Voluntary cavalry units formed by Tadeusz and Wojciech Kossak (November 1918 – March 1919). An introduction to the history of Voivodeship Squadrons in the Polish Army

Abstract

Between November 1918 and March 1919 the Polish Army featured a variety of voluntary cavalry
units, including the voivodeship squadrons. Among them, there were two units created and led by the Kossak brothers, Tadeusz and Wojciech, then cavalry captains. In this article, the author discusses the history of these two squadrons as well as the process of their disbanding or incorporation into regular cavalry formations of the Polish Army, which took place between the
end of December 1918 and the beginning of March 1919. In addition, the author examines the
military careers of both officers in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, during World War
I and during the Polish wars for independence and borders in the years 1918-1921. As a result,
a study emerges that has not been seen before in Polish historiography.