be Pilsudski).
18 III - Poland and Russia signed the Riga Peace Treaty ending the war. At the same time, the implementation of the federalist conception introduced by Pilsudski ended in fiasco.
28 IV - Pilsudski received the Honorary Degree of Doctor Honoris Causa in Law from the Jagiellonian University. Moreover, on 2 May, the University of Warsaw awarded him the Honorary Degree of Doctor Honoris Causa in medicine and the University of Stefan Batory awarded the same title in September.
5 V - Pilsudski took part in the event on the 100th anniversary of Napoleon's death organized in Warsaw.
17 VIII - Pilsudski's first wife, Maria died in Cracow.
25 IX - the activist of the Ukrainian Military Organization, Stephen Fedak failed in his attempt to assassinate Joseph Pilsudski's life in Lwow. He was sentenced for 6 years in prison.
25 X - Pilsudski's wedding with Alexandra Szczerbińska.
12 - 15 IX 1922 - visit to Romania at the invitation of King Ferdinand.
4 XII - Pilsudski refused to run as a candidate for the office of the President of the Republic of Poland.
14 XII - Pilsudski handed over his position of the Head of State in the hands of the president - Gabriel Narutowicz - elected 9 XII.
16 XII - president Narutowicz murdered by Eugeniusz Niewiadomski associated with National Democracy. Introduction of the state of emergency, Pilsudski took the position of the Chief of Staff.
14 IV 1923 - Pilsudski received the Grand Cross of the Order of "Virtuti Militari", awarded by the President, following the request of the minister of military affairs and the chapter of an order.
4 V - the Marshal of France, Ferdinand Foch decorated with the Grand Cross of the Order of "Virtuti Militari".
9 V - Pilsudski handed a letter with his resignation from the function of the Chief of Staff.
28 VI - after the visit of Ferdinand, the King of Romania Pilsudski resigned from the leadership in the Supreme War Council - the last of his state functions. On that day, the Sejm passed a resolution entitled "Marshal Joseph Pilsudski as the Commander-in-Chief and the Chief of State rendered great services to the Polish nation". Pilsudski settled in Sulejówek near Warsaw, in villa "Milusin" bought by the military in recognition of his services.
1924 - stay in Sulejówek, lectures, readings among others "The year 1920", participation in the life of legionary circles.
15 XI 1925 - demonstration of support for the Marshal organized in Sulejówek by the Polish officers, General Gustaw Orlicz-Dreszer made a very meaningful eloquent speech.
12 V 1926 - coup d'état - troops from Rembertowo that remained loyal to Pilsudski marched towards Warsaw. At 16:30 Stanislaw Wojciechowski - the then president of the Republic of Poland met with Joseph Pilsudski on Poniatowski Bridge. Negotiations ended in fiasco and fights in Warsaw continued until 15 May. They were stopped after the government of Wincenty Witos was dismissed and president Stanislaw Wojciechowski stepped down from his office. Pilsudski took over the power.
15 V - Kazimierz Bartel's government was formed. Pilsudski took the position of the minister for military affairs (he held this office until his death).
31 V - the Seem nominated Pilsudski as the President of the Republic of Poland but he renounces the title and nominated professor Ignacy Mościcki who was subsequently accepted by the said government.
6 VIII - by decree of the President of the Republic of Poland Pilsudski took the position of the General Inspector of the Armed Forces. In the event of war, the General Inspector was to become the Commander-in-Chief.
2 X 1926 - 27 VI 1928 - Pilsudski held the function of the prime minister of the government.
28 VI 1927 - at the suggestion of Pilsudski, the ashes of Julius Słowacki were rested on Wawel. For his emotional speech made in the Wawel Cathedral, he was awarded the Honorary Membership of the Literary Academy in 1933.
7 - 12 XII - trip to Geneva for the Session of the League of Nations devoted to regulation and normalization of the relations with Lithuania.
20 VIII - 2 X 1928 - 6-week holidays in Tirgviste near Bucharest and the official visit to Romania.
25 VIII - 4 XII 1930 - Pilsudski becomes the prime minister of the Polish government one more time. At the end of ninth and the beginning of tenth of August 14 leaders of the "Centre-Left" opposition were arrested. Pacification operation conducted by the armed forces was directed against the terror of Ukrainian nationalists in the Eastern Galicia.
15 XII 1930 - 29 III 1931 - trip to Madera for recreational and vocational purposes.
11 - 29 1931 - visit to Romania and holiday in Constantia.
1 III - 22 IV 1932 - travel to Egypt through Romania, Greece and Turkey.
25 VII - signing of the Soviet-Polish Non-Aggression Pact as part of the implemented "equilibrium policy" between the two neighboring countries.
6 X 1933 - great military parade of cavalry on Błonie in Cracow on the 250th anniversary of the relief of Vienna.
11 XI - Pilsudski is awarded another Doctor Honoris Causa Honorary Degree awarded. This time he receives the title from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan.
26 I 1934 - signing the declaration of non-violence with Germany in Berlin as part of the implemented "equilibrium" policy.
15 VI - minister of internal affairs Bronisław Pieracki assassinated by Ukrainian nationalists. The assassination became the reason of formation of a provisional camp in Cartesian Bereza for the persons posing a threat to security of the state (most often by way of administrative decision Ukrainian nationalists and communists were put here for three months). Pilsudski approved the existence of the camp for the period of one year (it existed until 1939).
1935 - Pilsudski's illness - on 19 IV professor Wenckenbach from Vienna pronounced advanced stomach cancer with liver stasis.
12 IV - signing of new constitution (entered into force on 23 April) the last signature of the Marshal.
12 V 20:45 - Marshal dies in Belweder.
13 - 14 V - the coffin with Pilsudski's body exhibited in Belvedere.
15 V - moving the coffin to St. John's Cathedral.
17 V 10:00 - mass celebrated by the cardinal Alexander Kakowski. At 12:00, the ceremonial escort of the coffin resting on a gun carriage to the Mokotów Fields. At 14:30, the last military parade before the Marshal. In the evening, a train transporting the coffin on special platform set off to Cracow. It was illuminated all night and crowds of Polish people were paying their last tribute to Pilsudski on the way.
18 V - the funeral ceremony in Cracow. At 8:30 the funeral procession lead by the metropolitan bishop of Cracow - cardinal Adam Sapiecha went to Wawel. The coffin was rested in St. Leonard's crypt.
12 V 1936 - the ceremony of resting Pilsudski's heart in the tomb on the Rossa Cemetery in Vilnius where the ashes of his mother previously were moved from the Sigunt cemetery on Lithuania.
23 VI 1937 - cardinal Sapiecha willfully moved the Marshal's coffin from St. Leonard's crypt to the Silver Bells Crypt. General Committee to Commemorate the Memory of Marshal Joseph Pilsudski headed by gen. Bolesław Wieniawa-Długoszewski started works on the sarcophagus for the Marshal. The works were interrupted by the outbreak of war. Unfortunately, the sarcophagus still remains unfinished.
Jan Rećko