Stanisław Ostrowski
(October 29, 1892 in
Lviv
– November 22, 1982 in London
) was a
Polish politician,
best known for serving as the last President of Lwów
and third
President of Poland in
exile.
He was born in Lviv to Michał Ostrowski, who fought in a
January uprising. Ostrowski studied
medicine in
Lviv University. He
fought, as a doctor, in the
Polish-Ukrainian War (
battle of Lwów ) and the
Polish-Bolshevik War (1919-20). Then he
was
President of Lwów (before
that Vice President). He was also three-term
Sejm member from
BBWR.
As a legislator he focused on health affairs as well as developed a
reputation of defender of minorities rights.
After the
Soviet
invasion of Poland , he was arrested and imprisoned in Moscow
(until 1941).
Among his cellmates was Anandyn Amar, former Prime Minister and
President of Mongolia
. He
left the Soviet Union as an officer of the
Polish Army in the East
(commander-in-chief general
Władysław Anders) in 1942.
He fought against Germans in Italy (1944-1945). When
World War II ended, he moved to England and
became involved in the politics of the Polish community there,
which included the
Polish
government in exile.
Ostrowski was the third President of Poland in exile (1972-1979).
He took office after death of President
August Zaleski. In start he had to deal with
a deep crisis in the emigre circles. Zaleski, despite earlier
promises, declined to step down after seven years in office
(
1954), which caused formation of the
Council of Three - opposition body recognized by
a part of emigration as a collective head of state. Ostrowski's
selection was recognized by the Council which dissolved themselves.
Because of that Ostrowski is credited for uniting emigration
circles.
He also strongly refused to acknowledge
annexation of the eastern areas of the Second Polish
Republic
by the USSR
after
World War II.
As promised, President Ostrowski stepped down after 7-years term in
favor of
Edward Bernard
Raczyński.
Ostrowski
died in London and is buried in a Polish military cemetery in
Newark
, along with
past Presidents in exile.
In
1987 a table dedicated to Ostrowski was
unveiled in Saint Stanisław Kostka church in Warsaw
(Żoliborz
).
Ostrowski died without children.
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