Józef Użycki (born 1 December 1932 - 23 December 2022) is a Polish military officer, and

communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...

politician. He was a general in the

Polish Army The Land Forces () are the Army, land forces of the Polish Armed Forces. They currently contain some 110,000 active personnel and form many components of the European Union and NATO deployments around the world. Poland's recorded military histor ...

and the

Polish General Staff Polish General Staff, formally known as the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces ( Polish: ''Sztab Generalny Wojska Polskiego'') is the highest professional body within the Polish Armed Forces. Organizationally, it is an integral part of the M ...

of Poland from 1983 to 1990.

Life

He was born in the village of Kiertyn in

Stryi Stryi (, ; ) is a city in Lviv Oblast, western Ukraine. It is located in the left bank of the Stryi (river), Stryi River, approximately south of Lviv in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. It serves as the administrative center of Stryi R ...

county (now

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 ...

), in the

Polish Second Republic The Second Polish Republic, at the time officially known as the Republic of Poland, was a country in Central and Eastern Europe that existed between 7 October 1918 and 6 October 1939. The state was established in the final stage of World War I. ...

. In February 1940, he and his family were deported to

Siberia Siberia ( ; , ) is an extensive geographical region comprising all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has formed a part of the sovereign territory of Russia and its predecessor states ...

Krasnoyarsk Krai Krasnoyarsk Krai (, ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject (a krai) of Russia located in Siberia. Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Krasnoyarsk, the second-largest city in Siberia after ...

, from where he returned to the country in 1946. After returning, he lived in

Gliwice Gliwice (; , ) is a city in Upper Silesia, in southern Poland. The city is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Kłodnica river (a tributary of the Oder River, Oder). It lies approximately 25 km west from Katowice, the regional capital ...

, where he attended high school. He began his military service in 1950, as a

podchorąży Podchorąży is the Polish military title of officer cadets of various ranks. The term literally means "under-ensign" (or could be rendered as sub-flagbearer, second flagbearer, or deputy flagbearer) and historically has referred to an officer cade ...

, attending Officer Infantry school Number One in

Wrocław Wrocław is a city in southwestern Poland, and the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. It is the largest city and historical capital of the region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the Oder River in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Eu ...

. In 1952 he was promoted to the rank of podporuchnik, after which he was sent to the commander of the school platoon, and then deputy commander of a company at the 4th Infantry Regiment in Kielce (where he served until October 1954). In 1954-1957 he studied at the General Staff Academy. After graduation, he became chief of staff of a battalion at the 33rd Mechanized Regiment in Nysa (1957-1959). In 1959-1966 he served in the Staff of the

Silesian Military District Silesian Military District () was one of three military districts in Poland, the other two being the Pomeranian Military District and the Warsaw Military District. All three were disbanded by the end of 2011 due to the restructuring of the Poli ...

, where he was an officer of the Operational Department. In 1966, he became Chief of Staff/Deputy Commander of the 10th Medium Tank Regiment in

Opole Opole (; ; ; ) is a city located in southern Poland on the Oder River and the historical capital of Upper Silesia. With a population of approximately 127,387 as of the 2021 census, it is the capital of Opole Voivodeship (province) and the seat of ...

. He commanded this regiment, participating in the

Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia On 20–21 August 1968, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic was jointly invaded by four fellow Warsaw Pact countries: the Soviet Union, the Polish People's Republic, the People's Republic of Bulgaria, and the Hungarian People's Republic. The ...

. During the Armed Forces Inspection, the regiment commanded by him received a very good grade. In 1969, he became chief of staff/deputy commander of the 11th Dresden Armoured Division in

Żagań Żagań (French language, French and , ) is a town in western Poland, on the Bóbr river, with 25,731 inhabitants (2019), capital of Żagań County in the Lubusz Voivodeship, located in the historic region of Lower Silesia. Founded in the 12th ce ...

. From 1971 to 1973, he was a student at the Military Academy of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR 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 ...

. In 1973, he took command of the 11th Dresden Armoured Division. In this position, in 1974, he was promoted to brigadier general by a resolution of the

Polish Council of State The Council of State of the Polish People's Republic, Republic of Poland () was introduced by the Small Constitution of 1947 as an organ of executive (government), executive power. The Council of State consisted of the President of Poland, Presid ...

. The nomination was presented in

Belweder Belweder (; from the Italian ''belvedere'', "beautiful view") is a neoclassical palace in Warsaw, Poland. Erected in 1660 and remodelled in the early 1800s, it is one of several official residences used by Polish presidents as well as a state ...

by the President of the

prof.

Henryk Jabłoński Henryk Jan Jabłoński (; 27 December 1909 – 27 January 2003) was a Polish historian and politician. After 1948, he became a politician of the ruling Polish United Workers' Party, as well as a historian and professor at Warsaw University. He s ...

in the presence of the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the

Polish United Workers Party The Polish United Workers' Party (, ), commonly abbreviated to PZPR, was the communist party which ruled the Polish People's Republic as a one-party state from 1948 to 1989. The PZPR had led two other legally permitted subordinate minor parti ...

Edward Gierek Edward Gierek (; 6 January 1913 – 29 July 2001) was a Polish communist politician who served as the '' de facto'' leader of the Polish People's Republic between 1970 and 1980. Gierek replaced Władysław Gomułka as the First Secretary of the ...

