List of Poles
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This is a partial list of famous Polish or Polish-speaking or -writing persons. In the interest of fairness and accuracy, a minority of persons of mixed heritage have their respective ancestries credited.
[edit] History
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[edit] Science
[edit] Astronomy
[edit] Biology
[edit] Chemistry
[edit] Engineering
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[edit] Economics
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[edit] Invention
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[edit] Computer Science
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[edit] Linguistics
[edit] Mathematics
[edit] Physics
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[edit] Social sciences
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[edit] Other sciences
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[edit] Music
see also: List of Polish composers
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[edit] Literature
See also: List of Polish writers and List of Polish novelists
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[edit] Poetry
See also: List of Polish poets.
[edit] Philosophy
[edit] Fine arts
see also: List of Polish artists and painters
[edit] Entertainment
- Piotr Adamczyk, actor
- Piotr Andrejew, film director
- Michael Anthony (Sobolewski), Van Halen band
- Józef Arkusz, film director
- Tomasz Bagiński, BAFTA Award winning short animated movies maker, nominated to Academy Award
- Andrzej Bartkowiak, cinematographer, director and actor.
- Eugeniusz Bodo, singer and actor
- Wojciech Bogusławski, actor, theater director, playwright.
- Walerian Borowczyk, film director
- Ewa Braun, Academy Award winning set decorator, costume designer, production designer
- Zbigniew Cybulski, actor
- Elżbieta Czyżewska, actress
- Ewa Demarczyk, actress, poetry singer
- Dagmara Dominczyk, actress
- Paweł Edelman, cinematographer, European Film Award winner.
- Katarzyna Figura, actress
- Aleksander Ford, director
- Małgorzata Foremniak, actress, starred in Avalon
- Piotr Fronczewski, actor and singer
- Janusz Gajos, actor
- Sir John Gielgud, English theatre and film actor with Polish szlachcic father
- Samuel Goldwyn, legendary film producer
- Jerzy Grotowski, theatre reformer
- Adam Hanuszkiewicz, actor
- Jerzy Hoffman, film director
- Agnieszka Holland, film director, nominated to Academy Awards and BAFTA Award
- Gustaw Holoubek, actor
- Sławomir Idziak, cinematagrapher, nominated to Oscar
- Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, Academy Award winning composer, nominated to BAFTA Award
- Jacek Kaczmarski, protest songwriter, poetry singer, guitarist
- Janusz Kaminski, two Oscars and BAFTA Award winning cinematographer and film director
- Bronislau Kaper, Academy Award winning composer
- Krzysztof Kieślowski, film director, nominated to Academy Awards
- Max Kolonko TV personality, producer, writer
- Kazimierz Kutz, film director
- Martin Kunert (born Marcin Kunert-Dziewanowski) - writer/director
- Irena Kwiatkowska, actress
- Bogusław Linda, actor
- Tadeusz Łomnicki, actor
- Rudolph Maté, accomplished cinematographer and film director, nominated for 5 Oscars
- Helena Modjeska/Modrzejewska, actress (born Helena Opid)
- Pola Negri, actress
- Wacław Niżyński (Vaslav Nijinsky), ballet dancer and choreographer
- Karen O (Orzołek), the lead vocalist for the New York art punk band Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- Daniel Olbrychski, actor
- Jerzy Owsiak, broadcaster
- Joanna Pacuła, actress
- Ludwika Paleta, Polish-Mexican actress
- Cezary Pazura, actor
- Roman Polański, award winning film director educated in Poland
- Jeremi Przybora
- Anna Przybylska, actress
- Wojciech Pszoniak, actor of Comedie Francaise
- Krzysztof Ptak, cinematographer
- Zbigniew Rybczynski, Oscar and Emmy Award winning filmmaker
- Lew Rywin, film producer and criminal
- Leon Schiller, theatre director
- Izabella Scorupco, Polish-born Hollywood-actress and singer.
