12th President of the Polish National Alliance

Born in German-occupied Poland, Garbarek came to Chicago as a child and received an excellent education. By profession he was a successful attorney and an accountant. Founder and first president of Council 120 and later a president of the Chicago Society of the PNA, he was elected vice president of the Alliance in 1921 and filled the office of president upon the death of Casimir Zychlinski in August 1927, on the eve of the PNA convention.

 

When the convention collapsed after the "old guard" faction walked out to hold its own assembly, the "opposition" faction went to court to gain control over the administration of the Alliance. Garbarek served as acting president of the PNA during the twelve month period in which the rightful leadership of the Alliance was uncertain. He did not seek the presidency in 1928 when the meeting was reconvened but was reelected vice president.

 

During the 1928 convention Garbarek was quoted in a Chicago newspaper for some incendiary comments made about the opposing faction. Though he denied making the statements attributed to him, the article provoked a storm of controversy. Garbarek was barely reelected to the vice presidency and did not again seek national office in the Alliance.