|
| # |
President |
Picture |
Took office |
Left office |
Notes |
| 1 |
Marshal Józef Piłsudski |
 |
14 November 1918 |
11 December 1922 |
Provisional Head of State
until 1919 |
Marshals of Poland were de facto dictators from the coup d'état on 14 May 1926 until 1939.
| # |
President |
Picture |
Took office |
Left office |
Notes |
| 3 |
Ignacy Mościcki |
 |
4 June 1926 |
30 September 1939 |
Exiled in Romania from 17 September after Poland's defeat.
Previously he was the surrogate ruler of Poland during the Piłsudski dictatorship following the May Coup. |
Polish government-in-exile (1939–1945)
After the Nazi conquest of Poland, a Polish government-in-exile was formed under the protection of France and Britain. The government was recognized by the United Kingdom and, later, by the United States until 6 July 1945, when the Western Allies accepted Stalin's Communist government. The government in London lasted until 1990 but, without recognition, it was reduced to an honorific committee.
The sole internationally recognized President of the exiled government was Władysław Raczkiewicz, which took office on 30 September 1939 after Ignacy Mościcki's resignation.
The Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR, Polish Workers Party until 21 December 1948) was the strongest institution in Communist Poland as founded under USSR protection on 31 December 1944 and recognized by the United States and the United Kingdom since 6 July 1945. The office of Chairman of the Central Committee was the strongest political position of the country, and Chairmen were de facto dictators of Poland until the restauration of the Presidency of the Republic in July 1989.
| # |
President |
Picture |
Took office |
Left office |
Notes |
| 1 |
Bolesław Bierut |
 |
5 February 1947 |
20 November 1952 |
Previously, Head of State as President of the Presidium of the Popular Council from the restauration of the Republic on 31 December 1944. |
Until the year 1952, the President was also the chairman of the Council of State. The July Constitution abolished the office of president. Since then, the Council of State was the de iure collective head of state, but the First Secretaries of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party were the de facto rulers.
| # |
President |
Picture |
Took office |
Left office |
Notes |
| 1 |
Lech Wałęsa |
 |
22 December 1990 |
22 December 1995 |
First President elected by the popular vote |
| 2 |
Aleksander Kwaśniewski |
 |
23 December 1995 |
23 December 2005 |
First President reelected by the popular vote |
| 3 |
Lech Kaczyński |
 |
23 December 2005 |
Incumbent |
|
See also
|