- Andrzej Seweryn, actor of Comédie Française
- [[Casey Siemaszko)], actor
- [[Nina Siemaszko)], actor
- Jerzy Skolimowski, film director
- Przemysław Skwirczyński, cinematographer
- Adam Smoluk, director, screenwriter and actor
- Piotr Sobocinski, cinematographer
- Ladislas Starevich properly: Władysław Starewicz, film director, stop-motion animator
- Allan Starski, Oscar winning production designer, art director, set designer
- Leopold Stokowski, Academy Award winning composer
- Jerzy Stuhr, actor, film director
- Loretta Swit,Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on M*A*S*H.
- Piotr Tokarski, actor
- Henryk Tomaszewski, mime
- Basia Trzetrzelewska, singer
- Andrzej Wajda, Academy Award, Golden Palm, BAFTA Award, Silver Berlin Bear, César Award and Golden Lion winning film director
- The Warner Brothers
- Jerzy Wasowski
- Samuel "Billy" Wilder, six Oscars winning film director, screenwriter and producer
- Lilliana Wilczkowsky, actress
- Roman Wilhelmi, actor
- Dariusz Wolski, cinematographer
- Zbigniew Zamachowski, actor
- Krzysztof Zanussi, film director
- Michał Żebrowski, actor
- Artur Żmijewski, actor
- Andrzej Żuławski, film director
[edit] Business
- Hipolit Cegielski
- André Citroën, founder of Citroën
- Franciszek Czapek, co-partner in Patek, Czapek & Co.
- Max Factor, Sr., cosmetics entrepreneur
- Andrew Filipowski, technology entrepreneur
- Henryk Grohman, textile manufacturer and patron of the arts
- Nathan Handwerker
- Barbara Piasecka Johnson, humanitarian, philanthropist, widow of J. Seward Johnson, Sr.
- Ryszard Krauze, computer science entrepreneur
- Leopold Kronenberg, banker
- Jerzy Franciszek Kulczycki, legendary merchant, spy, diplomat; opened first café in Vienna (1683)
- Jan Kulczyk, one of the richest Poles
- Michael Marks, co-founder of Marks and Spencer retail chain
- Samuel Orgelbrand, editor
- Antoni Patek, co-founder of watchmakers Patek Philippe & Co.
- Izrael Poznański, textile magnate, philanthropist
- Helena Rubinstein, cosmetics entrepreneur
- Ziggy Switkowski, former chief executive officer of Telstra
- Steve Woźniak, co-founder of Apple Inc.
- Andrzej Artur Zamoyski
[edit] Royalty
- Mieszko I, first Duke of Poland.
- Dubrawka, first Duchess of Poland.
- Świętosława (Gunhild), daughter of Mieszko I of Poland, mother of Canute the Great, King of England, Denmark and Norway.
- Bolesław I the Brave, first King of Poland.
- Mieszko II Lambert, second King of Poland.
- Richeza of Lotharingia, Queen of Poland.
- Casimir I the Restorer, Duke of Poland.
- Bolesław II the Bold, third King of Poland.
- Bolesław III Wrymouth, Duke of Poland.
- Mieszko III the Old, Duke of Greater Poland, Senior Duke of Poland.
- Casimir II the Just, Duke of Cracow, Senior Duke of Poland.
- Leszek I the White, Duke of Cracow, Senior Duke of Poland.
- Henry I the Bearded, Duke of Silesia, Senior Duke of Poland.
- Henryk II the Pious, Senior Duke of Poland, commander of Polish forces in the Battle of Legnica (1241).
- Premislas II, King of Poland.
- Władysław I the Elbow-high, King of Poland.
- Casimir III the Great, Piast Dynasty last King of Poland.
- Jadwiga Angevin, King and Queen of Poland.
- Władysław II Jagiełło, Lithuanian, King of Poland, victor at the Battle of Grunwald (1410).
