Wizerunek dowódców polskiego lotnictwa generałów Włodzimierza Zagórskiego i Ludomiła Rayskiego w polskiej historiografii

• Authors: Mariusz Niestrawski

Title variants

EN

The commanders of the polish air force - generals Wlodzimierz Zagorski and Ludomil Rayski in polish historiography

• Languages of publication: PL EN

Abstracts

EN

Wlodzimierz Zagorski and Ludomil Rayski were the most famous commanders of the polish air force in years 1918-1939. Both officers were controversial figures and till this day both are very variously judged in polish historiography. Typically if a military historian describes both pilots one of them is always showed in a bad light. Wlodzimierz Zagorski was an officer of the Polish Legions. In independent Poland he joined the Polish Army three times and twice walked away at his own request. In august 1924 Zagorski became a polish air force commander. He pushed Poland to excessive aircraft purachases. Historians attack him because of his the actions against Jozef Pilsudski in years 1914-1918. Wlodzimierz Zagorski commanded the polish air force in may 1926. Later he was arrested and probably killed. Zagorski was replaced by colonel Ludomil Rayski. Rayski was also a Polish Legions veteran. He also fought in the Turkish army during the Great War. He became a pilot in Turkey. After arriving to Poland, Rayski was a flight leader and later a squadron leader. Since 1921 he served as a staff officer in polish militarystaff. From 1926 to 1939 Rayski was polish air force cammander. He resigned march 1939. He could not fly in Poland, France, and until 1943 also in UK. Rayski was criticized for harming the polish aviation, mainly for the failure of her preparation for forthcoming war.

• Publisher: Wydawnictwo Instytutu Historii Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu
• Journal: Studia z dziejów polskiej historiografii wojskowej
• Year: 2013
• Volume: 14
• Pages: 67-85

Contributors

author

Mariusz Niestrawski