Polish Naval Academy

Last updated
Polish Naval Academy of the Heroes of Westerplatte
Akademia Marynarki Wojennej im. Bohaterów Westerplatte
AMW-dziedziniec.jpg
MottoMorze, Ojczyzna, Obowiązek
Motto in English
Sea, Fatherland, Duty
Established1922
Rector RDML prof. Tomasz Szubrycht
Location, ,
54°32′38″N18°32′39″E / 54.5438°N 18.5442°E / 54.5438; 18.5442 Coordinates: 54°32′38″N18°32′39″E / 54.5438°N 18.5442°E / 54.5438; 18.5442
LanguagePolish/English
Website www.amw.gdynia.pl
Logoamw.svg

The Polish Naval Academy (PNA) "Heroes of Westerplatte" is a naval university supervised by the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Poland, with the history, uninterrupted by World War II, dating back to 1922. At present the PNA provides education for officer-cadets, commissioned officers and civilian students at first and second cycles of study (undergraduate and graduate), as well as doctoral studies. It also offers opportunities for professional development at specialized courses and postgraduate programs. In accordance with international agreements the PNA trains officers for naval forces of countries in Europe, North Africa, the Middle and Far East. International exchange significantly contributes to the rise in qualifications of the PNA staff. It also allows the students to attend lectures given by best specialists from leading scientific centers of the world.

Contents

History

Temporary Officers' Training Corps (1921)

After the foundation of Polish Naval Forces on November 28 of 1918 by the time's Chief of State Józef Piłsudski the formation of its military branch was started. One of the main goals was a formation of a training structure, due to the lack of cadets. The plan was at first to start a Maritime School and a training division which was completed in 1920.

There was no need for this type of training structure until the Polish-Soviet war of 1920, since all of the naval forces were being outsourced from the occupying regime's government. After Poland gained its autonomy, general Kazimierz Porębski decided to form first institution that temporarily provided courses for new officers (pol. Tymczasowe Kursy Instruktorskie dla Oficerów (abbr. TIK)) in Toruń, Poland on March 20 of 1921. It was an 18-month-long course that was preparing officers of land forces for a service on board of battleships. Under the supervision of LCDR Adam Mohuczy in total the course was completed by 39 officers. [1]

Under the jurisdiction of rear admiral Kazimierz Porębski on November 6 of 1922 the Naval Officers' School (pol. Oficerska Szkoła Marynarki Wojennej (abbr. OSMW)) was formed again in Toruń. This time the school consisted of 1 faculty and was meant to provide new cadets to become maritime officers. The training period consisted of 2 years that later got extended to 3 years. During the courses cadets were gaining experience on board of such battleships as OORP "Komendant Piłsudski" and "Generał Haller".

Captains of Naval Officer's School [2]

Novelization of training structure within Polish army caused a change in the name of Naval Officers' School into Naval Cadets' School (Szkoła Podchorążych Marynarki Wojennej (abbr. SPMW)) with majorly reorganized structure within the institution itself. At first it consisted of a formation of two separate faculties: Maritime and Technical. Practical courses were provided on board of battleships ORP "Iskra" and ORP "Wilia" respectively. Later, in 1935, there was created an additional faculty on Administration directed towards maritime administration. In 1938 the school was moved from Toruń to a nearby town of Bydgoszcz. Courses under the new structure were completed by 158 officers, 173 maritime graduates, 23 technical graduates and 12 administrative graduates. At the start of the Second World War in 1939 cadets and officers from Naval Cadets' School were taking an active part in county's defense, mainly in land formations. A month earlier, on August 24, some of the cadets, together with new candidates, who were receiving temporary training in Oksywie, Gdynia, were sent back to Bydgoszcz.

Main entrance of the Academy AMW-dziedziniec2.jpeg
Main entrance of the Academy
Building marked "AMOR PATRIAE SUPREMA LEX" at Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia AMW-Amor patriae suprema lex.jpeg
Building marked "AMOR PATRIAE SUPREMA LEX" at Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia

Supervisors of Naval Cadets' School in years 1928-1939

Cadets on board of ORP "Iskra", 1938 Zaloga iskra.jpg
Cadets on board of ORP "Iskra", 1938

Under the jurisdiction of the Chief of the Polish Navy Capt. Jerzy Świrski Naval Cadets' School was revived, this time in Great Britain. The main reason why the revival was possible was the completion of the courses reached by remaining cadets and their successful transition from Poland to Great Britain. Later on new cadets were being also recruited among N.C.O.s and seamen. The training program did not change much, except now the practical part of the courses was held mostly on battleships of the Royal Navy. On September 17 of 1943 the Chief of the Polish Navy Capt. Jerzy Świrski created a new Reserve Naval Cadets' School (pol. Szkoła Podchorążych Rezerwy Marynarki Wojennej (abbr. SRRMW)), which shared its management with the Naval Cadets' School. The goal of that was to create a new cadre for Polish Navy that would be formed after the Second World War.