- Władysław III of Varna (Ulászló I), King of Poland and Hungary, killed at the Battle of Varna (1444).
- Casimir IV Jagiellon, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, victor in the Thirteen Years' War (1454-1466).
- John I Albert, King of Poland.
- Alexander Jagiellon, Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland.
- Sigismund I the Old, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.
- Roxelana (Khourrem, wife of Suleiman the Magnificent).
- Barbara Radziwiłł, consort of Sigismund II August.
- Sigismund II Augustus, Jagiello Dynasty last King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
- Anna Jagiellon, reigned together with her husband Stephen Báthory
- Stephen Báthory, Hungarian-born King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
- Sigismund III Vasa, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and King of Sweden.
- Władysław IV Vasa, elected Tsar of Russia, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
- John II Casimir Vasa, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, victor at the Battle of Beresteczko (1651).
- John III Sobieski, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, victor at the Battle of Vienna (1683).
- Catherine I (Marta Skowrońska), second wife of Russian Tsar Peter the Great, and Empress of Russia (1725-27).
- Stanisław Leszczyński, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Duke of Lorraine.
- Catherine Opalińska, Queen of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Duchess of Lorraine.
- Maria Leszczyńska, consort of Louis XV, King of France.
- Stanisław August Poniatowski, last King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, co-author of the Constitution of May 3, 1791.
[edit] Nobility (szlachta)
see: List of szlachta
[edit] Military
- Władysław Anders, general, military commander during the Battle of Monte Cassino (1944)
- Krzysztof Arciszewski, general of artillery of Holland (1639), and Poland (1646).
- Józef Bem, military commander, commander-in-chief of Hungarian army (1849)
- Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, military commander, victor from Kircholm (1605)
- Michał Czajkowski (Sadyk Pasha), (1804-1886), Polish-Ukrainian commander-in-chief of an Ottoman Cossack Brigade during the Crimean War (1853-1856)
- Stefan Czarniecki, Field Crown Hetman of Poland (1665)
- Jan Henryk Dąbrowski, general, military commander during the Napoleonic Wars
- Jarosław Dąbrowski, military commander during the January Uprising (1863), and the Paris Commune (1871)
- Henryk Dembiński, military commander in the November Uprising and the Hungarian uprising of 1849
- Bolesław Wieniawa-Długoszowski, general, ambassador, nominated President of Poland (1939)
- Józef Dowbor-Muśnicki, general, military commander in the Greater Poland Uprising (1919)
- Jerzy Pajaczkowski-Dydynski (1894-2005), Polish soldier in World War I and in the 1920-21 Polish-Soviet War. At his death, he was the oldest man in the United Kingdom (111 years old). [1]
- Józef Haller, politician, commander of the Polish Army in France during World War I
- Jan Nowak-Jezioranski (1913-2005), Polish journalist and World War II hero.
- Mikołaj Kamieniecki, first Grand Crown Hetman of Poland (1503-1515)
- Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski, general, founder of the resistance movement "Polish Victory Service" (27 September 1939)
- Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski, general, commander of the Home Army during the Warsaw Uprising (1944)
- Stanisław Koniecpolski, Grand Crown Hetman (1632-1646)
- Tadeusz Kościuszko, Polish and American commander, general and revolutionist.
- Wladimir Krzyzanowski Polish general on the Union side during the American Civil War
- Marian Kukiel, general, military commander, historian
- Aleksander Lisowski, commander of 17th-century Lisowczycy.
