Bolesław Kieniewicz

Bolesław Kieniewicz (; 21 November 19073 May 1969) was a Red Army Lieutenant general who served in the Polish People's Army during World War II and in post-war commanded the Internal Security Corps in the Polish People's Republic.

Early life Kieniewicz was born in 1907 in the village of Dvorets in Minsk Governorate, to a family of Polish nobility. During the October Revolution of 1917, Kieniewicz's parents were murdered and the family property was devastated. In the aftermath of the revolution, Kieniewicz and his sisters found themselves in Russian SFSR, where he went to an orphanage while his sisters moved to Saratov and Solovetsky Islands.

Military career At the end of the seventh grade of school in 1921, he voluntarily entered into the Red Army and worked as a courier for the supply department of the North Caucasian Military District. In 1923, he left from the army and worked at a construction site in Saratov.

In May 1926, Kieniewicz re-entered in the Red Army and was sent to study at the 12th Twice Red Banner Infantry School for Command Staff named after V. I. Lenin in Ulyanovsk. After graduating in September 1929, he served in the 81st Infantry Division and later was appointed as platoon commander of the 241st Rifle Regiment in Kozelsk in January 1931. From April 1932, he served as company commander of the 242nd Rifle Regiment in Kaluga and head of the regimental school of 241st Rifle Regiment from April 1934 and commanded battalions in the rifle regiments of the division.

During the Great Purge, Kieniewicz did not hide his Polish origins and also to a certain extent emphasized his origin. In this regard, he was subjected to repression in 1937 and was eventually released in 1939.

World War II Kieniewicz (right) in a conversation with the 'son of the regiment' During the Soviet invasion of Poland in September 1939, which was followed in the aftermath of the German invasion of Poland, Kieniewicz served as battalion commander of the 49th Infantry Regiment of 50th Infantry Division. In 1940, he took part in the Winter War. For military distinctions shown in these campaigns, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

In September 1940, he was appointed chief of staff of the 57th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 57th Tank Division, which was stationed in the Mongolian People's Republic. In May 1941, the division was assigned within the 5th Mechanized Corps of the 16th Army, where it was stationed at the Kiev Special Military District.

Following the outbreak of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, Kieniewicz's regiment took part in the battles near Shepetivka and later was transferred to the Western Front in the 19th Army. He was transferred to the 20th Army and participated in the Battle of Smolensk. From 9 July 1941, he fought near Krasny with the 29th Rifle Regiment and on July 20, the regiment retreated beyond the Dnieper, and on 1 September 1941, it was disbanded.

Post war After the end of the war in May 1945, he became the commander of the Internal Security Corps of the Ministry of Public Security, where he took part in implementing the communist regime in Poland by suppressing the anti-communist resistance. He held this position until 30 November 1946. On 25 May 1945, he was promoted to Major general. From March 1946, he was a member of the Polish State Security Committee.

After his demobilisation from the Soviet Army, Kieniewicz settled in Warsaw, at his request. He died on 3 May 1969, at the age of 61, and was buried at the Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw. His funeral was attended by a delegation of the Polish Armed Forces led by Deputy Minister of National Defense, Major Gen. Józef Urbanowicz.