General Inspector of the Armed Forces
Generalny Inspektor Sił Zbrojnych
Flag of the GISZ
Longest serving
Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski
1954 – 22 May 1964
Polish Armed Forces
AbbreviationGISZ
Reports toThe President
ResidenceBelweder Palace, Warsaw
(Piłsudski)
AppointerThe President
Term lengthNo fixed term
Formation27 August 1926
First holderJózef Piłsudski
Final holderBolesław Bronisław Duch
Abolished9 October 1980
SuccessionMilitary Council

General Inspector of the Armed Forces (Polish: Generalny Inspektor Sił Zbrojnych; GISZ) was an office created in the Second Polish Republic in 1926, after the May Coup.

The General Inspector reported directly to the President, and was not responsible to the Sejm (parliament) or the government. In the event of war, the General Inspector was to become the Commander-in-chief of the Polish Armed Forces.

Following the German invasion of Poland in 1939 and the post-war establishment of the Polish People's Republic, the position was retained by the Polish government-in-exile until 1980.

List of General Inspectors

† denotes people who died in office.

Second Polish Republic

No. Portrait General InspectorTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Józef Piłsudski
Piłsudski, JózefPierwszy Marszałek Polski
Józef Piłsudski
(1867–1935)		27 August 192612 May 1935 †8 years, 258 days
2
Edward Rydz-Śmigły
Rydz-Śmigły, EdwardMarszałek Polski
Edward Rydz-Śmigły
(1886–1941)		12 May 19357 November 19394 years, 179 days

Rydz-Śmigły went into exile on 18 September 1939, during the German invasion of Poland. Afterwards, all General Inspectors were in exile (and increasingly connected with educational activities such as cooperation with the London-based Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum).

Polish government-in-exile

No. Portrait General InspectorTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Władysław Sikorski
Sikorski, Władysławgen. broni
Władysław Sikorski
(1881–1943)		7 November 19394 July 1943 †3 years, 239 days
2
Kazimierz Sosnkowski
Sosnkowski, Kazimierzgen. broni
Kazimierz Sosnkowski
(1885–1969)		8 July 194330 September 19441 year, 84 days
3
Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski
Bór-Komorowski, Tadeuszgen.
Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski
(1895–1966)
[lower-alpha 1]		30 September 19442 October 19442 days
–
Władysław Anders
Anders, Władysławgen. broni
Władysław Anders
(1892–1970)
Acting		2 October 19445 May 1945215 days
(3)
Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski
Bór-Komorowski, Tadeuszgen.
Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski
(1895–1966)		5 May 19458 November 19461 year, 187 days
4
Władysław Anders
Anders, Władysławgen. broni
Władysław Anders
(1892–1970)		8 November 194619547–8 years
5
Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski
Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski, Michałgen. broni
Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski
(1893–1964)		195422 May 1964 †9–10 years
6
Stefan Dembiński
Dembiński, Stefangen. dyw.
Stefan Dembiński
(1887–1972)		196427 March 1972 †7–8 years
7
Stanisław Kopański
Kopański, Stanisławgen. dyw.
Stanisław Kopański
(1895–1976)		197223 March 19763–4 years
8
Zygmunt Bohusz-Szyszko
Bohusz-Szyszko, Zygmuntgen. dyw.
Zygmunt Bohusz-Szyszko
(1893–1982)		19 March 197619 February 19803 years, 337 days
9
Bolesław Bronisław Duch
Duch, Bolesław Bronisławgen. dyw.
Bolesław Bronisław Duch
(1885–1980)		19 February 19809 October 1980 †233 days

Duch died on 9 October 1980. Afterwards, in place of the GISZ, a Military Council was created, led by gen. bryg. Klemens Rudnicki.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Commander of the Home Army, appointed as General Inspector during the Warsaw Uprising.
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