- Stanisław Maczek, (1892-1994), commander of the Polish Armored Division, later commander-in-chief of Polish forces in exile after World War II
- Leopold Okulicki, general, last commander-in-chief of the Home Army
- Julian Konstanty Ordon, officer in the November Uprising (1830-31)
- Emilia Plater, Countess, hero of the November Uprising
- Józef Poniatowski, prince, Polish general and marshal of France
- Kazimierz Pułaski (Cassimir Pulaski), Polish and American military commander
- Hyman G. Rickover, U.S. Navy Admiral, Father of the Nuclear Navy
- Konstantin Rokossovsky, (born Konstanty Rokossowski) Marshall of the Soviet Union and Polish defense minister, communist
- Stefan Rowecki, general, military commander, commander-in-chief of the Home Army
- John Shalikashvili, retired United States Army general
- Władysław Sikorski, general, commander-in-chief of the Polish Armed Forces and Prime Minister of Poland (1939-1943)
- Piotr Skuratowicz, general of the Polish Army
- Stanisław Sosabowski, commander of the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade, which saw action at Arnhem during Operation Market Garden (1944)
- Kazimierz Sosnkowski, general, Commander-in-Chief of Polish Armed Forces (1943-1944)
- Józef Sowiński, general, hero of the November Uprising (1830-31)
- Edward Rydz-Śmigły, marshal, military commander, successful in the Polish-Bolshevik war, C-i-C of the Polish Army in the September Campaign
- Jan Tarnowski, Grand Crown Hetman (1527-1561), victor of Obertyn (1531)
- Piotr Wysocki, led the November Uprising (1830)
- Kordian Józef Zamorski
- Jan Zamoyski, Great Chancellor of Poland (1578-1605) and Grand Crown Hetman (1581-1605)
- Stanisław Żółkiewski, chancellor of Poland, military commander, conqueror of Moscow (1610), Grand Crown Hetman (1613-1620)
- Janusz Żurakowski, World War II fighter pilot and Avro Arrow test pilot
[edit] Politics
- Tomasz Arciszewski, first Prime Minister of Poland in exile (1944-1947)
- Kazimierz Feliks Badeni, count, Minister-President of Austria (1895-1897)
- Marek Belka, former director of economic policy in the interim coalition administration of Iraq, Prime Minister of Poland (2004-2005)
- Bolesław Bierut, leader of communist Poland (1948-1956)
- Michał Bobrzyński, Governor of Galicia (1908-1913)
- Zbigniew Brzeziński , political scientist, advisor to US President Jimmy Carter.
- Józef Cyrankiewicz, Prime Minister of communistic Poland (1947-1952 and 1954-1970)
- Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, prince, statesman, Prime Minister (1830-1831)
- Ignacy Daszyński, Prime Minister of the Temporary People’s Government of the Republic of Poland (1918)
- Roman Dmowski, nationalist politician, statesman
- Feliks Dzierżyński, the founder of the Bolshevik secret police, the Cheka
- Jaś Gawroński, Italian politician
- Edward Gierek, leader of communist Poland (1970-1980)
- Władysław Gomułka, leader of communist Poland (1956-1970)
- Piotr Jaroszewicz, Prime Minister of communistic Poland (1970-1980)
- Wojciech Jaruzelski, last leader of communist Poland (1981-1989), first President of III RP (1989-1990)
- Ryszard Kaczorowski, sixth and last President of Poland in exile (1989-1990)
- Jarosław Kaczyński, identical twin brother of Lech, leader of the Law and Justice party, Prime Minister of Poland (2006-2007)
- Lech Kaczyński, fourth President of III RP (since 2005)
- Wojciech Korfanty, leader of Silesians during the Third Silesian Uprising
- Janusz Korwin-Mikke, free market activist
- Stanisław Kosior, Soviet politician
- Tadeusz Kościuszko
- Jan Kucharzewski first Prime Minister of Kingdom of Poland (1917-1918),
- Pedro Pablo Kuczynski - Prime Minister of Peru
- Aleksander Kwaśniewski, third President of III RP (1995-2005)
- Andrzej Lepper, leader of Samoobrona and former Vice-PM
