Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski (1888-1974)

Minister of Industry and Trade of the Second Polish Republic, Minister of Treasure and Deputy Prime Minister. He was born in Cracow. He studied in Lviv and Munich. During World War II, he was a soldier of the Polish Legions. Since 1921, he lectured at the Department of Chemistry of the Warsaw University of Technology. He started his political career after the May Coup. In 1926, he was appointed the Minister of Industry and Trade in the government of Kazimierz Bartel. He expanded the Port of Gdynia. He was the author of the idea of developing sea trade. He contributed to a notable development of the Polish chemical industry. He reinforced Polish economic independence. Between 1935 and 1939, he was the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Treasure. In 1939, he left Poland together with the government. Interned in Romania. After the war, he moved to Cracow. He worked as a university lecturer and was an academic worker. His bust stands in the Łazienki gardens.