Wacław Stachiewicz

Who was Wacław Stachiewicz?

Brigadier General Wacław Stachiewicz was an officer of the Polish Army, geologist and a Polish writer. Brother to General Julian Stachiewicz and husband to Gen. Roman Abraham's sister, Stachiewicz was the Chief of General Staff of the Polish Army during the Polish Defensive War and one of the authors of the plans for that war.

Wacław Stachiewicz was born November 19, 1894 in Lwów in Austro-Hungarian Galicia. After graduating from one of local gymnasiums, he entered the geological faculty at the University of Lwów. In 1912 he joined the underground Związek Strzelecki, where he received military training and graduated from NCO and officer courses. After the outbreak of the Great War, in August 1914 he joined the Polish Legions, where he became a platoon commander in the 1st Regiment. On October 9 he was promoted to Second Lieutenant and sent with a secret mission to the other side of the Russo-Austrian front to help in creation of Polish underground organizations in the territory still under Russian occupation. In 1915 he was moved to the newly formed 5th Regiment, where he commanded the 4th company. Wounded in the battle of Konary, he was moved to various staff duties, among others he served as an aide to the chief of staff of the regiment. In March 1917 he graduated from an officer course of the General Staff and was to be promoted.