- Julian Marchlewski, Soviet politician
- Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, Prime Minister of Poland (2005-2006)
- Tadeusz Mazowiecki, politician, first Prime Minister of III RP (Poland)
- Stanislaw Mikołajczyk, Prime Minister of Poland (1943-1944), politician of the agrarian party
- Jędrzej Moraczewski, first Prime Minister of II RP (1918-1919)
- Ignacy Mościcki, third President of II RP (1926-1939)
- Lewis Bernstein Namier, British politician and historian
- Gabriel Narutowicz, first President of II RP (1922)
- Marian P. Opala, Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
- Stanisław Ostrowski, third President of Poland in exile (1972-1979)
- Ignacy Paderewski, second Prime Minister of II RP (1919)
- Waldemar Pawlak, Prime Minister of Poland (1992 and 1993-1995)
- Józef Piłsudski, statesman, politician and Marshal of Poland
- Michel Poniatowski, prince, French politician
- Alfred Józef Potocki, count, Minister-President of Austria (1870-1871)
- Władysław Raczkiewicz, first President of Poland in exile (1939-1947)
- Edward Raczyński, fourth President of Poland in exile (1979-1986)
- Antoni Radziwiłł, prince, the Duke-Governor of Grand Duchy of Posen (Poznań) (1815-1831)
- Adam Ronikier, count, president of the Central Welfare Council (1916-1918) and (1940-1943)
- Dan Rostenkowski, American politician
- Kazimierz Sabbat, fifth President of Poland in exile (1986-1989)
- Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, vice-president of European Parliament (2004-2007)
- Władysław Sikorski, general, Prime Minister of Poland (1939-1943)
- Anatoly Sobczak, first post-Soviet mayor of St Petersburg
- Stefan Starzyński, President of Warsaw (1934-1939)
- Donald Tusk, chairman of the Civic Platform, Prime Minister of Poland (since 2007)
- Lech Wałęsa, trade unionist who started dismantling of the Soviet bloc, the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, second President of III RP (1990-1995)
- Ludwik Waryński, socialist activist in 19th c.
- Roy Welensky, Prime Minister of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
- Edward Werner, (born in Poland to parents of German origin) vice-Minister of Finance, and Polish diplomat during World War II
- Alexander Wielopolski, count, Marquis of Gonzaga, statesman
- Wincenty Witos, politician of the agrarian party
- Stanisław Wojciechowski, second President of II RP (1922-1926)
- August Zaleski, second President of Poland in exile (1947-1972)
- Andrzej Artur Zamoyski
[edit] Diplomats
- Władysław Bartoszewski, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1995 and 2000-2001)
- Józef Beck, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1932-1939)
- Alois Friedrich von Brühl, Polish-Saxon diplomat, starost of Warsaw
- Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2001-2005)
- Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, prince, foreign affairs minister of the Russian Empire (1804-1806)
- Władysław Czartoryski, prince, the main diplomatic agent of the National Government (1863-1864)
- Roman Dmowski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1923)
- Bronisław Geremek, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1997-2000)
- Agenor Count Gołuchowski, foreign affairs minister of Austria-Hungary (1895-1906)
- Stanisław Janikowski, diplomat in Rome, to Holy See (1927-1954)
- Krzysztof Grzymułtowski, diplomat and voivod of Poznań, author of the Eternal Peace Treaty with Russia (1686)
- Julian Klaczko, Polish-Austrian diplomat
- Stanisław Kot, Polish ambassador to the Soviet Union (1941-1942) and to Italy (1945-1947)
- Józef Lipski, Polish ambassador to Germany (1933-1939)
- Ivan Maysky, Soviet diplomat
- Stefan Meller, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2005-2006)
