Juliusz Łukasiewicz (; May 6, 1892 – April 6, 1951) was a Polish diplomat, an ambassador of

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

to the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

and

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, and a Polish Freemason.Cezary Leżeński, Legiony to braterska nuta... czyli od Legionów do masonów, Wolnomularz Polski, nr 40, listopad-grudzień 2003, s. 15.

Biography

Łukasiewicz was born on May 6, 1892, in Sokolivka, in the Podolia Governorate of the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

(now in

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

). He was a Piłsudskiite and a supporter of Józef Piłsudski's Prometheism project. In 1914, Łukasiewicz joined the Polish Combat Organization. Upon the creation of the Liquidation Committee for Affairs in the Kingdom of Poland in March 1917, he served as the personal secretary to the committee led by Aleksander Lednicki. Łukasiewicz soon served as first secretary representing the Regency Council in Moscow. Łukasiewicz joined the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 1, 1919. As a specialist in Polish-Soviet relations, he joined the Eastern Department of the aforementioned ministry in 1921. He served as Polish envoy to France in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

for a year. After his return from France in 1922, he assumed the leadership of the Eastern Department and served there for four years until 1926. From 1926 to 1934, he served as Polish envoy in several European countries in

Riga Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

, from 1926 to 1929; in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

, from 1931 to 1932; and in

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

from 1933 to 1934. In 1934, he was appointed Polish ambassador to the Soviet Union and remained in Moscow until June 1936. From July 1936, he served as the Polish ambassador to France until November 7, 1939. Upon the

Invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign, Polish Campaign, and Polish Defensive War of 1939 (1 September – 6 October 1939), was a joint attack on the Second Polish Republic, Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak R ...

in September 1939, Łukasiewicz energetically lobbied the French government and military officials to fulfill their obligations towards the Franco-Polish Alliance and the Kasprzycki-Gamelin Convention. During the formation of the Polish Government in Exile in France, Łukasiewicz was forced by the French to resign from his position as Polish Ambassador to France. Upon the evacuation of the Polish government-in-exile from France to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, conflicts between Prime Minister

Władysław Sikorski Władysław Eugeniusz Sikorski (; 20 May 18814 July 1943) was a Polish military and political leader. Before World War I, Sikorski established and participated in several underground organizations that promoted the cause of Polish independenc ...

and Łukasiewicz prevented the latter from any political activity in the government-in-exile in London. Łukasiewicz strongly opposed Sikorski's government in London. After the defeat of France in 1940, Łukasiewicz wrote a manifest to President Władysław Raczkiewicz criticising Sikorski's decision to send a manifest to Stefan Litauer that proposed the creation of a 300,000-strong Polish Army under the command of the Soviet Union. Łukasiewicz additionally criticized Sikorski for squandering Polish forces in France to the enemy during the hasty retreat in May 1940, the loss of Polish bullion and for simultaneously assuming the seat of Prime Minister and General Inspector of the Armed Forces. Łukasiewicz's manifest greatly influenced Raczkiewicz's decision to dismiss Sikorski's premiership on July 19, 1940. However, under strong protest from Sikorski's sympathizers, which included the British government itself, Raczkiewicz was forced to reinstate Sikorski six days later on July 25. After the war, Łukasiewicz remained abroad. From 1947 to 1950, he served as vice-chairman at the Institute of International Research in London. He was an activist among Piłdsuskiites in exile and a member of the ''Liga Niepodległości Polski''. In September 1950, he emigrated to the United States. In April 1951, Łukasiewicz committed suicide.

Honours

Łukasiewicz received the Estonian Cross of Liberty, 2nd Class.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lukasiewicz, Juliusz 1892 births 1951 deaths People from Vinnytsia Oblast People from Olgopolsky Uyezd People from the Russian Empire of Polish descent Ambassadors of Poland to the Soviet Union Diplomats of the Second Polish Republic Ambassadors of Poland to France Ambassadors of Poland to Austria Polish Freemasons Polish democracy activists Polish emigrants to the United States Individuals associated with the Józef Piłsudski Institute of America 1951 suicides Suicides by hanging in Washington, D.C.

Biography

Honours

See also

Further reading

References