Voting Station

Jozef Pilsudski

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Military Personnel

The Resume

    (December 5, 1867-May 12, 1935)
    Born in Zalavas, Lithuania
    Led the Polish Legions in World War I
    Commanded the Polish army in the Polish-Soviet War (1919-21)
    Polish Chief of State (1918-22)
    De facto dictator of Poland (1926-35)

Why he might be annoying:

    He had two children out of wedlock with his mistress, who he would marry the year his first wife died.
    At the beginning of World War I, he claimed to be acting under the authority of a 'National Government in Warsaw' that was fictitious.
    He allied with Germany and Austria-Hungary in WWI.
    As a result, the Allies initially refused to recognize his government after the war.
    He was a loner who distrusted almost everyone and, not surprisingly, did not get along well with other politicians.
    He returned to power in a coup in which 400 people were killed (May 12-14, 1926).
    He ordered political opponents imprisoned on the eve of parliamentary elections (1930) and established a detention camp for political prisoners (1934).
    When a 'no confidence' vote against his government was pending, he sent armed troops into the parliament building.

Why he might not be annoying:

    While imprisoned in Siberia, he lost two teeth when he and other political prisoners were beaten by the guards after another inmate insulted a guard and refused to apologize.
    After being arrested for publishing an underground newspaper, he feigned mental illness and escaped from the hospital (1900).
    At the outbreak of World War I, he predicted that Poland's best chance for regaining its independence would be for Russia to be defeated by the Central Powers (Germany and Austria-Hungary), which would then have to lose to France, Britain and the US.
    He was arrested by the Germans when he forbade his soldiers from swearing an oath of loyalty to the Central Powers (1917).
    He maintained a spartan lifestyle and drove himself hard, often working all day and all night.
    He inflicted a major defeat on the Soviet army during the Battle of Warsaw (August 12-25, 1920).
    He undid anti-semitic policies implemented by the pre-coup government.
    At his funeral, it was said, 'He gave Poland freedom, boundaries, power and respect.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 9 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 30 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 24 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 10 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 25 Votes: 52.00% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 22 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 13 Votes: 76.92% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 68 Votes: 79.41% Annoying