Josef Klemens Pilsudski Biography

Birth of Josef Klemens Pilsudski, near Vilna into an impoverished noble family

Given 5 yrs in Siberia on the false charge of conspiring to assassinate Alexander III

Released from his arrest

Appointed Party Leader of the Polish Socialist Party

Founds the Polish Socialist Party

Appointed Editor of The Robotnik, "The Worker"

Manages to escape to England & returns to Poland in 1902

Manages to escape to England & returns to Poland in 1902

Returns to Poland

The "Robotnik" newspaper is suppressed

Arrested for anti-Tsarist activity

Appointed Leader of the party's military wing

Exiled after serving 5 yrs hard labour for anti-Tsarist activities

Leads his private Polish army which invades Russia

Organizes a secret & private Polish army of 10,000 to fight against Russia

Forms a movement for a free Poland

The partition of Poland by Germany & Austria

Appointed Commander of the Army

Appointed Commander of the Army

Poland is given semi-independence by Central Powers

Appointed Member of Polish Council of State

The Central Powers establish Poland as a semi-autonomous client state

The Central Powers establish Poland as a semi-autonomous client state

The Central Powers establish Poland as a semi-autonomous client state

Refuses to take the oath of allegiance to the Central Powers

Arrested after refusing to swear an oath of allegience to the Central Powers

Released during the armistice

Appointed Chief of Staff of a small independent Polish Army

The Republic of Poland is founded

A dispute between Poland & Lithuania takes place over the Polish rule of Vilna

Forms a provisional Government

Forms a provisional Government

Appointed President of Poland after the collapse of the central powers

Drives the Bolsheviks out of Poland

Drives the Bolsheviks out of Poland

Appointed Field Marshal

Appointed Field Marshal

Defeats the Russians

Under the Treaty of Riga Poland is ceded parts of Lithuania, Belorussia & the Ukraine

Under the Treaty of Riga Poland is ceded parts of Lithuania, Belorussia & the Ukraine

Under the Treaty of Riga Poland is ceded parts of Lithuania, Belorussia & the Ukraine

Under the Treaty of Riga Poland is ceded parts of Lithuania, Belorussia & the Ukraine

The powers of the President are cut back & Pilsudski refuses to stand for election

The powers of the President are cut back & Pilsudski refuses to stand for election

The Poles capture the Lituanian capital of Vilnius & rule it until 1939

Goes into retirement

Installs a new cabinet under Ignacy Moscicki

Appointed Minister of War

Poland & Romania form an alliance

Overthrows the Wojciechowski Government. Between November 1918 & Pilsudskis coup there had been 14 different regimes

Between November 1918 & Pilsudskis coup there had been 14 different regimes

Arrests President Wojciechowski

Pilsudski assumes dictatorial powers

Appointed Prime Minister of Poland, 1st term

Has arrested & tortured 80 members of Parliament who disagreed with him

Poland occupies Gdansk

Dissolves Parliament & has opposition members arrested

Forms a new Government

Appointed Prime Minister of Poland, 2nd term

The Government wins the elections

Pact of non-aggression and friendship between Germany and Poland. Attempts to undermine France's alliances with Eastern Europe

Pact of non-aggression and friendship between Germany and Poland

Pact of non-aggression and friendship between Germany and Poland

Death of Josef Klemens Pilsudski