- Lewis Bernstein Namier, British diplomat and historian
- Andrzej Olechowski, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1993-1995)
- Ignacy Paderewski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1919) and third prime minister of Poland
- Stanisław Patek, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1919-1920)
- Edward Bernard Raczyński, count, Polish ambassador to the United Kingdom (1934-1945) and foreign affairs minister (1941-1943)
- Adam Rapacki, foreign affairs minister of communist Poland (1956-1968)
- Joseph Retinger, precursor of the European Union
- Dariusz Rosati, foreign affairs minister of III RP (1995-1997)
- Adam Daniel Rotfeld, foreign affairs minister of III RP (2005)
- Radosław Sikorski, foreign affairs minister of III RP (since 2007)
- Konstanty Skirmunt, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1921-1922)
- Aleksander Skrzyński, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1922-1923 and 1924-1926)
- Krzysztof Skubiszewski, first foreign affairs minister of III RP (1989-1993)
- Romuald Spasowski, Polish ambassador to the United States (1955-1961 and 1978-1981)
- Andrey Vyshinsky, Soviet jurist and diplomat
- Alexandre Joseph Count Colonna-Walewski, French foreign affairs minister
- Leon Wasilewski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1918-1919)
- August Zaleski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1926-1932)
- Maurycy Klemens Zamoyski, foreign affairs minister of II RP (1924)
- Josef Zieleniec, Czech foreign affairs minister
- Sergey Yastrzhembsky, Russian diplomat
[edit] Spies
- Roman Czerniawski, Polish Air Force captain and British Double Cross System agent
- Michael Goleniewski, Cold War Polish, Soviet and American CIA agent
- Jan Kowalewski, Polish Army intelligence officer and cryptologist
- Andrzej Kowerski, Polish Army officer and World War II British SOE agent
- Ryszard Kukliński, Polish Army colonel, Cold War CIA masterspy
- Jerzy Franciszek Kulczycki, Polish spy at Battle of Vienna (1683)
- Kazimierz Leski, Captain
- Jerzy Pawłowski, Major
- Marcel Reich-Ranicki, Polish General Consul in London (1948–49)
- Krystyna Skarbek, World War II British SOE agent
- Halina Szymańska, World War II British spy
- Marian Zacharski, Colonel
[edit] Holocaust resisters
- Mordechaj Anielewicz, Military Leader of Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (1943)
- Władysław Bartoszewski
- Adolf Berman
- Icchak Cukierman
- Marek Edelman
- Yitzhak Gitterman
- Haika Grossman
- Jan Karski
- Zofia Kossak-Szczucka, co-founder of Żegota
- Wanda Krahelska-Filipowicz, Provisional Committee for Aid to Jews
- Zivia Lubetkin
- Witold Pilecki
- Irena Sendler
- Henryk Sławik, Polish politician and diplomat in Hungary
- Henryk Woliński
- Lidia Zamenhof
- Szmul Zygielbojm
[edit] Religion
- Andrzej Alojzy Ankwicz (Roman-Catholic Archbishop of Lvov, 1815-33, and Archbishop of Prague 1833-38).
- Baal Shem Tov (Yisroel ben Eliezer (1698-1760), rabbi, the founder of Hasidic Judaism).
- St. Józef Bilczewski (Roman-Catholic Archbishop of Lvov, 1900-23).
- Szymon Budny (Polish-Belarusian humanist and Arian priest).
- St. Casimir Jagiellon (grandson of King Władysław II Jagiełło).
- St. Adam (Albert) Chmielowski (Albertine).
- August Czartoryski (beatified Prince).
- Edmund Dalbor (Primate of Poland, Cardinal, 1915-26).
- Albin Dunajewski (Bishop of Kraków, Cardinal, 1879-94).
- Stanisław Dziwisz (Archbishop of Kraków since 2005, Cardinal).
- Antoni Melchior Fijałkowski
- Jacob Frank (Jewish messianic leader who merged Judaism and Christianity).
- Piotr z Goniądza (religious writer).
- Piotr Gamrat (Primate of Poland, 1541-45).
- Józef Glemp (Primate of Poland since 1981, Cardinal).
- St. Hedwig (Queen of Poland, 1384-99).
- August Hlond (Primate of Poland, 1926-48, Cardinal).
