W?adys?aw Gomu?ka

W?adys?aw Gomu?ka (February 6, 1905, Krosno – September 1, 1982) was a Polish Communist leader. He was a member of the Communist Party of Poland (Komunistyczna Partia Polski, KPP) starting in 1926.

Related Topics:
February 6 - 1905 - Krosno - September 1 - 1982 - Polish - Communist - Communist Party of Poland - 1926

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He survived the Great Purge of 1938, in which most members of KPP perished at the hands of Stalin's regime. He became one of important Polish Communists and in 1943 he convinced Stalin that some kind of Polish Communist party was to be restored and subsequently took part in creating the Polish Workers' Party (Polska Partia Robotnicza). He was a Deputy Prime Minister in the Provisional Government of Republic of Poland - Rz?d Tymczasowy Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, from January to June 1945, and in the Provisional Government of National Unity - Tymczasowy Rz?d Jedno?ci Narodowej, from June 1945 to 1947. He was an important person of the Communist government at the time, helping Communists to manipulate and win the 3xTAK referenda of 1946 and the Polish legislative elections, 1947 and became, as he put it himself, "the hegemon of Poland".

Related Topics:
Great Purge - Stalin's - Polish Communists - Polish Workers' Party - Provisional Government of Republic of Poland - Provisional Government of National Unity - 3xTAK - Referenda - Polish legislative elections, 1947 - Hegemon

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However, between 1951?1954 due to skirmishes between various Party factions he was condemned as right-wing and reactionary and imprisoned, while expelled from the Polish United Workers' Party. In 1956, after the death of Bierut and the beginning of destalinization, he was rehabilitated and elected leader of the Party. Initially very popular for his reforms and seeking a "Polish way to socialism", he gradually softened his opposition to Soviet pressures.

Related Topics:
1951 - 1954 - Polish United Workers' Party - 1956 - Bierut - Destalinization

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In the 1960s he supported persecution of the Catholic Church and some party intellectuals (e.g., Ko?akowski). He took part in the Warsaw Pact intervention in Czechoslovakia in 1968. At that time he was also responsible for persecuting students and intelligentsia as well as toughening censorship of the media. In 1968 he incited, however he later claimed not deliberately, the anti-Semitic propaganda campaign that was one of the outcomes of the Soviet bloc stand in aftermath of the Six-Day War.

Related Topics:
1960s - Catholic Church - Ko?akowski - Warsaw Pact - Czechoslovakia - 1968 - Intelligentsia - Censorship - Anti-Semitic - Six-Day War

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In December 1970, a bloody clash with shipyard workers in which several dozen workers were shot to death forced his resignation. A dynamic younger man, Edward Gierek, took over the Party leadership. Gomu?ka was forced to retire. After his death in 1982, his negative image in the Communist propaganda was modified and some of his constructive contributions were recognized. His memoirs were first published in 1994.

Related Topics:
December - 1970 - Bloody clash - Shipyard - Edward Gierek - 1982 - 1994

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