Henryk Józewski

Who was Henryk Józewski?

Henryk Józewski was a Polish visual artist, politician, a member of government of the Ukrainian People's Republic, later an administrator during the Second Polish Republic.

A member of Polish-independence organizations, during World War I he joined the Polish Military Organization. An advocate of Polish-Ukrainian alliance and a friend of Symon Petlura, in 1920 he served as a member of the government of the Ukrainian People's Republic.

Józewski supported Józef Piłsudski's May 1926 coup d'état. He served as Polish Minister of Internal Affairs twice in 1929-30; as voivode of Volhynian Voivodeship; and as voivode of Łódź Voivodeship. As voivode of Wołyń, a region with a large Ukrainian minority, he advocated increased Ukrainian autonomy.

During World War II, Józewski served in the Polish resistance. Later he joined the anti-communist resistance and in 1953 was arrested by the Security Service. Released during the Polish October thaw in 1956, he resumed painting.