- Stanislaus Hosius (legate to Poland, Cardinal and Prince-Bishop of Warmia).
- St. Hyacinth (Dominican).
- Henryk Jankowski (Prelate, Chaplain of "Solidarność")
- Marian Jaworski (Polish Roman-Catholic Archbishop of Lvov, since 1991, Cardinal).
- Aleksander Kakowski (Archbishop of Warsaw, Cardinal).
- St. Raphael Kalinowski (Carmelite).
- St. Jan Kanty (professor at Kraków University).
- Stanisław Karnkowski (Primate of Poland, 1581-1603; Interrex, 1586-87).
- St. Maksymilian Maria Kolbe (Franciscan martyr, Auschwitz 1941).
- Hugo Kołłątaj (priest, statesman).
- St. Stanisław Kostka (Jesuit).
- St. Faustina Kowalska (Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy).
- Ignacy Krasicki (Primate of Poland).
- Adam Stanisław Krasiński (Bishop of Kamieniec Podolski, 1757-98).
- John Krol (Archbishop of Philadelphia, Cardinal, 1961-88).
- Mieczysław Halka Ledóchowski (Primate of Poland, 1866-86, Cardinal).
- Jan Łaski (Primate of Poland, 1510-31).
- Władysław Aleksander Łubieński (Archbishop of Lwów, 1758-59; and Primate of Poland, 1759-67; Interrex, 1763-64).
- Franciszek Macharski (Archbishop of Kraków, 1978-2005, Cardinal).
- Zbigniew Cardinal Oleśnicki (Bishop of Kraków, 1423-55, first Cardinal of Polish origin, since 1449, statesman).
- Zbigniew Oleśnicki (nephew of Zbigniew Cardinal Oleśnicki; Primate of Poland, 1481-93).
- Walenty Potocki (Count; converted to Judaism as Avrohom ben Avrohom, the Ger Tzedek of Vilna; died 1749).
- Jan Puzyna (Bishop of Kraków, 1895-1911, Cardinal).
- Jerzy Cardinal Radziwiłł (Bishop of Kraków, Cardinal, 1591-1600).
- Tadeusz Rydzyk (Redemptorist).
- St. Stanislaus of Szczepanów (Bishop of Kraków, martyr 1079).
- Adam Stefan Sapieha (Bishop/Archbishop of Kraków, Cardinal, 1911-51).
- Piotr Skarga (Jesuit).
- Kajetan Sołtyk (Bishop of Kiev, 1756-59; Bishop of Kraków, 1759-88).
- Edmund Szoka (Archbishop of Detroit, Cardinal 1981-90).
- Józef Tischner (priest, philosopher and first chaplain of the trade union "Solidarity").
- Mikołaj Trąba (Archbishop of Gniezno, first Primate of Poland, 1418-22).
- Jakub Uchański (Primate of Poland, 1562-81; Interrex, 1572-73 and 1574-75).
- Piotr Wawrzyniak (priest and economist).
- Karol Józef Wojtyła (Pope John Paul II, 1978-2005).
- Stefan Wyszyński (Primate of Poland, Cardinal, 1948-81).
- Reverend Monsignor (Wawrzyniec) Lawrence Wnuk (Protonotary Apostolic).
