Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky, Marshall of the Soviet Union

[Jim O]

Ac.rokossowski3.jpg


And Konstanty Ksawerowitsch Rokossowski, Marshall of Poland
Konstanty_Rokossowski_Polski_Mundur.jpg

Interesting little tidbit that Lancer no doubt knew but Rokossovsky was an ethnic Pole and served as Defense Minister of Poland in the early post-war years, under the instructions of Stalin. His birth name was Konstanty Ksawerowitsch Rokossowski but he "Russified" it to advance his career. When he was appointed to his post in Poland he was also given the rank of Marshall.

He earned the rank of MSU after the drive to Warsaw, while commanding the First Belorussian Front.

[Lancer44]

Originally Posted by Jim O

Attachment 227


And Konstanty Ksawerowitsch Rokossowski, Marshall of Poland
Attachment 228

Interesting little tidbit that Lancer no doubt knew but Rokossovsky was an ethnic Pole and served as Defense Minister of Poland in the early post-war years, under the instructions of Stalin. His birth name was Konstanty Ksawerowitsch Rokossowski but he "Russified" it to advance his career. When he was appointed to his post in Poland he was also given the rank of Marshall.

He earned the rank of MSU after the drive to Warsaw, while commanding the First Belorussian Front.

Of course I know. The popular joke from this time was:
- Why Rokossowski become Marshall of Poland?
- Because it was cheaper to give one polish uniform to him than buy soviet uniforms for the whole polish army!

Anyway, Rokossowski was interesting, strong personality and good commander. This was admitted even by his opponents. How much "ethnic Pole" he was or rather felt, is disputable. He went back to USSR in 1956 after October revolt. For officer corps of the polish army which partly had roots in pre-war polish army, the main criterium of "patriotism" was fundamental question:
- Where Rokossowski was in 1920?
- He served in the Red Army!
I heard such accusations many times - and they were not entirely true. Rokossowski served in the Red Army, but during polish - soviet war was somewhere near Mongolia.
Rokossowski was responsible for bloody suppression of workers rebellion in Poznan in June 1956.

Cheers,

Lancer44

[Jim O]

Oh I wouldn't call him a Polish "patriot". He was a Soviet citizen and his loyalty was to the Soviet state and to his career. Many ethnic Germans, Italians, and Japanese fought bravely in the US Army during World War II as American patriots. Of course none of them were named Marshals of the state of their ethnicity.

From what I've read he spent part of his early years in Warsaw but was educated in what later became the USSR.

[temujin77]

Here's the WW2DB article on Rokossovsky, to add more info to this discussion:

WW2DB: Konstantin Rokossovsky

One interesting thing about his military career during the war was that he had equal chance as Zhukov to capture Berlin. Koniev, too, was in the running. In fact, none of them really knew who was going to have that honor -- Stalin was pitting them against each other for the same objective to compete for his favor.