His mother, Maria Idzikowska, was the daughter of a veteran of the January Uprising.

[citation needed] In Gymnasium, Ciołkosz joined 1st Scouts Squad, "Zawisza Czarny".

He was also an organizer of Polish scouting movement in Warmia and Mazury and fought during Silesian Uprising.

[citation needed] He was one of the most outspoken critics of the Sanacja regime and was tried and sentenced to three years in prison during Brest trials in 1931 for plotting anti-government coup.

[1] After the German invasion into Poland in 1939, Ciołkosz, his wife Lidia Kahan was of Jewish descent (also a prominent socialist from UJ),[2] and son Andrzej Ciołkosz fled first to Romania, and later France and England.