No flowers, please – donations for Our disabled veterans!
By Janek Wielgosz
Mar 29, 2026
Had Emil Przedrzymirski de Krukowicz accrued even a portion of his life’s achievements, it would have already been an impressive record. But, as with many towering figures of his generation, Przedrzymirski forged a legacy of greatness matched by few.
Early Life and Military Service
Przedrzymirski was born 25 January 1886 in Niemirów, in modern-day Ukraine, but then a part of the Austro-Hungarian partition of Poland. He entered the military academy in his late teens and was granted the rank of Second Lieutenant in 1906. His service trajectory was traced by major events and changing borders, which saw him serve in the Austro-Hungarian army during the First World War and, following the reconstitution of the Polish state in November 1918, enlist in the Polish Armed Forces.
When the Polish-Bolshevik War came to a head in 1920, Przedrzymirski took command of the 16th Field Artillery Regiment (16 Pułk Artylerii Polowej), serving as the commander of the southern defence sector of Grudziądz, a key strategic point. His leadership and bravery at the Battle of Horodec in Polesia earned him the Silver Cross of the Order of Virtuti Militari, Poland’s highest military decoration for gallantry.
Gen. Przedrzymirski (standing left, in uniform) at the repatriation of Gen. Bem’s remains, June 1929.
The interwar period saw Przedrzymirski rise in rank within the Polish military, serving as Chief of the Artillery Department of the Ministry of Military Affairs as well as a diplomatic representative on numerous foreign missions. A particularly fascinating episode was when Przedrzymirski headed the committee responsible for repatriating the remains of General Józef Bem, a storied Pole who began his military career as an officer in the Napoleonic Army and ended up serving as a Pasha and Ottoman General who commanded the 1850 defence of Aleppo against Bedouin and rebel forces.
World war Two and Postwar Life
At the outbreak of the Second World War, Przedrzymirski held the rank of Brigadier General and was in command of Armia „Modlin”, one of the first formations to meaningfully engage the advancing German Army in September 1939. Przedrzymirski’s men fought valiantly through September, making a final stand at the Battle of Tomaszów Lubelski (September 21–26, 1939). He negotiated a surrender that saw him interned in a German POW camp for the balance of the war, gaining his freedom when the camp was liberated by the Americans in April 1945.
Colonel Dr Frey, commandant of Oflag VII A in Murnau, greets General Tadeusz Piskor, commander of the Lublin Army. Generals including Przedrzymirski, stand behind. General Piskor refuses to shake Frey’s hand (credit: Polish Institute & Sikorski Museum).
In the immediate postwar years, Przedrzymirski went to Paris and Nice, where he represented other liberated Polish generals. By 1947, he was reunited with his family in Great Britain. In 1949, he and his wife Regina moved to Montreal to join their daughter Małgorzata, before finally settling in Toronto in 1950.
Beloved Polonia Leader, Quiet Civic Hero
Although his civic status was officially listed as retired, General Przedrzymirski led a remarkably active and productive life in Toronto’s Polonia community, quickly becoming a leader in local veteran and civic organizations. He served diligently as Vice-President of the SPK’s Head Executive Board, engaged deeply with the Polish National Union (ZNP), and chaired the Invalid Committee to raise funds for disabled veterans in Canada and overseas. He also actively contributed to the Circle of Friends of Scouting, mindful of the special connection that had long existed between the Polish Army and Scouting.
Despite his esteemed military record, the General did not demand the deference typically given to an officer of his stature. Instead, he became affectionately known throughout Polonia as “Dziadzia” (Grandpa) – a title of warm endearment earned through his strong integrity, approachability, and spirit of comradeliness that won the respect of Poles of all backgrounds and stations.
Przedrzymirski’s commitment to helping his fellow Polish exiles extended far beyond ceremonial duties or branch meetings. He became co-owner of Euro-Trade, a local Polish parcel shipping firm that became a vehicle for anonymous giving, absorbing the costs to send hundreds of free aid packages to disabled Polish veterans still struggling in Western Europe.
General Przedrzymirski passed away suddenly from a heart attack on May 29, 1957, in Toronto. He is buried there at Holy Cross Cemetery.
In a eulogy printed in the Głos Polski newspaper in June 1957, his friend and comrade Stanisław Zybała had this to say:
“Every Pole involved in community life in Canada, especially in Toronto, knew him. They knew and respected him; and if they knew him closely, they loved him. It was hard not to love this man of crystal-clear honesty, impeccable character, a man of culture, helpfulness, and always a smiling older gentleman.
‘…No flowers, please, donations for the disabled!’ The family of the deceased knows well the testament written in the General’s heart – he who was one of the most beautiful figures of our Polish-Canadian life.”
Grave site of General Przedrzymirski and his wife Regina,
Holy Cross Cemetery, Toronto.
Sources:
Zybała, Stanisław. “Nad mogiłą Żołnierza, Społecznika i Jałmużnika.” Głos Polski, June 6, 1957.
“Emil Krukowicz-Przedrzymirski,” Wikipedia, wolna encyklopedia, last modified 2025-04-28, https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_Krukowicz-Przedrzymirski.
Various public domain files and photographs courtesy of the Central Military Archive and the National Digital Archives of Poland.