Wladyslaw Kowalski
Encyclopedia
Władysław Kowalski was a Polish
communist
politician
, who served as Sejm Marshal during first Sejm
of the Communist Poland (1947 – 1952) and, ex officio, as the head of state (Acting President of the State National Council) for one day (February 4 – February 5, 1947). He was also a publisher and writer.
He was also know under pseudonyms Sałas, Bartłomiej Zarychta and Stanisławski.
Kowalski was born in a small village of Paprotnia
near Rawa Mazowiecka
(then Russian Empire
, now Poland
) as a son of farm worker. Because of his family poverty he graduated just three school grades and later became an autodidactic.
Before he became a communist, he was member of various peasants parties, such as PSL Wyzwolenie (since 1918), Peasant's Independent Party (1925–1927), United People's Left "Samopomoc" (1927–1931) and Stronnictwo Ludowe
(1944-1949 - various factions).
He was also an active member of communist parties KPP
(since 1928) and PPR
(since 1942).
Kowalski was a longtime member of parties leaderships:
During World War I
he fought in the Imperial Russian Army
and later in the Puławy Legion
. From 1918 to 1939 he was an active publisher and writer. During World War II
he was a member of resistance.
After War he was a Minister of Culture (1945–1947) and member and Vice President of the State National Council
.
He was an author of novels, articles and poems. He published following novels: Chłopi z Marchat (1930), W Grzmiącej (1936), Rodzina Mianowskich (1938) oraz opowiadań Dalekie i bliskie (1948), Bunt w Starym Łęku (1951), Bestia (1951), Wino (1966).
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who served as Sejm Marshal during first 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 ....
of the Communist Poland (1947 – 1952) and, ex officio, as the head of state (Acting President of the State National Council) for one day (February 4 – February 5, 1947). He was also a publisher and writer.
He was also know under pseudonyms Sałas, Bartłomiej Zarychta and Stanisławski.
Kowalski was born in a small village of Paprotnia
Paprotnia, Rawa County
Paprotnia is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Sadkowice, within Rawa County, Łódź Voivodeship, in central Poland. It lies approximately south-east of Sadkowice, east of Rawa Mazowiecka, and east of the regional capital Łódź....
near Rawa Mazowiecka
Rawa Mazowiecka
Rawa Mazowiecka is a town in central Poland, with 17,765 inhabitants . It lies in the Łódź Voivodeship and is the capital of Rawa County.First mentioned in 1288, it received city rights in 1321....
(then Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, now Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) as a son of farm worker. Because of his family poverty he graduated just three school grades and later became an autodidactic.
Before he became a communist, he was member of various peasants parties, such as PSL Wyzwolenie (since 1918), Peasant's Independent Party (1925–1927), United People's Left "Samopomoc" (1927–1931) and Stronnictwo Ludowe
Stronnictwo Ludowe
The People's Party was a Polish political party, active from 1931 in the Second Polish Republic. An agrarian populist party, its power base was composed mostly from peasants....
(1944-1949 - various factions).
He was also an active member of communist parties KPP
Communist Party of Poland
The Communist Party of Poland is a historical communist party in Poland. It was a result of the fusion of Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania and the Polish Socialist Party-Left in the Communist Workers Party of Poland .-1918-1921:The KPRP was founded on 16 December 1918 as...
(since 1928) and PPR
PPR
PPR may refer to:* Pipe Penetrating Radar, Ground Penetrating Radar performed from inside buried pipe and conduit infrastructure* PPR , a French luxury goods and retail distribution company...
(since 1942).
Kowalski was a longtime member of parties leaderships:
- 1926-1927: Member of the Central Committee of the PIP
- 1944-1945: Vice President of the SL "Wola"
- 1945-1949: Member of the Supreme Council of the SL
- 1948-1949: SL Leader
- Since 1949: Member of the Zjednoczone Stronnictwo Ludowe leadership and, from 1949 to 1956 Chairman of the Committee
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he fought in the Imperial Russian Army
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
and later in the Puławy Legion
Puławy Legion
Puławy Legion was a Polish military formation of World War I, as part of the Imperial Russian Army. It was created in late 1914 from volunteers gathered together due to several initiatives, most notably of which was that of the pro-Russian Polish National Committee, supported by Polish National...
. From 1918 to 1939 he was an active publisher and writer. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was a member of resistance.
After War he was a Minister of Culture (1945–1947) and member and Vice President of the State National Council
State National Council
Krajowa Rada Narodowa in Polish was a parliament-like political body formed in the late stages of the Second World War in the Soviet Union, as part of the formation of a new Communist Polish government...
.
He was an author of novels, articles and poems. He published following novels: Chłopi z Marchat (1930), W Grzmiącej (1936), Rodzina Mianowskich (1938) oraz opowiadań Dalekie i bliskie (1948), Bunt w Starym Łęku (1951), Bestia (1951), Wino (1966).