Józef Piłsudski Institute for Research in Modern History of Poland
The Józef Piłsudski Institute for Research in Modern History of Poland was founded in Warsaw in 1923 to collect, preserve, and study Poland’s recent history. It began in March 1923 when Piłsudski’s supporters formed an institute to research the modern history of Poland, and it was officially registered on May 27, 1923. Its goal was to gather records from the 1863 January Uprising through Poland’s restoration of independence in 1918, study the materials, publish findings, and work with Polish and foreign partners. It was funded by memberships, donations, legacies, book sales, and paid lectures. Leon Wasilewski was the first chairman.
The institute focused on building a complete archive of historical records. In November 1924, Col. Walery Sławek asked former Piłsudski legionnaires to donate documents, memoirs, photographs, letters, and notes to show individual contributions and the challenges faced from foreign opposition. The response was strong, but progress was slowed by a lack of a home for the archive and inflation after World War I.
In 1926 the institute formalized an arrangement with the Army’s Bureau of Military History, which provided office space, helped collect documents, and offered archivists. Brig. Gen. Julian Stachiewicz became secretary-general as part of the deal. The institute grew during the late 1920s and early 1930s, expanding its archives and its publishing and scholarly work. It published two volumes of Piłsudski’s wartime memoirs, Wspomnienia Legionowe, and the second edition of Rok 1920 became a commercial success, helping fund further publishing. The archives were classified and expanded, aided by a new office space obtained in 1926.
From 1929 the institute began a quarterly magazine, Niepodległość (Independence), devoted to Poland’s path to independence. Between 1930 and 1933 it issued eight volumes of Piłsudski’s writings and other works. After Piłsudski’s death in 1935, the institute shifted its focus to documenting his life and career. With support from Poland’s military leadership, it moved to larger premises next to the army headquarters on Aleje Ujazdowskie in Warsaw and was renamed The Józef Piłsudski Institute for Research in Modern History of Poland on November 15, 1935. A government decree on December 17, 1936 granted tax-exempt and educational status, aiding its mission. Walery Sławek became president of the board, with Wasilewski and Śliwiński as vice-presidents.
From 1929 to 1939 several members helped secure crucial records, and the collection grew to about 40,000 items, including volumes, prints, posters, newspapers, photographs, and memorabilia. The institute also carried out extensive interviews with former legionnaires in the early 1930s. Between 1932 and 1939, the archives were led by Wanda Kiedrzynska, Wacław Gasiorowski, and Adam Englert. By the start of World War II, the archives were not fully indexed due to the work involved in publishing and expanding the collection.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:46 (CET).