The New York herald., 1921-06-26

New York Herald Bureau,
Berlin, June 25.
An American photographer was TAX
ing pictures of Korfanty's headquar-
ters battalion of Polaks in Upper ST.
lesia when jaunty gentleman in golf
ing cap and tweed suit offered politely
once or twice to stand in the picture.
AS the photographer was not anxious
to have his army look like st. An
drews, he abruptly told the stranger
to stand aside and not block the view.
Only several days later did he discover
that the mysterious golfer was No
wilma -Doliwa, commander of the in
surgent forces in Upper Silesia.
The uprising, which began last May,
was so cleverly prepared and executed
that all parties were taken by sur
prise and the whole region fell into
the hands of the Polaks within eight
hours. All of the principal bridges
leading from Germany into the region
where troops might pass had been
blown up, and all of the other ways
We're blocked by fully armed bands.
All Germany was wondering who the
clever staff organizer could be who ha"
outman9uvred the Germans at their
own game. The name of Nowina-Doliwa
threw no light on it, because neither in
the German nor the Polish armies was
any one of that name known.
A Man of Mystery.
The correspondent of THE NEW YORK
HERALD who visited Col. Doliwa during
the carly days of the urpisinG also had
difficulty in getting behind the mystery
of this name. Nowina-Doliwa insists
that It is his own, or, rather, a. part, OF
his own name. 1t is none the less the
practice of all of the insurgent officers
TO go by aliases. thus partly to confuse
the Germans to protect their families
from possible German reprisals and -
c!ude the German agents who might be
tempted to earn the rewards put On
some of their heads.
During a day which l spent at TIE
front with Col. Nowina-Doliwa | was
frequently nonplused by the many
sided interests of the man. From his
bearing and decisive facility in giving
orders ii was evident that he had been
an old soldier Indeed he spoke casually
of having been an officer in the Kai-
serin's bodyguard regiment of Breslau,
a crack nobleman's unit. lie mentioned
too the fact that he had won his Iron
Cross OF the first class during the early
days of the war. Later one of his fell
low officers. now fighting with the Ger
man volunteers against him. called him
''one of the most brilliant officers of the
Prussan guard
Nowina-Doliwa, however had none Of
the "morgue" nor stiffness Of the tradi-
tiopal Prussan officer. He was in
deed in bearing more of the sportsman,
the golfer of st. Andrews, for what the
American photographer took him.
Artist and Warrior.
One of the staff headquarters we vis-
tied together was in the chateau of a
German prince. and contained a number
of highly interesting pictures. Nowina-
Doliwa waxed enthusiastic over them,
analyzing them with the minute precision
of an artist. He admitted indeed having
given part of his life to painting, and
! learned later that he has number
of pictures in Munich museaums I
asked a well-known Polish artist doing
portrait of the insurgent commander
what he thought of them and he prompt
" accredited Doliwa with "sensibility for
color rivaled by few of the impression
lists. and the fineness of technique of a
talented artist"
Doliwa shows "A constant interest in
JCtiiidil anu pays no lItlt attention
to what Is written about his activities.
He explained this to me laughingly.
You know | was for some time some
thing of a journalist myself"
From time to time during the last
month new sides of Doliwa's virtuosity
were brought to my attention. He had
for example been radical member
of the Posen Assembly. He now appears
70 be conservative landowner He is
well known in the sporting world as a
clever horseman and marksman One
of his recent exploits was to 20 TO
shooting bout at Danzig incognito and
carry off all the prizes.
was also not surprised to learn his
tumultuous public life was accompanied
by an even more spectacular and lurid
private one. It was this latter which
stamps Doliwa more as an adventurous
amateur than a Polish patriot with any
particular high ideal.
Came of Polish Family.
Col. Doliwas real. or as he insists.
full name is Mielischlnsky. from a Polish
land owning family near Posen Like
many young noblemen Of the Germanized
Polish aristocracy he started his career
as an officer OF the Guard. In the
Kaiserins bodyguard he had n brilliant
but tempestuous and brief activity.
He was one of n group of young
cuirassiers who found their particular
distraction In scandalizing the burghers
OF Breslau by all night champagne rev.
els. Doiwa was one of those involved
In the nude. or more politely called
nature dancing" scandal In which
number Of daughters OF Breslau's best
families" were compromised.
The Kaiser decided to make an ex-
ample of this group. closed the Bac-
chanalian villas and expelled the ring
leaders from the army. Among these
was sOber-Lieutenant Doliwa. or Mie-
lischinsky.
Doliwa concluded that he was more
or an artist than a soldier after sll. and
Joined an art colony in Munich Here
he became an arden student and in
deed did surprisingly good work until one
day he fell I'm love with the daughter
nf one Of his nnsters. This professor. In
no way enthusiastic over Doliwas past
record. put all manner OF obstacles in
the way of the match. The daughter
was passive enough until DoNwa one
day made an attempt at suicide
IL has never been confirmed whether
he really intended to kill himself or
simply wanted to frighten the young
lady. AT any rate he gave himself
serious flesh wound which went in his
chest and came out through the throat.
But Doliwa was no more able TO find
a humdrum existence in domestic life