[edit] Miscellaneous
- George Adamski, controversial ufologist
- Florian Ceynowa, Kashubian activist
- Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz, the first woman to sail single-handed (i.e. solo) around the world
- Franciszek Czapek, watchmaker
- Michał Drzymała
- Piotr Gawryś, contract bridge champion
- Wincenty Gostkowski, watchmaker
- Piotr Iwanicki, wheelchair dancing world champion
- Marek Kamiński, adventure traveller
- Adam Michnik, journalist
- Piotr Naszarkowski, engraver
- Anthony Radziwill, U.S. news journalist/producer (nephew of John F. Kennedy)
- Włodzimierz Waloc Trubecki, prince
- Wilfrid Michael Voynich, bibliophile
- Arkadiusz Weremczuk a.k.a. Arkadius (Ukrainian-Polish) fashion designer
- Warren Winiarski, California winemaker
- Magdalena Wróbel, top model
[edit] Criminals
- Leon Frank Czolgosz, assassin of President William McKinley
- Ignacy Hryniewiecki, assassin of Tsar Alexander II of Russia
- Theodore Kaczynski, the Unabomber
- Severin Antoniovich Klosowski, Jack-the-Ripper suspect
- Julian Koltun, serial killer
- Zdzisław Marchwicki, serial killer
- Władysław Mazurkiewicz, serial killer
- Stanisław Modzelewski, serial killer
- Eligiusz Niewiadomski, assassin of Polish President Gabriel Narutowicz, modernist painter and art critic
- Leszek Pękalski, serial killer
- Piotr Shabelsky-Bork, assassin
- Łucjan Staniak, serial killer - dubbed "The Red Spider" and "The Red Ripper"
- Hymie Weiss (Wojciechowski), Chicago mobster and rival of Al Capone, born into a Polish family
[edit] Legendary persons
- John of Kolno (Jan z Kolna, Johannes Scolnus or Scolvus), semi-legendary explorer and discoverer of America before Columbus (1476).
- Pan Twardowski, semi-legendary Faust-like sorcerer; in Polish legend, the first man on the Moon.
- Janek Wiśniewski, freedom fighter, hero of 1970 Gdynia riots.
[edit] Fictional characters
- Captain William Joseph "B.J." Blazkowicz from Wolfenstein 3D
- Waldemar Daninsky, wolfman from La Marca del Hombre Lobo
- Nicodemus Dyzma (in Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz's novel, The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma).
- Dr Judym (in Stefan Żeromski's novel, Homeless People).
- Florentyna Kane from The Prodigal Daughter and Shall We Tell the President?
- Commander Keen, grandson of B.J. Blazkowicz
- Hans Kloss (Captain Kloss), WW II secret agent from Polish TV serial More Than Life at Stake
- Funky Koval, space detective
- Stanley Kowalski of the play A Streetcar Named Desire
- Koziołek Matołek (Matołek the Billy-Goat) is a fictional character created by Kornel Makuszyński (story) and Marian Walentynowicz (art) in one of the first and most famous Polish comics back in 1933
- Magneto, mutant (Marvel Comics)
- Mike Nomad (with Steve Roper), an American adventure comic strip (1936 - 2004)
- Officer Eddie Pulaski from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Abel Rosnovski from Kane and Abel
- Pan Samochodzik, a fictional adventurer by Zbigniew Nienacki
- Sasquatch (Dr. Walter Langkowski), Marvel superhero
- Walter Sobchak, the "Polish Catholic" from the film The Big Lebowski
- Silk Spectre I & II, superheroines from Watchmen
- Stanislau from Blackhawk (comics), ace pilot
- Tytus, Romek i A'Tomek, Polish comic book heroes
- Walter Koskiusko Waldowski, the "Painless Pole" in MASH (film)
- Konrad Wallenrod (poem) by Adam Mickiewicz
- John Paul Wiggin (Jan Paweł Wieczorek) from Ender's Game series
- Stanisław Wokulski (in Bolesław Prus' novel, The Doll).
- Piotr Zak, fictional composer from a spoof BBC documentary
- Sophie Zawistowski from Sophie's Choice, a novel by William Styron and a film by Alan J. Pakula.
- The Witcher, fantasy hero by Sapkowski
[edit] Sports
see also: list of Polish sports players
[edit] Athletics (track and field)
[edit] Boxing
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[edit] Chess
[edit] Fencing
[edit] Ice hockey
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[edit] Skiing
- Bronisław Czech
- Wojciech Fortuna, ski jumper
- Adam Małysz, ski jumper
- Stanisław Marusarz, ski jumper