. The division he commanded was repeatedly distinguished, including twice in one year by order of the Minister of National Defence. In 1976 he became Chief of Staff/Deputy Commander of the

Pomeranian Military District The Pomeranian Military District (Polish acronym POW) was a military district of the Polish Armed Forces from 1945 to 2011. Formally it was subordinate to the Minister of National Defence in the operational matters of defense and detached gover ...

Bydgoszcz Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...

. In 1978, he was appointed commander of this military district, and in case of war commander of the 1st Army. In 1979, he was promoted to

Divisional General Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French Revolutionary System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...

. In 1983, he became deputy chief of the General Staff of the Polish Army for operations. From 1983 to 1990, he was Chief of the General Staff and Deputy

Ministry of National Defense (Poland) The Ministry of National Defence (Polish language, Polish: ''Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej'' '', MON'' ) is a Government of Poland, office of government in Poland headed by the Minister of National Defence. It is responsible for the organisatio ...

. In 1951 he joined the

Polish United Workers' Party The Polish United Workers' Party (, ), commonly abbreviated to PZPR, was the communist party which ruled the Polish People's Republic as a one-party state from 1948 to 1989. The PZPR had led two other legally permitted subordinate minor parti ...

. In 1963 he became a member of the executive of the OOP of the Operations Department of the Staff of the

, and from 1964 to 1966 he was secretary of the OOP. In April 1975, he sat on the Provincial Committee of the party in

Zielona Góra Zielona Góra (; ''Green Mountain''; ) is the largest city in Lubusz Voivodeship, located in western Poland, with 140,403 inhabitants (). The region is closely associated with vineyards and holds an annual Zielona Góra Wine Fest, Wine Fest. Zie ...

, as well as in the Party Committee of the

. He was a delegate to the 5th, 7th, 8th and 9th Congresses of the Polish United Workers' Party. From 1980 to 1985, he was a member of the 8th term

Sejm The Sejm (), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (), is the lower house of the bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of the Third Polish Republic since the Polish People' ...

of the People's Republic of Poland. From December 13, 1981, to July 21, 1983, a member of the

Military Council of National Salvation A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

. From 1986 to 1990, he was a member of the

Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party (, KC PZPR) was the central ruling body of the Polish United Workers' Party, the dominant political party in the People's Republic of Poland (1948-1990). Functions Members of the Committee con ...

. He was the Co-author of the new Polish Defence doctrine, which he presented in January 1990 at the conference of Chiefs of General Staff of European and North American countries 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. ...

. He lived in

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

. He was married and had one son.

Awards

Order of the Banner of Labour The Order of the Banner of Labour () was a governmental award in Poland during the 20th-century era of the Polish People's Republic, a former Marxist-Leninist state. The order was established by the Sejm (a chamber of the Polish parliament) on 2 ...

, 1st Class * POL Polonia Restituta Komandorski BAR

Commander's Cross of

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta (, ) is a Polish state decoration, state Order (decoration), order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on alien (law), foreigners for outstanding achievements in ...

Knight's Cross of

* Golden Cross of Merit * Silver Cross of Merit * POL Medal 30-lecia Polski Ludowej BAR

Medal of the 30th Anniversary of People's Poland The Medal of the 30th Anniversary of People's Poland (Polish: ''Medal 30-lecia Polski Ludowej'') is a former civil decoration of Poland established by the Council of State on 7 February 1974 to recognize contribution of working people in developmen ...

Medal of the 40th Anniversary of People's Poland The Medal of the 40th Anniversary of People's Poland ( Polish: ''Medal 40-lecia Polski Ludowej'') is a former civil decoration of Poland established by the Sejm on 26 April 1984 to recognize the contribution of working people in the development of ...

* Golden Medal of the Armed Forces in the Service of the Fatherland * Silver Medal of the Armed Forces in the Service of the Fatherland * Bronze Medal of the Armed Forces in the Service of the Fatherland * Golden

Medal of Merit for National Defence The Medal of Merit for National Defence () is a military decoration, decoration of the Ministry of National Defence (Poland), Ministry of National Defence of Poland. Established 21 April 1966 and revised in 1991, the medal recognizes meritorious s ...

* Silver

* Bronze

* Medal of the National Education Commission * Golden Badge of Merit for Civil Defense * Golden Badge "For Merit in Strengthening the Friendship of the Polish People's Republic-the USSR" * SU Order of the Red Star ribbon

Order of the Red Star The Order of the Red Star () was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6 April 1930 but its statute was only defined in decree of the Presidium of the ...

Medal "For Strengthening of Brotherhood in Arms" * 40 years of victory rib

Jubilee Medal "Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" The Jubilee Medal "Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" () was a state commemorative medal of the Soviet Union established on April 12, 1985, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to denote th ...

Jubilee Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" The Jubilee Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" () was a state military commemorative medal of the Soviet Union established and bestowed upon military personnel to denote the sixtieth anniversary of the creation of the armed forces of ...

Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" The Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" () was a state military commemorative medal of the Soviet Union established on January 28, 1988 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to denote the seventieth anni ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Uzycki, Jozef Members of the Sejm of the Polish People's Republic Polish generals Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union alumni Polish People's Army generals Commanders of the Order of Polonia Restituta Knights of the Order of Polonia Restituta Polish United Workers' Party members 1932 births 2022 deaths Recipients of the Medal of the 40th Anniversary of the People's Republic of Poland