Józef Zmitrowicz – wybitny działacz społeczny w Białymstoku w latach 1916–1921
Józef Zmitrowicz – Prominent Social Activist in Bialystok in the Years 1916–1921

Summary/Abstract: The main point of this publication is to present the activity of Józef Zmitrowicz in Białystok in the years 1916–1921. The author has decided to deal with this subject beceause the figure of Józef Zmitrowicz is little known among the inhabitants of Białystok. It is also worth highlighting, that the activity of Józef Zmitrowicz in this city is also forgotten in his official biographies. Józef Zmitrowicz (1879–1980) was a famous lawyer, educator, parliamentarian and pro-independence activist. He studied at St. Petersbourg and Kharkov. In the inter war period, he was a solicitor in Vilnus and then, after the second world war, in Olsztyn. He came from Vilnus to Białystok in November 1916. He became a teacher and director in Polish Real Gymnasium beceause his predecessor – priest Stanisław Hałko – was arrested by the Germans. Józef Zmitrowicz also managed a scouts group in Białystok and participated in many community initiatives. In 1919 he became a parlamentarian in the Legislative Assembly. Józef Zmitrowicz was a great patriot and a very religious person as mentioned by his protégé Michał Sopoćko – currently a blessed of the Catholic Church. I have used the publications by J. Dworakowski, M. Goławski, M. Kietliński, J. Dziemian and others while working on the biography of Józef Zmitrowicz. The parliamentary and senate transcripts as well as press articles, contained mainly in „Dziennik Białostocki”, were very helpful. While writing about the activity of Józef Zmitrowicz in Białystok, I have also used the collection of archives of the Sixth King Sigismund Augustus High School in Białystok – inheritor of the traditon of the Polish Real Gymnasium in Bialystok.

• Details
• Contents