A portrait of Prince Jerzy Aleksander Lubomirski

A difficult and demanding role fell to Jan Tadeusz Lubomirski. He worked in the period of the Partitions of Poland, when the national identity of Poles was particularly at risk, while the people were poor and in many cases without a chance of decent life. Prince Jan Tadeusz Lubomirski (1826 - 1908) founded the Warsaw Charity Society. He was the long-standing president of the Ophthalmology Institute in Warsaw, which conducted ophthalmology research at the European level. On his initiative special teams were set up which helped the poor people to cure eyesight and worked free of charge to patients. During the January Uprising he was a member of the Government of Romuald Traugutt, where he served as a head of the Department of Internal Affairs. For anti-tsarist activities he was exiled deep into Russia. Throughout all of his life, he conducted independence activities supporting Polish education. He protected Polish vocational organizations from competition from Russia and Prussia; established credit unions. He tried to regain possession of Polish art robbed during the wars by the Russians, among others he regained the Poniatowski monument standing in front of the Presidential Palace. He also restored and renovated the Zygmunt’s column, and bought Polish castles in Czersk and Iłża in order to save them from annihilation. In 1875 he created the Museum of Industry and Agriculture in Warsaw (today the seat of the Central Agricultural Library). He established evening schools for craftsmen and journeymen as well as penny-saving banks for the poorest. He financed the publishing of sources to the history of Poland, professional magazines; organized free libraries; was interested in archaeology [18].

The Lubomirski family supported many areas of Polish science; it is difficult to find a branch of knowledge, in which they did not make their presence felt. Another example of such activities taken in the area of Warsaw is the support given to the Zoological Cabinet of the University of Warsaw, assigned by Władysław Emanuel Lubomirski. The prince invested in the purchase of teaching aids, financed trips of employees of the university, and handed over his collection of shells. He was interested in floristics, studied the behaviour of plants in the changed climate conditions. The Zoological Museum of the Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (“PAN”) has been making use of his collections until this day.

In the late 19^th and early 20^th century Władysław Lubomirski (1866 – 1934) conducted broad cultural activities. A patron and founder of the group of artists of Music Young Poland. He financed education and promoted Karol Szymanowski, Artur Rubinstein and Grzegorz Fitelberg for many years. He financed Warsaw Philharmonic at the time when tsarist officials were planning to close it down, as a bastion of Polish culture[20].

Princes Władysław Lubomirski and Jan Tadeusz Lubomirski were initiators of the creation of the Family Association of the Princes Lubomirski, which still exists today and is the owner of the castle in Nowy Wiśnicz.

Prince Stanisław Sebastian Lubomirski (1875 - 1932) was a famous industrialist and financier. In 1910 he founded Warsaw Aviation Association Aviata. His initiative was to establish the first civilian pilot school and aircraft factory on Polish soil. The first airport of Aviata was located in Mokotowskie Field, the area also occupied by the tsarist army. The Prince obtained consent to use it from tsarist officials[21].

PRINCE REGENT PROCLAIMS INDEPENDENCE OF POLAND

On the 7^th of October 1918, on the initiative of the Prince Regent of Zdzisław Lubomirski, after 123 years, the Polish declaration of independence was proclaimed. Published in the Polish Monitor – governmental body, in which generally applicable legal acts were and are published. After more than a hundred years Polish soldiers declared allegiance to the Homeland again, and Polish flags hang over the official buildings[22].

In the 20^th century the Lubomirski family conducted active political and diplomatic activities designed to improve living conditions of the population and regain independence by Poland. The Prince Regent Zdzisław Lubomirski (1865-1943) was the president of Warsaw for many years and a skilled politician. As the president of the Civic Committee and the president of Warsaw he extended the self-government, organized intervention works, credit unions, cared for education and living conditions of the Varsovians. He created foundations of the local government of the city. Through his activities he set directions of work for future politicians of the independent state. He also worked actively as a senator. During World War II he was imprisoned and tortured by the Gestapo. He died of wounds sustained in prison[23].

On the initiative of the Prince Regent, yet during the First World War the creation of foundations of the Polish administration began. Existing ministries of invaders were taken over and new authorities were established. Many institutions of the II Republic were created during the regency of Prince Zdzisław Lubomirski. In difficult times of the struggle for borders, these governing bodies proved to be very solid and functional. They were filled with competent people, who still worked in the twenties of the 20^th century[24].