The exact location of Naval Cadets' School was on board of a Polish battleship ORP "Gdynia" and in a British harbor of Plymouth but in 1943 together with the new Reserve Naval Cadets' School it was moved to Bickleigh and Okehampton. On November 25 of 1946 both of the schools got cancelled under the jurisdiction of the Chief of the Polish Navy Capt. Jerzy Świrski. From 1939 to 1946 from Naval Cadets' School graduated: 53 naval second lieutenants from the Maritime faculty, 40 reserve naval second lieutenants from the Maritime faculty, 16 naval second lieutenants from the Technical faculty, 2 reserve naval second lieutenants from the Technical faculty, 5 naval second lieutenants from the Naval Officers' faculty and 9 reserve naval second lieutenants from the Naval Officers' faculty. The number of officers who graduated was 49.

Captains of Naval Cadets' School who had served in Great Britain

On January 18, 1946, Polish People's Army's commander-in-chief marshal Michał Rola-Żymierski ordered a foundation of a military maritime training institution. Capt. Adam Mohuczy followed the order and was instructed to officially reform the Naval Officers' School (pol. Oficerska Szkoła Marynarki Wojennej (abbr. OSMW)) in Gdynia, Poland. It was planned to be a temporary solution before the proper training institution for the maritime officers would be formed. After the establishment of the Naval College the Naval Officers' School closed the applications for its new cadets and later on got closed.

First year of cadets completed the faculty in a 3-year system while in following years a 4-year bachelor system was implemented. Candidates who applied were required to have completed 4 years of high school with an order of honoring seamen, naval N.C.Os and land units' officers first. The Deck Faculty consisted of following cycles: general, political, vessel maneuver, sea strategies, sea knowledge, communication and radiolocation, sea practice. The Technical Faculty shared the general, political and sea practice subjects with addition of generally technical, electrical, electrotechnical and engine ones. At the end there were held exams and students were required to pass a thesis which was giving them specializations: Deck on the Deck Faculty and Steam, Internal Combustion or Electrical on the Technical Faculty. First practical classes were held on board of civil frigate "Dar Pomorza", later battleship ORP "Iskra" in 1948 and ORP "Zetempowiec" in 1951 were added. 500 officers graduated from the Officers' School with an officer's commission.

Supervisors of Naval Officers' School (1946-1958)

Capt. Stanisław Mieszkowski and Capt. Adam Rychel were kept captive and tortured under the communist regime. Later Capt. Stanisław Mieszkowski was sentenced to death in 1952. His body was secretly buried in Powiązki Military Cemetery. In 2016 he was nominated by Polish President Andrzej Duda to the rank of rear admiral as a Cursed Soldier. [3]

Polish Naval College (1955)

Former logo of Naval College Wyzsza Szkola Marynarki Wojennej old.svg
Former logo of Naval College

On June 11 of a year 1955 the Naval Officers' School became the Polish Naval College (pol. Wyższa Szkoła Marynarki Wojennej, abbr. WSMW) which was an institution of higher education functioning like an academy. In 1956 the school's name was amended with the addition of the honorific "Heroes of Westerplatte". Initially the Naval College consisted of 4 faculties: navigation and sea communication, sea weaponry, technical and private. In 1956 the private faculty was closed and in 1957 other faculties got reorganized into Maritime Department and Technical Department.

The study programme for navigation and mechanical subjects was subtracted from similar courses held on other civilian universities, enriched with additional subjects on sea weaponry and army-oriented matter. Those who graduated were getting the title of engineers. Since 1955 students were also able to attend special officer and leadership courses to become a certificated officer. In 1959 first master's degree courses for Technical Department were open. In 1968 a Naval School of Ensigns (pol. Szkoła Chorążych Marynarki Wojennej) was founded and later the Naval College was providing doctor's degree programme for navigation and ship mechanics. Naval College had graduated approximately 2000 officers and 800 ensigns.

