Grocholski Zdzisław Henryk Adam (1881 - 1968)

Grocholski Zdzisław Henryk Adam (1881-1968) – public and political activist. Born on January 26th in Piatnyczany, Vinnytsia district, he was the son of Stanisław and Wanda née Zamoyski (1846-1922). He received a thorough home education. In 1899, an ammunition production accident damaged his eye, which could not be saved; from that time, he wore dark glasses. He studied law at the Novorossiysk University (Odessa).

He was one of the most renowned economic and social activists in Podolia. In March 1907, at the invitation of the board of the Podolian Agricultural Consortium (centered in Kamianets-Podilskyi), he joined the board of its Vinnytsia branch and was elected its chairman. On July 1st of the same year, the branch separated as the Vinnytsia Agricultural Consortium, and G, elected on May 18th, 1908, as the president of its board, served his duties for the next five years. Additionally, he was actively involved in the “Podolian Association of Agricultural Farms,” where he was the chairman of the proper hunting branch and a board member (since May 1913). He financially supported the practical school of horticulture and agriculture founded by this company in Humenne, Vinnytsia district. He was repeatedly awarded at the “ПТСГ” exhibitions, particularly at the 1912 fairs where he received the company’s silver medal as the owner of 5 Arabian blood horses and a commendable letter from the Main Land and Agriculture Organization of the Russian Empire as the owner of an Oldenburg breed bullock named Brusa. He headed the Vinnytsia Loan and Savings Farm founded by his father and uncle → Tadeusz Grocholski (since around 1909), where he always spoke in Ukrainian at meetings and ensured that the company had a library with Ukrainian books. He was also the chairman of the Vinnytsia Free Fire Brigade Company. He co-financed the publication of the first Ukrainian magazine-newspaper in Podolia «Світова зірниця» – “World Star” (→ I. Wołoszynowski). He made generous donations, particularly for the creation of the “Sport” circle (1910) for students of the Vinnytsia real school. From 1911 to 1914, he was elected as the Vinnytsia district land councilor. At G.’s initiative, a superphosphate factory was built in Vinnytsia, owned by the Podolian Industrial Joint-Stock Company established in 1910, of which G. was the president. The plant began operations on July 12th, 1912, with a share capital of 800,000 rubles, an annual turnover in 1913/14 of about 679,000 rubles, and effectively supplied all of right-bank Ukraine with superphosphate. After the outbreak of World War I, G. established a hospital at the Piatnyczany estate and on August 25th, 1914, handed it over to the Vinnytsia Red Cross Committee, of which he had been a member since its inception until September 1915. (The hospital existed until November 3rd, 1915). He headed the Vinnytsia District Military-Industrial Committee, established in Vinnytsia on August 3rd, 1915. Together with his deputy O. Eksner, he was delegated to Petrograd for the Congress of Representatives of Russia’s Military-Industrial Committees (on February 26th, 1916). He belonged to the Polish Association for Aid to War Victims.

At the beginning of World War I, G. owned the Piatnyczany key with four farms and forests, the Obidniański key with five farms and forests (Obidne was purchased in 1907 from F. Przesmycki) in the Braclav district, several houses and 35 desiatinas in Vinnytsia, houses in Warsaw, forests in the Vyatka Governorate, as well as various proprietary enterprises, including brick factories in Obidne and Piatnyczany, a mechanized horseshoe factory in Piatnyczany, which began operations at the beginning of 1917, as well as shares in joint-stock companies, including the exploitation of granite quarries.

Zdzisław Grocholski - Polish Commissioner of Podolian Land. Portrait**. His autograph at the bottom, 18.ХІ.1910’' (спр. 5, арк. 10***). ca. 1883.* — Zdzisław Grocholski – Polish Commissioner of Podolian Land. Portrait**. His autograph at the bottom, 18.ХІ.1910’’ (спр. 5, арк. 10***). ca. 1883.*

G. became a resident in Piatnyczany. The palace housed rich collections gathered by many generations of the Grocholski family: artistic, numismatic, natural, ancient and hunting weapons, a library (about 10,000 volumes). The carriage house contained a collection of carriages used over the past few centuries. The stable always had 36 purebred horses from the Arabian herd → W. Rzewuski, part of which in the 1860s passed to Piatnyczany. Nearby, in the Black Forest, there was a game reserve, established by → Marcin Grocholski, – a place for walks by Vinnytsia residents, primarily school students. The palace chapel in Piatnyczany from 1906 was considered a branch of the Vinnytsia parish. G. also built a church in Piatnyczany at the beginning of the 20th century.

After the abdication of the tsar, on G.’s initiative, on March 6th, 1917, a meeting of representatives of city social organizations (49) was convened in Vinnytsia. At it, to promote the new government, a Council of Representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations with an executive committee was formed. G. was elected chairman of this committee, effectively embodying executive power in the Podolian Governorate. Russian troops stationed in Vinnytsia swore allegiance to the Provisional Government before him.

