Wladyslaw Sikorski (1881-1943) played a major political and military role in the history of Poland. He founded a secret nationalist organization, guided the modernization of the army, and led a government-in-exile when Poland was invaded by Germany at the start of the Second World War.

Wladyslaw Eugeniusz Sikorski was born in Tuszow Naradowy on May 20, 1881. At the time of his birth, this area (which is now in Poland) was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Sikorski was educated in an Austrian-controlled system and served in the Austrian army. He was soon recognized as a rising military leader. By the time of the First World War, he had achieved the rank of commander of the Polish Legion of the Austrian army. The troops under his command fought against the Russian army of Czar Nicholas.

From an early age, Sikorski had developed a consuming passion for Polish independence. In 1908, he helped...