For months, he fought fiercely to restore his homeland to the European map, but his heroic death cut short his efforts. His bravery and death became symbols of the January Uprising.
by Piotr Bejrowski
On the night of April 10-11, 1864, Romuald Traugutt, the leader of the January Uprising, was arrested by the Russian police. The January Uprising was the most significant social movement of the 19th century, fighting for the independence and modernization of the Polish state under partition. During the trial of the insurgent National Government members, Traugutt testified that the uprising’s goal was to establish a sovereign state governed by respect for law and justice to provide its citizens with the freedom they deserved. He also referred to Christian ideals and his vision of a strong state: “The sole and real goal of our uprising is to regain independence and establish in our country an order based on Christian love, on respect for the law and justice, giving citizens due freedom, without violating the authority and true power that belongs to the highest authority, guarding the order and safety of all.” The leader of the uprising was hanged on August 5, 1864, on the slopes of the Warsaw Citadel.
He was born on 16 January 1826 in the village of Szostakowo in the Grodno Governorate, which is now part of today’s Belarus.
After the partitions and the Congress of Vienna, these territories were directly incorporated into the Russian Empire. The Traugutt family had roots in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. They were a German family from Saxony. In the first half of the 18th century, during the reign of the Saxon Wettin dynasty over the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Traugutt’s ancestor served in the Polish army. Subsequent generations became largely assimilated, as evidenced by family members’ participation in the Kościuszko Uprising in 1794.
Traugutt, as noted by his associates, exemplified intense religiosity, deep patriotism, and a readiness to sacrifice for his homeland. At the time of his arrest, authorities found a prayer book on him. During his interrogations, he did not betray any of his companions. Despite having served in the Russian army for an extended period, including fighting in the Crimean War, Traugutt’s character was shaped in his youth. After the sudden death of his mother, he was raised by his grandmother, Justyna Błocka née Szujski. What kind of person was he? He was a family man, deeply connected to his Polish identity, and often withdrawn and sensitive—sometimes even considered an eccentric. Nevertheless, he was recognized as extremely talented; he was multilingual and held a position of authority among his peers.
He graduated high school with excellent results and planned to study at the Petersburg State Transport University. However, after the reorganization of the university, he had to change his plans. Ultimately, he decided on a military career in the Russian army. In December 1844, he passed the exam to become a cadet for the Sappers. After completing the officer course with high marks, he took part in suppressing the Hungarian uprising during the Spring of Nations. He fought in battles against the Turks and in the Crimean War. He even fought at the side of Ivan Paskevich, who quelled the November Uprising. He ended his service on June 14, 1862, with the rank of lieutenant colonel and received the Order of St. Anne for his successes in Hungary.
At the end of the 1850s and the beginning of the 1860s, a series of events took place that impacted the last period of Traugutt’s life. In 1858, he was assigned to the imperial staff. He settled in St. Petersburg and lectured at a prestigious military school there, one of the top universities in Europe. A year later, his beloved grandmother and youngest daughter died. A few months later, his wife Anna and son Konrad also passed away. These tragic events led to a nervous breakdown, during which he reportedly even considered suicide. Traugutt returned to his family estates as his health declined, and he began considering an end to his service in the Tsarist army. He soon remarried Antonina Kościuszkówna, the granddaughter of Tadeusz Kościuszko’s brother, the leader of the 1794 uprising. During this time, discussions among Polish patriots about instigating an insurrection against Russia intensified. Initially, Traugutt did not want to participate in another rebellion, believing it to be a lost cause. He changed his mind due to the growing social sentiments and patriotic demonstrations that preceded the decision to start an armed conflict.
He was convinced by April 1863, during the fourth month of the uprising. As an experienced soldier, he fought in the Kobryn district of Polesie. Over the next two months, he participated in seven skirmishes against the Russians. After being wounded, he disbanded his unit and took refuge in the estate of the writer Eliza Orzeszkowa. With her help, he went to Warsaw via Brest, where he witnessed the conflicts within the National Government. Traugutt remained outside the political factions, unaffiliated with the White or Red parties. He was promoted to general and assigned missions, first to Galicia and then to Paris. He reconnoitered the situation and gathered the intelligence necessary to seize power.
Traugutt returned to Warsaw on October 10, 1863, using an Austrian passport in the name of Michał Czarnecki, a merchant. Seven days later, he took power, becoming the third and last dictator of the January Uprising. Despite the dire military situation, Traugutt dedicated himself to extending the armed struggle and at the same time sought external assistance, hoping for a European conflict or French intervention.
One of his initial decisions was to introduce protocols regarding communications and postal stations. By the end of the year, he had implemented a unified military structure and appointed local delegates to prepare for the emancipation of the peasants. He imposed an extraordinary tax on compatriots living abroad and called for the return of all deserting officials. He also sought loans to finance the uprising. Additionally, he wrote to the Pope requesting a special blessing for Poles fighting for independence. His agents sought support in the Czech Republic, Croatia, and Hungary.
An associate described Traugutt as “a man of great military and general knowledge, of great heart, devoted to the national cause, energetic, persistent, difficult to defeat.” At the same time, he was always composed and never showed his emotions publically. However, his feelings were evident in a letter dated February 8, 1864, to Prince Władysław Czartoryski, leader of the Hotel Lambert émigré party in Paris: “Ludwik Mierosławski, a political and military charlatan, vain, a coward, ready for anything, but exposing others and protecting himself. […] Stanisław Frankowski, a poor, honest madman, ready for any crime, as long as he was convinced that the fatherland required it. For the love of the fatherland, he was ready to destroy it. He became a tool of other people’s meanness and perversity.” His criticism highlights the factors he believed contributed to the uprising’s defeat, particularly the dispute between the Whites and the Reds, the incompetence of the commanders, and a lack of commitment to the fight.
The arrests began in early February. The Russian investigation involved nearly 100 people. When they came for Traugutt, he remained composed, simply saying – “That’s it.” The dictator was hanged near the Warsaw Citadel. He was 38 years old. Witnesses reported that just before the execution, he removed his glasses and threw them to the ground, then folded his hands as if in prayer and raised his head to the sky. A crowd of thousands gathered around, singing “Holy God, Holy Mighty.” The Cossacks did not intervene. By this time, the uprising had been declining since the spring.
Ultimately, the fighting concluded in early autumn 1864. As a consequence, public executions, exile, and hard labor were imposed on at least 40,000 convicts. Approximately 10,000 people were forced into emigration, and around 3,500 noble families had their property confiscated; this period marked the beginning of intensified Russification, causing Poles to lose hope of regaining their freedom for many years to come.
Romuald Traugutt has inspired many literary works in which he appears as the protagonist. He was celebrated for his steadfastness. He symbolized the struggle for national sovereignty – as a man fighting for the victory of the “idea of Christ.” His life is seen as the embodiment of the highest virtues and dedication to the homeland. “Poland will exist because its existence for the progress of humanity is not only necessary but also essential,” he used to say. His legend persists today.
Author: Piotr Bejrowski
Translation: Alicja Rose & Jessica Sirotin