Grocholski Palace in Piatnyczany, photo before 1914.**

At the III Congress of the Polish Organization in Ukraine (the so-called Polish Congress in Ruthenia), held in Kyiv on June 18-24, 1917, he was the chairman, and the congress materials of the same year were published in Vinnytsia under the title “Polish Congress in Ruthenia.” With the appointment of the Polish Executive Committee in Ukraine, confirmed by elections in Podolia, from 1917-20 he was the Polish Commissioner of Podolian Land. He initiated the establishment of a coeducational commercial gymnasium in Vinnytsia in 1917 in the premises of the state women’s gymnasium. The gymnasium survived until the end of 1919, eventually in private premises. As a member of the main board (treasurer) of the educational association “Polish School Mother on Podolia,” established on May 15, 1917, in Vinnytsia, he purchased textbooks in Kyiv, and at the end of 1917, along with → F. Jaroszyński, → R. Bniński, and several other Polish landowners, acquired one of the largest printing houses in Vinnytsia, known as “Niepokojczycki Printing House” and renamed it “Polish Printing House in Vinnytsia.” It printed programs and textbooks for the association, mainly primers, books on religious topics (catechisms and prayer books), popular lectures, W. Studnicka’s work “Where Did the Poles Come From in Ruthenia,” and others, as well as the weekly “Agricultural Review” and “Polish Life.” The Podolian center of the Central Civic Committee of the Kingdom of Poland in Russia was located in G.’s house (possibly on Chlebna Street). G.’s wife cared for Polish soldiers and repatriates returning from the east.

Zdzisław Grocholski's wife Maria née Sołtan. French pastel**. — Zdzisław Grocholski’s wife Maria née Sołtan. French pastel**.

During the revolution, with the help of local peasants and workers, as well as Vinnytsia carriers, many paintings and valuable items (even furniture) could be transported by G. from Piatnyczany to Vinnytsia. However, a large part remained on site and burned along with the palace, set on fire on the night of January 17-18, 1918, or was looted. During the rule of Hetman P. Skoropadsky in the summer of 1918, G. returned to Piatnyczany and managed to cover the castle walls with a roof, thus protecting them from complete destruction. In Vinnytsia, the collections entered the newly established regional museum in 1918. On November 13, 1918, G. moved his family from Vinnytsia to Warsaw.
In the fall of 1919, he came to Podolia for his mother and sister. From the end of April to mid-June 1920, he was in Vinnytsia, participating in the reception of → J. Piłsudski in the city on May 16, which became the temporary capital of the UNR. During this time, he managed to take part of the family collections from the regional museum and transport them to Warsaw and the estate acquired in 1921, Poniatów (in 1944, all collections were lost both in the capital and in the new rural estate G.). In 1920, he was a liaison officer in Major Jaworski’s volunteer cavalry.

In Poland, he chaired the Circle of Poles from Ruthenian Lands, with the funds of which his work “Ruthenian Borderlands of the Most Serene Republic” was published, W., 1929), dedicated to Polish rulers of lands on Ukrainian territory. Moreover, he was the chairman of the Union for the Protection of Poles Affected by War and Revolution. Co-founder of the ammunition enterprise network “Pocisk SA,” he chaired its board for seven years. He was also a co-founder of the company «Lechita-Naftowa SA» (Polish-Norwegian. fish goods, nets, boat “Syrokomla”).

He worked on the history of his family, in particular writing articles «Pietniczany» (“Liatyczany”, «Kyiv Memoir», vol. III, Lon., 1966) and «Skała», (there., vol. IV, Lon., 1980). He was the commander of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, guardian of the icon of Our Lady of Letychiv.

He died on November 10, 1968, in Skolimów. He was married (wedding on August 11, 1910, in Krakow) to Maria Sołtan (July 15, 1889, Aninsk -1963), daughter of Wiktor Bogdan, a fallen landowner, and Maria née Sołtan, niece of the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Poland W. Sołtan. Their marriage was very successful. Maria, intelligent, educated, with various talents, was a pleasant companion to her husband, a beloved mother of ten well-educated children, a kind hostess, always and for everyone full of kindness” (p. 139*). In independent Poland, she became a member of the board of the association for the care of Polish children and youth from the borderlands (founded in 1920 in Warsaw). Around 1914-20, her sister Teresa (1901-1973) lived in Piatnyczany, from 1928 a nun of the Catholic Order of Franciscan Missionaries of Mary under the name Maria Felicita of Christ, known for her selfless care for lepers in China, Vietnam, and Argentina.

