Stefan Adamczak

After starting out working as a locksmith Stefan Adamczak spent most of his life in the military, first for the German Empire, before joining the Polish Army. From 1913 to 1918 Adamczak served in the German Army, reaching the rank of sergeant. In early 1919 after hearing of the Great Polish Uprising he joined the Polish Army as a volunteer. Adamczak was wounded on more than one occasion and was awarded with the Cross of Valor in 1922. During his time in the Polish Army he became an instructor in athletics and gymnastics at the Central Military School.

From the early 1920s Adamczak devoted himself to athletics where he specialised in the pole vault, competing at 14 international events for Poland between 1922 and 1931. He set ten Polish records in the pole vault from 1923 to 1930, improving the record from 3.23 metres to 3.75 metres. Adamczak was also a 10-time Polish champion with nine titles in the pole vault (1921, 1923–25, 1927–31), and one in the decathlon (1925). He competed in the pole vault at the 1924 Paris Olympics where he finished in joint-15th place with a best clearance of 3.20 metres. In 1939 Adamczak fought in the September Campaign at the start of World War II where he was killed in action near to Katowice.

Personal Best: PV – 3.705 (1930).