Włodzimierz Zagórski (general)



Włodzimierz Zagórski of Ostoja coat of arms (January 21, 1882 in Saint-Martin-Lantosque, France – fate unknown, killed (August 6/7? 1927) was an Austro-Hungary military intelligence soldier, Polish general, staff officer, aviator.

He was born in France in a noble family that was part of the Clan of Ostoja and was educated there. He spoke fluently several languages and was trained as a pilot at the very beginnings of the aviation. Served as a military intelligence officer (Evidenzbureau) in the Austro-Hungarian army as an officer responsible for the activities against Russia. During the years of 1914–1916 he was a chief of staff of Polish Legions. Since November 1918 in Polish Armed Forces. He took part in the Battle of Warsaw against the Soviet invader in 1920 under the command of general Rozwadowski.

His informant was Józef Piłsudski then Russian Empire citizen.

In 1921-1923 he was in reserve, then from March 1923 he was chief of Military Industry Department. From 17 August 1924 until 18 March 1926 he was chief of Air Force Department in the War Ministry. An important figure in the development of the Polish air force, he was accused of mismanagement and corruption centered around the Francopol company, as a result of press campaign. During the May 1926 coup d'état, on the orders of general Tadeusz Jordan-Rozwadowski, Zagórski took command of the Warsaw Air Group from Ludomił Rayski on May 12 and decided to use the airplanes against the forces of Józef Piłsudski. Arrested on May 15, 1926 in Warsaw with four other generals, who during the Piłsudski armed coup took the side of the legal government, and imprisoned in Wilno. As he was a skilled pilot himself, he was also falsely accused of personally flying on missions to bomb the Piłsudski soldiers.

General Włodzimierz Zagórski was finally released from prison in Wilno on August 6, 1927. Escorted by younger officers, he travelled by train to Warsaw, but disappeared soon after arrival. Press speculation abounded, but in the end he was never seen again, nor his body ever found. Some argued that the former intelligence officer was able to disappear fearing the trial in the Francopol affair; others alleged that Zagórski was murdered on the orders of Józef Piłsudski, but none of this has ever been proved. The fact remains that neither before nor after his death any charges were laid against general Zagórski. After the general's disappearance the only charge which was brought up against him, was one of desertion from the Polish Army.