Commanders of Naval College

Polish Naval Academy (1987)

On July 17 of the year 1987 the government of Polish People's Republic decided to reevaluate the Naval College to become first Polish Naval Academy (pol. Akademia Marynarki Wojennej, abbr. AMW). This way the name of the institution has gotten relevant with its internal structure. At the end of the 90's its military department was introduced with master's degree courses and new civil faculties. They consisted of mechanical faculty, international relations faculty and pedagogical faculty. In the year of 2000 the Leadership Institute was developed into lately the Department of Naval Strategy Management and then into the Department of Naval Operational Art and Naval Military Tactics which was enabled to honor its graduates with titles on military science. In 2002 the Naval School of Ensigns got closed. Next step was forming the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences which in 2006 was transformed into a separate department. Until the year of 2006 the number of academy graduates reached approximately 600 officers and 300 ensigns.

From the year of 2015 the academy has been proceeding on internationalizing and has welcomed students and tutors from such countries as Qatar and Kuwait and from 2016 Saudi Arabia.

During the cadence of Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz the position of sessional instructor was made vacant from Admiral Ryszard Łukasik, Vice Admiral Henryk Sołkiewicz and Rear Admiral Zbigniew Badeński. [4]

Commanders of Polish Naval Academy

Structure and scientific activity

Faculty of Command and Naval Operations Spolecznosc WDiOM podczas wreczania dyplomow absolwentom we wrzesniu 2013 r..jpg
Faculty of Command and Naval Operations

The PNA is a naval university of a settled position in the Polish higher educational system. The mission of the PNA is to create conditions necessary to provide security for the Poland at sea through disseminating knowledge, conducting research work, educating and developing officer-cadets and civilian students, as well as perfecting professional military, and civilian workers, in the administration and maritime industry. The Academy co-operates with technical and military Polish and European universities, enterprises and international organizations. University authorities:

Kobben-class submarine ,,Jastrzab" in front of the PNA Okret podwodny ,,Jastrzab-Kobben".jpg
Kobben-class submarine „Jastrząb” in front of the PNA

The PNA educates the officers of navy and civilian specialists on four faculties:

The major part of the activity of the Polish Naval Academy is conducting the research in the following areas:

Civilian studies

The university offers both undergraduate and 28 post-graduate courses in the Polish and English language. The PNA offers courses which focus on practical skills and competence. The PNA students acquire both, practical and social skills with the aid of a broad range of simulators, training simulators, multimedia rooms, and dedicated training courses developed in collaboration with a career adviser and the Academic Career Office. Some of their offered courses are:

The PNA provides the opportunity to obtain a doctoral degree (including attendance in doctoral studies) in the field of:

Military studies and the recruitment process

Military studies are conducted in five areas of study:

Attending professional defense programs students are trained to serve as commissioned officers in the Polish Armed Forces, mostly in the Navy. The recruitment process for military studies is in the form of competition. In addition to the results obtained on the end-of high school examinations, physical fitness test results as well as interviews are taken into account.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kazimierz Porębski</span>

Kazimierz Porębski was a Polish career naval officer who rose to the position of admiral within the Imperial Russian Navy, and was subsequently the first commander-in-chief of the inter-war Polish Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Defence University of Warsaw</span>

The National Defence University of Warsaw was the civil-military highest defence academic institution in Poland, located in Warszawa–Rembertów. In 2016 it was succeeded by the War Studies University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xawery Czernicki</span>

Rear Admiral Xawery Stanisław Czernicki (1882–1940) was a Polish engineer, military commander and one of the highest-ranking officers of the Polish Navy. Considered one of the founders of Polish Navy's logistical services, he was murdered by the Soviet NKVD during the Katyn massacre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy</span>

Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy (NVNA) is the oldest technical educational institution in the Republic of Bulgaria. Its history, past and present achievements establish the institution as the most prestigious centre for training of maritime specialists in the country. Its development over the years resembles a navigable river, into which many tributaries flow, as well as the "prototypes" of the present-day faculties, departments, and vocational colleges constituting the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mamert Stankiewicz</span> Polish naval officer

