Juliusz Drapella

{{short description|Polish brigadier general}} {{Infobox military person |honorific_prefix = |name = Juliusz Drapella |honorific_suffix = |image = Juliusz Drapella gen. bryg. kawaler VM.jpg |image_upright = |alt = |caption = |native_name = |native_name_lang = |birth_name = |other_name = |nickname = |birth_date = {{birth date|1886|12|03}}<ref name = "MSWojsk">{{Cite book| url = http://www.wbc.poznan.pl/publication/47164 | title = Personnel Journal of the Ministry of Military Affairs | access-date = 2019-02-09 |publisher = Journal Persian. MSWojsk.}}</ref> |birth_place = Wieprz, Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, Austria-Hungary |death_date = {{death date and age|1946|10|25|1886|12|03}} |death_place = Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France |burial_place = Russian Orthodox Cemetery, Nice, France |burial_label = |burial_coordinates =  |allegiance = {{flag|Austria-Hungary}}<br>{{flag|Second Polish Republic|name=Poland}} |branch = Austro-Hungarian Army<br>Polish Armed Forces |branch_label = Branch |service_years = 1907–1908<br>1914–1946 |service_years_label = |rank = Brigadier General |rank_label = |service_number = |unit = |commands = |battles = {{tree list}} * World War I * Polish–Soviet War * World War II ** Battle of Tuchola Forest ** Battle of Bzura {{tree list/end}} |battles_label = |awards = |memorials = |alma_mater = |spouse =  |children = |relations = |other_work = |signature = |signature_size = |signature_alt = |website =  |module = }}

'''Juliusz Alfred Drapella''' was a Polish brigadier general of the Polish Armed Forces who was most notable during his service in World War II.

==Biography== Juliusz Alfred Drapella was born on November 3, 1886, in Wieprz, to the family of Ludwik Drapella (1852–1935) and Maria née Mierowska. In 1906 he graduated from a seven-class real school with a high school diploma in Kromieryż and began studying at the TU Wien. In 1908 he moved to the Vienna University of Economics and Business.

In the period from October 1, 1907, to October 30, 1908, he completed his compulsory one-year military service in the Austro-Hungarian army . He completed his commercial studies in Vienna. In the years 1910–1914 he was a member of "Sokoł" in Żywiec.<ref>{{Cite book | surname = Zakrzewski | first = Bartosz | title = 18th Infantry Division of the Polish Army in the Polish–Soviet war | date = 2016 | publisher = Neriton Publishing House | place = Warsaw | isbn = 9788375434156}}</ref> He was appointed to the rank of cadet with seniority on January 1, 1911, in the corps of officers of the infantry reserve, and his parent unit was the infantry regiment No. 56 in Kraków. In 1913 he was renamed a cadet to a warrant officer with the preservation of seniority.<ref>{{Cite book | title = Schematismus für das k.u.k. Heer und für die k.u.k. Kriegsmarine für 1912 | date = December 1911 | place = Vienna | publisher = Nadworna i Państwowa Drukarnia}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | title = Schematismus für das k.u.k. Heer und für die k.u.k. Kriegsmarine für 1913 | date = December 1912 | place = Vienna | publisher = Court and State Printing House}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | title = Schematismus für das k.u.k. Heer und für die k.u.k. Kriegsmarine für 1914 | date = February 1914 | place = Vienna | publisher = Nadworna i Państwowa Drukarnia}}</ref> In the years 1912–1913, he took part in the mobilization of the armed forces of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, introduced in connection with the First and Second Balkan Wars with the mobilization of Austria-Hungary and in the years 1914–1918 he fought on the fronts of World War I. His parent unit was still the 56th infantry regiment. He was appointed to the rank of lieutenant with seniority on November 1, 1915, in the corps of infantry reserve officers<ref>{{Cite book | title = Ranglisten des kaiserlichen und königlichen Heeres 1916 | year = 1916 | place = Vienna}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | title = Ranglisten des kaiserlichen und königlichen Heeres 1917 | year = 1917 | place = Vienna}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | title = Ranglisten des kaiserlichen und königlichen Heeres 1918 | year = 1918 | place = Vienna}}</ref> In 1915 he received the highest praise for bravery.<ref>{{Cite magazine| title = Decorations in the Austrian army | magazine = Illustrated Daily Kuryer | pages = 4 | date = March 3, 1915 | url = http://mbc.malopolska.pl/dlibra/plain-content?id=74689}}</ref>

