Organizacja i właściwość wojskowych sądow admiralskich i marynarskich w latach 1920–1939

Abstract

When Poland regained sovereignty in November 1918 there was created new judiciary. Depending on the region, in the very beginning, courtsmartial were acting on the base of German, or Austro-Hungarian procedural martial law. This was changed in the May 1920, when Austro-Hungarian procedural martial law was introduced on the territory of the whole country. This law distinguished army court-martial, navy courts-martial, and common Highest Court-Martial. Due to diff erent organizations from years 1920, 1923, 1924, and 1929 lower navy courts-martial, called Sea- man Courts-Martial, had their residences in Puck, Toruń, Modlin, Brześć nad Bugiem, and Warszawa. Higher courts-martial, called Admiral Courts- Martial, had their residences in Grudziądz, Warszawa, and Brześć nad Bugiem. In 1937 new procedural martial law was introduced in Poland, but still it was based on Austro-Hungarian model. Due to new organization, since 1937 every lower court-martial could act as a Seaman Court-Martial, and correspondingly every higher court-martial could act as an Admiral Court-Martial. Additionally in 1938 there was created single Seaman Court-Martial in Gdynia. Jurisdiction of Polish navy courts-martial varied within years. At some time not only navy seaman and off icers, but also civil staff of the ship, where subject to military law.