Mamert Stankiewicz was a Polish naval officer of the merchant marine, the commander of Lwów, Polonia and finally captain of the Polish ocean liner Piłsudski. On 26 November 1939 during World War II, while the captain of Pilsudski incorporated into the UK Royal Navy and converted into the ship transporting British and Polish soldiers was torpedoed by German U-boat, he, after inspecting the entire sinking ship that there were no sailors and soldiers left behind, and after rescuing sailors and soldiers from the ice-cold Northern Atlantic, he died of exhaustion. Stankiewicz's life was immortalized by Karol Olgierd Borchardt, whose series of books on Stankiewicz became a best-seller among Polish maritime books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerzy Świrski</span>

Jerzy Włodzimierz Świrski was a Polish vice admiral and officer in the Russian Imperial Navy and later the Polish Navy. As Chief of the Polish Naval Command (1925-1947), he was a member of an elite group of high ranking Polish naval officers from foreign navies who became founder members of the re-established naval forces of the newly independent Poland after World War I. During World War II, Polish naval forces under his command, were embedded with the Royal Navy and contributed significantly to the success of Britain's maritime war effort. He notably fell out with Poland's war time Prime Minister-in-exile, General Sikorski, but was backed by the British and survived in post. He was appointed an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Mohuczy</span>

Adam Mohuczy (1891–1953) was a Polish Navy officer. Captain of several ships and squadrons, Counter Admiral from 1946 and Chief of Staff and Commander of the Polish Navy from 1945–1947. In 1949 arrested by Polish secret police, accused of sabotage, tortured. He died in prison in 1953. In 1957 he was rehabilitated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polish Navy</span> Military unit

The Polish Navy is the naval branch of the Polish Armed Forces. The Polish Navy consists of 46 ships and about 12,000 commissioned and enlisted personnel. The traditional ship prefix in the Polish Navy is ORP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gdynia Maritime University</span>

The Gdynia Maritime University is one of two colleges in Poland which specialises in educating highly qualified officers for the maritime industry, especially for the merchant navy.

ORP <i>Ślązak</i> (2015)

ORP Ślązak (241) is an offshore patrol vessel of the Polish Navy, formerly known as Gawron-class corvette. The ship is named Ślązak. It is a licence variant of the MEKO A-100 project developed by Blohm + Voss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jan Grudziński</span> Captain of the Polish Navy, submariner (1907–1940)

Jan Grudziński was a submarine commander of the Polish Navy during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolesław Romanowski</span> Polish officer and submariner (1910–1968)

Bolesław Romanowski was a submarine commander of the Polish Navy during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerzy Koziołkowski</span> Polish officer and submariner (1911–1990)

Jerzy Karol Koziołkowski was a submarine commander of the Polish Navy during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eugeniusz Pławski</span> Polish naval officer (1895–1972)

Eugeniusz Józef Stanisław Pławski was a Polish Navy officer who served in World War I and World War II. He was the commander of the ORP Piorun (G65) during the hunt for Bismarck.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armed Forces General Command (Poland)</span>

The Armed Forces General Command is a joint command of the Polish Armed Forces, responsible for the combat training and readiness, supply, personnel and technical complement of military units of the armed forces during peace and crisis. It holds administrative command of the units, which are transferred under the operational control of the Armed Forces Operational Command. Current General Commander is Lt Gen Jarosław Mika (pl). It is subordinated to the Chief of the General Staff.

Tadeusz Józef Roman Morgenstern-Podjazd was a Polish naval officer who was one of the founders of the Navy of the Polish Second Republic and who served as the deputy commander of the Navy between September 1941 and October 1942.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piotr Kołodziejczyk</span> Polish vice-admiral (1939–2019)

Piotr Franciszek Kołodziejczyk was a Polish vice-admiral, commander of the 3rd Flotilla of Ships and Navy, Minister of National Defence from 1990 to 1991 and from 1993 to 1994, and member of the Sejm of the 10th term.

References

  1. 1 2 "amw.gdynia.pl". Archived from the original on 2016-12-04. Retrieved 2017-07-07.
  2. "Statute of Commanders". amw.gdynia.pl. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  3. "M.P. 2016 poz. 259". sejm.gov.pl. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  4. "Exiled sessonal instructors". onet.pl. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia". Studies in Poland. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  6. "About Academy". Eunaweb. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  7. "Polish Naval Academy (PNA)". Chemsea. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  8. "Polish Naval Academy". Go Poland. Retrieved 28 April 2015.

Further reading

ISBN   978-83-953887-2-9 (POLISH NAVAL ACADEMY); ISBN   978-83-7591-714-7 (REGION)