Casimir Szosland

Maj. Sergeant of the Polish Army, the leading Polish equestrian in the years 1923-1935, two-time Olympian (1924 and 1928 - silver).

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Born on February 21, 1891 in Grzymaczew, poviat Kalisz.

Son of Stanisław and Kazimiera née Białobrzeska. He received a matriculation certificate at the 7-class Commercial School in Kalisz (1911), and then completed 6 semesters at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Lviv University of Technology.

A soldier of the Russian army (1915), from November 18, 1918, he volunteered in the Polish Army. He joined the 3rd squadron of the 2nd Regiment of Grochowski Lancers named after General J. Dwernicki, to whom he remained faithful until the defensive war of 1939. In his ranks he went through the Ukrainian campaign, then the Bolshevik front.

In April 1919, he began his military education, graduating from the Warsaw Cadet School and the Cavalry Cadet Training Center (Przemyśl), specializing in the construction of roads and bridges. Appointed second lieutenant (1920) ended his participation in warfare to this extent (March 15, 1921).

He was a staff company commander (1921-1922) and a platoon commander after being promoted to lieutenant (1923), but more and more space in his private and official life began to be played by horses.

Kazimierz Szosland was one of the leading representatives of Poland, and at the same time, and a little later - excellent teachers - horse riding instructors of the Artillery Training Center, to finally become the manager of the Horse Sport Group of the Polish Army (April 15, 1937).

The beginning of Szosland's rich professional career dates back to the end of 1922, when Lieutenant Leon Kon from his home 2nd Regiment In XNUMX he was transferred to the cavalry school in Grudziądz to start preparing Polish riders for the Olympic performance in Paris.

The Olympic experience was not wasted. The first significant success was achieved by the Poles (Lt. Col. K. Rómmel, Capt. A. Królikiewicz, Capt. H. Dobrzański, Lieutenant K. Szosland, Lieutenant W. Zgorzelski) a year later (1925) at the competitions in Nice. These were unprecedented victories. Such an advantage of one team over all others as the Polish team had achieved, the competitions there had never known in their entire history. The performances of our riders in New York (September 1926) had an even greater resonance. Szosland (starting on "Readgledt") was a star of the first magnitude, contributing to winning the Nations Cup (The International Military Trophy), where riders from France, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, Spain and the USA were defeated in the field. There was no end to the congratulations, and the names of M. Toczek, A. Królikiewicz, K. Szosland, along with thanks on behalf of the service, were included in the Daily Orders of the Ministry of Military Affairs with the signatures of Minister W. Sikorski and the head of the Cavalry Department MT Tokarzewski.

Major Kazimierz Szosland was the record holder in terms of the number of starts in Nations Cup competitions (23 starts). Together with the team, he won 9 times: Nice (1925, 1928), New York (1926), Warsaw (1927, 1931, 1933), Riga (1931, 1932), Spa (1935).

The most spectacular success was achieved during the subsequent Olympic Games. The Poles slightly succumbed to the Spaniards, but overtook the Swedes (10 penalty points) and the great teams of Italy, Portugal and France (all 12 penalty points), Germany (14), Switzerland and the USA (18 each) and the Netherlands (26). "The Poles were absolutely first-rate" - he wrote about them, among others. leading German hipologist Gustav Rau.

The outbreak of World War II finds Szosland in Grudziądz, where he receives an order to transport the best Polish sports horses from Grudziądz to Sarny with a group of officers and support staff (including his wife Stefania, son Andrzej and the family of Major A. Królikiewicz). Unfortunately, near Góra Kalwaria, most of the horses known in all European hippodromes are killed by air bombs (among others, most likely also the wonderful "Harlequin" of Captain Roycewicz).

Seeing the end of the September campaign approaching, Szosland hopes to break through to the Hungarian border and further west. Seized by the Red Army near Lwów, he escapes captivity, returns to Warsaw, and later settles in Wieżówka near Grodzisk Mazowiecki. He quickly establishes contact with the unit of the ZWZ - Home Army.

Murdered with a shot in the head in front of his wife and son at the door of his house in Jeżówka on the night of April 18/19, 1944 (death certificate of April 20).

The details of his death are shrouded in mystery. There are authors who claim that he died at the hands of communist partisans. The murder could be related to the fact that he was an Home Army officer and treasurer of the Bażant district. According to many sources, he supplied partisan units with food and horses. He received airdrops from England.

In the village of Adamowizna near Grodzisk Mazowiecki there is a street 'K. Szoslanda'.

source: https://olimpijski.pl/olimpijczycy/kazimierz-szosland/

Below you will find links to related materials in the Polish Digital Equestrian Library.