Eligiusz Niewiadomski

Poland’s first democratically elected president shot dead 100 years ago today

With the newly reborn nation still basking in the glow of victory having safeguarded its independence the year previously after the Red Army finally ceded defeat in the Polish-Soviet War, news of the assassination shattered the nation’s innocence. Public domain

With the newly reborn nation still basking in the glow of victory having safeguarded its independence the year previously after the Red Army finally ceded defeat in the Polish-Soviet War, news of the assassination shattered the nation’s innocence and plunged it into crisis.

Art gallery assassination!

Just five days after being elected as Poland’s first president in the newly independent second republic, Gabriel Narutowicz was gunned down in cold blood during the opening of an art exhibition. TFN’s Nick Westerby looks back at the extraordinary events 98 years ago today. 

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