Wacław Godziemba Dąmbski

Born in 1888, Godziemba Dąmbski was the last private owner of Winiary, which he bought from the Rostworowski family. Great statesmen would come from his family. He was a personal aide to General Lucjan Żeligowski, and in 1921, following Józef Piłsudski’s orders, he joined the General and entered Vilnius. Godziemba Dąmbski did not spare his health or money to defend his homeland. In 1918 and 1920, he assembled two cavalry squadrons at his own expense. Right before a congress in Paris, Ignacy Jan Paderewski appointed him as his advisor on ethnic matters.

According to Warka records, Józef Piłsudski, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, General Bolesław Wieniawa-Długoszowski, and General Stefan Grot-Rowecki visited his property in Winiary. Godziemba Dąmbski would also host famous painter Józef Mehoffer.

He emphasized the importance of caring for the homeland’s history. In July 1939, he cooperated with history enthusiast Juliusz Stanisław Harbut and together, they organized a ceremonial collection of a sample of earth from Winiary for the purpose of transporting it to the city of Savannah, GA in the United States of America.

After the War, as a result of the decree on agricultural reform, the manor became government property, and Godziemba Dąmbski left Winiary. He died in 1977 and was buried in the underground crypt of the post-Franciscan Church in Warka.