But what about the 100 Greatest Poles?

Pilsudski tops poll of all time great 100 Poles!

Well here are our top 100! Over 4,000 people voted online in each round. Firstly, to nominate great Poles for the top 100 and then, secondly to sort the top 10 into a final order.

The top 100 includes 8 women and consists of 11 composers, 11 novelists and writers; 10 poets; 8 Kings, 8 Soldiers; 8 Politicians and Patriotic Leaders; 5 Playwrights; 4 Painters; 4 Actors; 4 Film Directors; 3 Church Leaders; 3 Martyrs; 3 Musicians; 2 Critics; 2 Saints; a Pope; an Educator; an Astronomer; a Scientist; a Union Leader; a Queen; a Science Fiction Writer; a Social Anthropologist; a Chronicler; a Folklorist; a Courier; a Painter and Set Designer; the Unknown Soldier; a Singer and a Rock Star!

Some entrants feature in more than one category.

Compared to the B BC’s 100 Great Britons we have no sportsmen and only one rock star – Kuba Sienkiewicz! Poland produces great sportsmen and popular entertainers who are regarded with respect and affection but maybe we take “greatest” more seriously.

Top 100 Greatest Poles:-

1. Jozef Pilsudski – Soldier & Statesman

2. John Paul II - Pope
3. Fryderyk Chopin – Composer
4. Maria Sklodowska-Curie – Scientist
5. Adam Mickiewicz – Poet
6. Mikolaj Kopernik – Astronomer
7. Lech Walesa – Union Leader & Politician
8. Henryk Sienkiewicz - Writer
9. Jan Kochanowski – Poet
10. Janusz Korczak – Educator & Martyr

12 Wladyslaw Jagiello – King 14 Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski
15 Karel Szymanowski – Composer
16 Jadwiga – Queen
17 Tadeusz Kosciuszko – Patriotic Leader
18 Cyprian Norwid – Poet
19 Ignacy Jan Paderewski – Politician & Pianist
20 Andrzej Wajda – Film Director
21 Henryk Gorecki – Composer
22 Krzystof Kieslowski – Film Director
23 Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz – Playwright & Painter
24 Stefan Batory – King
25 Stanislaw Wyspianski – Playwright & Poet
26 Juliusz Slowacki – Poet & Playwright
27 Stanislaw Lem – Science Fiction Writer
28 St Maksymillian Kolbe – Saint & Martyr
29 Bronislaw Malinowski – Social Anthropologist
30 Jan Dlugosz – Chronicler
31 Wladyslaw Sikorski – Soldier & Statesman
32 Boleslaw Prus – Writer
33 Joachim Lelewel – Historian & Politician
34 Witold Gombrowicz – Author
35 Wladyslaw Stanislaw Reymont – Writer
36 Slawomir Mrozek – Playwright & Writer
37 Zygmunt Krasinski – Playwright & Poet
38 Tadeusz Konwicki – Author
39 Stefan Zeromski – Writer
40 Krzystof Penderecki – Composer
41 Hugo Kollataj – Politician
42 Piotr Michalowski – Painter
43 Czeslaw Milosz – Poet & Writer
44 Aleksander Fredro – Playwright
45 Jan Henryk Dabrowski – General
46 Oskar Kolberg – Folklorist
47 Jozef Bem – General
48 Stanislaw August Poniatowski – King
49 Wislawa Szymborska - Poet
50 Casimir the Great - King
51 Bruno Schulz – Writer & Graphic Artist
52 Leon Schller – Director & Critic
53 Wladyslaw Anders – Soldier
54 Witold Lutoslawski – Composer
55 Mikolaj Rej – poet
56 Wojciech Kilar – Composer
57 Jerzy Stuhr – Actor
58 Zygmunt I Stary – King
59 Tadeusz Baird – Composer
60 Maria Dabrowska – Novelist
61 Wojciech Korfanty – Politician
62 Roman Dmowski – Politician
63 Roman Polanski – Film Director
64 Sir Andrzej Panufnik – Composer
65 Zbigniew Cybulski – Actor
66 Jan Kott – Lierary Critic
67 Jan Matejko - Painter
68 Wanda Landowska – Harpsicord player
69 Jan Karski – Wartime Courier
70 Leszek Balcerowicz – Politician & economist
71 Mieszko I – King
72 Ernest Bryll – Poet & Writer
73 Marian Brandys – Novelist & Journalist
74 Artur Grottger – Painter
75 Jerzy Hoffman – Film Director
76 Romuald Traugutt – Patriot
77 Konstanty Ildefons Galczynski – Poet
78 Stanislaw Moniuszko - Composer
79 Zbigniew Herbert - Poet
80 Henryk Wieniawski – Violinist & Composer
81 Kuba Sienkiewicz - Singer
82 Adam Jerzy Czartoryski – Statesman
83 Boleslaw I – King
84 Prince Jozef Poniatowski – Soldier
85 Helena Modrzejewska – Actress
86 Daniel Olbrychski – Actor
87 Wojciech Kossak – Painter
88 St Stanislaw – Churchman & Saint
89 Kazimierz Pulaski – Patriot & Soldier
90 Tadeusz Kantor – Painter, Set Designer, Director
91 Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz – Writer
92 “The Unknown Soldier”
93 Grazyna Bacewicz – Composer
94 Jerzy Popieluszko – Priest & Martyr
95 Wojciech Boguslawski – Playwright & Actor
96 Mieczyslaw Karlowicz – Composer
97 Tadeusz Mazowiecki – Politician
98 Wieslaw Ochman – Singer
99 Jan Kilinski – Patiotic Leader
100 Maria Konopnicka – Writer