Silver medalist from the Olympic Games in Berlin (horse 'Bambino'). Knight of the Cross of Valour, Silver Cross of Merit. 7th Regiment of Mounted Riflemen Wlkp.
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He was born on May 21, 1902 in Husiatyn in Podolia in a landowning family.
Zdzisław Szczęsny Gozdawa Kawecki He was the son of Stanisław and Jadwiga née Gończakowski.
My parents owned a landed estate in the Kosovo county. He began his school education in a primary school in his hometown, and continued in a classical gymnasium in Kołomyja. He passed his matriculation examination in 1921 at the gymnasium in Stanisławów.
As a junior high school student, on November 1, 1918, he joined the Polish Military Organization (hereinafter: POW). He participated in the fights with the Ukrainians in Pokucie and in the defense of Kołomyja (May 24-27, 1919). On June 1, 1919, he volunteered for the 6th Regiment of Kaniowski Lancers, from where on November 6 he was delegated to the Infantry Cadets School in Warsaw (1919-1920), and after graduation to the Riding Cadet School in Przemyśl (1920). On May 1, 1920, he was assigned to the 18th Cavalry Regiment in Grudziądz and promoted to officer cadet (May 7, 1920). (…)
Read more... (click to go to the Polish Digital Equestrian Library)
Author: Renata Urban
Excerpts from the book Riders-Olympians of the Second Polish Republic
Below you will find links to related materials in the Polish Digital Equestrian Library.
Entry updated: 14.05.2024/XNUMX/XNUMX
Zdzislaw Kawecki he was shot in Katyn by officers of the NKVD Regional Directorate in April 1940. He is buried in the area of the present Polish War Cemetery in Katyn.
Publications in the Polish Digital Equestrian Library:
Click on the links below to access related materials in the Polish Digital Equestrian Library (will open in a new tab):
"Zdzisław Szczęsny Gozdawa-Kawecki" [link] (2021)
"Polish Olympic riders of the interwar period, part II" (2019) - Hanna Łysakowska
"Polish Olympic riders of the interwar period, part I" (2018) - Hanna Łysakowska
"Zdzisław Kawecki" (2012) - Witold Danish
"Berlin 1936, or about the famous Polish Olympic eventing competition" [link] (2012)
"Riders-Olympians of the Second Republic" (2012) - Renata Urban
"Riders-Olympians of the Second Republic" [fragments] (2012) - Renata Urban
"Olympic Riders" (2000) - Hanna Łysakowska
"History of horse riding, part XII” (1992) – Witold Domański
"History of horse riding, part XI” (1992) – Witold Domański
"Berlin Olympics 1936" (1982) – Witold Pruski
"Equestrian sport in the horse weapons of the Second Polish Republic" (1974) - Zygmunt Bielecki
"Polish horse riding in 1936" (1937) - Leon Kon
"Die Reitkunst Der Welt an des olympischen spielen 1936" [DE][EN][FR] (1937) - G. Rau
"Horse Games of the 1936th Olympiad" (XNUMX) - Leon Kon
"The Olympic jury took away the silver medal from Poland in the Militari competition" (1936)
"Hardly won - Olympic silver medal" (1936) - Tadeusz Grabowski
"Horses at the 1936 Olympics - Bambino" (1936)
Related Legends:
Tadeusz Komorowski
Colonel of the Polish Army cavalry. Commander in Chief of the Home Army. Commander of the Warsaw Uprising. Prime Minister of the Polish government in exile.
Sergiusz Zahorski
Brigadier General of the Polish Army, head of the Military Cabinet of the President of the Republic of Poland, co-founder of Polish equestrian sports, participant of the 1912 Olympic Games in the Russian national team.
Rider and Breeder, 1922-1939
A pre-war weekly magazine addressed to breeders, athletes, racing and horse enthusiasts. Poles for whom the history of our country is inextricably linked with horse breeding and equestrian sports.
BAMBINO (NOCTURN – MIMOZA)
In Gustav Rau's opinion: an elegant horse with long lines. Fluid and flexible movements. In the field, Bambino gallops with a long, stretched neck and a springy back.
1936th Summer Olympic Games – Berlin, XNUMX
Polish team composed of: Rtm. Z. Kawecki / Bambino; Major S. Kulesza / Tośka; captain H. Roycewicz-Leliwa / Arlekin III – won the team silver medal.
Seweryn Kulesza
Major of the Polish Army cavalry, Olympic silver medalist in equestrian (Berlin 1936). Polish Champion in eventing in 1936 and 1937, and in dressage in 1937.
Gallery:
Photo from the NAC collection
Photo from the NAC collection
Photo from the NAC collection