BUILDERS OF NEW POLAND

After regaining independence by Poland, the Lubomirski family joined the rebuilding of the country. They worked in the institutions of the new state; served as Members of Parliament, senators; worked in the ministries. They were also engaged in the process of industrialization of the young state. They formed banking centres and credit unions, which provided cheap loans to the poorest. They were active in educational organizations, and funded schools. They also belonged to the key organizations involved in modernization of roads, railways, and aviation. They took part in the reconstruction of the Polish army. They were also engaged in Polish culture and still worked on a voluntary basis.

Prince Stefan Lubomirski (1862 - 1941) was an initiator of the Polish Olympic Committee and a member of the International Olympic Committee. He was the first president of the Polish Olympic Committee (“PKOL”). The next president was his cousin, Prince Kazimierz Lubomirski. Prince Stefan was passionate about racehorse breeding. He formed with his brothers the most modern horse breeding in Poland in the manor of Widzów near Częstochowa[25].

You cannot forget about the merits of Prince Stefan Lubomirski in the field of expansion of transport of the capital city and towns located around it. He was the owner of the Warsaw Commuter Railways (“Warszawskie Koleje Dojazdowe”) company, which created the narrow gauge, passenger and freight railways – of Grójec, Jabłonków and Wilanów. Railways were the only modern means of transport, which allowed capital city dwellers to reach factories located outside the city and residents of suburban areas to get to the capital city. Lines built by Lubomirski also worked during the war delivering supply to the city controlled by the occupation authorities[26].

Prince Stanisław Sebastian Lubomirski also established the Central Union of Polish Industry “Leviatan”, where he was the president since 1932. The union promoted the ideas of development of the industry – lowering taxes, social security benefits for workers and increasing state aid to the industry. It was also a breeding ground for personnel of politics. Members of the organization were elected to the Sejm, the Senate; were members of many governments of the II Republic of Poland and other state institutions. They had extensive information background – published three magazines: “Economic Review” (“Przegląd Gospodarczy”), “The Polish Courier” (“Kurier Polski”) and “The Telegram” (“Depesza”). He established the Industrial Bank of Warsaw SA (“Bank Przemysłowy Warszawski S.A.”); was the president of the Commercial Bank (“Bank Handlowy”) in Warsaw, the Central Union of Polish Industry (“Centralny Związek Przemysłu Polskiego”), the Polish Bank Association (“Związek Banków Polskich”), and the Association of Polish Industrialists („Stowarzyszenia Przemysłowców Polskich”). He devoted his life to the struggle for independence of the Polish economy from the influence of the partitioners, and after regaining independence – of the neighbouring countries[27].

Many representatives of the family were engaged politically and militarily. They served as military commanders, Members of Parliament and senators. They served the homeland as patrons of the arts, promoters of Poland in the international arena, diplomats, and members of the government institutions.

WORLD WAR II. ARMED STRUGGLE

Prince Stefan Lubomirski (1898 – 1948) during the occupation was a member of the Western Union. He was on the list to be shot, but escaped to Kraków, where he was hiding. For keeping a secret storehouse of medicines for the Home Army he was arrested and detained in prison in Montelupich. He had a lucky escape from execution. When the invaders discovered the secret storehouse of medicines, they set the date of transport of the whole family, which was to end up in the camp in Oświęcim. The prince and the princess Lubomirski did not end up on a cattle car. They survived by a miracle[28].

Prince Eugeniusz Lubomirski (1895 – 1982) was arrested by the NKVD, put in the Lubyanka, where he met General Anders. During the long struggles of the general, he became his adjutant. He fought at his side throughout Europe, also at Monte Cassino. He finally reached the United Kingdom. He was a candidate for the President of Poland in Exile[29].

Prince Hieronim Lubomirski was murdered at the age of 17 during the action of rescuing Jan Bytnar “Rudy” in Pawiak. The action took place on the 26^th of March 1943. It was organized by a special Unit of the Storm Groups of the Grey Ranks and led to cooperation of Grey Ranks with the Home Army within the scope of rescuing prisoners and punishing occupation authorities of the prison.

The Lubomirski family also took an active part in the independence conspiracy after World War II. Prince Jerzy Ignacy Lubomirski (1882 – 1945) was very active in the local community. He travelled to Vienna to discuss the construction of the bridge over the San River, contributed to the construction of the parish church in Rozwadów. During the war he helped people particularly affected. He was arrested in 1944, detained and tortured in prison in Tarnobrzeg. He was murdered by the secret police (“UB”) as a member of the Home Army[30].

During the war and after its end, the Lubomirski family was often harassed and kept under surveillance by the Gestapo, the NKVD and the secret police (“UB / SB”). The family estate was confiscated, and the members of the family displaced from their family homes.

A portrait of Prince Jerzy Ignacy Lubomirski