On July 7, 1919, he was admitted to the Polish Army from the former Austro-Hungarian army, with the approval of the rank of lieutenant with seniority from November 1, 1915, included in the 1st Army Reserve with simultaneous appointment to active service during the war and assigned to the 12th Infantry Regiment.<ref>Dz. Rozk. Wojsk. Nr 77 z 16 lipca 1919 roku, poz. 2492, 2517.</ref> During the Polish–Soviet War, he was, among others, commander of the backup battalion in Żywiec, chief of staff of the Group of General Aleksandrowicz and General Krajowski, deputy chief of staff and chief of the Operational Department of the Staff of the 4th Infantry Division and chief of staff of the 18th Infantry Division (September 26, 1920 – June 30, 1921).

[[File:Delegacja 27 DP na audiencji u prezydenta RP Ignacego Mościckiego NAC 1-A-1410.jpg|thumb|right|Delegation of the 27th Infantry Division with the President of the Republic of Poland Ignacy Mościcki in 1936 (gen. Drapella, 3rd from right)]]

On November 20, 1922, he was appointed deputy chief of staff of the Command of the Corps District No. II in Lublin. On April 1, 1923, he was decommissioned for a period of 6 months without the right to conscription.<ref name = "MSWojsk"/> In the years 1923–1924 he was a student of the Training Course at the Wyższa Szkoła Wojenna in Warsaw. On October 15, 1924, after completing the course and receiving the academic diploma of an officer of the General Staff, he was assigned to the Command of the Corps District No. III in Grodno as the head of the General Division.<ref name = "MSWojsk"/> On November 2 this year, he was transferred to an identical position in the Headquarters of the Corps District No. VI in Lviv.<ref name = "MSWojsk"/> On December 1, 1924, the President of the Republic of Poland, Stanisław Wojciechowski, at the request of the Minister of Military Affairs, Major General Władysław Sikorski, promoted him to senior colonel on August 15, 1924, and on the 46th position in the corps of infantry officers.<ref name = "MSWojsk"/> On January 14, 1925, he was transferred from DOK VI in Lviv to the Army Inspectorate No. IV in Kraków to the position of the first clerk.<ref name = "MSWojsk"/> On October 15, 1925, he was transferred to the 73rd infantry regiment in Katowice as the regiment commander.<ref name = "MSWojsk"/> On March 31, 1927, he was appointed commander of the infantry division of the 27th Infantry Division in Kovel.<ref name = "MSWojsk"/> On October 29, 1932, he was appointed commander of the 27th Infantry Division.<ref name = "MSWojsk"/> On December 17, 1933, the President of the Republic of Poland, Ignacy Mościcki, appointed him Brigadier General with seniority on January 1, 1934, and 2nd in the corps of generals.<ref name = "MSWojsk"/> He held the position of the division commander until September 1939.

In the September Campaign, he commanded the 27th Infantry Division in the "Pomorze" Army, and from 6 to 11 September also the Operational Group of his own name. On September 20 he was seriously wounded in the Battle of Bzura. He got to Modlin, from where he was taken prisoner by the Germans after the capitulation of the fortress. He stayed in Oflag VII-A Murnau. After his release in 1945, he settled in France. He intended to return to Poland. <ref name = "DP19">{{Cite magazine | title = Juliusz Drapella. Obituary | journal = Dziennik Polski | pages = 5 | date = November 12, 1946 | url = http://mbc.malopolska.pl/dlibra/docmetadata?id=16830}}</ref> He died of heart disease on October 25, 1946, in Nice.<ref name = "DP19"/> He was buried at the local Caucade cemetery (plot 48, row 3 from the entrance, grave 2 from the hedge).<ref>Iwona M. Dacka-Górzyńska, Sławomir Górzyński, 'Poles Buried in the Cemeteries of Nice and Mentons', Warsaw: DiG Publishing House, 2015, {{ISBN | 978-83-7181-781-6}}.</ref> He was married and had a son.<ref name = "DP19"/>