The Grocholski family had children: Maria (June 2, 1911, Piatnyczany -1940, near Karolina near Warsaw), → Stanisław, Helena (*November 6, 1914, Piatnyczany), married (wedding on October 30, 1943, in Warsaw) to Jerzy Bryczkiński, Władysław (April 18, 1915, Piatnyczany –1940, Katyn), Kazimierz (January 21, 1917-1996), married first (wedding on July 2, 1946, in London) to Zofia Elżbieta Baworowska, second – from 1989 to Anna Swertszków, Michał (1918-September 6, 1939, near Piotrków Trybunalski), Adam (1922 – August 19, 1944, near Nieporęt near Warsaw), Tadeusz (1925-August 19, 1944, near Nieporęt), Jeremi Jerzy (*November 8, 1927, Warsaw), ethnographer, married (wedding on August 1, 1970) to Róża Dowgiałło, and Henryk (*April 28, 1933, Poniatów), historian, married to Amelia Piekarz. In the State Archive of the Volyn Region (ДАВО), G.’s correspondence and other documents related to his activities are stored.

**Aftanazy, vol. 10, pp. 287, 307-310(303*); Boniecki, vol. VII, p. 67; Epsztein, p. 194; Iwański, pp. 412-413; Orłowski, p. 45; *Sobańska, pp. 9, 11, 13, 14, 19, 23, 27, 35, 37-39, 41, 43, 48, 51, 53, 56, 57, 66, 68, 70, 71, 73, 76, 80, 82,118,138-139,153,162,174,183-184,199-203 (13*, 201-203*); Urbański (1), p. 65; Uruski, vol. IV, p. 380; Zięba A. A. Sołtanówna Teresa //PSB; Mądzik M., Korzeniowski M. Polish Social and Rescue Organizations in the Podolian Governorate during World War I //PK, vol. VII, pp. 144, 148; Walewski W. Memories of Podolia //PK, vol. III, p. 55; Grocholski Z. Pietniczany // Ibid., pp. 84-95; Świderska W. Polish School Mother on Podolia//Ibid., pp. 142-145; Walewski S.C.K.O. in Vinnytsia on Podolia //Ibid., pp. 152, 153; Łazowski J. Fragments of Memories of Vinnytsia //Ibid., p. 227; Podhorski Z. Polish Society in Ukraine in Response to Political Events in Russia //PK, vol. IV, pp. 156, 159; — AK, 1909, pp. 93, 95, 289; Вся Винница, pp. 34, 38, 40, 63, 97, 101, ПО; Отчет ОП ПОСХ, 1906, pp. 125-135; Протоколы экспертных комиссий по присуждению наград на Винницкой сельскохозяйствeнной выставке 1-8 сентября 1912 года. – Вин., 1912, pp. 2, 4; Списки по всей Подол. губ., [паг. 30], p. 2, [паг. 37], p. 1; Список дворян Подол. губ., p.165; Список членов ПОСХ, pp. 1,4; Брнлл и м г Г. К нсторни Вииницкого областного краеведческого музея, Вин., 1968 (рукопись), pp. 23, 25, 107, 307-309; Вишневский (П, pp. 7, 15,42; Храїцсвськнй М. Вінни¬цька державна друкарня ім. Леніна, Він.. 1930, pp. 20–21; Подільська воля, 1917, № 2/3, p. 18: Подол. хоз., 1915, № 5, p. 30, № 6. p. 15; Справ, лист.. 1909. № 5/6, p. 11, № 11, p. 18,1913. Хе 5. p.6. 8; Зкон. жизнь Подолии] 1917, № 1, p. 48; Юго-Запад. край. 1915. № 188, p. 2, № 206, p. 2, № 210, p. 2, № 219. p. 1. № 221, p. 1,И226, p. 2; 1916, № 47, p. 2, № 170. p. 2. 3: 1917. № 62. p. 1, 2; — ДАВО: ф. 174. оп. 3. спр. 172.328,1759,1977,2177,2319, 2321, 2401, 2667, 2834, 3334. 3442, 3486. 3902, 4015, 4119, 4253, 4496, 4532. 4783. 4789. 5033. 6047, 6073, 6130. 6282, 6381. 6398; ф. 174. оп. 12, спр. 512; ф. 255, оп. 1. спр. 32, арк. 9 зв.-12: ф. 255, оп. 4. спр. 2, арк. 23- 24 зв.. 55-62 зв.. 67-68. 72. 75-76. 86, 86-87; ***ф.866, оп. 1, спр. 2. 5. 14. 16. 27. 36. 38-43, 67, 70-75, 79, 80; ф. 904, оп. 4. спр. 2. арк. 9 зв.-10.; ф. 904. оп. 11, спр. 44, арк. 32 зв.-33. спр. 58. арк. 13 зв.-14, спр. 63, арк. 26 зв-27: ф. 905. оп. 2. спр. 25, арк. 7 зв.-8. — [Ін¬формація Г. Ґрохольського].

The biography comes from the book KNOWN POLES IN THE HISTORY OF VINNYTSIA REGION by Ms. Wiktoria Kolesnyk.

Letter from Jacek Woźniakowski to Zdzisław Grocholski –
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