Kazimierz Konopka (1769–1805 or 1809) was a Polish Jacobin, secretary of Hugo Kołłątaj, officer in the Polish Legions, aide-de-camp of Jan Henryk Dąbrowski. He gained notoriety for his involvements in the unrest and hangings in Warsaw during the Kościuszko Uprising.
Konopka was born in 1769 to a burgher family in Poznań. [1] He studies law in Kraków, where he was a lawyer applicant in the F. Barss legal practice. [1] Member of the Kołłątaj's Forge organization and one of the Polish Jacobins, and secretary to Hugo Kołłątaj; during Kołlataj's period as the Deputy Crown Chancellor (podkanclerz koronny) in 1791, Konopka held the position of the Secretary of the Lesser Seal (sekretarz pieczęci mniejszej). [1] [2] [3] [4]
He participated in the Kościuszko Uprising, joining the cavalry. [1] During that period, around May and June 1794, he gained notoriety as one of the leaders of the demonstrations and riots in Warsaw. [1] [2] [5] [6] [7] In particular, he was involved in the "hanging of the traitors" incident around 28 June. [1] [8] [9] In this incident, not supported by the insurrectionist government, out of several people hanged, including insurrection opponents such as chamberlain Karol Boscamp-Lasopolski, prince Antoni Stanisław Czetwertyński-Światopełk and bishop Ignacy Jakub Massalski, the defense attorney and a prosecutor who attempted to stop the mob were also beaten and hanged; they included a friend of Tadeusz Kościuszko, advocate Michał Wulfers. [10] [11] [12] For his involvement in the incident, Koponka was sentenced by the insurrectionist court to an exile (banicja). [1] [7] [12]
Koponka left for France, where he joined French cavalry, and fought in Corsica. [1] [6] [7] In the aftermath of the final Third Partition of Poland, after Polish Legions were recreated under the French control in Italy, he became involved in the formation creation, reaching a rank of a captain or [9] major [13] (sources vary). [1] [2] [3] [14] He commanded a squadron, and later, a baon. In 1801 he was an aide-de-camp of Jan Henryk Dąbrowski. [1]
He died in 1805 in Bari [1] [14] (Pachoński mentions a sudden heart attack) or in 1809 (according to Rusinowa). [2]
Konopka is one of the figures immortalized in Jan Matejko's 1891 painting, Constitution of 3 May 1791. He is shown near the center, with an outstretched hand, holding the czekan (an ax- and hammer-like weapon) and with a French blue-white-red flower in his hat. [15]
Kazimierz Konopka (1769–1805 or 1809) was a Polish Jacobin, secretary of Hugo Kołłątaj, officer in the Polish Legions, aide-de-camp of Jan Henryk Dąbrowski. He gained notoriety for his involvements in the unrest and hangings in Warsaw during the Kościuszko Uprising.
Konopka was born in 1769 to a burgher family in Poznań. [1] He studies law in Kraków, where he was a lawyer applicant in the F. Barss legal practice. [1] Member of the Kołłątaj's Forge organization and one of the Polish Jacobins, and secretary to Hugo Kołłątaj; during Kołlataj's period as the Deputy Crown Chancellor (podkanclerz koronny) in 1791, Konopka held the position of the Secretary of the Lesser Seal (sekretarz pieczęci mniejszej). [1] [2] [3] [4]
He participated in the Kościuszko Uprising, joining the cavalry. [1] During that period, around May and June 1794, he gained notoriety as one of the leaders of the demonstrations and riots in Warsaw. [1] [2] [5] [6] [7] In particular, he was involved in the "hanging of the traitors" incident around 28 June. [1] [8] [9] In this incident, not supported by the insurrectionist government, out of several people hanged, including insurrection opponents such as chamberlain Karol Boscamp-Lasopolski, prince Antoni Stanisław Czetwertyński-Światopełk and bishop Ignacy Jakub Massalski, the defense attorney and a prosecutor who attempted to stop the mob were also beaten and hanged; they included a friend of Tadeusz Kościuszko, advocate Michał Wulfers. [10] [11] [12] For his involvement in the incident, Koponka was sentenced by the insurrectionist court to an exile (banicja). [1] [7] [12]
Koponka left for France, where he joined French cavalry, and fought in Corsica. [1] [6] [7] In the aftermath of the final Third Partition of Poland, after Polish Legions were recreated under the French control in Italy, he became involved in the formation creation, reaching a rank of a captain or [9] major [13] (sources vary). [1] [2] [3] [14] He commanded a squadron, and later, a baon. In 1801 he was an aide-de-camp of Jan Henryk Dąbrowski. [1]
He died in 1805 in Bari [1] [14] (Pachoński mentions a sudden heart attack) or in 1809 (according to Rusinowa). [2]
Konopka is one of the figures immortalized in Jan Matejko's 1891 painting, Constitution of 3 May 1791. He is shown near the center, with an outstretched hand, holding the czekan (an ax- and hammer-like weapon) and with a French blue-white-red flower in his hat. [15]