Juliusz Nowina-Sokolnicki

Juliusz Nowina-Sokolnicki (b. December 16, 1920 in Pinsk, d. August 17, 2009 in Colchester, England) Polish politician, head of one of the two governments which claimed in 1972 to be the successor to the exiled Polish government that was created to replace original Polish government, which fled to Romania in September 1939 at the start of World War II. The legitimacy of his government was disputed. Nowina-Sokolnicki, who previously held several minor positions, such as communications secretary, within the Government of the Polish Republic in Exile and was close to President August Zaleski, claimed that Zaleski nominated him as his successor instead of Stanisław Ostrowski,^[1] but this claim was and is challenged, as there is little evidence in support.^[2] Most of the emigration as well as present Government of Poland recognized Ostrowski and his successors as the legitimate Presidents in exile^[3][4][5][6] (Lech Wałęsa accepted symbols of the pre-War presidency from Ryszard Kaczorowski).^[7]

Nowina-Sokolnicki is mostly known for establishing the self-styled Order of Saint Stanislaus.^[8] He also used the titles of "Count" or "Prince" even though there is no record of any such titles for either himself or his family, and no proof of his kinship to an aristocratic family bearing a similar name. There is no indication that the noble family ever resided in the Pinsk area, in present-day Belarus.

References