Stanislav Poplavsky

Stanislav Gilyarovich Poplavsky (Russian: Станислав Гилярович Поплавский, Polish: Stanisław Popławski) (22 April 1902 – 10 August 1973) was a general in the Soviet and Polish armies.

Early life

Poplavsky was born in Imperial Russia, in Podolia. His family (his father's name was Hilary) was ethnically Polish, and in his younger years he considered himself a Pole.

In February 1920, he was drafted into the Red Army, and participated in the Russian Civil War. He was a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1930 onwards.

Military career

Poplavsky served for the first three years (until 1923) as a private, then for four years (until 1927) as an NCO, company commander in the 297th Rifle Regiment. Over the next few years he attended an officer school, and afterwards received his own commands: first of a platoon in the 137th Rifle Regiment (1930–1931), then a platoon (1931–1933) and later a company in the School for Infantry Officers in Kharkov (1933–1935).

Before the Second World War he attended the Frunze Military Academy (1935–1938) where he became an instructor of military tactics (1938–1939) but in February 1939 he was relieved after a false accusation, and given a manager's job at a sovkhoz in Tula region.

He returned to service shortly before the German invasion of the Soviet Union, as the head of the Operational Division of the Staff of the 162nd Rifle Division.

World War II

Poplavsky served as the commander of 720th Rifle Regiment (July–September 1941), and then Chief of Staff of 363rd Rifle Division (October 1941 – January 1942).