Beginnings of judo in Poland are connected with ju-jitsu activities. First elements of ju-jitsu were adopted already before WW II to programme of Sports Academy and services of Polish State Police. Some books and press articles have appeared informing about the fight system. However only in 1947 Marian Skierczyński a chief of practical learning programme of Warsaw Sports Academy decided to include ju-jitsu and selfdefence to obligatory study programme of that higher school.

In that time knowledge about a new forme of fights art created by Japanese creator - Jigoro Kano and called Judo Kodokan came to our country.

First official judo section created rather to show techniques of selfdefence and closer to ju-jitsu than to system done by Jigoro Kano came in 1949 in Sports Academy in Warsaw promoted by Czesław Borejsza and Tadeusz Kochanowski. First judo step took place in 1950 in Warsaw Sports Academy and different techniques of selfdefence and ju-jitso contratacks techniques of ju-jitsu were shown.

A very important moment for judo promotion in Poland was connected with arrival to Poland of Adam Nidzgórski to study at Sports Academy in Warsaw and Henryk Gielc to study at Technical University of Łódź. They came from France where their families were settled in the past. They brought to their native country knowledge of rules for judo techniques basing an Kawashi system. They gave their all knowledge and best efforts to create this sport in Poland in a right way. This idea was very succesaful.

In 1954 State Committee for Physical Culture and Tourism decided to add a division of judo in a section of weightlifting. 2 years later that divistion became a saction for itself.

First judo competition in Poland was held on 23rd of May 1954 in Warsaw with participation of GWARDIA Warsaw versus AZS-AWF Warsaw.

In 1957 Polish Judo Association was born on the occassion of first official national championships in Łódź. Tadeusz Kochanowski was elected to be its first President and next Bogusław Skut was the President for many years.

During next years new judo sections in Polish clubs started their activities. Among them: AZS in Cracow, TWF ZRYW in Gdańsk and some next AZS in Wrocław, WISŁA in Cracow and others. The first international competition was held in 1957 in Gdynia versus a national team of GDR. Ryszard Zieniawa and Kazimierz Jaremczak competed for Poland. Germans won 11:1.

Quikly judo became more and more popular in Poland. In the 60thes many new judo section in Polish sports clubs began their normal work. Such Clubs were : JAGIELLONIA in Białystok, POLONIA in Bydgoszcz, CZARNI in Bytom, FLOTA in Gdynia, AZS in Gliwice, Gdańsk and Poznań.

Czech coaches were first coaches of judo in Poland: Lebeda - 5 dan, Pisin - 2 dan, Synek - 3 dan and Picard - Vice President of European Judo Union. Next GDR coaches visited Poland. Wolf - 5 dan and Jahgn - 2 dan led egzamination to 1 dan.

First coach from judo homeland - Watanabe came to Poland before European Championships in Geneva. He led learning programme with Polish judokas and coaches in March 1963 at TWF of Gdańsk.

His learning help was very fruitful. Japanese coach helped us to get a first international medal in our judo history. Jan Okrój won a bronze medal during European Championships in 1963 in Geneva. 2 years later Kazimierz Jaremczak won another bronze medal during European Championships in Madrid.

In 1957 on 14th of October Polish Judo Association was officially confirmed by State Committee for Physical Culture and Tourism.

In 1958 Poland was a Member of European Judo Union. Those pioneer years of judo in Poland were mostly successful for a light weight categories. Czesław Kur twice got bronze medal an Czesław Łaksa as a first Pole a silver medal in European Championships.

Judo became very popular in Poland Number of clubs was not very high, but competitors presented better level and sportsmen from other sports tried to practice judo, too.

In first national judo championships athletes from wrestling and acrobatics fought, too.

The great period of prograss of judo in Poland was called Tomita Jump. However, 2 coaches played the same important role to improve level of judo in Poland: Japanese Hiromi Tomita - 5 dan who has worked with Polish judokas for many years and a chief coach of national team Waldemar Sikorski who worked with Polish judokas for many years, too.

