Józef Piłsudski Bench in Sulejówek

Near the Milusin villa, the only home Józef Piłsudski ever owned, stands a bronze monument its sculptor called "A History Lesson". It was unveiled on 10 June 2010. The Marshal sits in an armchair with his younger daughter perched on a bench beside him – the composition shows him not as a commander but as a father.

A family scene

The sculpture is the work of Kraków sculptor Karol Badyna. Piłsudski, in dress uniform, sits in the armchair leaning on his sabre, with his military maciejówka cap hanging on the armrest. His younger daughter Jadwiga sits on the bench holding a model aeroplane, while the elder, Wanda, stands beside her with a doll. The bronze group rests on a granite base inscribed "Marshal of Poland Józef Piłsudski with his daughters Wanda and Jadwiga".

How it came about

Sulejówek town council resolved to build the monument on 7 November 2008. It was paid for by residents' donations and sponsors' grants, including one from the Chancellery of the President of Poland.

Milusin – the Marshal's home

The Piłsudski family lived at Milusin from 1923 to 1926. Aleksandra Piłsudska bought the plot with a summer cottage in 1921, and the manor house designed by Kazimierz Skórewicz was a gift of gratitude from Polish soldiers to the Marshal. After the war the army took it over and later it housed a kindergarten. Today it is part of the Józef Piłsudski Museum in Sulejówek, and in 2020 the Milusin complex was declared a Monument of History.

Tripto tips

The monument stands in a public space and is accessible at any time; fifteen minutes is enough for a look and a photo. Treat it as a stop before visiting the museum and Milusin, for which you should allow another 2–3 hours. Sulejówek borders eastern Warsaw, so it fits easily into a trip to the capital.