Tadeusz Pyka
Encyclopedia
Tadeusz Pyka was a former Polish communist politician
, who served as a Deputy Prime Minister of Poland
. In August 1980, he led a government commission which attempted to end a strike in the Polish city of Gdańsk
, but he was replaced on August 21 without an explanation offered by state radio at the time for the change.
of metallurgy
. Pyka was a deputy to the Sejm
, the Polish legislative body, for three consecutive terms from 1972 to 1980. In 1974, he became a deputy to the Chairman of the Planning Commission of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers Party
. He was also a Deputy Prime Minister of Poland from October 23 1975 to August 24 1980, and a member of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers Party until 1980. In 1980, he was also briefly a deputy to a member of the Politburo of the Polish United Workers' Party
. During the period of martial law in Poland
in 1981 he was interned for a year and had charges pressed against him.
went on strike. Around the middle of that month, the Polish government declared that it had created a commission that would converse with the strikers. The commission was led by Pyka, who was a relative newcomer to the inner circle of the communist Polish United Workers' Party
, and a "junior man" when compared to Poland's other Deputy Prime Ministers. He was described as a "minor Party functionary" and a "close ally of Edward Gierek
", the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party. Pyka stated that he would have "nothing to do" with the Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee
, the main representative body of the Gdańsk strikers, especially with members Lech Wałęsa
and Andrzej Gwiazda
, as well as Anna Walentynowicz
. Pyka argued that the Strike Committee was illegal, and that it did not represent the workers it claimed to. He was replaced as leader of the commission with Mieczysław Jagielski on August 21. Polish state radio at the time gave no explanation as to why Pyka was replaced.
of economics
at the Górnośląska Wyższa Szkoła Handlowa in Katowice
. He died on May 23, 2009.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who served as a Deputy Prime Minister of Poland
Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland
Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland is the deputy of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland and member of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Poland. He can also be one of the ministers of Poland.-People's Poland :...
. In August 1980, he led a government commission which attempted to end a strike in the Polish city of Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
, but he was replaced on August 21 without an explanation offered by state radio at the time for the change.
Political career
Pyka was educated in the engineeringEngineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
of metallurgy
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
. Pyka was a deputy to 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 ....
, the Polish legislative body, for three consecutive terms from 1972 to 1980. In 1974, he became a deputy to the Chairman of the Planning Commission of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers Party
Central Committee of the Polish United Workers Party
Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party was the central ruling body of the Polish United Workers' Party, the dominant political party in the People's Republic of Poland .-Functions:...
. He was also a Deputy Prime Minister of Poland from October 23 1975 to August 24 1980, and a member of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers Party until 1980. In 1980, he was also briefly a deputy to a member of the Politburo of the Polish United Workers' Party
Politburo of the Polish United Workers' Party
The Politburo of the Polish United Workers Party was the chief executive body of the ruling Polish Communist apparatus between 1948–1989. Nearly all key figures of the regime had membership in the Politburo. The Politburo of the PUWP typically had between 9-15 full members at any one time...
. During the period of martial law in Poland
Martial law in Poland
Martial law in Poland refers to the period of time from December 13, 1981 to July 22, 1983, when the authoritarian government of the People's Republic of Poland drastically restricted normal life by introducing martial law in an attempt to crush political opposition to it. Thousands of opposition...
in 1981 he was interned for a year and had charges pressed against him.
Gdańsk negotiations
In August 1980, due to economic difficulties, workers in the Polish city of GdańskGdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
went on strike. Around the middle of that month, the Polish government declared that it had created a commission that would converse with the strikers. The commission was led by Pyka, who was a relative newcomer to the inner circle of the communist Polish United Workers' Party
Polish United Workers' Party
The Polish United Workers' Party was the Communist party which governed the People's Republic of Poland from 1948 to 1989. Ideologically it was based on the theories of Marxism-Leninism.- The Party's Program and Goals :...
, and a "junior man" when compared to Poland's other Deputy Prime Ministers. He was described as a "minor Party functionary" and a "close ally of Edward Gierek
Edward Gierek
Edward Gierek was a Polish communist politician.He was born in Porąbka, outside of Sosnowiec. He lost his father to a mining accident in a pit at the age of four. His mother married again and emigrated to northern France, where he was raised. He joined the French Communist Party in 1931 and was...
", the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party. Pyka stated that he would have "nothing to do" with the Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee
Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee
Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee was an action strike committee formed in Gdańsk Shipyard, People's Republic of Poland on 16 August 1980...
, the main representative body of the Gdańsk strikers, especially with members Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa is a Polish politician, trade-union organizer, and human-rights activist. A charismatic leader, he co-founded Solidarity , the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and served as President of Poland between 1990 and 95.Wałęsa was an electrician...
and Andrzej Gwiazda
Andrzej Gwiazda
Andrzej Gwiazda in Gdańsk engineer and prominent opposition leader, who participated in Polish March 1968 Events and December 1970 Events; one of the founders of Free Trade Unions, Member of the Presiding Committee of the Strike at Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk in August 1980, Vice President of the...
, as well as Anna Walentynowicz
Anna Walentynowicz
Anna Walentynowicz was a Polish free trade union activist. Her firing in August 1980 was the event that ignited the strike at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk that very quickly paralyzed the Baltic coast and a giant wave of strikes in Poland...
. Pyka argued that the Strike Committee was illegal, and that it did not represent the workers it claimed to. He was replaced as leader of the commission with Mieczysław Jagielski on August 21. Polish state radio at the time gave no explanation as to why Pyka was replaced.
Post-political career
He was a professorProfessor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at the Górnośląska Wyższa Szkoła Handlowa in Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
. He died on May 23, 2009.