He was a good gymnast and his gymnastic knowledge joined in his coaching work with excellent technique programme and learning metthods of Hirom Tomita.

That Polish-Japanese cooperation was very fruitful. Polish judokas got more and more international auccess and in 1972 Antoni Zajkowski won the first Olympic medal for Poland in Judo during Olympic Games in Munich. Next, during Olympic Games 1976 in Montral Marian Tałaj got his bronze medal and Marian Standowicz was 5th. In 1980 during Olympic Games in Moscow Janusz Pawłowski won bronze medal. Medals of European and World Championships won by: Antoni Zajkowski, Antoni Rejter, Marian Tałaj, Edward Alkenin, Zbigniew Bielawski, Adam Adamczyk, Janusz Pawłowski. Those names of Polish judo came to golden books of history of European and world judo sport.

Next generations of young judokas continued good tradition of their older collegues and brought many new successful results.

A rock of created Polish judo school was called Ryszard Zieniawa who beceme a real legende of Polish judo as its coach and teacher. Durina his work as a national chief coach he was called champion or Maestro. His pupils got 30 medals, totally during Olympic Games, World Champioships and European Championships.

Leaders of our historical list of champions in judo open:
double Olympic Champion Waldemar Legień, Olympic Champion Paweł Nastula.

Further oustanding Polish judokas were: Antoni Zajkowski, Janusz Pawłowski, Wojciech Reszko, Wiesław Błach, Rafał Kubacki, Andrzej Dziemianiuk, Andrzej Sądej, Krzysztof Kamiński, Andrzej Basik, Jerzy Kolanowski.

Next ladies came to judo arenas. Their achievements are very impresive especially that they to have follow their male collegues very quickly and did it very well.

Jacek Skubis gathered and worked very hard and successfully with a group of talented women.

Our first female bronze medal in World Championships was won by Joanna Majdan in Vienna in 1984 and next ones Maria Gontowicz-Szałas in Mastricht in 1986 and by Bogusława Olechnowicz in Essen in 1987.

Polish female judokas started very well in European Championships in 1985 were they got 1 gold and 3 bronze medals.

Next, a new history of Polish judo of women started when Beata Maksymow came to international contest of judo. She won 2 titles of World Champion.

The above presented successful results of judo in Poland came thanks to a very hard work of competitors, coaches, leaders, officials and all who loved judo and helped to do it.

Polish national anthem was played many times during main world contests. Last years brought many successful results to Polish judo, too. Beata Maksymow and Rafał Kubacki were World Champions in 1993. Poland won 6 medals during European Championships 1994 in Gdańsk.
Larysa Ewa Krauze, Beata Maksymow, Paweł Nastula, Rafał Kubacki and Jarosław Lewak were medalists.

Medals of World Championships 1995 were won by Paweł Nastula, Aneta Szczepańska and Małgorzata Roszkowska.

Paweł Nastula and Aneta Szczepańska won for Poland Olympic medals in 1996 in Atlanta.

Poland won 8 Olympic medels:

3 gold medals:	1988 and 1992 Waldemar Legień 1996 Paweł Nastula
3 silver medals:	1972 Antoni Zajkowski 1988 Janusz Pawłowski 1996 Aneta Szczepańska
2 bronze medals:	1976 Marian Tałaj 1980 Janusz Pawłowski

Polish World Champions : Beata Maksymow, Rafał Kubacki and Paweł Nastula

Now we have 10000 active judokas in 230 clubs.

Mr Józef Wiśniewski is President of Polish Judo Association. Vice Presidents: Mr Andrzej Falkiewicz and Mr Julisz Kowalczyk.

Poland was a host of European Championships in 1994 in Gdańsk and 2000 in Wrocław, European Juniors Championships in 1975 in Łódź and 1987 in Wrocław.
Wrocław staged World Students Championships.