Wincenty Kowalski

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Wincenty Kowalski (1892–1984) was a Polish military commander and general who fought in World War I, the interwar conflicts, and World War II. In 1939 he led the Polish 1st Legions Infantry Division when World War II began.

Early life and career
Kowalski was born in Warsaw to a working-class family. He studied at local schools and then went to Liège in Belgium, where he studied at the Polytechnical Institute. While a student, he joined Polish independence groups and later trained with Polish military organizations. Drafted into the Russian Army, he studied artillery in Smolensk and continued his military training in Kraków with Polish scouts. In 1914 he joined the Polish Legions and rose to command positions in the 1st Legions Infantry Regiment. After the Oath Crisis in 1917, he was interned. In 1918 he joined the Polish Army of an independent Poland and fought in Lwów, the Polish-Ukrainian War, and the Polish-Bolshevik War, earning promotions to captain in 1919 and major in 1920.

Interwar years
Kowalski worked as a tutor and student, later becoming a professor at the Warsaw Higher War School. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1922 and colonel in 1928. He served in various units, including in Wilno and Modlin, and commanded the 8th Infantry Division (1937–1938) and the Modlin Fortress garrison. On March 19, 1939, he was promoted to brigadier general and became commander of the 1st Legions Infantry Division and the Wyszków Operational Group.

World War II and captivity
At the start of World War II, Kowalski’s forces fought around Długosiodło and along the Narew River, delaying the German advance. After the Battle of Pułtusk, he organized the retreat and managed to rally several units at Wyszków, moving them south and maintaining combat readiness. He defended the line between Wyszków and Kamieńczyk, endured heavy losses at Kałuszyn, and fought toward Lublin and Lwów. By mid-September his division was reduced to a regiment, was reinforced, and fought in the battles of Falków and Tomaszów Lubelski. He was wounded and captured on September 23, 1939, and spent the rest of World War II as a prisoner of war.

Later life
Liberated by American forces on April 30, 1945, Kowalski joined the Polish Army in the West and was demobilized in May 1946. He then lived in London and later moved to New York, where he played a key role in Polish diaspora activities. He helped organize the funeral of the poet Jan Lechoń and led several Polish organizations, including the Association of Polish Combatants, the Józef Piłsudski Institute of America, and Polish Brotherly Help.

Death and legacy
Kowalski died on November 29, 1984, in River Forest, Illinois. In line with his wishes, his ashes were buried on September 6, 1986, at the Kaluszyn war cemetery among the fallen of his division.