Leader of the Silesian uprisings and Christian Democratic statesman who brought Upper Silesia into Poland
Born to a miner's family in Prussian Silesia, he studied at Breslau. From 1901 to 1908 he worked with Dmowski in the National League, the secret core of the National Democrats, and in 1903 entered the German Reichstag, sitting with the Polish circle rather than the Centre Party to fight Germanisation. After the First World War he headed the Polish plebiscite committee in Upper Silesia and led the 1920 and 1921 Silesian uprisings that brought part of the region into Poland. In Poland he was a Christian Democrat, deputy prime minister in 1923, and an opponent of Piłsudski's May Coup who was imprisoned in the Brest fortress in 1930. Exiled in 1935, he returned in April 1939, was arrested, and died shortly after his release on health grounds in August.
Also known as: Adalbert Korfanty
Activities and affiliations
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1901–1908
Political and party leadership
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1919–1935
Legislature and state representation
Career Timeline
- 1903–1918Member of the Reichstag and Prussian Landtag (Polish circle)
- 1920–1921Head of the Polish plebiscite committee; led the 2nd and 3rd Silesian uprisings
- 1922–1930Member of the Sejm
- 1923.10–12Deputy prime minister in the Witos government
- 1930Imprisoned in the Brest fortress
- 1935–1939.04Exile in Czechoslovakia and France