Grzegorz Przemyk
Encyclopedia
Grzegorz Przemyk was a young, aspiring Polish
poet from Warsaw
, who was beaten to death by functionaries of Milicja Obywatelska
. His death was an element of fighting democratic opposition by the Communist regime of Poland (see: Martial law in Poland
).
A few days before Przemyk's death, his mother, Barbara Sadowska, a poet and a member of the anti-Communist opposition, had been badly beaten by unknown people, who most probably were members of the Służba Bezpieczeństwa. Grzegorz Przemyk was captured by the Milicja Obywatelska on Warsaw's Castle Square, on May 12, 1983, when, together with a group of friends, he celebrated graduation from high school. He was badly beaten at the Milicja station, located at Jezuicka street in Warsaw and died two days later because of severe injuries of the stomach.
Przemyk's funeral, which took place at the Powązki Cemetery
and which was witnessed by Jerzy Popiełuszko, turned into a spontaneous demonstration against the Communist regime. Meanwhile, the Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs tried to cover those responsible, by stating that Przemyk died because of negligence of the paramedics, who had taken him to hospital. This flawed version of events was confirmed during the 1984 trial, and the two suspects, both Milicja functionaries were acquitted, despite these facts having been refuted during testimonies in the UK trial by Dr Marek Bagniewski, the doctor who had performed surgery on Przemyk before his death.
The trial returned after collapse of Communism. Investigation is also conducted by the Institute of National Remembrance
. Przemyk was on 3 May 2008, posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, by President Lech Kaczyński
.
The song "Over My Dead Body" from the 1984 album "Meltdown" from Christian recording artist Steve Taylor was dedicated to the memory of Grzegorz Przemyk.
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...
poet from Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, who was beaten to death by functionaries of Milicja Obywatelska
Milicja Obywatelska
Milicja Obywatelska was a state police institution in the People's Republic of Poland. It was created in 1944 by Soviet-sponsored PKWN, effectively replacing the pre-war police force. In 1990 it was transformed back into Policja....
. His death was an element of fighting democratic opposition by the Communist regime of Poland (see: 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...
).
A few days before Przemyk's death, his mother, Barbara Sadowska, a poet and a member of the anti-Communist opposition, had been badly beaten by unknown people, who most probably were members of the Służba Bezpieczeństwa. Grzegorz Przemyk was captured by the Milicja Obywatelska on Warsaw's Castle Square, on May 12, 1983, when, together with a group of friends, he celebrated graduation from high school. He was badly beaten at the Milicja station, located at Jezuicka street in Warsaw and died two days later because of severe injuries of the stomach.
Przemyk's funeral, which took place at the Powązki Cemetery
Powazki Cemetery
Powązki Cemetery , also known as the Stare Powązki is a historic cemetery located in the Wola district, western part of Warsaw, Poland. It is the most famous cemetery in the city, and one of the oldest...
and which was witnessed by Jerzy Popiełuszko, turned into a spontaneous demonstration against the Communist regime. Meanwhile, the Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs tried to cover those responsible, by stating that Przemyk died because of negligence of the paramedics, who had taken him to hospital. This flawed version of events was confirmed during the 1984 trial, and the two suspects, both Milicja functionaries were acquitted, despite these facts having been refuted during testimonies in the UK trial by Dr Marek Bagniewski, the doctor who had performed surgery on Przemyk before his death.
The trial returned after collapse of Communism. Investigation is also conducted by the Institute of National Remembrance
Institute of National Remembrance
Institute of National Remembrance — Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation is a Polish government-affiliated research institute with lustration prerogatives and prosecution powers founded by specific legislation. It specialises in the legal and historical sciences and...
. Przemyk was on 3 May 2008, posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, by 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...
.
Sources
Przemyk, Grzegorz (1964-1983) 25 years after the death of 19-year old Grzegorz PrzemykThe song "Over My Dead Body" from the 1984 album "Meltdown" from Christian recording artist Steve Taylor was dedicated to the memory of Grzegorz Przemyk.
External links
- Archive photographs from the funeral of Father Jerzy Popiełuszko at Institute of National Remembrance website