Stanisław Sylwester Alfonzy Grodyński

Stanisław Sylwester Alfonzy Grodyński (born Stanisław Sylwester Alfonzy Kusionowicz; 4 November 1898 – 27 August 1971) – Polish soldier, lawyer, local government administrator and senior military intelligence adviser\officer.

Early life On 7 September 1906 Stanisław's father, Andrzej Kusionowicz Grodyński, a circuit judge in Polish Silesia, changed the family surname from Kusionowicz to Grodyński. Following his father's marriage to Alicja Matter on 3 June 1896, Stanisław was born on 4 November 1898 in Jabłonków (now Jablunkov in the Czech Republic) in the Trans-Olza region (at that time occupied by Austria). As a young boy he moved with his parents to Strumień in the Cieszyn District of Silesia, and after the family moved to the town of Cieszyn, Stanisław Grodyński (following the change of surname) lived with his parents in Bielska street (formerly Bielitzerstrasse).

At age seventeen Grodyński was conscripted into the Austrian Army in May 1916 he began military training as a rifleman in 100 Reserve Battalion of the Infantry Regiment. His next assignment was the Officers School in Opava and after several months he was promoted to the rank of Corporal. In November of that year Grodyński was assigned to 12 Storming Battalion with which he fought in Russia and later he also fought at the Italian front. He was shortly promoted to Sergeant then several months later to Ensign. In January 1918 he was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant in the same battalion. On the Italian Front, he was wounded in the neck by shrapnel from a hand-grenade. After leaving the hospital, he was assigned as Adjutant at the military hospital in Bielsko-Biała. in Kraków, he completed his studies on 25 July 1923 at the Adam Mickiewicz University, in Poznań.

Career He worked in the Ministry of the Interior in Warsaw. in the politically and militarily strategic region of Pomorze. In this nationally important post he worked closely with judges and military commanders, including General Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski and Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły, and worked under Raczkiewicz, the Pomeranian Governor who became 'President-in-Exile' (1939–47). In recognition of his work Grodyński was decorated with the Gold Cross of Merit (Poland's then highest civilian award) shortly before the outbreak of war.

In 1941, following the signing of the Polish-Russian Military Agreement (30 July) which granted amnesty to all those surviving in Soviet Russia, Grodyński immediately requested to meet with the NKWD authorities in Ałdan. On reaching Buzułuk (pl) Grodyński and his family were assigned to different branches of the military and he then parted from his family to re-commence serving in the ranks of the Polish Army. The ending of the Second World War was devastating for Grodyński and other serving Poles who fought with the Allied Forces when much of Eastern Europe, including Poland, fell to Russian hegemony, thus robbing many of them of the prospect of returning to their homeland.

Having survived the harsh conditions of Siberia Grodyński joined the Polish Armed Forces and served in the Command of the independent Polish Division of the Eighth Army in North Africa and at Monte Cassino, his key role was acknowledged with his promotion to Captain on 12 June 1946 by Brigadier General Nikodem Sulik.

Post-War years After he joined the Polish Resettlement Corps, on 28 March 1947, Grodyński left Italy and sailed to Liverpool. His first place of residence was Polish Military Camp in Chiseldon, near Swindon in Wiltshire, where he became Head of a Polish School created for young Polish soldiers, before moving to reside in London.

Grodyński's closest friends in London were Colonel Józef Werobej (pl) and the Lubomirski-Tyszkiewicz, Offenkowski and Banks families. In addition to the various employment roles he undertook he was a member of different Polish organizations, including the London Institute of 5th Borderland Infantry Division at which, in September 1966, he attended the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Division during which General Władysław Sikorski was commemorated by General Władysław Anders. On Sunday 3 January 1971 Grodyński participated in an event presenting New Year's greetings to President August Zaleski in the Polish President's Office in London. Living in Balham, South London, Grodyński was one of the first members of the Polish Catholic Parish and of the White Eagle Club inaugurated in the area.

Throughout the post-war period Grodyński maintained contacts with government, military and business leaders with whom he had worked previously, while endeavouring 'behind the scenes' (given his senior military intelligence background) to assist the Polish Government-in-exile. A back injury sustained in breaking the fall of one of Poland's former Generals with whom he was walking in London, contributed to his death.

Awards Polish honours

British honours