Jerzy Szmajdzinski
Encyclopedia
Jerzy Andrzej Szmajdziński (ˈjɛʐɨ ʂmajˈdʑiɲskʲi, April 9, 1952 – April 10, 2010) was a Polish politician who was a Vice-Marshal of Polish Sejm
and previously served as Minister of Defence. He was a candidate for President of Poland in the 2010 election.
Szmajdziński graduated from the Wrocław University of Economics. In the 1970s and 1980s he was an activist for the Federation of Socialist Unions of Polish Youth and the Socialist Union of Polish Youth, serving as its chairman from 1986–1989. He remained a member of PZPR from 1973 until its end in 1990. Later, he entered the leadership position of the SdRP leftist party. In December 1999, he became the deputy chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance
(SLD).
He became a member of the Sejm
in 1990, and in his second term Szmajdziński was chairman of the National Defense Committee and in the third term a deputy chairman of that commission. He was Minister of National Defence from October 19, 2001 to 2005. He was elected to Sejm
on September 25, 2005 gaining 20,741 votes in 1 Legnica
district, candidating from SLD list.
On a national SLD convention in December 2009 he was chosen as the party's candidate in the 2010 presidential elections in Poland. His candidacy received 11% of the votes in March's pre-election poll.
Szmajdziński died, on the day after his 58th birthday, in the plane crash
that also involved President Lech Kaczyński
and 94 others.
and in 2004 an honorary citizen of Bolkow
.
On April 16, 2010, he was posthumously decorated with the Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta. On the same day, the Parliament of the Province of Lower Silesia
posthumously awarded him the title of Honorary Citizen of Lower Silesia. On May 20, 2010, Wroclaw city council granted him the title of Honorary Citizen of Wroclaw
and on March 28, 2011 Legnica City Council gave him the title of Honorary Citizen of Legnica
.
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Vice-Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland
Deputy Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland is a person elected to preside over Sejm sessions when the Sejm Marshal is not presiding...
and previously served as Minister of Defence. He was a candidate for President of Poland in the 2010 election.
Szmajdziński graduated from the Wrocław University of Economics. In the 1970s and 1980s he was an activist for the Federation of Socialist Unions of Polish Youth and the Socialist Union of Polish Youth, serving as its chairman from 1986–1989. He remained a member of PZPR from 1973 until its end in 1990. Later, he entered the leadership position of the SdRP leftist party. In December 1999, he became the deputy chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance
Democratic Left Alliance
Democratic Left Alliance is a social-democratic political party in Poland. Formed in 1991 as a coalition of centre-left parties, it was formally established as a single party on 15 April 1999. It is currently the third largest opposition party in Poland....
(SLD).
He became a member of the Sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
in 1990, and in his second term Szmajdziński was chairman of the National Defense Committee and in the third term a deputy chairman of that commission. He was Minister of National Defence from October 19, 2001 to 2005. He was elected to Sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
on September 25, 2005 gaining 20,741 votes in 1 Legnica
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
district, candidating from SLD list.
On a national SLD convention in December 2009 he was chosen as the party's candidate in the 2010 presidential elections in Poland. His candidacy received 11% of the votes in March's pre-election poll.
Szmajdziński died, on the day after his 58th birthday, in the plane crash
2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash
The 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash occurred on 10 April 2010, when a Tupolev Tu-154M aircraft of the Polish Air Force crashed near the city of Smolensk, Russia, killing all 96 people on board...
that also involved President Lech Kaczyński
Lech Kaczynski
Lech Aleksander Kaczyński was Polish lawyer and politician who served as the President of Poland from 2005 until 2010 and as Mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 22 December 2005. Before he became a president, he was also a member of the party Prawo i Sprawiedliwość...
and 94 others.
Honours and awards
In 2002, Szmajdziński was made an honorary citizen of Jelenia GoraJelenia Góra
----Jelenia Góra is a city in Lower Silesia, south-western Poland. The name of the city means "deer mountain" in Polish, Czech and German. It is close to the Krkonoše mountain range running along the Polish-Czech border – ski resorts such as Karpacz and Szklarska Poręba can be found...
and in 2004 an honorary citizen of Bolkow
Bolkow
Bolkow may refer to:*Bölkow, a German aircraft manufacturer based in Stuttgart*Bolków , a town in south-west Poland*Bolków, Łódź Voivodeship, a village in central Poland...
.
On April 16, 2010, he was posthumously decorated with the Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta. On the same day, the Parliament of the Province of Lower Silesia
Province of Lower Silesia
The Province of Lower Silesia was a province of the Free State of Prussia from 1919 to 1945. Between 1938 and 1941 it was reunited with Upper Silesia as the Silesia Province. The capital of Lower Silesia was Breslau...
posthumously awarded him the title of Honorary Citizen of Lower Silesia. On May 20, 2010, Wroclaw city council granted him the title of Honorary Citizen of Wroclaw
Wroclaw
Wrocław , situated on the River Oder , is the main city of southwestern Poland.Wrocław was the historical capital of Silesia and is today the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Over the centuries, the city has been part of either Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia, or Germany, but since 1945...
and on March 28, 2011 Legnica City Council gave him the title of Honorary Citizen of Legnica
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
.
External links
- Jerzy Szmajdziński – parliamentary page – includes declarations of interest, voting record, and transcripts of speeches.
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