==Promotions== * 50px Leutnant (Second lieutenant) - 1914 * 50px Oberleutnant (First lieutenant) - 1915 * 50px Kapitan (Captain) - 1920 * 50px Major (Major) - 1920 * 50px Podpułkownik (Lieutenant colonel) - 1922 * 50px Pułkownik (Colonel) - 1924 * 50px Generał brygady (Brigadier general) - 1934

==Awards== * 60px Silver Cross of Virtuti Militari (30 June 1920)<ref>Dekret Wodza Naczelnego L. 3127 z 30 czerwca 1921 r. [http://www.wbc.poznan.pl/dlibra/docmetadata?id=64221 (Dziennik Personalny z 1921 r. Nr 29, poz. 1181)]</ref> * 60px Cross of Valour (three times, 1922)<ref>Rozporządzenie Kierownika MSWojsk. L. 4597/22 [http://www.wbc.poznan.pl/dlibra/docmetadata?id=64666 (Dziennik Personalny z 1922 r. Nr 9, s. 314)]</ref> * 60px Gold Cross of Merit (17 March 1930)<ref>{{Monitor Polski|1930|98|143}} „za zasługi na polu wyszkolenia wojska".</ref> * 60px Commemorative Medal for the War of 1918–1921<ref name = ":0">{{Cite book| author = Stanisław Łoza | title = Do you know who this is? | date = 1938 | access-date = 2020-04-28 | location = Warsaw | publisher = Main Military Bookshop Publishing House | url = http://jbc.jelenia-gora.pl/dlibra/publication/19725/edition/18466/content }}</ref> * 60px Medal of the Decade of Regained Independence<ref name=":0" /> * 60px Military Merit Cross, 3rd class with war decoration and swords<ref name = "Nadworna">Ranglisten des kaiserlichen und königlichen Heeres 1918 . Vienna: Nadworna and State Printing House, 1918</ref> * 60px Silver Military Merit Medal<ref name = "Nadworna"/> * 60px Bronze Military Merit Medal<ref name = "Nadworna"/> * 60px Karl Troop Cross<ref name = "Nadworna"/> * 60px Mobilization Cross 1912/13<ref name = "Nadworna"/>

==References== {{reflist}}

==Bibliography== * {{Cite book | surname = Kryska-Karski | first1 = Tadeusz | author-link = Tadeusz Kryska-Karski | first2 = Stanisław | surname2 = Żurakowski | author-link2 = Stanisław Żurakowski (lieutenant colonel) | title = Generals of independent Poland | publisher = Editions Meetings | place = Warsaw | year = 1991 | ref = yes}} * {{Cite book| author = Piotr Stawecki | title = Biographical dictionary of the generals of the Polish Army 1918-1939 | date = 1994 | isbn = 83-11-08262-6 | place = Warsaw | publisher = Bellona | pages = 103–104 | oclc = 830050159}} * {{Cite book | author = Zbigniew Miekietański | title = Generals of the Second Republic | date = 1990| publisher = Polonia Publishing House | location = Warsaw | isbn = 83-7021-096-1 | pages = 71–76}} * {{Cite book | surname = Jurga | first = Tadeusz | title = Defense of Poland 1939 | date = 1990 | publisher = PAX Publishing Institute | place = Warsaw | isbn = 83-211-1096-7 | pages = 761–762 }} * {{Cite book | surname = Zakrzewski | first = Bartosz | title = 18th Infantry Division of the Polish Army in the Polish–Soviet war | date = 2016 | publisher = Neriton Publishing House | place = Warsaw | isbn = 9788375434156 | ref = yes}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Drapella, Juliusz}} Category:1886 births Category:1946 deaths Category:Polish people of the Polish–Soviet War Category:Polish military personnel of World War II Category:Russian military personnel of World War I Category:Polish Military Organisation members Category:People from Wadowice County